Researching the history of an era... From Reading to Writing We get a mere glimpse of the cultural richness of the Harlem Renaissance in this unit. It was a time when African Americans used a variety of means to show pride in their race and in the contributions they had made to American culture.

Researching the history of an era... This period offers a rich variety of choices for a research report—an academic paper that presents and interprets information collected through reading and other research. When you write a research report, you not only deepen your knowledge but you also sharpen your research skills.

B a s i c s i n a B o x RUBRIC Standards for Writing A successful research project should provide a strong introduction with a clear thesis statement use evidence from primary and secondary sources to develop and support ideas credit sources of information follow a logical pattern of organization, using transitions between ideas synthesize ideas with a satisfying conclusion provide a correctly formatted Works Cited list at the end of the paper Research Report at a Glance

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein Writing Your Research Report

1 Prewriting and Exploring If you are writing your research report on the Harlem Renaissance, you might begin by looking in the library for books and articles not only on the Harlem Renaissance, but also on the 1920s, on individuals whose works appear in this unit, on famous African Americans, on black history, on American jazz, or on American literature.

Planning Your Research Report 1. Choose a topic. What subjects really intrigue you? What would you like to learn about one of them? Make a list of ideas that appeal to you and then choose the topic that interests you most. You might also try making a word web to generate ideas. Cotton Club Zora Neale Hurston racial pride Langston Hughes Harlem Renaissance

Planning Your Research Report 2. Narrow your topic. Is your topic too broad for the research report you plan to write? Can it be divided into smaller parts? 3. Decide on your goal. What do you want to achieve with you report? Do you want to prove a point, draw a conclusion, or just learn and share information about the subject?

Planning Your Research Report 4. Consider your audience. What do they already know about the subject? What background information might they need? 5. Write a thesis statement. Your thesis statement is a sentence that explains what your paper will be about. It will guide your research and help you sort out relevant and irrelevant information on your topic. Be flexible enough to consider reworking your thesis if your research leads you in new directions.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Begin your research by making a list of relevant and interesting questions. Use these questions to guide your review of reliable sources. You might look in general reference books, such as encyclopedias, and then examine books, periodicals, and on-line databases for more specific information.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Evaluate Your Source Material These guidelines can help you evaluate your sources. Is the author an unbiased authority? Be sure to read material from a variety of viewpoints to get a balanced picture.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching How up-to-date is the source? In fields such as medicine or technology, rapid changes make it crucial that you get the most up-to-date information. Where was the article published? Newspapers that specialize in scandal or sensational stories, for example, are not reliable sources of information.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching What is the intended audience? Is the material written for a general audience? Some sources may provide oversimplified information, whereas other sources may be too technical.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Make Source Cards Make source cards to keep track of the information you find. Use index cards to record publishing information for each source you decide to use. Number each source card and refer to it when you take notes. You will use these source cards to credit sources in your report and to write your Works Cited list.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Read Your Sources and Take Notes As you read, keep your thesis statement and the questions you want answered in mind. Use a separate index card for each piece of information you record. Write the number of the source on each note card. Use the following techniques.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Paraphrase. Restate the material in your own words. Quotation. Copy the original text word for word, including all punctuation marks. Use quotation marks to indicate the beginning and end of the quotation. Use this form to emphasize a point or when the author’s words are well phrased.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Get Organized Once you have gathered a quantity of material, begin to organize it. It is a good idea to make an outline that will provide the framework for the information you have collected.

Writing Your Research Report 2 Researching Get Organized Group your note cards according to the main ideas on the cards. Then determine the best way to arrange those main ideas. You might want to use chronological order, comparison-and-contrast order, or cause-and-effect order, depending upon your subject. Write your outline based on your arrangement of the main ideas and subpoints in your stacks of note cards.

Writing Your Research Report 3 Drafting Use your outline as a guide to begin writing. The first part of your report should state your main idea, or thesis. You will need to end with a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes your main points. The rest of your report should be organized according to your outline.

Writing Your Research Report 3 Drafting Craft Your Thesis Statement Now that you have researched your topic and written your outline, you should have a better understanding of what your report will accomplish. Shape your thesis statement to tell what your paper will prove.

Writing Your Research Report 3 Drafting Stay Flexible As You Write Your Draft In the drafting stage, concentrate on using clear, natural language to get your ideas on paper. Follow your outline and refer to your note cards as you write, but feel free to reorganize your material any time you collect new information or discover a different way of connecting ideas.

Writing Your Research Report 3 Drafting Add Your Own Analysis. Make inferences and interpret evidence to reach a conclusion using facts, quotations, statistics, and examples. Give Credit Where Credit Is Due. If you do not credit the sources of information in your report, you are guilty of plagiarism— the unlawful use of another’s words or ideas.

Writing Your Research Report 3 Drafting Take Another Look Take a break from your writing—a few days if possible. Then review your draft. Asking the following questions can help: n How can I make my thesis statement clearer? n What additional information would support my thesis statement?

Writing Your Research Report 3 Drafting n What information, if any, is irrelevant? n How can I improve organization? n What facts and documentation do I need to check?

Writing Your Research Report 4 Revising TARGET SKILL ELABORATING—DETAILS AND EXAMPLES Your report will be more authoritative and more interesting if you provide facts and statistics to support your point.

Writing Your Research Report 5 Editing and Proofreading TARGET SKILL USING COMMAS Reports include a great deal of information. The correct use of commas can help your readers better understand the relationship between ideas.

Writing Your Research Report 6 Making a Works Cited List When you have finished revising, editing, and proofreading your report, make a Works Cited list and attach it to the end of your paper.