Essay Writing Workshop I.What is a Research Paper? II.How to prepare a Research Paper? III.Useful References

I. What is a Research Paper?  An organized, logically coherent body of text that reports the findings of scientific research. 1.Focused: Question-oriented 2.Scientific: value-free, objective, replicable 3.Structured, organized, logical: one leading to another 4.Analytical, informative, referenced, footnotes

 Not a free expression of personal opinions  Not a newspaper column  Not a paper in a magazine  Not a chapter in a textbook

II. How to prepare a Research Paper? 1.Identification of research questions: e.g. HK industrial relocation to Pearl River Delta: causes and consequences 2.Gathering of references, information, data, and maps 3.Analysis of information and data in tables, graph, and maps  report findings or points 4.Outline of the paper before writing

a. Title of the essay  theme  study area  time period

b. Structure:  Introduction  Description with your own heading Patterns observed from analysis Illustrations in tables, graphs, and/or maps Report findings in organized form  Explanation with your own heading How do we make sense of the observed pattern? What are reasons behind the scene? How can you prove the logical connections you argue?  Conclusion and Discussion Did you answer the questions you raised at the outset? What are the main findings or main points? What have we learned from your research? Questions of your research? Study area and time period? Your research method? Significance?

Table, graphs, maps, references, footnoting All tables, graphs, maps must be referenced into text Table : number, title, data sources Graphs : number, title, data sources Maps : title legend scale orientation data sources

References : to give credit to authors; (Lin, 2004, p. 316) Footnotes : distracted explanation in details Bibliography: in alphabetical order according to last name Plagiarism  Immediate failure!

III. Examples Veeck, G. and Pannell, C.W. (1989) “Rural economic restructuring and farm household income in Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers Vol. 79, No.2, pp Veeck, G. and Pannell, C.W. (1989) “Rural economic restructuring and farm household income in Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers Vol. 79, No.2, pp Lin, G.C.S. (2001) “Evolving spatial form of urban-rural interaction in the Pearl River Delta, China.” Professional Geographer Vol. 53, No. 1, pp Lin, G.C.S. (2001) “Evolving spatial form of urban-rural interaction in the Pearl River Delta, China.” Professional Geographer Vol. 53, No. 1, pp

VI. Useful Websites Geography website: Geography website: Student Help: Study Skills Student Help: Study Skills handbook-dissert.php