Research 101English 1301

Organizing Your Paper

Thesis StatementAfter you take your notes, you need to write a

thesis statement. Your thesis statement will be the last

sentence of your first paragraph.

How to write a thesis statement step 1What are the main points you researched?

List them.

Thesis Statement Step 2What did you discover about your three-four

main points as you researched? Write a statement about it. This will be your

thesis statement.

ExampleTopics studied:Social structureMarriageWorkEducation as they happened in the working

class

Thesis StatementThe social structure of the middle class in

Medieval England underwent many changes, especially in the areas of marriage, work, and education.

OutlineOutline your main points

Arrange NotecardsArrange your notecards in the order you will

write your paper.

Writing the PaperIntroductionWrite a couple of sentences to introduce the

topicYou could open up with an interesting

anecdoteGive a little background infoFinish the introductory paragraph with your

thesis statement.

Body ParagraphsWrite a topic sentence that introduces your

first main point.Then, start giving the information that you

have gathered directly from your notecards.Cite the source as soon as you enter the

information off your notecard.

How to Cite Info from your sourcesAlways use author’s last name and page number (if using

a book)Ex. The climber recalls problems he encountered when

attempting to climb Devil’s Thumb, including “a ribbon of frozen meltwater had ended three-hundred feet up and was followed by a crumbly armor of frost feathers” (Krakauer 143).

Anything you paraphrase must also be cited. If you are not sure if you need to cite it, then cite it.

You have to cite anytime you have a new topic or a different idea, even if it is by the same author. If this occurs, then just cite the page number, not the author’s name.

When citing from data bases or web sitesIf there are no page numbers, then just use

the author’s last name.(Krakauer)If there is no author, then use the first work

in the title.Ex: if your title is “Effects of Mercury in

Fish,” then you would use (“Effects”) as your citation

Block QuotesIf you have a direct quote in your paper that is

longer than 4 typed lines, you must block quote it.You hit enter to begin the quote on a brand new

line, and then you indent on that line 10 spaces. Hit the tab key two times to achieve this. Then you type to the end of the line, then hit tab two more times for each new line.

At the end of the quote you put a period, then you cite the author’s last name and page number in ( ) with no period at the end. Ex. “This is the end of my blocked quote by an amazing author.” (Krakauer 82)

Definition of ResearchAccording to MLA, anything that requires you to go “beyond your own personal knowledge” is defined as research.

Differences between personal and research papers

Personal ResearchPersonal essays that

present your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about experiences.

This can also define analytical essays about books or texts that you read and write about; even if you quote them, they are not research papers

Happens when we explore an idea, look at all elements of an issue, solve a problem, or make an argument

We need to read what experts have written about these things in order to form an educated opinion—this is research

Types of Research SourcesPrimary SecondaryHistorical documentsLiterary textsFilm or performance of a

playConducting a surveyLab experiment

Using what other researchers have already written about your subject

Literary criticismHistory booksMost academic papers

depend on secondary research

Goals of ResearchGoal # 1—Increase

your knowledge and understanding of a subject

Goal # 2—Continue learning and inquiring about your subject, hopefully after the paper is finished

Goal # 3—the synthesis of several different sources into a coherent, cohesive paper

Plagiarism

Definition of PlagiarismFrom the Latin word that means “kidnapper”“to commit literary theft”“to present as new and original an idea or

product that comes from an existing source”

Two Forms of PlagiarismType # 1 Type # 2

Using another person’s ideas, information, or expressions without acknowledging that person’s work is intellectual fraud

Passing off another person’s ideas, information, or expressions as your own for some type of gain is also considered fraud.

Plagiarism is usually a moral and ethical offense rather than a legal one.

Avoiding Plagiarism Make sure to cite direct quotes.You must also cite anything that you

paraphrase.If the idea belongs to the author, then you

must cite that as well.When in doubt, cite!

Common KnowledgeInformation and ideas that are widely

accepted as fact by scholars do not need to be cited. This includes

Basic biographical information of an authorDates of historical events

Steps for Effective Research

Step # 1--TopicYour topic should be in the form of a question

that you will answer through consulting research.

Step # 2—Find Sources1. Locate a source that you think may answer

part of your question.2. Use www.easybib.com to create a citation

for your source.

Step # 3—Take NotesRead your source and take notes.Paraphrase what you read. Use only very interesting direct quotes.Make sure you record page numbers.Do not copy and paste from a data base to a

note card. This increases your chances of committing unintentional plagiarism. It will also cause more work when you are actually writing your paper.