MHS Research Guide
Purpose
This guide provides information about how to write a formal literary or research paper. It standardizes the practice of conducting research among MHS departments, and is intended to aid students in mastering the skills needed to conduct research successfully.
There are many different ways to cite sources from research. The citation style sometimes depends on the academic discipline. For example:
APA (American Psychological Association) is used by Education, Psychology, and Sciences
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is used by the Humanities
Chicago/Turabian style is generally used by Business, History, and the Fine Arts
Be sure to check with your teacher to determine what is required in your specific course.
Research vs. Report
Authentic research is an invaluable skill that can be applied not only to educational endeavors but also in the workplace. Research allows the freedom to pursue personal interests and formulate questions about subject matter.
A report is not a research paper. In a report, information is gathered and summarized; there is no judgment, evaluation, or point of proof. It simply finds all the relevant material on an issue and reports it back. Unlike the report, a research paper is persuasive in that it takes a stand on an issue, makes a point to be proven or makes a judgment to be defended. In other words, the research paper takes the information and then does something relevant and original with it.