1. https://Kid President: Pep Talk!
The ALMIGHTY
RESEARCH Paper
President: Pep Talk!

2. Research Terms Defined
Research Report/Paper
 Have an idea, research it, analyze it, organize it and put it into an essay form.
primary source: first hand information (most credible)
secondary source: retold information
Documentation: Showing the use of outside information in the essay using in text citations/parenthetical documentation. 
quote: Using someone else’s information (word for word). Must use quotation marks. *Internal citations needed *
paraphrase: Using someone else’s information by writing it in your own words. You do not need quotation marks.*Internal citations needed

3. Research Terms Defined
outline: A form of writing or a way to organize your writing. 
works cited/bibliography: A list of sources used to give credit to the author. This will directly support your citations.   
title page: A cover page including title, date, name and picture. 
plagiarism: CITE your information. Do not COPY another person’s ideas or thoughts.

4. What is a Research Paper?
A research paper is like a report.
Before you write it, you use books, articles, the internet, and other sources to gather information about your topic.
You GATHER information from these sources and use that information in your paper to tell your readers about your topic.

5. WAIT……WHAT???
A research paper is actually a WRITTEN piece of WORK IN YOUR OWN WORDS that fully discusses a topic that you have spent time learning about. It is to be in depth and intelligent, with support from credible sources. This paper will be YOUR work, but you have based your knowledge on the credible work of others.
Sounds difficult? It’s not really so bad, actually, it gets pretty easy.

6. There’s NO NEED to become this…….we will work on this TOGETHER.

7. Things to consider when identifying your ‘Big Idea’
Choose a subject that interests you.
Choose a subject for which a wide range of source material is readily available.
You need to be able to find sources on your topic
Choose a subject of some significance. A subject of lasting interest will be challenging and gratifying to pursue. You will be spending a great deal of time and effort on this so make sure it's of value.

8. Additional things to consider…… SO… What’s your BIG IDEA?? 
4 Question Technique
(Does this sound like your science class?? )
1. What materials are readily available?
2. What do/does _____________do?
3. How can I change the set of materials to affect what happens?
4. How can I measure or describe the response of __________to the change?
SO… What’s your BIG IDEA?? 

9. Things to consider when choosing a topic
After you have chosen a general topic, you must narrow it so that it becomes more specific and easier to research.

10. Things to consider when NARROWING a topic (Remember the 4 questions??)
Establish the purpose of your paper. What will you be informing the reader about? Be sure your topic can be handled within the assigned length.
Focus on a particular aspect of your topic that will lend itself to the sources available.
(Remember the 4 questions??)

11. General Topic: Narrowed Topic:
1. Alcoholism
2. Scientists/Mathematicians
3. Drugs
4. Elizabethan England
5. Tennis
Narrowed Topic:
Causes of Alcoholism
2. Albert Einstein's Impact on the 20th Century
3. Effects of Drug Use Teens
4. Health Concerns in Shakespeare's England
5. The Rise in Popularity of Women's Tennis

13. GENERAL TOPIC: Football
Example of a Narrowed Topic
GENERAL TOPIC: Football
BROAD TOPIC: Football Player Safety
SPECIFIC TOPIC: Material of helmets and concussion prevention
TALK TO YOUR SCIENCE TEACHERS! THEY ARE THE EXPERTS ON SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS! 

14. When I start researching, how do I know if a site is CREDIBLE?
You should know that only a few select sites can be credible. Follow this checklist to ensure that you can actually use the source.
Step 1: Find the author, publisher and their authority.
Step 2: Timeliness
Step 3: Scholarly vs. Popular (Journal articles vs. magazines)
Step 4: Suitability (relevant to your needs)
Step 5: Accuracy/Objectivity

15. When I start researching, how do I know if a site is CREDIBLE?
Author – To determine the author’s credibility, ask these questions…..
Is the author formally educated in the subject?
2. Look for the author’s affiliation. Does the author work for an organization,
university, or research center?
Is the author a recognized scholar in the subject?
4. Does the author have an established history of research and writing on the
subject?

16. When I start researching, how do I know if a site is CREDIBLE?
Places to look for the author & their authority
1.Scroll down to the bottom of the page and look for the website’s copyright information where you should find an author or authoring company/founder next to the copyright date.
2. Check the website’s “About” page.
3. Check the “Contact Us” page.
4. Do a search on the company or author in order to discover what other sources have to say about the author/company and to find out more about the work

17. When I start researching, how do I know if a site is CREDIBLE?
The last three letters of the URL can give you a clue about the site's sponsor.
.com = commercial businesses
.net = network related
organizations
.org = nonprofit groups
.edu = educational institutions
.gov = U S government agencies
.mil = US military
Note: A tilde (~) in the URL usually indicates a personal web page

18. When I start researching, how do I know if a site is CREDIBLE?
Accuracy/Objectivity
You want the most accurate, objective, and unbiased information. As you read through your sources, keep in mind and ask yourself the following:
Is the information accurate?
Does the author refer to other works?
Does the author support his/her arguments?
Look for a bibliography (references) that is included usually at the bottom of the page.
Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge? Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?
Is the author biased in his/her views (i.e.presents only on side of the story)? Or does the author present information in a way that is fair and balanced?
Does the source contain strong language or images designed to arouse certain
emotions?

19. Good Site: Bad Site: Examples: The-World-Book-Encyclopedia
Tree Octopus
Why is this a bad site?

20. Once I start researching my topic, what do I do with the information?
STEP 1:
After you have printed out a valuable piece of information about your topic, read it, & annotated it for important information, it is now time to put the information into Sub-topics.

21. Homework Assignment Find 2 articles that support your “Big Idea”.
Make sure they are from credible sources.
STEP 1:
YOU MUST READ your information and annotate for important information that relates to your topic.
STEP 2:
Copy and paste the web address for the articles into a Word document . Make sure to include the entire address. This information will be needed when you complete you works cited page.
Printed articles are DUE: Tuesday 8/16

22. Science Fair Proposal
Topic: (Explain the topic that you are considering.)
Category: (Which science fair category would your project fall under?)
Personal Relevance: (Why is this topic important/interesting to you?)
Rationale: (Why would this topic be important/interesting to others? Besides your parents and/or teachers, who would interested in the results/outcome of your project?)

23. Identifying Sub-Topics
Highlight the important information that you want to use with the color of the sub-topic it relates to.
Sub-Topic 1: Independent Variable - (Evidence highlighted in pink)
Sub-Topic 2: Dependent Variable - (Evidence highlighted in yellow)
Sub-Topic 3: Relationship between the IV/DV - (Evidence highlighted in blue)

24. (on a separate sheet of paper)
Background Research
(on a separate sheet of paper)
10. (List a minimum of 5 background concepts/facts that you have discovered through your research. Cite your source for each, and include the full URL for any websites. See example below. Remember, add additional information if necessary.) 1.
Mitosis is the “primary mechanism by which organisms generate new cells through cell division.”
Vidyasagar, Aparna. What Is Mitosis? Retrieved March 22, 2016 from 2. 3. 4. 5.

25. (Hypothesis) Thesis Statement Example
Hypothesis = If the different perfumes are related to bee behavior and bees are observed going to four perfumes containing a different Ester X  then the sour smelling perfume will cause the most agitated behavior.  This will happen because bees like sweet smells more.

26. REQUIRED FOR ENGLISH GRADE DUE NEXT BLOCK DAY
INTRODUCTION
WORK CITED
1 BODY PARAGRAPH
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE BODY 1
DEPENDENT VARIABLE BODY 2
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO VARIABLES BODY 3
YOU MUST INCLUDE AN INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH AND ANY OF THE BODY PARAGRAPHS OF YOUR CHOICE. ONLY ONE (1) BODY PARAGRAPH NEEDS TO BE TURNED IN WITH THE INTRODUCTION FOR CREDIT FROM YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER.

27. How will we write this paper once we’ve finished researching and gathering our sources?
INTRODUCTION:
HOOK – Your Attention Grabber using a strong statement, statistic, interesting fact, etc.
An introduction with a brief connection to the real world about your topic.
General information relating to your topic.
Thesis (hypothesis) statement – 1 sentence stating the topic, presenting your findings and supporting your hypothesis.

28. BODY PARAGRAPHS – ICE
Each body paragraph should include: topic sentence (using a transition word/phrase), point to introduce evidence, cited research that supports the evidence, explanation of the citation as it relates to the evidence, & a conclusion sentence/transition to next paragraph.

29. BODY PARAGRAPH(S) 1st Body Paragraph Focus – Independent Variable
2nd Body Paragraph Focus- Dependent Variable
3rd Body Paragraph – Relationship between IV/DV
Multi-Paragraph Body
Topic Sentence (begin with a transition word or phrase)
1st point to introduce evidence (I) – How does the evidence being proposed support the IV/DV/Relationship of IV/DV?
Evidence/Data (C) – Researched evidence that support your subtopic (quote, statistics, facts) Must be cited!
Explanation (E) – Explain why this is important or how it relates to your reason as well as supports your hypothesis.
Repeat ICE
Concluding Sentence/Transition to the next paragraph (begin with a transition word or phrase) – Summarize the main point of the paragraph and transition to your next idea.

30. Parenthetical Citations Parenthetical Citation
Parenthetical citations give credit to the author or source you retrieved your information from.
You must understand that a research paper focuses on the information you have retrieved from other sources, NOT your own information, therefore the researched information needs to “cited”.
It’s very simple: Whenever you provide a specific quote or evidence that is not your own, you will put the author’s last name and page number of where you retrieved your information.
SAMPLE:
In a recent study by the FDA, researchers found that over 70% of high school students have thought about taking steroids in order to enhance their performance (Livingston 56).
Parenthetical Citation

31. USE ELA SURVIVAL GUIDE AS A RESOURCE!
Integrating Sources
Use a variety of lead-ins to introduce concepts or findings from researchers:
According to Smith (2001), the presence of a television set in the home even changed eating habits; frozen TV dinners, TV trays, and TV tables altered the physical and social contexts of family meals.
By the early 1960’s, “90 percent of all households had at least one television set” (Bishop & Marx 2).
Television programs and commercials reinforced rigid gender roles and promised consumers material wealth if they could fit the roles. One social critic from the era remarked that “television certainly nurtured both consumerism and conformity” (Cole 24).
USE ELA SURVIVAL GUIDE AS A RESOURCE!
Student Learning Center

32. (Each bullet can be a sentence)
How will we write this paper once we’ve finished researching and gathering our sources?
CONCLUSION
(Each bullet can be a sentence)
The intent of this project is to…. (what are you comparing?)
The variable to be tested and changed is…(list the IV here)
Any changes will be noted by… (how are you measuring the DV?)
The research will show… (What do you want your experiment to show?)

33. How will we write this paper once we’ve finished researching and gathering our sources?
Works Cited

34. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is when you take someone else’s works, ideas or words and use them as your own. Whether it is a sentence, a part of a sentence or an entire paper, it will ruin your grade.
It is an academic crime and an ethical offense. Plagiarism is stealing someone’s intellectual property.
If you plagiarize in ANY college class, you are usually expelled from the college, cannot reapply EVER, and the infraction is placed on your permanent record.
Why is it an academic crime? It is an academic crime because you are stealing another person’s ideas. It is illegal and immoral.
If you are thinking about it, don’t chance it.
If you ever need to help summarizing, properly quoting or paraphrasing, see me! It’s better to ask for extra help than take the sneaky route and copy someone else’s writing. I will have more respect for you if you ask for help. We will discuss how to avoid this much more in class.