Researching and The Research Paper

What is a research paper? A “research paper” is taking and combining “information you find by doing research” and “your own ideas” to prove a “thesis statement”. Information + Ideas = Research

What is a research paper continued… EXAMPLE Billy the Kid Research Wild West outlaw (this we already know) “was an orphan at the age of 15” (what we learn through research) So we create a thesis statement… Billy the Kid, a well known Wild West outlaw, most likely turned to violence after becoming an orphan at age 15 (Source, 12). After Billy’s parents were… (The statement above was “paraphrased” but we still “cited” the source.)

MLA vs. APA MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences

Pre-Research Process Choosing a topic (a good one) Making a statement: Thesis Statement Questioning your topic

The “Thesis” Statement This is the “Main Idea” of your paper It becomes a “Focus” for your thoughts Fill in the “Blanks” and get a “Thesis” (Choose a Historical Time Period) made/had a big impact on (who do you think it impacted the most).

Questioning Your Topic Ask yourself… What do I already know? What do I want to learn by doing research? Organize your questions in to three subtopics Before, During, After You should have 21 different questions total (7 for each category) Before During After

Research Time

Source and Resource Cards Source Cards: Index cards are used to list your sources (where you found your information) Note Cards: On the back of the Source Card, write down the exact information you found with quotation marks

Evaluating Sources BEFORE you use a website ask yourself: Is the website a University (.edu), Government (.gov) or well known Organization (.org)? Who is the author? How recent is the Source? No later than 5 years (2011) What is the author’s Purpose for writing this information? (PersuadeInformEntertain)

Source Cards Internet Author or editor Last name, first name. Web site title. Date of publication of site. <Internet address>. Beals, Gerry. Thomas Edison’s Home Page. 1999. <http://www.thomasedison.com> Internet Don’t forget to indent

Reliability on the Internet Reliable sources on the internet will always include an “author”, a “date”, and should always be “cross referenced” “Cross referenced” means you check the information with info from another web site.

Source Cards Video Internet Last name, First name of the creator. “Title of the film or video.” Title of the website, role of contributors and their First name Last name, Version, Numbers, Publisher, Publication date, URL. RotoBaller. “RotoBaller MLB: Top Fantasy Baseball Catcher Dynasty League Prospects for 2016.” YouTube, commentary by Raphael Rabe, 27 Mar. 2016, youtu.be/gK645_7TA6c. Internet Don’t forget to indent

Source Cards Encyclopedia Author Last name, First. “Subject Title.” Encyclopedia Name. Year of publication. Gold, John. “Edison, Thomas.” World Book Encyclopedia. 1992 ed. Classroom Don’t forget to indent

Source Cards Book Author Last name, First. Book Title. City of Publication:Publisher, Year of publication. Josephson, Matthew. Edison: A Biography. Portland: Wiley, 1992. Don’t forget to indent

Source Cards Magazine Author or editor Last name, First name. “Article title.” Name of Magazine. Date of Magazine published: Page numbers. Saunders, Fenella. “They Invented it.” Discover Magazine. Oct 2006: 2-3. Ebsco-host Don’t forget to indent

Note Cards RULES: Write a “direct quote” word-for-word Always record the “page number” A “direct quote” is the information you are getting from a source. The “direct quote” should answer one of your “research questions.” You need to record the “page number” from your source because you will need this when you “cite” your information in your paper.

Note Cards Continued… A sample for you… Inventions The page number The “Direct Quote” “The most famous of his inventions was an incandescent light bulb.” Pg 89 Inventions

…and then? Outlines Citing in Writing and the Rough Draft Works Cited Title Page Final Production or Final Draft

How long does this have to be… Remember essays? Essays are 5 paragraphs: 1st is the introductory, then 3 body paragraphs, and the last is the concluding. RESEARCH PAPERS ARE TO BE “8 (EIGHT) PARAGRAPHS” : 1st is the introductory Then 6 (six) body paragraphs The last is the concluding

Outline The research paper “outline” should be easy to organize…if your note cards are organized. The outline for the body will be easy to write…it may be that the “Intro” and “Conclusion” will be more difficult The “Intro” and “Conclusion” are… YOUR OWN WORDS…NO CITATIONS!!

Citing in Writing: What you Need Note Cards Source Cards From the “Note Cards” you need the “Direct Quote” and “page number” From the “Source Cards” you need the “Authors Last Name”

Citing in Writing: The Cards Jose, Matthew. Edison: A Biography. Portland: Wiley, 1992. School Library “The most famous of his inventions was an incandescent light bulb.” Pg 89 Inventions <<<<<Source Card Note Card >>>>>>

Citing in Writing: What you Do Research is Citing. You must tell the “reader” where you get your information and we do this by “CITING” our source. The way we do this…

Citing in Writing: The Way We Do This… You take the direct quote and include your own thoughts to create a sentence in your research paper… Thomas Edison made many inventions in his lifetime. Some inventions are more famous than others. “The most famous of his inventions was an incandescent light bulb” (Jose, 89).

Citing in Writing: Now what? EVERY TIME you use a “quote” from a note card you “Cite” the source. RULES: Use the first item on your Source Card (Usually the author’s last name) Use the page number from the Note Card DO NOT write the word “page” in the “citation” EXAMPLE: …” (Last Name, Number).

The “WORKS CITED” Page Definition: The “sources” you “cited” in your research paper are written “collectively” on one page. This page is called the “Works Cited” page. SO WHAT DO YOU DO? Type all your source cards IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER (by the first item on the card usually the Author’s Last name). REMEMBER: Indent ALL lines after the first.

The “WORKS CITED” Page You need ALL your “Source Cards” NOW… you need to type them…but there are rules… Jose, Matthew. Edison: A Biography. Portland: Wiley, 1992. School Library Beals, Gerry. Thomas Edison’s Home Page. 1999. <http://www.thomas edison.com/> Ebsco

The “WORKS CITED” Page So…your “Works Cited” page should look like this… ALPHABETICAL ORDER by Author’s last name Single spaced source information Double space between each source Works Cited Beals, Gerry. Thomas Edison’s Home Page. 1999. <http://www.thomas edison.com/> “Edison, Thomas.” World Book Encyclopedia. 1992 ed. Jose, Matthew. Edison: A Biography. Portland: Wiley, 1992. Saunders, Fenella. “R&D: They Invented it.” Discover Magazine. Oct 200: 1.

Title Page: Let’s Name this Baby! The “title page” is the cover page for your research. What do you want on the “title page”? The title Your name Your teacher’s name The date you turn in your paper Your class hour USE: the Center button or (Ctrl + E) to Center the “cursor”

Production: Format Formatting Your Paper Times New Roman (font) 12 Pt (size of font) Double Space (Format; Line Spacing; Double) 1 inch margins (already set) NO BOLD NO ITALICS NO PICTURES This is a “FORMAL” piece of writing and it should look like it

Are we there yet? YES… Scoring Guide >>> Order to turn in Title Page Research paper Works Cited Rough Draft Outline Note Cards