Organizing Your Research Now that you have your information on the note cards, it’s time to get it organized. First, put all your source cards in one group. Second, read through your information cards and group them together according to the subject. For example, all the cards about a person’s birth, family, and maybe childhood, go in one pile. As you make your groups, some cards may fit into two or more groups. Set them aside and finish with the others first. Then, put those you set aside into groups that need more information to make good paragraphs.

Once your cards are all in groups, start with the group you think will be your first paragraph. Look through the group and decide which information will go first, next, etc. Then read through the group in the order you have put them in. Does it sound logical? When you are satisfied, set that group aside, and do the same with each group of cards.

As you are making your subject groups, note whether you need more information for a particular paragraph. It is not too late to look back at your sources and get more information. Also, if you have one or two cards that don’t really fit, you can leave that information out.

The Outline Now that your information is organized, you need to make an outline. This helps you see how all the information is organized, and if you need to move pieces of information around. Start with a fresh piece of notebook paper. At the top write in your topic. Your Name Your Topic I. Introductory Idea a. b. c.

Beside Roman numeral I you write out the idea of how you will begin your paper. Underneath, list other ideas that go with your introduction using capital letters: A., B., etc. Next, skip a line and write II. Here you show your idea for a topic sentence for the 2nd paragraph. Underneath this, you list the main points of your paragraph using the capital letters. Your main points will come from your information cards. Continue until you have “mapped out” all the paragraphs of your paper.

Your Topic I. Introductory Idea A. (Only write phrases here Your Name Your Topic I. Introductory Idea A. (Only write phrases here B. not entire sentences.) C. First Paragraph – Topic sentence idea A. B. C. d. III. Second Paragraph – Topic sentence Idea a. b. c. (And so on through the final paragraph) VI Conclusion Idea

Abraham Lincoln I. Presidents very important to U.S. Your Name Abraham Lincoln I. Presidents very important to U.S. A. Leaders in peace and war B War Presidents have a bigger struggle C. A. Lincoln was president over our only Civil War. II. Early life – how were Lincoln’s ideas formed? A. Birth, family B. Living conditions C. Early education Lincoln as a young adult – how were Lincoln’s ideas formed? A. Holding odd jobs B. Becoming a lawyer

IV. Lincoln’s marriage and children A. Wife B. children Your Name IV. Lincoln’s marriage and children A. Wife B. children Lincoln in Politics A. Illinois representative B. Debates with Stephen Douglas C. The Presidency 1. Lincoln’s run for President 2. Lincoln’s challenges as President VI. Lincoln in the Civil War A. Lincoln’s role in the beginning B. Lincoln’s challenges in heading the war. C. Decisions Lincoln made and how those changed the war. (And so on until the ending paragraph)

Important to remember – you do not write whole sentences in an outline Important to remember – you do not write whole sentences in an outline. You write only enough words to show your idea or the piece of information you will put in that place. You must conference about your outline with your teacher by February 5th.

Now that your information is organized, you can start to draft your paper. Start with the 2nd paragraph idea on your outline and type the information into connecting sentences. Name Research Remember that when you draft you should: Put your name and the page number in the top right corner of all the pages Double space Leave a margin on both the left and the right Write on one side of the paper Leave space at the bottom of the page

As you draft, take time now to build complete sentences As you draft, take time now to build complete sentences. Try to make the sentences in each paragraph sound like they belong together. When you have finished the first paragraph, go to the next paragraph. Continue on until you have written out all the information in all the groups. Note! You have now finished writing the information part of your paper! However, you still need to compose a beginning paragraph and a concluding paragraph.

Beginning Paragraph Your topic paragraph should introduce your subject. One great way to introduce a topic is to go from the big, general idea and then focus down to your specific subject. For example, if your subject were George Washington, you could start out by discussing presidents as a group, or refer to how the amazing events of the American Revolution changed the world. These are big ideas. Then you could focus down to George Washington by saying he holds a special place in the list of presidents, or that with out him, the out come of the revolution may have been different. See the examples on the next slide.

Topic Paragraphs The United States of America has a long history of great men who have served the nation as president. Perhaps the greatest was also the first. George Washington not only led the nation as the first president, without him as general, the revolution may have been lost. The American Revolution has had a profound effect on the world. With the formation of the United States of America, the idea of self government took an even stronger hold in the minds of all men. One figure of the revolution who was vital to the success of the revolution and the new nation was George Washington. On a new sheet of notebook paper, plan out and write your topic paragraph. Place this on top of your rough draft.

Concluding Paragraph To conclude your paper, you need a paragraph that briefly reviews the important points you have made about your subject. It should also show the value of your subject to you or to the reader. Below is a possible ending paragraph for a paper about George Washington. George Washington certainly accomplished a lot in his life time. Without this great general, the United States may never have formed. Without this great president, the United States may have failed. It is important to remember great men like this so that we can copy their great qualities.

Now you have completed the rough draft of your research paper Now you have completed the rough draft of your research paper. Let your teacher check it, and then look at your notes on revising & editing.