Communicate & Cite

Guiding Questions

• • How can I share what I have learned with others?

  • How do I incorporate evidence into a traditional research paper?

  • How do I cite sources to support my argument and give credit where due?

  • What is plagiarism and how can I avoid it?

  • How do I know what does NOT need to be cited in my research?

Overview

After you have worked to INTERPRET your information, you will COMMUNICATE your findings in some final product, being sure to CITE all evidence you use, giving credit to your sources.

Besides the traditional research paper, there are many ways to share research, including:

• • Book or e-book

  • Brochure or flyer

  • Children's book

  • Debate

  • Game

  • Historical fiction

  • Interpretive dance (kidding?)

  • Interview

  • Lesson plan

  • Movie

  • Newspaper

  • Podcast

  • Position paper

  • Poster

  • Presentation

  • Public service announcement

  • Radio broadcast

  • Three-search paper

  • Timeline

  • Website or blog

  • And many more!

Your teacher may assign a specific project, or you may have some choice. See the suggested technology tools for more ideas. Keep your audience in mind. A research paper on the impact of George Washington’s leadership on the early United States would be written in a very different tone than a children's book on George Washington’s presidency. Expectations differ between the disciplines. A poster for your English class may have large type and fun graphics, while in science, a poster may be a formal academic presentation with more text and technical charts and graphs to present data.

Whatever the product, your goal is to COMMUNICATE, sharing the results of your research: your original conclusions and arguments drawing upon the evidence and data you have discovered and the connections you have made.

And in all cases, plan to CITE any ideas and information you take from outside sources. If you kept good notes all along, this will be easy. At Arlington High School, you will use the Modern Language Association style (with a few exceptions, where APA may be used). Read on to learn the mechanics of citation and how to avoid plagiarism.

As you conclude this phase researchers usually feel a sense of relief and satisfaction if things are going well, or disappointment and frustration if they are not.