1. Research Paper MLA Format 8E
Mrs. McGuire 2017

2. Why? Student View Make Students Miserable Too Long for What
Teacher View
Practice all language & grammar knowledge
True example of student’s writing ability
Learn to search, Organize, and report
Learn about valuable and reliable sources
Reference books, periodicals, indexes, encyclopedias, and internet sources
Be informed people in order to make sound decisions
Student View
Make Students Miserable
Too Long for What
When Will I use this

3. Steps to writing a Research Paper
Select a subject
Read a general article to gain knowledge and generate questions
Formulate a temporary thesis and Preliminary outline
Locate Sources and prepare Bibliography cards
Inventory findings to ensure enough data has been located
Revise the outline
Write Rough Draft
Revise Rough draft (Move, delete, add)
Type Final copy
Prepare works Cited page
Edit paper for errors (Spelling, punct.)
Assemble and submit
Steps to writing a Research Paper

4. Step: Select Subject
must be Narrow - rule of thumb (if there is a book written on the subject, it is too broad.)
Each source must provide just a tidbit of information
Piece together your findings
Must be suitable, feasible, and interesting

5. Selecting a Subject Real LIfe Academic Comes out of necessity
Which new phone to buy
Which new washing machine to buy
Where do I want to vacation
Cheapest flight
Fulfill course requirements
Get degree
Get passing grade
Teacher assigned

6. Two types of research papers
Evaluative
Select, organize, document, analyze, interpret, and Apply your findings
Non-Evaluative
Select, organize, and document
Present facts

7. Step : Preliminary Reading
Jot down questions (may be used as Roman numerals on outline]
Help with research and define your limits
Questions unanswered show gaps in research

8. Great Preliminary Sources
Passwords
Passwords
Passwords
Username: eastbernard
Password: eastbernard
Username: ebernard
Password: ebernard
Username: eastbernard
Password: eastbernard

9. Step: Temporary Thesis & Preliminary OUtline
These two things are essential. They will keep you focused. Without them, your research will be aimless and haphazard.
Pleas remember that these MAY require revising as you get deeper into the research.

10. Topic OUTLINE Specifications
Major Divisions – Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, etc.)
Must have at last 3 major divisions
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Most Have 5 divisions

11. Topic OUTLINE BASIC RULES
No Sentences
Pairs
Capitalization
Each topic /Subtopic with capital letter
Otherwise capitalize only proper nouns & Adjectives
Don’t use period at end of topic
Single words
Phrases
Parallel
Can’t be 1 w/o 2
Can’t Be A w/o B
After that can be odd
TITLE OF THE OUTLINE IS THE SAME AS THE RESEARCH PAPER. DON”T USE THE WORD OUTLINE!!!!!
CENTER ON THE PAGE. AN OUTLINE IS RIGIDLY LINED UP. WORD PROCESSORS HAVE OUTLINE FEATURE.

12. CAN BE CHANGED IF YOUR RESEARCH CHANGES DIRECTION
Temporary Thesis
Definition – a single, clear-cut summarizing sentence stating the central and controlling idea or thought of the research paper. The major point the writer wants to make.
CAN BE CHANGED IF YOUR RESEARCH CHANGES DIRECTION

13. Thesis BASIC RULES Single sentence
statement
No! No!
Location
Single sentence
Can include prep. Phrases and other modifiers
Notice capitalization
Do not use First person pronouns (Too informal)
Appears on outline page
Usually not written in paper; however can be used in introductory paragraph
Examples: Thesis statement: The Bible, a best seller as a wok of literature, is a book quite perfect in structure and form.
Example: Thesis statement: John Masefield, Poet Laureate of England, novelist, playwright, military and nautical historian of the twentieth century, has left his indelible mark upon English literature.