What it is: -Combination of research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and writing skills -Living, breathing thing that changes as you learn more What it is not: -Book report -Opinion piece -Your interpretation of an issue

Argumentative papers -take a position (the death penalty should be abolished, teachers should not be armed, marijuana should be legal) Analytical papers - define something & break it down (the interpretation of a particular poem, scientific evidence in support of and against anthropogenic global warming)

noun 1. communication of thought by words; talk; conversation: earnest and intelligent discourse. 2. a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon, etc. 3. Linguistics. any unit of connected speech or writing longer than a sentence. verb (used without object), discoursed, discoursing. 4. to communicate thoughts orally; talk; converse. 5. to treat of a subject formally in speech or writing. verb (used with object), discoursed, discoursing. 6. to utter or give forth (musical sounds).

Civil discourse -The act of engaging in dialogue on important issues to help enhance understanding -Acknowledge there are two sides to an issue

 Find something you have a strong interest in (global warming, environmental impact of mountain biking, nutritional value of school lunch)  Start thinking of questions you have on that topic  If you can’t find a topic, try looking here: SIRS Issues Researcher

 Definition: 1.capable of being believed; believable: a credible statement. 2.worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy: a credible witness.  Credibility is important! ◦ If your research is flawed, so is your argument. ◦ If you use credible sources, you can believe them, and your readers can believe you.

 Most books you find in library nonfiction are credible.  Most newspapers are credible. ◦ New York Times ◦ Washington Post ◦ Rapid City Journal  Scholarly journals are usually credible. ◦ JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)  Most government publications are credible.  Reputable organizations are usually credible. ◦ American Cancer Society ◦ World Health Organization ◦ American Red Cross  Most information from colleges is credible. ◦.edu websites

 You can automatically rule out: ◦ Social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr) ◦ Personal blogs ◦ Opinion sites ◦ Yahoo! Answers ◦ eNotes ◦ Wikianswers

 The internet offers the BEST information on MANY topics.  The internet offers the WORST information on MOST topics.  You can use internet resources for research papers, but you have to be careful.

 Ways to tell a credible internet source: ◦ Looks professional  The website doesn’t look like it was made by a 4-year- old with a crayon  All or most links are working ◦ Information offered is easy to verify  The website offers links to where they found their information  The sources of their information is also credible

◦ It is easy to contact the owners of the website for more information or to ask questions ◦ The site is up to date  Information from 2004 is not listed as “recent” ◦ There are no errors  The site uses proper spelling and grammar ◦ The website is appropriate  There is no inappropriate language, graphics, or photos

 These guidelines are not 100%  When in doubt, ask for help from a teacher or librarian  If you’re still not sure, DON’T use it  Be careful with.com sites ◦ All.com sites are trying to sell something, which means they are all biased in some way ◦ Sites with lots of advertisements are usually less credible

 Never Use Personal Pronouns in Research Papers. “I think, You will agree,” etc. If you’re citing the works of a group of researchers, don’t state “they found.” State instead, “The group concluded,” or “It was determined.” Remain totally objective - your credibility is at stake.  If you cite research that supports your thesis, then you should also cite works that support the opposition.