Student Name

Instructor’s Name

English Language Arts

23 May 2020

 

                                                   Wildcat Writing Research Guidelines

 

What is a research paper?

A research paper is a document in which you prove or defend a thesis with the opinions, ideas, facts, and/or statements of others.

What is a thesis?

A thesis is a statement that can be proven. The most interesting thesis statements are debatable!  Do not confuse a thesis with a fact. For example, “The families of Romeo and Juliet were enemies.” This is a fact about Shakespeare‘s play. A thesis could be, “Friar Laurence is often portrayed as a bumbling fool; however, he is really a wise man trapped by the same forces as his two impulsive lovers.”

How do you write a research paper?

 

1. Select a topic.

2. Research your topic.

3. Develop a thesis.

4. Organize your material.

5. Write a rough draft.

6. Organize Works Cited.

7. Type, proofread, and correct.

 

STEP 1 – Select a topic

Choose a topic that interests you.  If you do not like the topic provided, see me to develop an original that you would like to research based on your novel.  In the beginning of your writing process, your topic can be general. However, after you complete some research, you should be able to narrow your topic and perhaps develop a preliminary thesis.

 

 

In choosing a suitable topic, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is there enough material on my topic?

2. Will I be able to narrow this topic?

4. Will I be able to develop a thesis?

 

5. Will I be able to cover the topic in the assigned length of the paper?

 

 

Broad topic--------------- Shakespeare’s plays           

Narrowed topic----------- Romeo and Juliet

Specific area-------------- Friar Laurence

 

STEP 2 – Research your topic

Careful research is important since you must prove the thesis of your paper with facts, ideas, opinions, and/or statements of others. Your research should primarily come from the entirety of your novel, rather than one chapter or section.

WHAT INFORMATION MUST BE CITED?

 

Students must follow the Pinelands Regional School District Academic Honor Code. When writing a research paper, you must cite all your sources. Failure to do so is theft of the author‘s work and is called plagiarism. Both direct quotations and paraphrases must be cited. The following passage shows examples of the types of citations.

1. Direct quotation: Friar Laurence should not be blamed that “events turn all his wellmade plans awry. Standing between two worlds, the Friar represents what the ideal solution could have been—an acceptance of the love of two young people and its legal sanction” (Evans 142).

2. Paraphrase: As a human being, he can understand the love that exists between Romeo and Juliet; as a priest, he realizes he must sanction that relationship with marriage. This, however, cannot be done (Evans 143).

WHAT INFORMATION IS NOT CITED?

1. Well-known sayings do not require a citation. A stitch in time saves nine.

2. Commonly known facts do not require a citation.  Albany is the capital of New York State.  

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

1. Remember to include the author’s last name.

2. Record the page number of the material cited if it is not an Internet source.

3. Make subjects specific.

4. Distinguish between a paraphrase and a direct quotation by using quotation marks around exact wording from a source.

 

STEP 3 – DEVELOP A THESIS

 

After you have done much of your research, it is time to narrow your general topic to a specific thesis. Remember, a thesis is an original statement that you believe you can prove. It CANNOT be a fact.

These are the steps to follow when developing your thesis.

 

 

1. Make sure that all notes on the topic are divided by specific subjects.

2. This can be done easily with note cards if the SUBJECT on the note card is specific. You might have subjects such as symbolic setting, use of irony, flower imagery, character’s wisdom, etc. These subjects are potential main points that would support your thesis statement.

3. Is there a particular idea that you can develop and prove? For example, do you notice that you have an abundance of material on character wisdom and very little on use of irony? Perhaps your paper, then, will be a character study that will prove the wisdom of the character in question. Your thesis should be clear and concise.  Thesis statements can be expressed in one sentence!

5. Do you see areas that need more research? Perhaps you do not have enough material for the paper. You should then go back to the book  for more information to support your thesis.

6. Consult your teacher if you need assistance.

 

STEP 4 – ORGANIZE YOUR MATERIAL

The next step is to organize your paper by developing an outline. Your notes should already be arranged according to the subjects. Arrange the notes in the order in which you intend to use them. The first item in your outline is your thesis statement. The subjects could become main points in your outline. Under each point, summarize the notes related to that topic. Keep the notes in the same order in which they appear in your outline. You may also include your own ideas in the outline.

 

 

1. The  INTRODUCTION includes a thesis statement and your main points.

2. The BODY consists of paragraphs to prove your thesis. Each paragraph has a main point with supporting details.

3. The CONCLUSION restates the thesis in a different way and summarizes the main points. Leave your reader with a cathartic response to your topic!

 

 

STEP 5 – ROUGH DRAFT WITH IN-TEXT CITATIONS

 

 

After you have organized your research, you are now ready to begin writing your rough draft. Follow the order of ideas in your outline and/or graphic organizer.

1. All material quoted or paraphrased must be cited. Remember that you must use quotation marks if you use someone else’s words, even within the paraphrased material. If you use a quotation within a quotation, enclose the inside quote in single quotation marks.

2. Longer quotations (five or more typed lines) do not require quotation marks if they are double-spaced and indented ten spaces from the left margin. This is called block format. The in-text citation should follow the period at the end of the indented material. Place the citation within a parenthesis with no other punctuation following it

.

WRITING AN INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

1. Your paper should begin with a hook, or a general statement that attracts the reader‘s attention and is related to the thesis.

2. Follow your hook with the relevant background information related to your topic, and end the introduction with your thesis statement.

3. The body paragraphs and their order depend on the number and arrangement of the main points in the introductory paragraph.

4. Avoid the use of I, you, we, me and one when writing research papers!

 

 

STEP 6 – ORGANIZE WORKS CITED

Create a works cited page by using MLA format on easybib.com. Make sure you choose the correct source type when creating citations!

1. Use www.easybib.com  to create your citations. Be sure to select the MLA option and have all of the necessary information.

2. Continue with the header (your last name and page number) on your Works Cited page.

3. Entries begin flush with the left hand margin using the author’s last name or the first important word of the title.

4. The second line, if needed, should be indented five (5) spaces, beginning at space six (6).

5. Maintain double spacing between and within entries.

6. Lengthy URLs must be manually separated at the right margin for the sake of formatting. This is best done at  slash mark.  

STEP 7 – REVISE AND EDIT

When the rough draft is finished, you are ready to revise. Use the checklist!

Introduction:

• Did you use a hook?

• Did you provide sufficient, relevant background information about your topic?

• Did you clearly state your thesis?

Body:

• Did you include a topic sentence for each body paragraph which presents the main point?

• Did you support your main points with sufficient, relevant details?  

• Did you carefully integrate quotations that connect to the points you are trying to prove and cite them properly?

• Did you use transitions between quotations?

• Did you avoid placing quotations back to back?

• Did you avoid the use of I, you, we, me, our, and one?

Conclusion:

• Did you restate the thesis in a different way?

• Did you summarize the main points?

• Did you leave your reader with a powerful or cathartic response to your topic?

 

MLA Format Guidelines:

• Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

• DO NOT make a title page for your paper.

• Double-space the text of your paper, and use Times New Roman, 12 point font.

• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.

• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.

• In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.

• Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.

• Indent the first line of paragraphs by using the Tab key.

• Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.

• Use italics throughout your essay for the titles of longer works.

• Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"

 

FOR A SAMPLE OF AN UPDATED MLA 8TH EDITION PAPER PLEASE VISIT THIS LINK:  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20160804033615_747.pdf