Research 1019th Grade English

Objectives Slide Program

Objectives

Students will be able to• List the parts of an effective research paper• Identify the audience and purpose for a database

research paper• Locate appropriate sources• Narrow a topic utilizing preliminary research• Prepare a thesis statement based on a topic• Differentiate between direct quotations and

paraphrased quotations• Document sources using MLA style

Slide Program

Slide Program MenuSlide 1- Home SlideSlide 2- ObjectivesSlide 3- Slide Program Menu Slide 4- What is a Research Paper?Slide 5- Where Do I Begin?Slide 6- Refine Your Purpose Slide 7- Developing a TopicSlide 8- Finding Sources Using a DatabaseSlide 9- Devising a Thesis Statement

Slide 10- Types of OrganizationSlide 11- Direct QuotationsSlide 12- ParaphrasingSlide 13- What Is Plagiarism?Slide 14- MLA FormatSlide 15- Grammar and MechanicsSlide 16- Due Date

What Is a Research Paper

Effective research writing has• A clearly stated thesis statement• Factual support from a variety of outside

sources, including direct quotations whose sources are credited

• A clear organizational strategy• A works cited list that provides a complete

listing of research sources

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 251

Slide Program

Where Do I Begin?• Writing a research paper

can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin

• Choose a topic that will hold your interest

• Consider your audience– How much do they know

about your topic?Slide Program

Refine Your Purpose• Your purpose shapes the details you choose to

include in your essay • Three common suggestions for research

writing– To Persuade – To Honor– To Show Cause and Effect

• Match your purpose with your

Slide Program

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 259

Developing a Topic

• Focus on a historic event that amazed the public in its time– For example, research

Lindbergh’s famous flight across the Atlantic or investigate the Titanic’s maiden voyage

• Before deciding on your topic, do some preliminary research

Slide Program

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 257

Finding Sources Using a Database• Power Library is a database accessible

through Muncy’s homepage • Under General Reference, click on

EBSCOhost• Type in your topic• Read through articles; good

researchers use detective skills and start by identifying the best sources

Slide Program

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 260

Devising a Thesis Statement

• An effective thesis statement expresses an idea that can be supported by research– HELP on generating thesis statements

• Sample Thesis Statements– Spain offers a variety of pleasant activities for

vacationers.– The roots of the Northern Ireland conflict date back

many centuries.• If you find your ideas shifting as you write, be

prepared to revise your thesisSlide Program

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 261

Types of Organization• Chronological order– Presents events in the order in which they occur– Ideal for reporting the history of a subject

• Order of Importance– Presents details in order of increasing or decreasing

importance– Ideal for writing persuasively or building an argument

• Comparison and Contrast– Presents similarities and differences– Ideal for addressing two or more subjects

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 261

Slide Program

Direct Quotations

• When using a writer’s exact words make sure to use quotation marks for the entire statement

• Introduce the direct quotation by using the author’s name (or article title if no author) or by briefly stating what the quotation states– EXAMPLE from Duke University Library

Slide Program

Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Gold Level 263

Paraphrasing

• This technique involves restating a writer’s specific ideas in your own words

• Often used to share information by making the meaning clear to readers

• You can paraphrase a sentence or paragraph– Example from The Owl at Purdue

Slide Program

What Is Plagiarism?• According to the Merriam-Webster Online

Dictionary, to plagiarize means– to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another)

as one's own – to use (another's production) without crediting the

source – to commit literary theft – to present as new and original an idea or product

derived from an existing source• Be sure to properly cite sources or plagiarism can

occur– Tips for avoiding plagiarism

Slide Program

Click for picture for an audio example of plagiarism

MLA Format• MLA stands for Modern Language Association• You must have the standard heading used on

former papers in the top left corner of your first page: Name, Ms. Biddle, English 9, and the due date

• Double-spaced• 12 point font• Times New Roman font• Page numbers with last name in the

top right corner• Works Cited page Slide Program

Grammar and Mechanics

• You are not texting your friends, so do not write this paper as if you were!

• Be sure to check for spelling errorsoften missed by Spell-check – Examples: hear/here, definitely/defiantly, does/dose,

etc.• Once you finish your first typed draft, have

someone look it over for grammar or spelling mistakes– Grammar and Mechanics HELP

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Due Date• Your final draft will be tentatively due

February 14

• As stated in your Pathfinders assignments will only be accepted after one day for half credit

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