A condensed guide for writing a research paper

 Learn about the Academic Integrity Code  Learn how to conduct research this year and in the future  Learn how to credit your sources

 You will find yourself citing sources very often.  The general rule of thumb is that when it’s not your original idea or analysis, you must give credit to whomever’s idea, statement of fact or interpretation it was.  That includes paraphrasing as well as direct quote or factual info.

 Citations should always be inserted at the END of the sentence.  If several sentences are from the same source, insert after the last sentence before changing to a new source or to your own comments.  Use the author’s last name and the page number. If you use the same author but different page numbers, you can just put the page # in the parentheses

 The market revolution included many changes to society, including those to transportation and industrialization. In order for women to respond to those changes, they had to increase the work that they did to include work inside and outside of the home (Howe 46). This did not sit well with the likes of Catherine Beecher, who responded with a series of letters in books on the subject of the doctrine of separate spheres (55). In her work she identified four virtues of womanhood (Evans 29) This shows that women were mixed in their views about roles and rights at this time.

 Is there an identifiable author or editor?  What is the title of the work?  What is the format? (Book? Film? Website?)  When was it published?  Where was it published?  Who published it?  What date did you access the online information?

The following directions always apply:  Name of student, page number for works cited page is in the top right hand corner of the page.  Works Cited – is always on a separate page at the end of the paper.  “Works Cited” is centered (no bold, italicizing, or underlining)  Entries are always in alphabetical order and double spaced. Second line of the citation is always indented.  MLA now requires a publication marker – denote whether the entry is Print or Web.  Urls are NOT required. Write Web before the date of access in the entry.  Titles are italicized all books, periodicals, photographs, films, etc.  Web entries with no author begin with title of the article in quotes.

 You are researching the American Revolution and you must create a Works Cited for your sources.  Some of your sources include a book, a map, an online article from a database, a web site, and a film.  Use note cards to record your information about your sources.

 While doing your research you may have to cite the following  A map  Your notes tell you it is from Library of Congress  It is called the “American Revolution and Its Era: Maps and Charts of North America and the West Indies, ”  You found the map online Oct. 13, 2013

“The American Revolution and Its Era: Maps and Charts of North America and the West Indies, ” Map. Library of Congress Map Collection. Web. 13 Oct

 Books  Online articles from a database  Articles from a website  Films  Photographs  Magazine or newspaper articles

 The following slides give examples of the most frequently cited sources.  The examples are from resources in our collection.

Blanco, Richard. L., ed. The American Revolution, : An Encyclopedia. 2 vols. Hamden: Garland Print. Egerton, Douglas. Death or Liberty. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc Print.

“Colonial Government and Politics.” American History. ABC-CLIO, Web. 13 Oct Zinn, Howard. “A Just Cause (not equal) to a Just War.” The Progressive. 73. July Student Resource Center, Web. 20 Nov. 2009

Larson, Edward, J. “The Revolution of 1800.” American History. Dec. 2007: Print. “Historians Speak.” Editorial. New York Times, New York Times, 20 Nov Web. 15 Oct

“Hourly News Summary.” National Public Radio. Nat’l. Public Radio, 28 Sept Web. 30 Sept

 Abbreviations. Many web source entries now require a publisher name, a date of publication, and/or page numbers. When no publisher name appears on the website, write n.p. for no publisher given. When sites omit a date of publication write n.d. for no date. For online journals that appear only online (no print version) or on databases that do not provide pagination, write n. pag. for no pagination.

1776. Dir. Peter Hunt. Perf. William Daniels, Ken Howard, and Howard DaSilva. Columbia Pictures Film.

Evans, Walker. Penny Picture Display Photograph. Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Smith 10 Works Cited “The American Revolution and Its Era: Maps and Charts of North America and the West Indies, ” Map. Library of Congress Map Collection. Web. 13 Oct Blanco, Richard. L., ed. The American Revolution, : An Encyclopedia. 2 vols. Hamden: Garland Print. Chase, Philander D. ed., The Papers of George Washington: Revolutionary War Series., Vol. 13. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Print. “Colonial Government and Politics.” American History. ABC-CLIO, Web. 13 Oct Egerton, Douglas R. Death or Liberty. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc Print. Franklin, Benjamin. “Emigration to America.” The Faber Book of America. Christopher Ricks and William Vance. ed., Boston: Faber, Print. “Hourly News Summary.” National Public Radio. Natl. Public Radio, 28 Sept Web. 30 Sept