1. Writing a Research Paper

2. Finding A Topic List ideas of interest to you
Evaluate the most interesting ones
A good subject must involve research
Choose one that is not well known to you

3. Ask the Following Questions
Can I find enough facts about this subject? Where?
Will I be able to get the information I need in time?
Can I make this subject interesting to others?

4. Narrow Your Topic How can you break it into parts?
Write your focused topic in the form of a statement.

5. Purpose and Audience
Purpose: share what you have learned about your topic
Audience: Communicate clearly with your audience.
Consider what your audience already knows
Think about what your audience needs to know
Think about what your audience may want to know

6. Research Questions
You will need to choose one question that will guide your research
Your question should ask either WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, OR HOW

7. Evaluate Your Sources
Primary Source: documents that contain first hand knowledge
Secondary Source: interpretations of material (summaries, etc.)

8. How to Search on the Internet
Use words like “and” and “not” to limit number of sites returned
Use quotation marks to see sites with the exact phrase

9. Evaluating Sources Is it non-fiction? Is it current?
Is it trustworthy?

10. Keeping Track of Sources
Keep a list while you research.
Refer to page 176 in your grammar book for proper citation method for Works Cited page.

11. Take Notes Do not print endless pages of useless research.
Take notes (on note cards) of all information you might want to use.
Be sure to write the source for each set of notes and quotes
Be picky…do not write down everything you find…make sure it will help you with your paper

12. Sample note cards Category Notes Page number
MLA information (for works cited page)

13. Write Your Main Idea Statement
Also called the thesis statement
Should state the topic and the most important thing you learned about your topic

14. Plan Your Report Introduction
Number your sub-topics in an outline using roman numerals
A. List two or three kinds of information. Give each kind of information a capital letter
Use a number list to list all of the facts, examples, and other details from your notes.
Second Sub-Topic
Conclusion

15. Order of the Report Introduction
Body (at least two subtopics and facts)
Conclusion
Works Cited List

16. The first draft
Use the first draft to review for content and organization
Make any revisions necessary

17. Questions for the first draft
Does the introduction contain a clear main idea statement (thesis)?
Does each paragraph explain no more than one subtopic from the outline?
Does each paragraph include facts, statistics, examples, direct quotations, or conclusions that elaborate on the subtopic?
Is there an unanswered question or final comment in the conclusion?
Does the Works Cited list include at least three sources?

18. Revise Your Paper Vary sentence structure
Eliminate unnecessary wordiness
PROOFREAD FOR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS