1. Latin America Research Project World Cultures 2010

2. Informative Research Aims to inform or explain what you found regarding a single topic – Therefore, the thesis=the focus of the paper narrows the scope of the topic NO ARGUMENT

3. The Rubric FOCUS – Does your paper have one focal point? (thesis) – Are all ideas connected to that point? – Does the paper progress with each idea building on the last (rather than a series of separate examples)? CONTENT – Do you have enough research to inform? – Do you explain that research in regard to your thesis?

4. The Rubric ORGANIZATION broad introduction informative thesis subtopic 1: support, citation, explanation subtopic 2: support, citation, explanation subtopic 3: support, citation, explanation restated informative thesis broadening conclusion Progressive, developing hooks

5. The Rubric CONVENTIONS – Spelling – Grammar – Punctuation – Style MLA DOCUMENTATION – Are all of your sources cited correctly in text? – Is your Works Cited correct? – Do you correctly punctuate quotations? – Do you paraphrase adequately?

6. MLA Documentation Refer to the works of others in your text (quotation and paraphrase) with parenthetical citation: Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals" (Burke 3). In-text parenthetical citation corresponds with an entry on Works Cited page Burke, Kenneth. Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method. Berkeley: U of California P, 1966.

7. Plagiarism “copy and paste,” word-for-word theft Inadequate paraphrase (adequate = significant changes in syntax and diction) Failure to identify source of quotation or paraphrased idea Parenthetical citation without accompanying works cited reference Works Cited reference without accompanying parenthetical citation

8. Quotation vs. Paraphrase Direct copy of the text Word-for-word restatement Uses quotation marks Uses parenthetical citation Summary restatement of the text SIGNIFICANT changes to syntax and diction No quotation marks Uses parenthetical citation

9. Syntax and Diction Structure – Of the sentence – Of the clauses – Of the phrases Word choice SIGNIFICANT CHANGES means there should be few – but preferably no – repetitions of words or structure

10. Quotation Paraphrase “Admissions officers see themselves as being responsible to their school as a whole. They are building a freshman class, which must become a successful part of the college or university at large.” The job of the admissions officer is to select students for the freshman class who will contribute to the overall success of the college or university.

11. Parenthetical citation Use it when: – You quote directly from the source – You paraphrase (change SYNTAX and DICTION) from the source Don’t use it when: – You refer to common knowledge – You quote familiar proverbs – You quote common quotations When in doubt, USE IT!

12. Opening tags Distinguish the beginning of a paraphrase from your own thoughts with an opening tag that contains the author’s name or title of the work: These economic hardships aren’t always so difficult to overcome, however. Stevens claims that though the economic issues Peruvians are facing are creating dire living conditions, solving them will take little more than cooperation between social agencies and the government.

13. Parenthetical citation Usually contains(Jones 54). – Author’s last name – Page number for that information No page number? (electronic sources) – Author’s last name only No author? – Title of the work (full the first time) – Underline or use Quotation Marks as appropriate