Chapter 7 How to-write-a-research

Chapter 5

Writing Research Papers

Contents

I. What is a Research Paper

II. The Structure of a Research Paper

III. The Process of Writing a Research Paper

IV. Use of Quotations

I. What is a research paper?

A library paper, a term paper or a thesis.

II. The structure of a research paper

Writing research papers

A research

paper

A research

paper

Thesis statement and outlineThesis statement and outline

IntroductionIntroduction

BodyBody

ConclusionConclusion

Notes and bibliographyNotes and bibliography


A general statement that announces the major conclusions you reached through a thoughtful analysis of all your sources.



The focus of the paper

The main point of view of the paper

Have an argumentative edge

Usually in one sentence


Appears at the beginning of the paper

III. The structure of a research paper

Explains the writer’s motive, intention or purpose in discussing his or her topic, and its scope and focus.

Provides the background or the situation the reader may need.

IntroductionIntroduction

Main Body of the Paper

Explains, illustrates, argues for,

or support the thesis.


The biggest part of the paper.

Where the writer elaborates his or her ideas in detail.

BodyBody


A summary or restatement of the point of view put forward;

ConclusionConclusion

Or an answer to the question posed, in the introduction.


What is a bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of books, articles, and other publications which serve as the sources of information for your paper.


Use of notes and Bibliography

Read Use of notes in the textbook by yourself, then answer the following questions:

Why do we need to use notes in our papers?

What are the rules concerning using notes?


Notes may be placed at the bottom of the page on which the references occur (footnote), or given in a consecutive series at the end of the paper (endnotes).

Notes and bibliographyNotes and bibliography

The bibliography should be placed after the endnotes on a separate sheet or sheets.


The different ways of handling notes and a bibliography:

An example of a bibliography:

Ryan, Edwin . A College Handbook to Newman . Washington, D. C. : Catholic Education P, 1930.

An example of a footnote:

1 Edwin Ryan, A College Handbook to Newman ( Washington, D. C. : Catholic Education P, 1930 ， p109 )

Abstract

A brief summary of the thesis, major points and illustrations of the whole paper, usually within one page.

Examples of Abstract

Ex.1 Rethinking the Teaching of English in the Classroom

Abstract: The results of two surveys on Chinese College students prompt the authors of this paper to explore factors that result in the inefficiency of the teaching of English writing in the Chinese classroom. The factors include: misunderstanding of the nature of writing, and of the teacher’s role; problem with writing textbooks; insufficient English writing research.

Ex.2 论读者向作者的转换 -- “ ”从交互的角度看通过阅读学写作摘要：阅读与写作不是两个分离的行为，而是统一过程的两个方面。通过阅读学写作，要学会站在作者的角度去阅读和站在读者的角度去写作。本文通过对阅读和写作活动中各种读写交互关系的分析，揭示了阅读 -写作教学中认识和把握读写之间的交互性是帮助学生学好写作、提高写作能力的关键，并提供了可供参考的读写交互训练。关键词：写作；阅读；交互；作者；读者；转换

Abstract: Reading and writing, which are essentially interactive in nature, are best regarded as two sides of the one process instead of two separated performances. From this viewpoint, we can learn to write by reading in the role of the writer, in which the interactions between reading and writing, readers and writers are the key factor in helping students acquire the ability of composing. This paper is to discuss the interactive relations between reading and writing so as to find ways to help students in learning to write. The paper ends up with some interactive training exercises for learning to write from reading.

Key words: writing; reading; interaction; writers; readers; transforming

Structure of this paper

1. 引言2. 阅读中的交互

2.1 读者与作者2.2 读者与文本

3. 写作中的交互3.1 作者与读者3.2 写与读

4. 读写交互训练5. 结束语

Dissertation/ Thesis

Title page

Title

By ★★★ (Writer’s name) The name and section number of the

courseThe instructor’s name

Date

Main Body of the Dissertation

An Introduction Chapter (Motivation & background)

Several major categories Chapters ★

(with their various subdivisions )

A Conclusion Chapter (Contributions & limitations)

In-between chapters

• Literature Review

• Theoretical Bases

• Study Methodology

• Data Analysis, Results and Discussions

• Suggestions and Solutions

III. The Process of Writing a Research Paper

Writing a research paper requires students to think, not just to go on a treasure hunt for good quotations. Instead they need to:

1) Explore an idea in a systematic way;2) Interpret what they read;3) Form a thesis4) Support that thesis with valid and well-

documented evidence.

The Method of Research

Explore the library

Decide on the subject matter

Follow a certain order of research

Types of sources

Evaluate source materials

The reading of source materials

Write down the information on the research cards

How to write a research paper?


First, you carefully choose your topic.★Second, you make a working outline. Third, you gather the relevant material in order

to develop your research paper. Forth, you compose your research paper. (1) write your first draft as freely as possible. (2) revise the first draft for its material

content. Finally, go over to strengthen the research

paper.

Choose a Suitable Topic

Narrowing the topic to a manageable size

Finding an appropriate topic

Choose a Suitable Topic

Narrow enough to allow in-depth analysis

Fits the assignment

Neither too broad nor too narrow

Avoid a topic without a point or purpose

Able to reach a conclusion

American Indians

The American Indians made important contributions to American culture / the educational policies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs were damaging to Indian culture.

Prepare the thesis and the outline

• Establish the thesis• The functions of the thesis

– It establishes a boundary around the subject that discourages the writer wandering aimlessly;

– It can chart an orderly course for the essay, making it easier to write;

– It gives the reader an idea of what to expect, making the paper consequently easier to read.

• Write an outline

The First Draft

• Organize the notes

• Expand the notes

• Incorporate the notes

IV. Use of quotations


A direct quotation: exactly the same as the original; put in quotation marks.

An indirect quotation: an interpretation, a paraphrase, or a summary of the original in the writer’s own words.


The rules regarding the use of quotation are:

use them sparingly,

make them a natural part of the paper,

and provide the source of every quotation.


1) When to use direct quotations

Firstly, if your subject is a literary one, you would, of course, want to represent the style of the author.

Secondly, if the original is so perfectly stated that much of its value is in the way it is worded, you may want to quote the original.

Thirdly, if your source has made a statement which is so outrageous or controversial that readers of your paper might question whether you have represented the idea correctly, quote the original statement.


2) How to use direct quotations

Firstly, when you do quote, make every effort you can to work the quotation into your own statement.

Secondly, if the introduction words form a complete sentence, use a colon.

Thirdly, if the introductory words do not form a complete sentence, imagine that the quote itself is the rest of the sentence and punctuate accordingly.


Sample Bibliography Card:

1. 81 S4 Cairn, John “The Cancer Problem,” Scientific American , November 2003, Vol.233 no. 5, 64 – 79 Eng. Ind

Source key for note cards Library call number

index


Sample Note Card:

Incidence of cancer

About half of all cancer deaths

caused by cancers of three organs

— lung, large intestine, breast

Cairns 1. P.64

Topic heading

Source and pagesBack

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