Name ______________________________________ Period ____________
Research Paper Due Dates
Keep track of your progress on the research paper using this table. You cannot go on to the next step until you have completed the current step. You may turn in late steps with late passes for credit, or without late passes for no credit. Either way, you must turn them in to move on.
10 Steps to Writing a Great Research Paper
Step Task Due
Date
Turned in
(Yes or No) Received Points
1 Explore your interests. It is crucial to find a topic that interests you. (3 possible topics and subtopics with explanations, due)
TH 3/5
/ 5
2 Select favorite topic. Locate sources and start a working bibliography—Turn in a bibliography with at least 4 sources that are annotated.
TH 3/19
/ 10
3 Narrow your topic. Create a thesis question and select final topic.
TH 3/26
/ 5
4 Conduct research and take notes. Notes check in #1 (must have notes for 1 source—at least 1 page of notes or several note cards)
TH 4/2
/ 10
5 Do more research and create more notes. Notes check in #2 (must have notes for 3 additional sources-at least)
Mon 4/20
/ 10
6 Locate and analyze three primary sources for
appendix TH 4/23
/ 10
7 Organize your notes and create an outline and thesis statement (the answer to your thesis question).
TH 4/30
/15
8 Revise outline as necessary and write first draft. Peer
editing in class. Mon 5/11
/ 20
9 Reviserough draft and bibliography before final paper is due.
ongoing
N /A
N / A
10 Research paper due! (Include cover page, final paper + footnotes, appendix with 2-3 primary source images + captions, bibliography, outline, research notes)
5/18
/ 60
History—Mr. Villars
The Research Paper: A Step-by-step Guide
You’ll be creating a 4-5 page research paper on a topic of your choice.
FORMAT
4-5 pages, typed, double spaced, 12 point Times font, 1 inch margins
Bibliography and source citations in Chicago style format: use the following website
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/history/footnotes.html or using the website http://www.bibme.org Annotated Appendix with at least 3 primary sources.
Late passes cannot be used for the rough draft or final paper, but can be used for the research steps along the way. If there is a concern about a deadline, please see me before something is due. See the ―Research Paper Due Dates‖ handout for deadlines.
STEP 1: Explore your interests.
Browse your history textbook, the list of possible topics, and any other available resources. Write or type your findings for 3 possible research topics in the following format:
Assignment Format:
Topic: Great Depression (general)
Subtopic: Effect of the New Deal on artists in the San Francisco Bay Area (specific)
Rationale: Write one solid paragraph for each topic explaining why you are interested in it, what questions you have about it, and why it might make for an interesting project.
STEP 2: Locate Sources and Start a Working Bibliography
Assignment: Create an annotated bibliography with at least 5 sources. One of them must be non-web based. Each entry needs to have the source in proper bibliographical format, as well as an annotation. See the information below.
Format:
1. "Microsoft Mapping Course to a Jetsons-Style Future." New York Times 1 Mar. 2009. 1 Mar. 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/technology/business-computing/02compute.html?em>.
2. This article is about how Microsoft is working to develop a computerized personal assistant using the latest in AI technology. It includes basic information on the history of Artificial Intelligence, and talks about future applications. It might be useful for the part of my paper about future possibilities for AI.
You should compile an annotated bibliography of a total of five sources beyond the textbook. You should find seven credible and scholarly secondary sources (a history book or article written by a professor or historian, not a general encyclopedia). TWO of your sources must be NON-web-based.
Each entry in an annotated bibliography should include all the information you would normally include in a list of works cited. For example, for a book you would include the title, author, publisher, place of publication, and year of publication. The bibliographic information is followed by an annotation, which is at least one paragraph that both describes and evaluates the contents of the item.
These annotations should include the following:
Briefly describe the scope and focus of the work
Evaluate the usefulness of the source to your research
Explain the extent to which this work illuminates, supports, and/or detracts from your thesis
Bibliographic Citations and Footnotes
Historians use the Chicago style of documentation. Please familiarize yourself with this style and format your bibliography accordingly. Go to the following link to learn the Chicago style of documentation.
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/history/bibliography.html
TIP: Go to http://www.bibme.org/to make your bibliography one line. Bibme.org will put your bibliography in the correct format, you can put in an annotation, it will save your bibliography, and when you’re done, you can download the bibliography to word. Create a login and password to use all the features.
STEP 3: Select a final topic and develop thesis question.
Assignment Format:
Final Topic: ________________________________________-
Thesis Question:
__________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Since you will eventually need to make an argument in a thesis statement, you first need to develop a thesis
question. A good thesis derives from a good question. You must choose an open-ended question, such as a ―how‖ or ―why‖ question, instead of a factual, dead-end question. It is easy to pose a question like ―Should the atomic bomb have been dropped on Japan?‖ Such a question is simply an opinion question: it requires no research or special understanding of the problem.
Good thesis question:
How did the new weapons developed in WWI change the makeup of the French Army? What were the long lasting effects of these new weapons on the nature of war?
STEPS 4 & 5: Conduct Research & Take Notes
researched and evaluated by another author. Keep in mind that all authors and books have biases, so you will need to be aware of those biases and evaluate if you agree with their conclusions.
TOTAL SOURCES: at least 7 sources for the final bibliography
At least 5 of these must be secondary sources, 3 of which must be non-web sources
General searches:
www.google.com
http://en.wikipedia.org (general online encyclopedia—make sure you double check all facts) http://marinet.lib.ca.us (Marin public library database)
Note on internet research:
Beware of websites with a lot of information that is not sourced. Utilize websites that end in .edu, .org, and .gov for more accurate information. See me if you have questions about the validity of sources.
Note-Taking Options: 1. Cornell Notes
2. Note Card format (see handout)
3. Create your own but must include all of the following components:
Bibliographic information for source on each page/ card
Page # citations next to direct quotations and basic notes
Each page/card should only have notes from one source
Method of differentiating between direct quotes, basic quotes, and your analysis/ideas/questions/comments
Quick way to easily identify themes
Key people/terms/ideas must be highlighted/underlined
Skip lines between main points (cluster related ideas together)
STEP 6: Analyze Primary Sources & Create Appendix
Primary sources, or those actual records from the past era you are studying, provide information for historians to conduct original historical research. Primary sources often present more of a challenge to interpret them than secondary sources, however, the process can be rewarding.
Select 2-5 images (relevant photos, cartoons, etc.) or other primary sources that relate to your research topic. Include a copy of each image in an appendix with your final paper and place them before the bibliography. Each image should contain the following information below it:
Source: source of where you found the image & also the basic information about the image (name of photographer, date, location)
STEP 7: Write an Outline
Assignment: You’ll be filling out an outlining worksheet, but you can look at the example below for the sort of thing we’ll be doing.
Sample Outline – for the question, ―How was Hitler allowed to take over so much land?‖
1. Introduction: Introduces your argument and ends with your thesis statement.
a. Sets the scene and includes background information that helps the reader to understand your position
b. Thesis Statement: 1. provable, 2. arguable, 3. how you will prove your argument (Road map)
Example: Due to the economic hardships of the times, the Great Depression pulled the country apart as discrimination increased, families were separated or injured, and the division between social classes grew.
2. Background Paragraph: Additional background information on your subject, event, person, etc. that helps the reader understand what you are writing about.
a. The Versailles treaty b. Who was Hitler?
c. What was Germany like before WWII?
3. Subtopic 1/Body Paragraph(s):
Topic Sentence: (Example:In the Munich Pact, France and Britain thought they stopped him)
a. Job competition 1. Mexican Americans 2. African Americans 3. Married Women b. Increased racial violence
c. Mexican Americans were deported d. Oakies faced discrimination in California
Clincher Sentence: This sentence ties what you discussed in your body paragraph to your thesis statement. (Example:: The discrimination during the 1930s widened already existing divisions between race, class and gender causing the country to become less united.)
4. Subtopic 2/Body Paragraph(s):
Topic Sentence: Another way in which the country suffered divisions was in the breakdown of the family structure. a. Hobos – men left their families
b. Kids left to raise themselves 1. Juvenile delinquents
2. Fewer children went to school c. Women went to work
d. Divorce rates increased e. Marriage rates went down f. Birth rates decreased
Clincher sentence: The family was a microcosm of the country; as traditional families disintegrated, so did the foundation of the country.
5. Continue with this body paragraph format for as many subtopics or body paragraphs that are necessary.
Research Paper Mechanics
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is copying even one sentence from a source. It is also ―semi-copying‖ or altering just a few words from a source. When you paraphrase what someone else has said, or when you take someone else’s ideas and don’t give them explicit credit, you are committing plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in an F for this entire research paper. Here are some tips to help you avoid that trap:
Citing Sources
What format do I use?
In order to complete your research paper, you are already utilizing a variety of primary and secondary sources. This means that you will need to cite any quotes as well as ideas that are not your own from the original source. Historians use the Chicago Manual of Style (also referred to as Chicago), a style that uses footnotes as a way to cite sources. For the correct format for a bibliography as well as for citations, refer to the following website. Use the pull-down menu to find the appropriate formatting for your citation.
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/history/bibliography.html
What information should I cite?
Keep in mind that history is the study and interpretation of facts, people, and ideas. As a result, most of the information on your topic will come from a source other than your own mind. Much of your paper will be cited and that’s okay. Anytime you utilize information from a source, you should cite it, but you should also provide your own analysis of the information. As a quick reference, you should cite quotes, ideas (that aren’t your own), and facts that are so specific they could only come from a book.
Do cite: From 1934 to 1936, General Motors paid $994,855 to spy on its workers. Don’t cite: The bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed many Japanese civilians.
How to cite quotations effectively
Keep quotes material to a minimum, and use only quotes that add a particular flair or are needed because paraphrasing them would make them lose their meaning. You should only quote someone who was directly involved in the history, not the author of a textbook. You should always mention who said or wrote the quotation.
Correct: Nixon responded by saying, “When dissent turns to violence, it invites tragedy.” Incorrect: “Congress was finally taking action for racial justice.”
The Cornell Note Taking System
The Cornell Note Taking system results in more organized notes and allows you to quickly identify keys words and concepts. The notes can easily be used as a study guide. This format is helpful for taking notes in class during lectures, while reading the textbook, and while conducting research.
Set up your paper according to the following format:
Name Class, Period # Date
Title of Research Resource (include all bibliographical information
1. Note Taking Area
For Research: When researching a topic, record basic facts, information, quotes, and parts of stories in this column. Put any direct quotes or phrases from the source ―in quotes‖ so that you do not accidentally plagiarize. Record information from one source only on each page and include
bibliographic information and page numbers.
2. Recall Column
Write “triggers”: phrases, names, dates, acronyms, symbols, or questions, after you take notes
3. Summary and Reflection (set this part up after you finish your notes)
Writing Research Note Cards
Research is a difficult and time-consuming process, but writing informative and accurate note cards is important for creating a quality finished product. You will need at least 40, 3x5 (or 5x7) index cards. Please keep these cards in a safe place so that you do not lose them. Below is the format you should use when writing your notes.
Back of the Note card
Front of Note card
Notes:
Only place quotations around word-for-word phrases
Use the ellipsis (…) when you leave words out of a quotation Use brackets [like this] around words that you add to a quotation
Source #1 page #s
On the back of each note card write the number of the source as well as the page number. Write the full bibliographic citation on the working biblio. page.
Topic: Women’s Changing Roles during WWII 3 Subtopic Question: Women in the military
Due to shortages of men in the military, the U.S. opened up the military to women. 350,000 women served in different branches of the military: army (WACS), navy (WAVES), Coast Guard (SPARS), and marines (MCWR), & Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).
Analysis: While this explains why women had military jobs, it does not indicate specific jobs, treatment, or women of color. I need to gather more on how the military viewed having women in service.
Number all cards.
Information should be paraphrased; also, keep it simple, direct, and complete. If you don’t understand the info, don’t use it. Write direct quotes only when necessary.
Conclusions
1About conclusions
An introduction and conclusion frame your thoughts and bridge your ideas for the reader.
Just as your introduction acts as a bridge that transports your readers from their own lives into the "place" of your analysis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives. Such a conclusion will help them see why all your analysis and information should matter to them after they put the paper down.
Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the
importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note.
Your conclusion can go beyond the confines of the assignment. The conclusion pushes beyond the boundaries of the prompt and allows you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the
significance of your findings.
Your conclusion should make your readers glad they read your paper. Your conclusion gives your reader something to take away that will help them see things differently or appreciate your topic in personally relevant ways. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest your reader, but also enrich your reader's life in some way. It is your gift to the reader.
The “So What” Game
Play the "So What" Game. If you're stuck and feel like your conclusion isn't saying anything new or interesting, ask a friend to read it with you. Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, "So what?" or "Why should anybody care?" Then ponder that question and answer it.
Here's how it might go:
You: Basically, I'm just saying there were many factors during D-Day. Friend: So what?
You: Well, it was important because you need to know those factors to understand the battle Friend: Why should anybody care?
You: Because if we can understand how the factors of D-Day influenced the battle we can use what we’ve learned next time there is a similar battle.
You can also use this strategy on your own, asking yourself "So What?" as you develop your ideas or your draft.
Conclusion Advice
Synthesize, don't summarize: Include a brief summary of the paper's main points, but don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used fit together. Pull it all together.
Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for your paper.
Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study. This can redirect your reader's thought process and help her to apply your info and ideas to her own life or to see the broader implications.
Point to broader implications. For example, if your paper examines the Greensboro sit-ins or another event in the Civil Rights Movement, you could point out its impact on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. A paper about the style of writer Virginia Woolf could point to her influence on other writers or on later feminists.
Very Basic Conclusion Advice2
The conclusion is the last paragraph of the paper. Its purpose is to
1 University of North Carolina. Conclusions. http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html
2
How to Write a Research Paper. Homework Center – Writing Skills.
summarize your points, leaving out specific examples
restate the main idea of the paper
Citing Sources
What is a source citation?
Anytime you use information that came from somewhere other than your own brain, you must give credit to whoever you got that information from. In your research paper you will be using the Chicago style of source citations which involves the use of footnotes and a bibliography. The Chicago style of citations was invented in 1906.3
What to cite:
Keep in mind that history is the study and interpretation of facts, people, and ideas. As a result, most of the information on your topic will come from a source other than your own mind. Much of your paper will be cited and that’s okay. Anytime you utilize information from a source, you should cite it.
As a quick reference, you should cite quotes, ideas (that aren’t your own), and facts that are so specific they could only come from a book.
Do cite: From 1934 to 1936, General Motors paid $994,855 to spy on its workers. Don’t cite: The bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed many Japanese civilians.
To cite or not to cite? – Put a check mark next to the items that should be cited
1. ___ WWII killed a lot of Russians.
2. ___23,000,000 Russians died in WWII, the most of any country.
3. ___ The Rape of Nanking was one of the most brutal events of WWII.
4. ___ The smoke cloud from Atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima rose 11 miles into the air. Now, humans can make bombs over 1000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
5. ___ The Korean War began in 1950, and is still not officially over.
6. ___ Even though about 6 million Jewish people were killed in the holocaust, there are still many Jews alive today.
7. ___10th Grade is the best grade there is and Mr. V. is the coolest.
3 Wikipedia contributors, "The Chicago Manual of Style," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,
Correct Paper Format
Title Page includes: Title of Paper
Your name
Name of Teacher
Period Number
Class Title
Date Due
Paper Formatting 1 inch margins
Double spaced
All Paragraphs should be indented. Don’t skip extra lines between paragraphs.
Bibliography
Entries are in Alphabetical Order
Entries are single spaced
STEP 3 Worksheet: Select a final topic and develop thesis question.
Since you will eventually need to make an argument in a thesis statement, you first
need to develop a thesis question. A good thesis derives from a good question. You
must choose an open-ended question, such as a “how” or “why” question, instead of a
factual, dead-end question. It is easy to pose a question like “Should the atomic bomb
have been dropped on Japan?” Such a question is simply an opinion question: it
requires no research or special understanding of the problem.
Good thesis questions:
How did the new weapons developed in WWI change the makeup of
the French Army?
How did Apartheid in South Africa end?
