GES Library Mrs. Follmer: Librarian

 The research paper leads you into the works of others and asks you to compare their thoughts with your own.  Writing a research paper involves going to sources and synthesizing what you learn from them with your own ideas.

 You must take particular care to narrow your topic so you don't get lost in a mountain of information.  Your topic can not be so broad it complicates the organization of your notes.  Broad topics create papers that are too general, and difficult to write.  It can not be so narrow there are no sources of information available or maybe just not enough information available to synthesize into two typed pages..

Books Reference Books Power Library Databases Educational Videos Websites

?

Teachers realize you're going to use this website at some point. Use the site during your initial stages of research, when you read many sources to familiarize yourself with your topic. After that, go elsewhere. There's nothing wrong with returning to Wikipedia to confirm a fact that you find elsewhere, or for background info, but never cite Wikipedia as a source in your Works Consulted.

 If it is too broad or vague you will find too much information and will need to narrow the focus.  If it is too specific or specialized or new, it will be difficult finding enough information to write your paper. In that case, you will need to broaden your idea

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic Narrowing Broadening

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic Immigration Into the U.S. now Narrowing Broadening

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic Immigration in the past and Ellis Island Immigration Into the U.S. now Immigration to other countries in the world

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic Narrowing Broadening

Narrowed topicTopicsBroadened Topic Our Solar System

Narrowed topicTopicsBroadened Topic PlutoOur Solar System Our galaxy, the Milky Way

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic Hurricane Katrina

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic New Orleans, Louisiana Hurricane Katrina Natural Disasters

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic Helen KellerASL American Sign Language Blind Communication- Braille, Voice Activated Technology, ASL

Narrowed TopicTopicBroadened Topic ASL American Sign Language

First, write four or more sentences about your topic. Next, underline all of the specific words in your topic and free write section. At the bottom, add to your list any other words that mean the same thing (synonyms) or are related terms. Think of more words or phrases that describe the topic. Add those to the list at the bottom.

 They are called "key words" because they can "unlock" the doors that will lead you to useful information.  They will become your SEARCH WORDS to use during research.  You will use them when searching through books (using the index) and on the computer (using search screens in online reference sources or databases or searching the web.

Narrowed Topic TopicBroadened Topic Free Write List of Key Words

Name Teacher Narrowed Topic TopicBroadened Topic The World Trade Center 9/11 /2001 Terrorism plots MattMr. Gamauf There were airplanes with hijackers. The airplanes were used like bombs. The Twin Towers, and the Pentagon were hit with airplanes. The White House was a target too. The people on Flight 93 stopped the hijackers from crashing into the White House. I want to know how the people on the airplane managed to do that. Hijackers Flight 93 Suicide bombers terrorists Homeland Security Air Marshalls Osama Bin Laden Al Qaeda NY: Fire Department