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Assignment Prewriting Select a Topic Form a Research Question Identify Purpose and Audience Find Sources Evaluate Sources Prepare Source Cards Take Notes Write a Thesis Statement Organize Information and Develop an Outline Document Sources Integrate Quotations Practice and Apply Feature Menu

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Assignment: Write a research paper (three pages minimum) in which you present documented evidence that supports a thesis. How were women treated during the Victorian Era? How did Victorian innovations in police work influence the way we solve crimes today? Where did Robert Louis Stevenson get ideas for his works? To answer complex questions like these, you must do research. [End of Section]

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Select a topic that interests you and others. Consider locationscountry, region, state, city personal interests hobbies, sports, music historical or literary figures For our papers, we will choose topics related to items weve touched on in class this year. current events

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Form a research question that asks exactly what you want to find out from your research. Now, answer these questions about your own paper. Developing a Research Topic QuestionsAnswers What is my topic?the poet Robert Frost + What do I hope to learn from my research? I want to know how he got ideas for his poems. =What is my research question? Where did Robert Frost get ideas for his poems?

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Research Question: Where did Robert Frost get ideas for his poems? Did Frost base any poems on actual events from his life? Did Frost write about the places where he lived? Did Frost ever explain where he got the ideas for his poems? Let your research question lead you to form several related, more detailed questions. Now, create at least three more detailed questions related to your original research question.

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The purpose of your research paper is to uncover information from various sources. You will synthesize, or combine, the information you gather from multiple sources draw conclusions based on your research inform others about your findings

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Your audience is your teacher and anyone else who will read your paper. Consider what they already know about the topic misunderstandings or biases they might have unfamiliar terms or technical notations you will need to define questions they might have [End of Section]

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Gather information from both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources include legal documents, letters, diaries, eyewitness accounts, literature and surveys contain original, firsthand information that is unfiltered and unedited

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Gather information from both primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources include encyclopedia entries, newspaper articles, documentaries, and biographies provide indirect or secondhand information

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To find sources, use area libraries and other community resources, such as local, state, and national government agencies local newspapers museums, historical societies, and service groups video stores and audiotape rental stores credible websites [End of Section]

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Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of information are. Ask yourself, Is your source up-to-date? If information on your topic is constantly changing, make sure your sources are current.

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Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of information are. Ask yourself, Does the source seem factual? Check its information against your own knowledge and against other sources. If you find a discrepancy, or difference, between sources, check additional resources to determine which information is most accurate or most useful.

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Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of information are. Ask yourself, Does the source provide explanations? Look for explanations that might help you and your readers understand the complexities of the topic.

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Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of information are. Ask yourself, Do the sources cover different perspectives? Some sources may be biased, or slanted, toward one point of view. You may find that different sources present varying perspectives on the same subject. [End of Section]

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Keep track of all the sources you use in your paper. Write source information on a 3- x 5-inch index card, and number each card.source information OR use Noodletools [End of Section]

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Take accurate and coherent notes of facts and details that support your thesis. Note-Taking Methods Quote the information directly, writing the authors exact words. Paraphrase the information by restating all of the authors ideas in your own words. Summarize the information by briefly restating only the authors main idea and most important details. Other types of evidence

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Direction quotation note card Heading and source number Direct quotation Page number Places The days Robert Frost passed in solitude on the Gully farm in South Shaftsbury, Vermont, following the death of his wife on March 20, 1938, were as grim as any of his entire life. page xv

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Paraphrase note card Heading and source number Paraphrase Page number Places The days Robert Frost spent by himself on his farm in South Shaftsbury, Vermont, after his wife died were the most dismal of his life. page xv

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Summary note card Heading and source number Summary Page number Places Robert Frost spent his most dismal days alone on his farm after his wife died. page xv [End of Section]

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Write your thesis statementthe main idea of your report and the answer to your research question. Thesis: Robert Frost got many of the ideas for his poems from the places where he lived and the natural areas nearby. Be sure your thesis statement has a formal tone.formal tone [End of Section]

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Organize your note cards using one of these methods: Chronological order presents events in the order that they happened. Logical order groups related ideas together explaining the parts of a whole or comparing two subjects, for example. Order of importance places the most important ideas first and moves to the least important (or vice versa).

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Create an outline of your key points and support. First, make an informal outline that includes the major headings and broad categories of support.informal outline Then, use your informal outline as a guide to create a more formal outline that shows the hierarchy of ideas.formal outline [End of Section]

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Give credit to your sources of information. Cite sources in the body of your paper. List sources at the end of your paper. Warning: If you fail to cite your sources, you are committing the serious academic offense of plagiarismclaiming someone elses words or ideas as your own.

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Citing Sources in the Body What to credit: However, any information that you obtain from outside sources that is not common knowledge must be documented. If the same information is found in several easy-to-find sources, it is considered common knowledge. You do not have to document it.

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Citing Sources in the Body How to credit: You will cite sources in the body of your research paper using the parenthetical citation format recommended by the Modern Language Association (MLA). Please see Purdue OWL at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ for instructions on using parenthetical citations and preparing a Works Cited list. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ [End of Section]

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Integrate direct quotations to make your paper more credible. Synthesize the ideas in each quotation. Connect the quoted words with your own thoughts, or provide your own interpretation of the quotation. Be careful when inserting quotations that you dont interrupt the papers flow of ideas. Avoiding overuse of quotations

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Type of Quotation Example phrase or clause Frosts images of New England were considered part of a great American tradition (Robert Frost Dies 5). short quotation (four lines or less) One newspaper account of Robert Frosts death says, he exemplified a great American tradition with his superb, almost angular verses written out of the New England scene (Robert Frost Dies 5).

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Type of Quotation Example long quotation (more than four lines) In the account of Robert Frosts death in The New York Times, the writer chose Frosts images of nature to leave a final impression of the poet: To countless persons who had never seen New Hampshire birches in the snow or caressed a perfect ax he exemplified a great American tradition with his superb, almost angular verses written out of the New England scene. (Robert Frost Dies 5) [End of Section]

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Use the preceding prewriting information to plan your research paper. First, choose a topic and develop research questions. As you research, create source cards and note cards. Then, develop a thesis and form an outline. [End of Section]

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Add the questions you think your audience might have to the list of detailed questions you created earlier.

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Consider interviewing experts in the subject areas you are researching. Arrive on time with prepared questions. Take careful notes. Be respectful and courteous. Compile the most useful responses while they are fresh in your mind.

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M Make a card for each source you consult in your research. You may later discover that you need to reexamine sources that you didnt use initially. Remember you are required to make a minimum of 20 note cards!!!

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Source Information You will use the Modern Language Association (MLA) format for citing sources. Guidelines for recording source information can be found in your textbook or on Schoolwires in the Research Project doc.

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Other Types of Evidence Scenarios: general descriptions of potential events or common situations Commonly held beliefs: broad ideas that most people accept Hypotheses: educated guesses about causes or outcomes Definitions: objective explanations of unfamiliar terms

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Formal Tone Be sure your thesis statement has a formal tone. You should maintain a formal tone throughout the paper. Avoid slang words or phrases (cool, back in the day) contractions (wasnt, whos) first-person pronouns (I or we)

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Thesis: Frosts poetry inspired by places where he lived, nature Early life (San Francisco, aunts farm) Places he lived as an adult (Derry and other farms, England) Natural areas (poems inspired by nature walks) Conclusion: Frosts importance Informal Outline

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I.Introduction A.Thesis statement: Robert Frost got many of the ideas for his poems from the places where he lived and natural areas nearby. B.Background information II.Body A. Early life 1.San Francisco a.Once by the Pacific b.At Woodwards Gardens 2. Aunts farm Formal Outline

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Watch for opportunities to include graphs, charts, maps, or time lines in your paper, and note on your outline where to place them. Visuals can help your readers understand important ideas. Microsoft Word includes features that make it simple for you to include visuals in your paper.

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Before drafting, be sure to review MLA & the teachers formatting requirements. For example, you may need to number every page except the first one in the top right-hand corner or include a footer with your name. Youll also need to prepare a separate title page that includes your name, the date, the title of your report, and the teachers name.

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Avoiding Overuse of Quotations Overusing quotations can make your paper choppy and difficult to read. Directly quote a source only when you cant more effectively summarize or paraphrase an idea.