Transcript Research Paper Notes

•A research paper is not:
● A rearrangement or summary of information
from different sources
● A report that could be included in a
general encyclopedia
● A matter of cutting and pasting together from different
resources
•A result of one quick Database or Google search
•Your own analysis of information discovered
from peer reviewed resources
•A chance to demonstrate to others what you
have learned, organized in a
professional, scholarly manner
 •Choosing and Narrowing a Topic
 •Thesis Statement
 •Outline
 •Integrating Secondary Sources: Direct
Quotation, Paraphrasing, Summarizing
 •Works Cited Page
• It is important to narrow your topic based
on the length of your paper
• If your topic is too specific, you will not
have enough to write about
• If it is too vague you will not be able to
prove your point
Choosing a Specific Topic in Three Steps
1. Choose any topic or topics in the
universe. - "e.g., something about organic
matter"
2. Be a little more specific about your topic. "e.g., compost and soil"
3. Be a lot more specific about your topic "e.g., soil nutrients released by organic matter
decomposition"
Paper length: 5 paragraphs
General topic: Crime dramas on TV
Narrowing your topic: Criminal Minds
Once your narrow your topic, brainstorm possible
topics to write about:
Characters, plots, profiling, actors
Now create your specific topic you will write
about
Size XL
Imagine this T-Shirt
represents your topic.
How big does it need to
be for the topic?
What is wrong with
this picture?
Sports
Size L
Imagine this T-Shirt
represents your topic.
How big does it need to
be for the topic?
What is wrong with
this picture?
Baseball
Size M
Imagine this T-Shirt
represents your topic.
How big does it need to
be for the topic?
Team work, hitting,
catching. Can you
write about these
three things?
Oakland vs.
Riverdale
Size S
Be Careful:
If your “shirt” or topic is
too “small” or limited,
you will not have enough
to write about
Hitting in the
game
Topic #1: School
Topic #2: Movies
Topic #3: Family
The format on the EOC will be multiple choice
Now that you have
narrowed your topic it is
time to create your
thesis statement.
A thesis statement: What
your entire essay is about
Wrong: "I will argue in this essay that same-sex couples
can marry because it is their right." [This thesis statement
is unclear. It is not really disputed that same-sex couples
can marry because they really can, only that they can
marry a person of the opposite sex. Note Using “I: in the
thesis is incorrect]
Correct: same-sex marriage should be allowed because
homosexual couples are also citizens with fundamental
rights like heterosexual spouses."
• An effective thesis statement is straight to
the point
• It is an opinion
• A good thesis statement is able to capture
the essential details of any written article
despite being just one sentence.
• Can appear anywhere in the introduction
• You will write it as the last sentence of your
intro.
Wrong: "Smoking should be prohibited." [This
thesis statement is too vague or ambiguous
apart from being too short. It does not really
argue for or against any specific point.]
Correct: "There should be an absolute ban
against smoking in public because secondhand
smoke endangers the health of non-smokers."
• To create your thesis
make a list of BOTH
sides of the argument.
• Look at your list-If you
do not feel passionate
about the topic choose
the side you have more
to write about
Topic:: Showing the movie “The Interview”
Side 1: Don’t show it
Side 2 Do show it
Safety
Freedom of speech
Insulting
Money
May cause more problems
Cause more terrorism
Use this formula for writing a thesis:
What the opposite side believes, transition word,
and then what you believe
While some believe the movie “The Interveiew”
should not be shown, in reality, releasing the
movie is in America’s best interet.
You Try:
Topic: Is family or friends the most important
thing?
Side 1:
Family is very important
Side 2
Friends and the individual self are the most
important
You Try:
1. Topic: Should teachers be armed in school
2. Topic: Should they spend out tax money
searching for the missing airplane?
3. Topic: Should violence on TV and video
games be regulated for children under 13?
4. Should a criminal be allowed to keep his
lottery winnings or should it go to his victims?
Once you have your thesis statement, create
your outline
An outline:
is made with your brainstorming
May change
Is the major points of your paper
Thesis: While some believe the movie “The Interview” should not be
shown, in reality, releasing the movie is in America’s best interest.
I.
Freedom of Speech
A. Constitutional right
B. America is not North Korea
Money
A. Sony would loose millions
B. The actors need to get paid
III. Terrorism
A. Shows American’s are weak
B. Others will do similar things
Body paragraph #1
II.
Body paragraph #2
Body paragraph #3
Once your have your outline go through your
research and highlight or underline evidence
for each point
Make notes with:
• Examples from the text:
• Direct quotations
• Summaries
• Paraphrase
• Always remember to read carefully and
highlight useful passages and quotes
• Key to integrating your sources is to use
sources to backup and provide support to
your own opinion.
• Types:
•
•
•
Direct quote
Summary
Paraphrase
• Example: If Americans bow to others to
A report of the exact words of an author or
speaker.
A direct quotation is placed inside quotation
marks.
Joe Starks said, “'You might be amused to know that Strunk and White was
adapted for a ballet production recently. I didn't get to the show, but I'm sure
Will Strunk, had he been alive, would have lost no time in reaching the
scene, to watch dancers move gracefully to his rules of grammar.'"
(Eichler para.5)
Never alter quotations even to correct minor
grammatical errors or word usage. Casual
minor tongue slips may be removed by
using ellipses.
Ex. In the process of verbally dismantling… higher education, [Leon
Botstein] compared Ivy League universities to Gucci handbags and
said… multiple-choice tests in general [are] a grave error in the name
of so-called objectivity. (Gregory 5)."
Research papers demand abundant reference to
professional sources. That is, your research paper
will be generously populated with the voices of the
published experts. Your job is to manage those
voices, to synthesize them, to use them to
substantiate your claim.
Student Learning
33
Student Learning
Center
Use a variety of lead-ins to introduce concepts or findings from
researchers:
1.
According to Smith 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.
2.
By the early 1960’s, “90 percent of all households had at least one television set”
(Bishop & Marx, p. 2).
3.
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 p. 24).
34
Comprehension:
To reduce information to essential ideas
Identify the main idea.
Identify examples of the main idea
The main idea is the most important
information or concept in a text or statement.
Sometimes the main idea is obvious;
sometimes it is implied.
Not all information is equal: some of it clearly
is more important than the rest.
LENGTH: 1/3 of the original text
WHO? (Subject)
What? (Action)
Where? (Location)
When? (Time)
Why? (Reason)
How? (Process)
Practice (Read Civil
Disobedience )
Main Idea
WHO
HOW
WHAT
WHERE WHEN
WHY
How
Describe (give the reader a sense of the
writer's overall purpose and meaning)
Analyze: (show how it is put together by
dividing it into its main sections or aspects
interpret: (define the significance-meaning
and importance-of each part
assess: (make a judgment of the work's worth
or value)
Name of the story or article
Summary of the story or article
An opinion on the quality of a
certain part of the story or
article
a brief account giving the main points of
something
Has all the main points as the original text
Take out material that is not important to
UNDERSTANDING the text.
Take out words that repeat information
Replace a list of things with a word or two that
describes the list. Example: The woods were filled with
oak, maple, and pine trees. Replace the list with trees.
Find the topic sentence. If one is not there, add one.
LENGTH: ABOUT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL TEXT
Practice
The story of Juana Gallegos and her descendants is fairly typical
of those who migrated in the early 20th century. She was born
in 1900 in the rural town of Miquihuana, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Juana’s life was seriously disrupted by shifts in the agricultural
system, the building of a national Mexican railway system, and
the Mexican Revolution. Although Juana left her native country
in 1923 and moved to San Antonio, Texas, she never stopped
visiting her Mexican relatives or thinking of herself as Mexican.
Like many other Mexicans, industrialization and the Mexican
Revolution significantly altered Juana Gallegos's life. The spread
of railroads into the Mexican countryside, and the breakup of
the near-feudal hacienda system of farming during the
revolution, led many people to move to cities
Not every source is suitable for use in a formal research paper
According to Paul Glister, "while the Internet offers myriad opportunities for
learning, an unconsidered view of its contents can be misleading and
deceptive...you cannot workcomfortably within this medium until you have
established methods for judging the reliability ofWeb pages, newsgroup
postings..." (Gilster qtd. in Harnack). Use five criteria for evaluating
information:
1
. Authorship - who is the author and what are his credentials?
2. Publishing Body - the pb is the server on which the file is stored. The
server cannot
guarantee reliability of the information that is posted.
3. Objectivity/Knowledge - seek out other sources to see if the author has
considered enough alternative views. Is there evidence to support the claims
being made? Is the tone professional?
4. Accuracy or Verifiability - Hypertext is helpful in this area. For example,
an author quoting statistics from another Internet source will often include a
direct link to that source.
5. Currency - this refers to the history of publication and any revisions. When
was the site last
How Can I Tell if a Website is Reliable?
1. Who authored (wrote) the site?
* How to find out:Look for an “About” or “More about
the Author” link at the top, bottom or sidebar of the
webpage. If no information about
the author(s) of the page is provided, be suspicious.
* Does the author provide his/her credentials?
2. Who published the site?
Look at the domain name of the website
The suffix is usually (but not always) descriptive of what type of
entity hosts the website. Keep in mind that it is possible for sites to
obtain suffixes that are misleading. Here are some examples:
„.edu = educational
„.com = commercial
„.mil = military
„.gov = government
„.org = nonprofit
What is the main purpose of the site? Why did
the author write
it and the publisher post it?
„To sell a product?
„As a personal hobby?
„As a public service?
„To further scholarship on a topic?
„To provide general information on a topic?
„To persuade you of a particular point of view?
Does the author cite sources? Just as in print
sources,
web sources that cite their sources are
considered more
reliable. It shows that the author has done
his/her
homework and is familiar with scholarship in
the field.
Common Core workbook pg 148
1. ____
2. ____
Common Core workbook Pg 152
1. ____
2. ____
3. DO NOT DO
4. _____
You need to have an introduction, body, and
conclusion
Your introduction”
1. An introduction should attract the reader's
attention
2. An introduction should tell the reader explicitly
what the thesis (the point of the paper) is
3. An introduction should not be too long.
1. Grab the reader’s attention
2. Give 2-3 sentences where you describe the
situation
3. Give me any background I need to
understand the essay
4. Write your thesis
1. Topic sentence (This is your first reason)
2. Give me an opinion about how your topic sentence
proves your point
3. Give proof your opinion is valid
4. Give another opinion
5. Write a sentence where you tell me what the other
side believes
6. A sentence why the other side is WRONG
7. Another proof your opinion is valid
8. Concluding sentence
1. Rephrase your thesis
2. Summarize your main points
3. Tell the reader what to think or believe
MLA 7th Edition Formatting and Style Guide
Purdue OWL Staff
Brought to you in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab
Format: General
Guidelines
An MLA Style Paper should:
• Be typed on white 8.5“ x 11“ paper
• Double-space everything
• Use 12 pt. Times New Roman (or similar) font
• Leave only one space after punctuation
• Set all margins to 1 inch on all sides
• Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch
Format: General
Guidelines (cont.)
An MLA Style Paper should:
• Have a header with page numbers located in the
upper right-hand corner
• Use italics for titles
• Place endnotes on a separate page before the
Works Cited page
Formatting the 1st Page
The first page of an MLA Style paper will:
• Have no title page
• Double space everything
• List your name, your instructor's name, the course, and date in
the upper left-hand corner
• Center the paper title (use standard caps but no underlining,
italics, quote marks, or bold typeface)
Sample 1st Page
In-Text Citations: the
Basics
Within the text MLA uses parenthetical citations:
•
The format of parenthetical citations depends on the medium
(e.g. Print, Web, DVD, etc.)
•
Parenthetical citations also depend on the source’s entry in
the Works Cited page
•
The signal word in the text is the first thing in the
corresponding Works Cited entry
Author-Page Style
In-text Example:
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a
“spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263).
Romantic poetry is characterized by the “spontaneous
overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263).
Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the
creative process (263).
Wordsworth, William. Lyrical Ballads. London: Oxford UP, 1967. Print.
Corresponding Works Cited Entry:
With Unknown Author
In-text Example, citing a work with no known author:
We see so many global warming hotspots in North
America likely because this region has “more readily
accessible climatic data and more comprehensive
programs to monitor and study environmental change…”
(“Impact of Global Warming” 6).
With Unknown Author
Corresponding Works Cited Entry:
“The Impact of Global Warming in North America.” Global
Warming: Early Signs. 1999. Web. 23 Mar. 2009.
Other In-Text Citations 2
Work by Multiple Authors
Smith, Yang, and Moore argue that tougher gun control is not needed
in the United States (76).
The authors state “Tighter gun control in the United States erodes
Second Amendment rights” (Smith, Yang, and Moore 76).
Other In-Text Citations 7
Sources from the Internet
In-text Example:
One online film critic has argued that Fitzcarraldo is “…a beautiful
and terrifying critique of obsession and colonialism” (Garcia, para 4).
Corresponding Works Cited Entry:
Garcia, Elizabeth. “Herzog: a Life.” Online Film Critics Corner. The
Film School of New Hampshire, 2 May 2002. Web. 8 Jan.
2009.
Works Cited Page: The
Basics
Sample Works Cited Page:
Works Cited page:
Books
Basic Format of the Works Cited Page:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher,
Publication. Medium of Publication.
Examples:
Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer
Boston: Allyn, 2000. Print.
Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York: Penguin,
Print.
Palmer, William J. Dickens and New Historicism. New York: St.
1997. Print.
---. The Films of the Eighties: A Social History. Carbondale: Southern
Year of
Tutoring.
1987.
Martin's,
Illinois
Works Cited Page:
Periodicals
Article in a Magazine Format
Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages.
Medium of publication.
Example:
Buchman, Dana. “A Special Education.” Good Housekeeping Mar.
143-8. Print.
2006:
Works Cited Page: Web
Web Source Format:
Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). “Article Name.” Name of
Site. Version number. Name of institution/organization affiliated
with the site (sponsor or publisher). Date of last update.
Medium of
publication. Date of access.
Works Cited Page: Web
Examples:
Bernstein, Mark. “10 Tips on Writing the Living Web.” A List Apart:
For People Who Make Websites. A List Apart Mag., 16 Aug.
2002. Web. 4 May 2009.
Felluga, Dino. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory. Purdue U, 28
Nov. 2003. Web. 10 May 2006.
“How to Make Vegetarian Chili.” eHow.com. eHow. n.d. Web. 24 Feb.
2009.