1. The Dreaded Research Paper

2. Types of Research
Primary- generating new ideas and information on your own.
Secondary- gathering and analyzing the results of other people’s research

3. Research is…..
“about satisfying curiosity, about finding something you are interested in, exploring it, and making discoveries.”
“Whatever you plan to do with your future, knowing how to do research will be of great value to you.”

4. What is the Research Process?
Choosing your topic
Doing preliminary research
Limiting your subject to a specific topic
Finding an angle and writing a statement of controlling purpose
Preparing a list of possible resources
Taking notes and developing a rough, working outline
Organizing your notes and making a final outline

5. Research Process continued….
Writing your first draft
Revising your draft
Writing the final draft, with a complete list of works cited.

6. The first step… Choose your topic
Choose something that you have a REAL reason for wanting to explore.
“Often the best subjects for research reports are ones that relate to your own life or to the lives of people you know.”

7. Interest Inventory
Respond in writing to the questions your teacher gives you…..

8. Limiting your Subject / Choosing a Topic
Should be interesting
Readily available resources
Significant topic
Objective
Allows you to come up with own ideas
Narrow enough to be covered fully

9. Statement of Controlling Purpose
Support
Prove
Determine values
Analyze
Define
Explain cause and effect
Establish cause and effect
Describe development
Identify/ describe trend
Classify
Relate part to whole
Compare/ contrast
Examine
Explain- concept or idea

10. What to do when I go to the library…
Set up Research folder in “My docs”
Research periodicals to find general articles on your topic.
Brainstorm with peers or teacher to come up with ideas.
Randomly choose a book on your subject from the shelf. Look through it to find specific ideas.
Search the internet.

11. Working Bibliography
A list of sources that might be useful in writing your paper.
Place to start looking for resources include:
Other people
Institutions or organizations
Government
Library or Media Center
On line
References

12. Websites to use… www.cactisearch.com www.vivisimo.com
Other helpful sites…
Boston Public Library
New York Public Library

13. Evaluating Sources
Is the source authoritative? Is it reliable and accurate?
Is the source unbiased? Does it lack prejudices?
Is the source up to date?
Is the work written on an appropriate level?
Is the source highly recommended?

14. Which is the bogus website?

15. Making Bibliography Cards
Essential information- author, title, publication place and date, pages used.
Source note- where you found the source.
Source number- different for each source you find.
Card catalog number- if appropriate.
We will discuss your Works Cited page at a later time.

16. How do I make source cards?
“Do not read, view, or listen to every part of a source. Concentrate on the parts that relate to your topic and your purpose.”
Direct Quotation
Paraphrase
Summarize
Make sure the source is indicated on the notes.

17. How do I make an outline?
This outline will be the basis for your research paper.
Determine order of information- chronological, cause-effect, etc.
Long phrases or sentences should be used to allow for clear understanding of paper.

18. Here is an example of an outline……
I. Causes of the War of 1812
A. Trade conflicts with Great Britain and France
B. Impressment of US sailors by Britain
C. Responses by the US government
1. Embargo Act
2. Failure of the act

19. Outline Helper

20. Now let’s make it a sentence outline…
I. Several international and domestic events combined to cause the War of 1812.
A. As a result of trade conflicts between Great Britain and France, each country began attacking US ships that tried to trade with the other.
B. Great Britain angered the United States by impressing its sailors, or seizing them and making them serve its navy.

21. Continued….
C. The US government responded to these actions by trying to make Great Britain and France suffer economically.
1. Congress passed the Embargo Act, which prohibited US trade with Britain, France, and any nation that traded with them.
2. The act was not effective because instead of harming Britain’s trade and economy, it actually improved them.

22. The draft is a work in progress…
Introduction- grab your readers attention, include your thesis statement
Report on your research
Conclusion- restate your main idea and reasons

23. Revisions
Use the revision checklist to revise and edit your paper. Utilize your teacher’s and peer’s knowledge to make your paper better.
Revision Checklist

24. MLA Format