1.     Do preliminary library research to see if you find articles and books or chapters to answer the question(s) you have written. During preliminary research determine if your preferred topic is doable in the time that you have and with the research resources that are available to you. You can start with specialized encyclopedia or chapter(s) in a textbook on your topic, see any bibliography and footnotes in these for other possible books and articles to use. Also read article abstracts in the Abstracts and see Indexes in the Library's reference area. See step 9 below.

2.     Be prepared to change your question and thesis as you do the research. If you find several interpretations, you want to pick the best approach/interpretation. You must also write why you think your choice is the best and why the other interpretations are not the best.

3.     Use INDEXES and ABSTRACTS to find articles by titles, authors and subjects.

4.     WEB RESEARCH can be a problem because there is no quality control for what goes on the web. Start web research with scholarly indexed materials. (Keep a hard copy of web research used in case it is removed from the web later.)

5.     How to look at research materials when selecting the topic:

Get an overview by title, table of content, read headings, read any summaries, read first and last paragraphs. In other words skim!

Read footnotes and bibliographies for other possible research sources.

6.     Make a list of the sources that you found useful so that you can quickly and easily return to these.

7.     Determine if your topic(s) is doable and narrow your topic to one IMPORTANT topic. Make it a statement.  (Write your thesis statement.)

8.     Discuss your topic with me to get approval and additional research suggestions.  

Reading and Note taking for the Research Paper

9.     Start the reading and take notes on cards or half sheets of paper. ALWAYS write the bibliographical and footnote details for each piece of information when you write a note so that you do NOT have to find that reference again.

For books and other “hard copy” sources, make sure you record the author’s full name, the book title, edition number, volume number, city of publication, publisher’s name, and year of publication.  If you are using a magazine, also include the name of the magazine and the article name, and date of publication, and the page numbers of the article.

For online sources, include all of the above as well as the web page sponsor, the web page title, date of last update, date you found the information, and the website address.

Reconfirm/Determine major and subordinate topics as you read.

Also notice how articles are written to use as models for writing your paper.

10.  Assign each subtopic a color and color code your note cards accordingly as you write notes. (Some notes may have more than one color because they address more than one topic.)

11.  Continue reading and writing notes until you feel that you have enough info to write an excellent research paper.

WRITING the research paper

1.     You must write your own research and NOT JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT IS ALREADY WRITTEN in the research you read. See what the evidence is for the written opinions and determine your answer to your question. (Your answer will be your thesis.)

Make up your own mind and defend your opinion with your reasoning for your decision. State your opinion/decision(s) on the topic and your reasoning for your opinion/decision clearly in your paper.

Quotations

1.     Use only if it is the best access and most persuasive info.

2.     A quote needs to be precise and as short as possible.

3.     It is NOT necessary to use all of the quote. Use ... for the portion(s) that you do not include.

4.     Make it clear to the reader when it is an author's idea(s) and when it is your idea.

5.     Minimize distortion of authors' ideas; in other words, don’t misrepresent the author by taking a part of the quote out of context and changing the author’s intent.

Organization of paper:

A. Introduction

1.     A paper needs a good LEAD-IN to persuade the reader to read it and

2.     Your thesis.

3.     a Map - that is an outline of the sequence in which you will discuss the question(s). (A preview of main points.) 

B. Alternative views

1.     Present these before your own view.

2.     Make the best possible case for each alternative view and

3.     then give the limitations of these alternative views.

C. Your own view and

1.     1. why it is your view and

2.     2. any limitations of your view, if there are any, must be included.

D. Conclusion

1.     Try to write beyond just summing up and

2.     place your view with other implications or possibilities for the thesis/view.

3.     If you start with a question(s), conclude with an answer(s).

If you start with a statement, end with a re-statement.

E. Citing Sources

One must acknowledge who wrote what one uses in his/her paper. Use a MLA guide book for writing research papers and follow the accepted formats for writing in-text citations and works cited pages to acknowledge who wrote what you used.

Proofread, revise and correct the paper

Check your list of the approach and all the parts required in the assignment that you made when you first analyzed the assignment. Now be sure that you have included everything on your list in your first draft.

Ask Others to read

Be sure to let them read the assignment and your analysis list before they read your draft.

Use suggestions and revise the first draft.

Ask someone to read the revised draft and revise or correct more if necessary.

Write final paper

Proofread - correct