RESEARCH PROJECTS Rules to Follow When Doing Research

RESEARCH PROJECTS Procedures for research projects are very specific. Please complete all items in order and adhere to the requirements listed in this presentation. NOTE: Although these procedures are written for a group, they can be applied to individual assignments, as well. It is important to understand the basic steps, which can then be applied, as needed, to any assignment.

GROUP PROJECTS When working in groups, every group member is expected to participate in all aspects of the project. Failure to do so will result in a lower grade. Group members will receive the same grade for the project itself but will also receive an individual teamwork grade. This grade is one-third of the overall grade, so failing to work well with your group can have a serious negative impact on your grade.

RESEARCH Each individual should take his or her own notes for the first two days of the project. You may divide the topics among group members, if this is practical. Notes should be legible and should be written in bullet format, not paragraphs. This will make it much easier for your group to translate everyone’s notes into the written report later. All group members should keep track of their resources during the research process. This information will be needed later for the “Works Cited” page. When everyone in the group has finished his or her research, your group will be ready to begin typing the actual report.

PLAGIARISM When taking notes, be sure to put everything into your own words. You may even use incomplete sentences when taking notes. If you come across information you don’t understand, you have two choices: 1) leave it out of the report (only if it is not important information), or 2) find out what it means. Your teacher should be willing to assist in explaining anything confusing that you come across during the research process. Never copy something directly just because you don’t understand what it means. This is almost guaranteed to lead to plagiarism!

WRITTEN REPORTS When typing the written report, the group will have to compile the information that was gathered during the research process. Because different people took notes, the information will have to be organized and placed into sequential order, when appropriate. It is probably a good idea to have two group members work together to organize the notes into a typed report. The written report should NOT be done by one individual. It should be completed during class, not at home. All reports should be formatted according to my Formatting Guidelines.

VISUAL AIDS When typing the written report, the group will have to compile the information that was gathered during the research process. Because different people took notes, the information will have to be organized and placed into sequential order, when appropriate. It is probably a good idea to have two group members work together to organize the notes into a typed report. The written report should NOT be done by one individual. It should be completed during class, not at home. All reports should be formatted according to my Formatting Guidelines.

NOTE CARDS When the written report is complete, note cards should be written to accompany it. The note cards will be used during your oral presentation. They should contain the same information that appears in the written report. The note cards should be written as a complete set. Once the note cards are complete, the group should decide which parts will be presented by specific individuals during the presentation.

WORKS CITED All sources should be combined into one “Works Cited” page and should meet the requirements found on the Citing Sources webpage.

ORAL PRESENTATION All group members must present at least part of the oral presentation. It is best if the presentation is divided equally among group members. Please make sure you take time to prepare for the oral presentation ahead of time. Make sure you can read the information on the note cards and that you can correctly pronounce each word. Prior to the presentation, decide the order in which information will be presented and make sure all individuals are aware of this ahead of time.

ORAL PRESENTATION Individuals should be familiar with the material they are presenting and should be able to answer questions about that information. Group members should demonstrate good posture, eye contact, volume, and behavior during the entire presentation.

FINALLY… These guidelines were created to ensure your success. Following these procedures may seem time-consuming, but they will actually help you to stay on track and focused. Learning this process will provide you with good organizational and research habits that you will be able to use for the rest of your life.