1. Objective: (Students will be able to…)
Understand how to formulate research questions and cite sources in preparation for the final Senior Research Project.

2. Select Your Topic Broad topics MUST be narrowed down.
ex: China is too broad!
try: Chinese Weddings
Bad: Are arranged marriages still a part of Chinese culture?
Good: How has the concept of marriage changed in Chinese history?

3. Narrow it Down Broad topics MUST be narrowed down.
 China is too broad!
 Chinese Weddings (getting there)
 ___ (narrow it even more!)
Chinese wedding cakes
Fashion at Chinese weddings
Traditions or rituals performed in Chinese weddings.

4. You try: (topic = frogs)
Narrow it down.
Develop a “Bad ?”
Change it to a “Good ?”
Bad: How many frogs are
endangered?
-Ok: What are the causes for
endangerment of frogs?
-Good: How do the effects of environmental changes contribute to the endangerment of frogs?

5. Handout: Research Question
-Your questions have been developed for you. All you need to do is adjust and narrow them to your focus.
Steps:
Choose a question (To what extent does pop culture reflect our society’s values?)
Choose a focus (Music—too broad) (Rap music—perfect)
Combine (To what extent does Rap music reflect our societal values in the United Stated?)

6. Cornell Notes
You will be asked to keep Cornell Notes, which will store your research. You must have 5-10 entries. This will be collected on the due date of your paper.
Example:
Research Question (will be written at top): How do the effects of environmental changes contribute to the endangerment of frogs?
Title of website
URL
Date accessed
Quote
“The Benefits of the Spotted Frog”
17 May 2011
Quote: “Inmates at the Cedar Creek Corrections center are staffing a project to bolster the dwindling population of the Oregon spotted frog. The results of their 85-cent-per-hour job has stunned researchers” (Sullivan 4).
Commentary:

7. Your Turn!
Research Question is due to me by Wednesday on a piece paper.

8. Introduction
Capture your reader’s attention with a question, anecdote, or interesting fact
Supply readers with background information on your topic
Include a clear thesis statement that gives the answer to your original research question

9. Thesis
Main idea of your report and the answer(s) to your original research question
RQ: “How has the use of computers in a fourth-grade class benefited students?”
Thesis: “The benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .” OR
Thesis: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class has improved . . .”
RQ: How have the effects of global warming contributed to the endangerment of the spotted frog?
Thesis: “The effects of global warming have contributed greatly to the increased endangerment of the spotted frog by creating rapid temperature changes, …”

10. Body
Develop each main point from your outline in a separate body paragraph
Support each main point with at least on quoted/paraphrased piece evidence—facts and details in the form of smoothly integrating direct quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. Make sure you give credit to the author and cite in MLA format
Arrange your main points and evidence in logical order
Make sure your information is proving your thesis

11. Conclusion
Remind readers of your thesis by restating it in different words
Summarize main points
Leave your readers with a closing
thought—an idea or point to ponder