English
12: Research Paper
What It Is:
Research is the act of gathering new information. In setting out
on a research project, your purpose should not be merely to find enough material
to satisfy your instructor that you have used the library and know how to find
sources. The primary reason for research is to learn enough about the subject to
speak about it knowledgably. Research is necessary if you are to know what you
are talking about.
Through this project you will not only discover
new information and examine various ideas. A good research paper is not simply a
series of paraphrases, citations, and quotations. You need to formulate your
own thesis, give your own slant on the subject, think through questions, and
present some conclusion of your own.
A good research paper is not just a bunch of paraphrasing and citations
but embodies the results of your own
thinking.
Part One: Choose a Subject Area
Technology in
Today’s Society
Censorship
Part Two: Get More
Specific
After you have chosen a general topic, you must
narrow the focus of your paper. You will have to do some reading create an
appropriate research focus. Make
sure your focus area isn’t too broad, too technical, too ambitious or too dull.
See handout for focused research ideas.
DUE: Specific Research Subject= 5 pts.
Part Three: Compile a
Working Bibliography
Now you need to begin collecting a list of publications relevant
to your research topic. You must collect 7-10 sources and create a Working
Bibliography page (this will be the beginnings of your required Works Cited
page). You must use one book from the library in your working bibliography.
Please also consider the validity of your sources. When using secondary sources
you must know the reputation and reliability of the author. Look with a
critical eye over all secondary material. Please use MLA format to create your
Working Bibliography (see the OWL Purdue Writing Lab website for specifics on
creating a Works Cited Page)
DUE: Working Bibliography= 10 pts
Part Four: Take Accurate and Effective Notes
After you have created a working bibliography, located some of
the sources you wish to use, and DONE SOME PELIMINARY READING, you are ready to
begin collecting specific material for your
paper.
· Use notecards uniform
in size
· As you take notes,
consider what subtopics are forming. This will help organize your paper in the
next step.
· You may take notes from
your sources by paraphrasing, by quoting, or a combination. Make sure to make
careful notation on the card as to where the information came from.
· place quotations around
all work that is copied verbatim.
· All notecards should
include the source and page number to help you organize your thoughts and avoid
plagiarism later.
· All students must turn
in a minimum of 15-20 notecards.
Due: Note Cards= 10 pts
Part Five: Produce an Outline and Submit Thesis
Because a research paper is usually longer and
more complex than ordinary papers, a good outline is a great help to organize,
expand, and delete materials. You
are required to complete a topic outline for your research paper. Please follow
the directions below.
1.
Number the main topics
with Roman numerals, the first subheadings with capital letters, and the next
with numbers. If further subheadings are necessary, use a,b, c and (1), (2),
(3).
2.
Write down topics, not
sentences.
3.
Check to see that your
outline covers the subject fully.
4.
Arrange your topics and
sub-topics in logical, meaningful
order
Example of Topic Outline for paper “Conduct and the Inner
Self”
Conduct and the Inner
Self
I.
Gaylin’s essay as
corrective to some current thinking
a.
Nature of faulty
thinking about individual
responsibility
b.
How study of “inner
man” contributes to faulty thinking
II.
Gaylin’s argument
against the reality of the“inner man”
a.
Purpose of the
argument
b.
Argument from
historical perspective
III.
Problems with Gaylin’s
presentation
a.
Exaggeration
i.
Praise of a
hypocrite
ii.
Total denial of the
good-heart principle
b.
Contraction
IV.
Validity of Gaylin’s
argument despite flaws
DUE: Outline and Thesis Statement=15
points
Part Six: Write Your
Paper (please see attached rubric for specific
requirements).
· Paper must be written
in MLA format.
· Using other’s words and
ideas as if they are your own is called plagiarism. Avoid it by giving full
references to sources.
· All direct quotations
must be put in quotation marks and acknowledged with parenthetical references
(author, page number) (title, page
number).
· Paraphrasing should
also be documented.
·Consider handout for
parenthetical references.
·Students who plagiarize
will be given a zero.
Due: Final Paper=50 pts
12: Research Paper
What It Is:
Research is the act of gathering new information. In setting out
on a research project, your purpose should not be merely to find enough material
to satisfy your instructor that you have used the library and know how to find
sources. The primary reason for research is to learn enough about the subject to
speak about it knowledgably. Research is necessary if you are to know what you
are talking about.
Through this project you will not only discover
new information and examine various ideas. A good research paper is not simply a
series of paraphrases, citations, and quotations. You need to formulate your
own thesis, give your own slant on the subject, think through questions, and
present some conclusion of your own.
A good research paper is not just a bunch of paraphrasing and citations
but embodies the results of your own
thinking.
Part One: Choose a Subject Area
Technology in
Today’s Society
Censorship
Part Two: Get More
Specific
After you have chosen a general topic, you must
narrow the focus of your paper. You will have to do some reading create an
appropriate research focus. Make
sure your focus area isn’t too broad, too technical, too ambitious or too dull.
See handout for focused research ideas.
DUE: Specific Research Subject= 5 pts.
Part Three: Compile a
Working Bibliography
Now you need to begin collecting a list of publications relevant
to your research topic. You must collect 7-10 sources and create a Working
Bibliography page (this will be the beginnings of your required Works Cited
page). You must use one book from the library in your working bibliography.
Please also consider the validity of your sources. When using secondary sources
you must know the reputation and reliability of the author. Look with a
critical eye over all secondary material. Please use MLA format to create your
Working Bibliography (see the OWL Purdue Writing Lab website for specifics on
creating a Works Cited Page)
DUE: Working Bibliography= 10 pts
Part Four: Take Accurate and Effective Notes
After you have created a working bibliography, located some of
the sources you wish to use, and DONE SOME PELIMINARY READING, you are ready to
begin collecting specific material for your
paper.
· Use notecards uniform
in size
· As you take notes,
consider what subtopics are forming. This will help organize your paper in the
next step.
· You may take notes from
your sources by paraphrasing, by quoting, or a combination. Make sure to make
careful notation on the card as to where the information came from.
· place quotations around
all work that is copied verbatim.
· All notecards should
include the source and page number to help you organize your thoughts and avoid
plagiarism later.
· All students must turn
in a minimum of 15-20 notecards.
Due: Note Cards= 10 pts
Part Five: Produce an Outline and Submit Thesis
Because a research paper is usually longer and
more complex than ordinary papers, a good outline is a great help to organize,
expand, and delete materials. You
are required to complete a topic outline for your research paper. Please follow
the directions below.
1.
Number the main topics
with Roman numerals, the first subheadings with capital letters, and the next
with numbers. If further subheadings are necessary, use a,b, c and (1), (2),
(3).
2.
Write down topics, not
sentences.
3.
Check to see that your
outline covers the subject fully.
4.
Arrange your topics and
sub-topics in logical, meaningful
order
Example of Topic Outline for paper “Conduct and the Inner
Self”
Conduct and the Inner
Self
I.
Gaylin’s essay as
corrective to some current thinking
a.
Nature of faulty
thinking about individual
responsibility
b.
How study of “inner
man” contributes to faulty thinking
II.
Gaylin’s argument
against the reality of the“inner man”
a.
Purpose of the
argument
b.
Argument from
historical perspective
III.
Problems with Gaylin’s
presentation
a.
Exaggeration
i.
Praise of a
hypocrite
ii.
Total denial of the
good-heart principle
b.
Contraction
IV.
Validity of Gaylin’s
argument despite flaws
DUE: Outline and Thesis Statement=15
points
Part Six: Write Your
Paper (please see attached rubric for specific
requirements).
· Paper must be written
in MLA format.
· Using other’s words and
ideas as if they are your own is called plagiarism. Avoid it by giving full
references to sources.
· All direct quotations
must be put in quotation marks and acknowledged with parenthetical references
(author, page number) (title, page
number).
· Paraphrasing should
also be documented.
·Consider handout for
parenthetical references.
·Students who plagiarize
will be given a zero.
Due: Final Paper=50 pts
enlgish_12_research_paper.docx | |
File Size: | 19 kb |
File Type: | docx |