Research and Writing
Research and Writing
Example Controversial Issue Essay
STEPS TO RESEARCH
EUREKA: I Found It!
Establish the Topic
Understand Resources
Retrieve Resources
Examine & Extract Information
Knit Information into a Whole
Assess the Product
1. Establish the Topic: Define what you need to know to write your paper. Create questions that will focus your ideas. Narrow your topic to be an appropriate length for your paper.
- Topic Ideas: (The topic may be assigned by your instructor). If you need to create your own topic, try BRAINSTORMING on your own first. Practice your research skills by finding out more information about something that interests you.
Narrow your Topic:
Music --> Folk --> Festivals --> Lileth Fair
Music --> Hip Hop --> History of Hip Hop --> Run DMC
Music --> instruments --> stringed instruments -->electric guitar
- Write several Research Questions to focus your research.
2. Understand Resources: What sources are required? Plan your search: Start brainstorming KEYWORDS to use to search for materials. Does your teacher have a timetable? When is this due? Do you need primary and secondary sources?
- Go to the Student Resources page for links to the Library Catalog, ProQuest Periodical Database, Facts on File Database, etc.
3. Retrieve Resources: Gather information. Use NoodleTools for note taking and citation lists.
4. Examine & Extract Information: Does the information answer your research questions? Is the source current, valid, and relevant? Be careful how you use the Information: Summarize, paraphrase, and quote to support your thesis and make sure to CITE your source!
5. Knit Information into a Whole: Write the paper or complete your project and make sure you AVOID PLAGIARISM: Cite in the text whenever you quote, summarize, or paraphrase. Make sure to have a correct Works Cited and/or Bibliography page. Ask your teacher if you should use MLA, APA, or Chicago Style to format your work.
The only time you do not need to cite a source is if it is considered COMMON KNOWLEDGE or if it comes from YOUR THOUGHTS.
Generally speaking, you can regard something as common knowledge if you find the same information undocumented in at least five credible sources. Additionally, it might be common knowledge if you think the information you're presenting is something your readers will already know, or something that a person could easily find in general reference sources. But when in doubt, cite; if the citation turns out to be unnecessary, your teacher or editor will tell you." ~PURDUE OWL
6. Assess the Product: Review and edit your paper/project several times. Ask a friend, teacher, parent to look over the assignment requirements and check to make sure you completed them all.
GREAT NOTES = THE FIRST STEP TO AVOID PLAGIARISM
Research writing incorporates researched information in 3 ways:
1) Quoting: Text taken directly from source and placed in quotation marks.
- Must cite information in-text and/or parenthetically.
- Use quotes in the following situations: (avoid over quoting information)
- When you are analyzing the word choice of the text.
- When the source's wording is key to your argument or support.
- When your paraphrase may not be clear enough in comparison to a quote.
- When you rely on the authority of an author or source for your support.
2) Paraphrasing: Restate source idea in your own words.
- Must cite information in-text and/or parenthetically.
- Emphasize key points, main ideas of supporting research
- Paraphrasing allows your writing to maintain an even flow by incorporating research into your writing style.
- Be careful not to mimic sentence structure, word choice, style, etc. from the original passage. It is unacceptable to merely change one or two words, this is considered a misquote.
3) Summarizing: Condensed overview of a source
- Must cite information in-text and/or parenthetically.
- Emphasize main ideas in a much more succinct way than the author.
Common Knowledge: A fact that is so well known that it does not need to be cited in your research writing.
- 3 Criteria: 1) Found in numerous sources. 2) Well known by many people. 3) Found easily in a general reference source
- Example: Koala bears are native to Australia.
NoodleTools Notecards: NoodleTools notecards feature divides your notes into three parts (Quoting, Paraphrasing, and My Ideas - similar to Summarizing) so that you may go back later, while writing, and decide what is the best way to cite your information.
Bibliography
Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of Scholarship. University of California, Davis, Office of Student Judicial Affairs, 2006. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.
“Examples of Using Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing.” Las Positas College Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. “Summarize, Paraphrasing, Quoting.” Harvard Guide to Using Sources. Harvard College Writing Program, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.
