Chapter 22

1) Select a topic 1) Select a topic that you can readily research. 2) Limit your topic 2) Limit your topic and make the purpose of your paper clear. 3) Gather information 3) Gather information on your limited topic. 4) Plan take notes. 4) Plan your paper and take notes. 5) Write 5) Write the paper. 6) Document 6) Document accurately.

Step 1: Select a topic that you can readily research. catalog books  Check your library’s catalog (or that of a major online library or bookseller) to be sure there are books on your topic; periodicals indexes articles  Check periodicals indexes to be sure there are articles on your topic; online searchreliable sites  Do an online search to see whether reliable sites on your topic exist. If sufficient information exists, go ahead! Otherwise, modify your topic.

Step 2: Limit your topic and make the purpose of your paper clear. limited topic  A research paper should thoroughly develop a limited topic -- one that can be developed fully in 10 pages or so. subject headings limit your focus.  Pay attention to subject headings as you research your general topic -- these can help you limit your focus.

Step 2: Limit your topic and make the purpose of your paper clear. research papers purposes Remember, research papers generally have one of two purposes: to make and defend a point elected officials should be limited to a single term in office 1: to make and defend a point of some kind (e.g., elected officials should be limited to a single term in office); to present informationthe most recent scientific findings about the effect of diet on heart disease 2: to present information about a topic (e.g., the most recent scientific findings about the effect of diet on heart disease).

Step 3: Gather information on your limited topic. Try to gather all the information you need in one place: Check out books interlibrary loan  Check out books you need from your library, or request them via interlibrary loan.  Make copies of relevant articles  Make copies of relevant articles, or read them and make careful notes. (Some online articles can be printed out in their entirety.)

Step 4: Plan your paper and take notes. thesisareas of support  Prepare a scratch outline for your paper that shows both its thesis and the areas of support for the thesis. There are things parents can do to overcome the negative influences hurting their families. Thesis: There are things parents can do to overcome the negative influences hurting their families. (1) Create quality time with families Support:(1) Create quality time with families (2) Increase families’ sense of community (3) Minimize the impact of media and technology

notesindex cards loose-leaf paper computer files  Write your notes on index cards or loose-leaf paper, or type them into computer files.  Notes should be in the form of ◦ direct quotations ◦ summaries ◦ summaries in your own words ◦ a mix ◦ a mix of direct quotation and summary

 Direct quotations ellipse ([...]) [brackets].  Direct quotations must be reproduced faithfully: if you omit unnecessary words, supply an ellipse ([...]) in their place; if you supply a word or capitalize a letter to clarify meaning, you must indicate that you have done so using [brackets]. exactly  Otherwise, quotes must be written exactly as they appear in the original.

summaries  In summaries, you condense original material by expressing it in your own words.  Summaries  Summaries may be written as lists, brief paragraphs, or both. paraphrase,  In paraphrase, you also express the original material in your own words, but do not condense.

Keep in mind the following: one side one kind of information computer single topic single source  Write on only one side of each card or piece of paper, and only one kind of information on each. (If using a computer, decide whether each file should contain notes on a single topic or from a single source.) topic heading  Write a topic heading at the top of each card. source and page number  Identify the source and page number at the bottom.

Plagiarism Beware of Plagiarism ! document plagiarizing stealing, If you do not document specialized information or ideas that are not your own, you will be plagiarizing -- stealing, in other words! When in doubt, DOCUMENT.

Notecard: Direct Quotation Movie content “ We cannot guarantee that bad things will happen, but we can argue that good things are not happening [...]. [I]ncreasing numbers of young people are left to their own devices at a critical point in their development. ” Medved and Medved, 62 Topic Heading Ellipse: Indicates omitted text Brackets: indicates capital not in original Source, page number

Notecard:Summary Movie content Study conducted in 1996 showed that of PG-13 movies, 91 percent had crude language, 89 percent had obscene language, 45 percent had actual or suggested sex. Worrisome because most parents assume PG-13 movies are OK for their kids. Medved and Medved, 62

Step 5: Write the paper. final outline first full draft.  Make a final outline and use it as a guide to write your first full draft. ◦ a topic outline ◦ a topic outline contains your thesis plus supporting words and phrases; ◦ a sentence outline ◦ a sentence outline includes the above expressed as full sentences.

introduction, plan of development  In an introduction, include a thesis statement expressing the purpose of your paper and indicating the plan of development that you will follow.

introduction main body conclusion,  As you move from your introduction into the main body and conclusion, strive for ◦ UNITY ◦ SUPPORT ◦ COHERENCE ◦ SENTENCE SKILLS!

Step 6: Document accurately. sources  You must tell the reader the sources of the borrowed material in your paper. Modern Language Association Follow the rules for this system described in your text, unless your instructor specifies another.  The documentation style used by the Modern Language Association is relatively simple and widely accepted. *Follow the rules for this system described in your text, unless your instructor specifies another.

Sample In-Text Citation Book with a single author Other parents work at home, even if it means earning less money than before. “[H]eading home is a real possibility for those parents who can master the new home-office technology [...]. If enough people can manage to do this, the neighborhoods might once again come alive for workers and their children” (Louv 285). End of quote Capital in brackets indicate capital not in original ellipse: indicates omitted material Source, page number

Sample Reference Entry Book with a single author  Louv, Richard. (1990). Children’s Future. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Author’s name, last name first Publisher Indent second and subsequent lines.5 inch. Title in italics Place of publication Year of publication