1. YOUR RESEARCH PAPER

2. Thesis Question and Statement
Research Question:
Should states regulate the use of cell phones in moving vehicles?
Thesis Statement:
States should regulate use of cell phones on the road because many drivers are using the phones irresponsibly and causing accidents.

3. Now It Is Your Turn Use the space to the right to answer the following:
What is your Thesis Question? What question do you want to answer?
What is your Thesis Statement? Remember, subject + opinion = thesis

4. Introducing your paper
The introduction paragraph allows the reader to become acquainted with your subject.
The introduction paragraph includes your thesis statement (either the first sentence or the last.)
Remember, if your thesis is new and innovative, then the reader will be encountering this idea for the first time and will need as much information as possible about your subject.

5. An Example Introduction:
At one point in the early twentieth century, it seemed that the American buffalo, Bison bison, would continue to exist only in pictures or on the buffalo nickel.
Its population of one hundred million around 1700 had been reduced to one thousand by Today, that number has increased to nearly two hundred thousand (Hodgson 71). The buffalo, once endangered, has returned.

6. Five Ws and an H
Research questions you must answer to help you write your research paper:
Who?
How?
When?
What?
Why?
Where?

7. Using MLA Format In Your Research Paper

8. Why we require MLA style:
Proper citation of sources in MLA style can help you avoid plagiarism, which is a serious offense.
Using a consistent format helps your reader understand the arguments and the sources they’re built on.
It also helps you, the writer, keep track of your sources.

9. Two Parts of the MLA Style:
Works Cited Page
Parenthetical Citations

10. Works Cited Page
A list of every source you make reference to in the research paper.
Provides the info necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any sources you cite.
Each source cited in the essay must appear on the works cited page, and each source on the works cited page must have a citation in the paper.

11. A Sample Works Cited Page
Notice: Double spacing throughout!
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. Bleak House New York: Penguin, 1985.
Miller, J. Hills. Charles Dickens: The World of His Novels. Bloomington: University of Indiana Purdue, 1958.
Zwerding, Alex. “Esther Summerson Rehabilitated.” PMLA 99 (May 1973):

12. A Sample Works Cited Page
Notice: Works Cited title at the top
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. Bleak House New York: Penguin, 1985.
Miller, J. Hills. Charles Dickens: The World of His Novels. Bloomington: University of Indiana Purdue, 1958.
Zwerding, Alex. “Esther Summerson Rehabilitated.” PMLA 99 (May 1973):

13. A Sample Works Cited Page
Notice: Indentations on the left
no space first line of entry
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. Bleak House New York: Penguin, 1985.
Miller, J. Hills. Charles Dickens: The World of His Novels. Bloomington: University of Indiana Purdue, 1958.
Zwerding, Alex. “Esther Summerson Rehabilitated.” PMLA 99 (May 1973):
10 spaces
for lines
following

14. When Should You Use Parenthetical Citations?

15. (the author’s name MUST appear in the citation)
1. When quoting any words verbatim:
(the author’s name MUST appear in the citation)
examples:
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263). OR
Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263).

16. 2. When summarizing facts and ideas from a source:
this means to take ideas from a large passage or another source and condense them, using your own words.

17. 3. When paraphrasing a source:
this means to use the ideas from another source but change the words into your own words.

18. How to Use Parenthetical Citations
At the end of the quote, summarization or paraphrase, insert:
step 1 - first parenthesis
example:
…of powerful feelings” (

19. How to Use Parenthetical Citations
At the end of the quote, summarization or paraphrase, insert:
step 2 - first word(s) of works cited entry
example:
…of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth

20. How to Use Parenthetical Citations
At the end of the quote, summarization or paraphrase, insert:
step 3 - page number(s) of citation
example:
…of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263

21. How to Use Parenthetical Citations
At the end of the quote, summarization or paraphrase, insert:
step 4 - end parenthesis
example:
…of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263)

22. How to Use Parenthetical Citations
At the end of the quote, summarization or paraphrase, insert:
step 5 - a period
example:
…of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263).

23. How to Use Parenthetical Citations
NOTICE:
1. The period always goes after the citation—NEVER before.
2. There is NEVER any punctuation between the word and the page number.
3. NEVER include the period or comma at sentence end,
although you MUST include a question mark or exclamation mark ?
…of powerful feelings ” (Wordsworth 263). !

24. What words do you put in Parenthetical Citations?
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. Bleak House New York: Penguin, 1985.
Just use the very first word of the Works Cited entry:
…the words of your quote” (Dickens 123).

25. What words do you put in Parenthetical Citations?
Works Cited
Smith, Carol and Jones, Martha. Funny Things. New York: Zondervan, 1995.
When there is more than one author, use the last name for each person:
…words of your quote” (Smith and Jones 24).

26. What words do you put in the Parenthetical Citations?
Works Cited
“California’s Cigarette Tax Deters Smokers.” Newsweek 125 (June 2000):
When there is no author, use just the first word of the title in quotes:
…the words of your quote” (“California” 67).

27. Example of a Title Page

28. by John A. Student
Mr. Brady
English IV / A1 or B2
10 March 2003
The Hazards of Television on Society

29. The Senior Project: Synthesizing the K-12 Education
How to make an outline:
The Senior Project: Synthesizing the K-12 Education
Thesis Statement: The Senior Project is valuable to students because it is based upon an area of interest to the student, incorporates a variety of academic disciplines, and uses skills necessary in the workplace.
Introduction
The Senior Project is an opportunity for students to more fully study an area of interest not covered in the regular curriculum.
Emphasis in one of three areas
Personal growth
Career exploration
Altruism
Allows for in-depth study of a specific topic
The Senior Project encourages study across the curriculum.
Three separate components
Research paper
Project
Presentation

30. The Senior Project: Synthesizing the K-12 Education (continued…)
How to make an outline:
The Senior Project: Synthesizing the K-12 Education (continued…)
B. Interdisciplinary skills within each component
Project may use both math and writing
Speech may use speech techniques and visual aids
The Senior Project emphasizes skills valued in the workplace.
Time management
Creating schedules
Meeting deadlines
Interpersonal skills
Choosing and working with a mentor
Interviewing skills
Conclusion

31. Here’s how your outline should look
The Senior Project: Synthesizing the K-12 Education
Thesis Statement: The Senior Project is valuable to students because it is
based upon an area of interest to the student, incorporates a variety of
academic disciplines, and uses skills necessary in the workplace.
Introduction
The Senior Project is an opportunity for students to more fully study an area of interest not covered in the regular curriculum.
Emphasis in one of three areas
Personal growth
Career exploration
Altruism
Allows for in-depth study of a specific topic
The Senior Project encourages study across the curriculum.
Three separate components
Research paper
Project
Presentation
B Interdisciplinary skills within each component
Project may use both math and writing
Speech may use speech techniques and visual aids
The Senior Project emphasizes skills valued in the workplace.
Time management
Creating schedules
Meeting deadlines
Interpersonal skills
Choosing and working with a mentor
Interviewing skills
Conclusion

32. Example of Page Layout

33. double spacing throughout1”
1/2”
Brady 2
1” margin all around
sobering amount of situational and relational inconvenience envelopes the characters found in Albert Camus’ novella The Stranger in that a constant state of tension (Einstein quote) exists between each character’s interactions with one another.
Albert Camus is attempting to portray a truth about the reality of the human condition, a reality few individuals would accept, and the tension filled relationships that overshadow humanity’s everyday existence.
If Meursault had simply agreed with the Magistrate about believing in God, specifically Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, then he would likely have been released from jail. It is obvious the French had no particular fondness for the Arabs or the Moors. They are obviously foreigners to the French and, believing in a faith other than Christianity, are not of the same caliber aseveryone else. The only problem is that Mersault has not a care 1” 1”
½” margin to base
of name & page
in right top corner
double spacing throughout
indent 10 spaces or just ½” tab 1”