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Pretty soon, you'll be publishing multi-volume works on the history of snail-hunting. Or maybe something more exciting. (Source)
When you realize you've been assigned a research paper, there are three possible reactions: you're either trying to look tough but you're crying inside, you're not trying to look tough and you're openly weeping, or your name is Hermione Granger and you're doing a little tap dance of glee.
No matter which one of those types you are, this short course is going to elevate you to new heights of research paper glory. Even if you're curled up in a ball weeping. Writing a good research paper isn't something that just magically comes naturally to anybody—no kid learns their first letters and says, "Hmm, I think I'll analyze the use of dialogue in The Count of Monte Cristo." Instead, writing research papers is just a skill that has to be learned, like everything else you do in school.
I've broken it down into easy, bite-size chunks for you. We'll be brainstorming for ideas, learning how to use the power of Google more effectively, and then crafting the most gorgeous thesis statements you've ever seen. And that's only the beginning. I'll hold your hands every step of the way, and in the end—you'll have a short, sweet, real-live-bona-fide research paper. More importantly, you'll have the ability to write a research paper without panicking, for the rest of your (long, glorious) academic career.
Summary
Summary
Writing good research papers is one of the fundamental skills that will help you survive college. It'll also help you sniff out the differences between good and bad research which, trust me, will make your life easier. The more you know, the smarter you grow...uh, or something.
There are a bunch of techniques for brainstorming, but they should all result in the same thing: a few high-quality research questions. And probably a headache.
With some initial research, and a lot of hard thinking, your research questions should eventually distill themselves into a thesis statement. Or maybe that should be: a THESIS STATEMENT, with a chorus of singing angels.
Doing research is like throwing yourself into a pile of leaves. It's kinda fun, until you realize your yard is a messy leaf wasteland. Luckily, I've got oodles of strategies for you to organize your research, but the most important thing is to have a strategy to organize your research.
The process of outlining your paper will make drafting and writing it about 800% better. Believe me. Actually it doesn't matter if you believe me, because you'll be doing it yourselves in a little while.
Finally, you'll definitely, definitely have to do some revising. Everybody revises. Seriously. Anybody who has ever written anything has revised it.
Objectives
Objectives
By the end of this unit, you should be able to
research and write high-quality, academic essays with clear thesis statements, accurate citations, and intelligent organization.
brainstorm effectively and develop informed research questions that shape your preliminary research.
develop strong, supported thesis statements.
run targeted digital searches and organize your sources in a systematic way.
correctly cite sources and avoid plagiarism.
effectively outline and draft a paper that is organized, and integrates sources smoothly.
edit your own work and offer helpful critiques to peers.
Study Questions
Study Questions
What are some of the best ways to brainstorm, and what is the ultimate goal of brainstorming?
Describe the attributes of a strong thesis statement, and some strategies for developing one of your own.
While researching a paper, what are some of your favorite methods of organizing your ideas and sources?
Why are citations so important? What's the danger of improperly citing something?
How do you outline a research paper? What are some good strategies to organize your outline?
List some good tips for reviewing and editing other people's work, and your own.
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