Part 3: Paper

Basic Facts

The SEP research paper should be connected to the topic of the SEP project. This extension should expand the student’s knowledge in a meaningful way.

First Draft Due Date: Nov/Dec 2019

Final Paper Due Date: January 16, 2020

• Turn in the following in the listed order: Title Page, Outline, Paper, Bibliography, Works Cited, Rubric

Sources:

• Include a minimum of 10 sources in the bibliography.
• Incorporate among the 10 cited sources no more than 1 encyclopedia; no more than 5 websites; This paper requires a variety of reputable sources, including interviews with experts, books, articles, and electronic database resources. Sites to avoid include blogs, editorials, wikis (Wikipedia), about.com, ask.com, and yahoo answers.
• Include a minimum of 8 cited sources in the Works Cited. These must be reputable sources such as databases, interviews, and books. Only 4 websites are allowed.

Format:

• Paper is written in third person (No I or You used in the paper, except in the introduction and conclusion) and should remain in active voice (avoid to-be verbs such as: is, be, been, being, are, etc.).
• The paper is a minimum of 8 full pages and a maximum of 10 pages. Papers not reaching the bottom of the 8^th page will not be accepted.
• Double Spaced
• Standard 1 inch margins on all four sides
• Use MLA-8 style for documentation and citation.
• Header should include your last name and page number; Title page should not have header; Outline should use lower case Roman numerals as the page number instead of a number (i, ii)
• Use Times New Roman Font, 12 point
• Quotes that are more than 4 lines should be double-spaced, set off by beginning a new line, indented one-inch or 10 spaces from the left margin and without quotation marks. A colon generally introduces a longer quote. Set off this way, the parenthetical reference follows the last line of the quotation with the period coming before the citation in this case.

Content:

• The paper must be a quality research paper written to a thesis. State your persuasive position clearly in the thesis statement, found in the introduction.
• Ensure no more than 10% of the paper is quoted.
• Conduct original research without plagiarism.
• State your subject, direction, and three reasons clearly in your thesis statement. Review information from different sources in the three developmental sections, and then address critics in the refutation section before the conclusion. (S + D + 3 Reasons)

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is a paper expressing your position on a subject, supported by credible, reliable, reputable, high-quality sources. It is not a compilation of the words of others. It is not a massive summary of everything you can find on a subject.

*Begin with an open mind and during your process, be sure to investigate and understand a variety of different angles. Start with a question to which you don’t know the answer, and follow your research as you work to deduce conclusions. There are ten steps to writing a research paper.

Step 1: Select a topic

Locate a broad topic of personal interest, then narrow the topic to a specific aspect that can be handled reasonably within a prescribed number of pages assigned.

Step 2: Understand the available resources

Become familiar with primary and secondary sources, as well as the variety of print, non-print, and electronic resources available. Understand how to locate these resources and use them appropriately.

Step 3: Begin research and source cards

Search for acceptable sources of information, evaluating each source and recording publication information on source cards and bibliography, following MLA-8 format.

Step 4: Formulate the thesis statement and determine supporting topics

Formulate an argument or judgement to serve as the main point of the paper, conducting research to find three sub-topics that support the thesis.

Step 5: Make a preliminary outline and target useful information

Compose a topic outline that includes the supporting topics. Next, target the needed information to find specific supporting details for each topic.

Step 6: Take notes and extend the outline

Begin taking notes on note cards, selecting only relevant information and entering it only under the appropriate topic headings on your note cards. Next, build your outline with the supporting details obtained from your research.

Step 7: Prepare to write

Review the guidelines for incorporating material into the paper, avoiding plagiarism, and appropriately focusing on paraphrasing, summarizing, direct quotations, and parenthetical citations. Plan on utilizing signal words to integrate your sources and enhance your direct quotations.

Step 8: Write the rough draft

With the completed outline and your note cards, begin writing the rough draft, putting in documentation for all cited material. Provide integration of source material by incorporating insight and analysis. Compose the introduction and conclusion paragraphs.

Step 9: Edit and Revise

Begin by editing your paper, then have others who are knowledgeable and trustworthy edit it. Note the feedback and revise your paper. Good writing requires multiple drafts and several revisions.

Step 10: Create the source page and prepare for presentation

Prepare your source page (Works Cited) page, noting the Bibliography you created in the process. Double-check in-text citation forms. Create a title page. Review the entire paper to be sure it is ready for presentation.