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13Planning and Writing a

Research Paper

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Learning Outcomes

• Discover a meaningful research subject.

• Narrow your research subject.

• Create a researchable question.

• Write a preliminary thesis.

• Locate library and Internet sources.

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Learning Outcomes (contd.)

• Conduct primary research using a survey or interview.

• Take notes from research materials.

• Create an outline.

• Compose a first draft of your research paper.

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Discovering a Research Subject (LO13.1)

• Choose a suitable topic that is interesting and meaningful to you.

• Understand its parameters.

• Know what is acceptable.

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Narrowing a Research Subject (LO 13.2)

• Narrow a broad topic.

• Use the assignment’s requirements to help narrow your topic.

• Consider the length of the assignment.

• Know the number and types of sources required.

• Know the assignment deadline.

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Creating a Researchable Question (LO 13.3)

• A researchable question serves as a guide to the research process.

• An effective researchable question helps develop a thesis.

• Determine what you know about your subject.

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Creating a Researchable Question (contd.)

• Decide what you would like to know about your question.

• You may revise your question after starting preliminary research.

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Write a Preliminary Thesis Statement (LO 13-4)

• A researchable question cannot replace a thesis statement.

• Draft a working thesis.

• Make sure your thesis includes both your subject and your opinion.

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Write a Preliminary Thesis Statement (contd.)

• A working thesis will help you select sources.

• You may refine your thesis later as you gather new ideas from your research.

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Library and Internet Sources (LO 13-5)

Computerized Card Catalog• You can determine if an item is available.

• Search by title, author, ISBN, or subject.

• Use key words to find what you need.

• Spell key words correctly.

• Try different key words until you find what you need.

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Library and Internet Sources (LO 13-5)

Computerized Card Catalog (contd.)• Use “and,” “or,” or “not” to help

narrow a search.

• Print or jot down important information about your sources.

• Use the catalog information to help locate the source in the library.

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Library and Internet Sources: The Stacks (LO 13-5)

• Locate your source using the call number printed on the spine of the books.

• Determine how the library organizes its shelves:

– The Dewey Decimal System divides subjects into ten categories.

– The Library of Congress Classification uses 20 lettered categories.

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Library and Internet Sources: The Stacks (contd.)

• Look at the books nearby and determine if they may be useful.

• If you can not locate a book or source, ask the reference librarian for help.

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Library and Internet Sources: Periodicals (LO 13-5)

• Periodicals include magazines, newspapers, and journals.

• Magazines and newspapers often contain more general information, while journals are usually more in-depth.

• Current periodicals are organized alphabetically by title.

• Old issues may be bound together and kept in elsewhere.

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Library and Internet Sources: Computerized Databases (LO 13-5)

• Check with your librarian to see if a specific

database is available for your use.

– Info Trac, ProQuest, LexisNexis, eLibrary, and eGlobal Library are a few options.

• Read the abstracts of articles and database results, and e-mail useful articles to yourself.

• Make sure to use the full article, not just the abstract.

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Library and Internet Sources: Reference Materials (LO 13-5)

• Most reference materials cannot be checked out.

• Do not use reference materials as primary sources.

• Online reference materials are also available.

• Be aware that Wikipedia is not a credible source for a research paper.

• Visit the American Library Association Web site (http://www.ala.org).

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Library and Internet Sources: Resources (LO 13-5)

Audiovisual materials are non-print media.• Audiovisual materials can be useful

sources. • The shelves are usually organized

alphabetically and by type of material.• Ask your librarian for help if you

are unable to find what you need.

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Library and Internet Sources: Resources (contd.)

Internet searches• Use as a supplement to your traditional

sources.

• You can access sources using a Web browser.

• Search engines can help you find what you need.

• Remember: Search engines are not sources.

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Library and Internet Sources: Online Discussion Groups (LO 13.5)• Use the Internet to locate discussion

groups in which to participate.

• Remember to check the accuracy of any information gathered from these sources.

• Listserves act as mailing lists for your subject, providing e-mail updates.

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Library and Internet Sources: Online Discussion Groups (contd.)• Newsgroups provide information, but

you must evaluate this information yourself.

• Blogs are personalized online journals.

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Tips for Conducting Online Research (LO 13.5)

• Spell your search words correctly.

• Use Boolean Logic to make your search more precise.

– Use “and” to look for sources that contain both terms.

– Use “or” to look for any of two or more words.

– Use “not” to exclude one or more words.

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Tips for Conducting Online Research (contd.)

• Click on hyperlinks to find more information on other Web sites.

• Use the “back” and “forward” arrows to navigate Web pages.

• Bookmark or print out useful sources.

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Evaluating Sources (LO 13.6)

Author and Publisher• Verify that the author has the appropriate credentials.• Make sure the publisher and/or the Web site is reputable.

Date• Check to see when the information was published or posted.

• If the information is too old, find more current information.

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Evaluating Sources (contd.)

References• Check to see if the author documented

his or her sources.• Check if the source includes a

bibliography.• If no sources are provided, consider

looking for other sources.

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Evaluating Sources (contd.)

Bias• Make sure the information provided is fair.• Determine if the author could have an

agenda.

Effectiveness• Decide if the content is useful.• Determine if it is organized clearly and

logically.• Check the information for accuracy.

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Taking Notes (LO 13.7)

Summarizing is condensing ideas from articles, chapters, or passages, using your own words.• Include main ideas but not specific details.

• After writing a summary, check your sources for accuracy.

• Summarizing helps you manage large amounts of information.

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Taking Notes (LO 13.7)

Paraphrasing is restating a sentence or passage in your own words.• Your goal is to revise the original

passage while keeping the passage’s ideas intact.

• Change the sentence structure and word choice.

• Paraphrasing is helpful when the original passage is too complex or technical.

• Do not over-paraphrase in your paper.

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Taking Notes (contd.)

Quoting is taking someone’s exact words and putting quotation marks around them.• Quoting should be used sparingly.

• Use a quote to show an authority’s words

or to share vivid wording from the original passage .

• Make sure to copy the statement word for word.

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Taking Notes (contd.)

Quoting (contd.)• Use an ellipsis (...) when omitting words.

• Do not alter the author’s intended meaning.

• If the original passage contains an error, use (sic) immediately after the error in the quote.

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Taking Notes (contd.)

• You must cite sources for all material that you summarize, paraphrase, or quote in your research paper.

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Primary Research (LO 13.8)

Surveys are questionnaires used to gain information from a group.• Choose your participants carefully.

–Do you want to survey a random group or a specific population?

• Set clear expectations for respondents.• Design effective questions.• Compile and interpret the results.

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Primary Research (contd.)

Personal Interviews• Clarify your purpose.• Choose your interviewee carefully.• Determine how you will conduct the

interview.• Prepare your questions ahead of time.• Be courteous to the interviewee.• Record or take thorough notes during

the interview.

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Creating an Outline (LO 13.9)

• The outline is the framework of your entire paper.

• Select and write down the major points of your paper.

• Be flexible during the writing process if all of your points aren’t covered inthe outline.

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Composing (LO 13.10)

• Write a first draft of your research paper.

• Consider your Rhetorical Star.• Follow the steps of the writing process.• Make sure your voice is strong within

your paper.• You may need additional paragraphs to

support each point.• Cite your sources.