What is Research?
When you research, you are personally involved in gathering facts, finding examples, and organizing ideas. A research paper begins much the same way as an essay but involves using
quotations and ideas from other writers combined with your own ideas. The main goal of a research paper starts when an
individual is curious about something. The student then sets out to find information and answers through different sources.
Through this research, the student begins to formulate original thoughts on a subject.
How Do I Start?
Research writing is a cyclical process. The entire process is designed to make the actual writing of your report easier. The more you complete at each step, the easier the following steps become.
Research
Meaningful research projects start with a desire to “know,” or learn more about something that fascinates
or inspires you. Outlining
Formulate a thesis or controlling idea to assert about your topic. Then, organize the information and ideas gathered from your sources into a formal outline
Information
Understanding After taking notes from a source, reflect on the information gathered and evaluate the importance of the new information.
Gathering Information
How to Locate Magazine or Newspaper Articles in East LMC
First, go to the LMC Homepage and Online Resources.
Newsbank
NewsBank Popular Periodicals (1992-Current)
Type your topic in the “for” box.
Click Search
Remember the search hints:
Connect terms with AND,OR, NOT.
Put phrases in quotation marks, e.g., “bilingual education.” BadgerLink
Click the “Database List.”
Check the databases that you would like to search
Suggestions:
Check Academic Search Elite. Check MasterFILE Premier. Check ERIC.
Look at the descriptions of the databases, and check the databases that apply to your search.
Click Continue.
Click Search Options.
Check Full Text.
Decide if you want to do a Basic or Advanced Search.
Enter your search topic. SIRS Researcher
Decide if you want to do a Quick Search or an Advanced Search.
Type your topic in the Search Box.
Browse the Leading Issues for your topic or a closely related topic. Look at the topic and links on the right sidebar.
Look at the Toolbox options in the upper right-hand corner: Help, How to Cite, Dictionary, and Thesaurus.
Skim, Scan, Peruse, Review.
Be Resourceful.
Ask Questions
*Taken from Ollmann, Julie. “How to Locate Magazine or Newspaper Articles.” East High School. Print. 2011.
Print Source Citations
Research writing involves using a variety of sources from various mediums. Any quotes or ideas you use in your paper from your sources must be “cited,” or attributed to the author or source in standard M.L.A (Modern Language Association) format. A.P.A is the format used for research about the social sciences such as psychology, history, etc.
Most print sources are cited using the same basic
format
:
New: For every entry, you must determine the Medium of Publication. Most entries will likely be listed as Print or Web sources, but other possibilities may include Film, CD-ROM, or DVD.
New: Use Italics( instead of underlining) for titles of larger works (books, magazines)and quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles).
Book (Print) Source
Lastname, Firstname.
Title of Book. Place of Publication:
Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.
Author(s). “Title of Article.”
Title of Periodical.
Day Month
Year: pages. Medium of Publication.
Examples
Gleick, James.
Chaos: Making a New Science.
New York:
Penguin,1987. Print.
Krugman, Andrew. “Fear of Eating.”
New York Times
. 21
May
2007. Print.
Book with More Than One Author
The first given name appears in last name, first name format; subsequent author names appear in first name last name format.
Gillelspie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to
Peer Tutoring.
Tutoring. Boston: Allyn, 2000. Print.
Books by a Corporate Author or Organization
A corporate author may include a commission, a comitee, or a group. List the names of corporate authors in the place where an author’s name typically appears.
American Allergy Association. Allergies in Children. New York:
Random, 1998.
Book with No Author
List by the title of the book. Incorporate these entries
alphabetically, just as you would with works that include an author’s name.
Encyclopedia of Indiana. New York: Somerset, 1993. Print.
A Translated Book
Cite as you would any other book. Add “Trans.” (the abbreviation for translated) and follow with the name (s) of the translator (s).
Foulcault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in
the Age of
Reason. Trans. Richard Howard. New York: Vintage Radom
House,
1988. Print.
A Book Prepared by an Editor
Cite the book as you normally would, but add the editor after the
title.
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford
UP, 1998.
Print.
A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection
Works may include an essay in an edited collection or anthology, or a chapter from a book. The basic form is as follows:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Essay.” Title of Collection. Ed.
Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range of entry.
Medium of
Publication.
Harris, Muriel. “Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers.” A Tutor’s
Guide:
Helping Writers One to One. Ed. Ben Rafoth. Portmouth, NH:
Heinemann, 2000. 24-34. Print.
Poem or Short Story
Burns, Robert. “Red, Red Rose.” 100 Best-Loved Poems. Ed.
Phillip Smith. New
York: Dover, 1995. Print.
Article in a Reference Book (Dictionary,
Encyclopedia)
For entries in encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works, cite the piece as you would any other work in a collection but do not include the publisher information. Also, if the
reference book is organized alphabetically, do not list the page number of the article or the volume number.
“Ideology.” The American Heritage Dictionary. 3rd ed. 1997. Print.
A Multivolume Work
Quintilian. Institute Oratoria. Trans. H. E. Butler. Vol. 2.
Cambridge:
Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980. Print.
Periodicals
Magazines, Newspapers, and Scholarly Journals
Article in a Magazine
Poniewozik, James. “TV Makes a Too-Close Call.” Time 20 Nov.
2000:
70-71. Print.
Article in a Newspaper
Krugman, Andrew. “Fear of Eating.” New York Times 21 May
2007. Print.
Editorial and Letter to the Editor
Cite as you would any article in a periodical, but include the designators “Editorial” or “Letter” to identify the type of work.
“Of Mines and Men. “ Editorial. Wall Street Journal . 24 Oct. 2003.
Hamer, John. Letter. American Journalism Review Dec. 2006: 7.
Print.
Article in a Scholarly Journal
Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal Volume. Issue (Year):
pages.
Medium of publications.
Bagchi, Alaknanda. “Conflicting Nationalisms” Tulsa Studies in
Women’s
Literature 15. 1 (1996): 41-50. Print.
.
Electronic Source Citation
All Electronic sources are cited using the same
basic format
New:
MLA lists electronic sources as Web Publications.
Thus, when including the medium for electronic sources,
list the medium as
Web.
Important:
If one piece of information needed for the
citation is not available,
skip
to the next step.
Author(s). Article name in quotation marks. Title of
website or online newspaper/magazine in italics.
Publication date, medium of publication, and date of
access.
Example:
(online newspaper)
Bernstein, Mark. “10 Tips on Writing the Living Web.”
New
York Times Online.
16 Aug. 2002. Web. 4 May 2009.
(website with
no
author listed,
no
publication date listed)
“How to Make Vegetarian Chili.”
ehow.com
. Web. 24 Feb.
2009.
Citing an Entire Website
It is necessary to list your date of access because web postings are often updated, and information available on one date may no longer be available later.
Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site.
Version number.
Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site
(sponsor or
Publisher), date of resource creation (of available). Medium
of publication.
Date of access.
The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at
Purdue and
Purdue U, 2008. Web. 23 Apr. 2008.
A Page on a Web Site
For an individual page on a Web site, list the author or alias if known, followed by the information covered above for entire Web sites. Remember to use n. d. if no publishing date is given.
“How to Make Vegetarian Chili.” eHow.com. n. d. Web. 24 Feb.
2009.
An Image on a Web Site (Including a Painting,
Sculpture, or
Photograph)
Provide the Artist’s name, the work of art italicized, the date of creation, the institution and city where the work is housed. Follow with the name of the Website in italics, the medium of
Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo Nacional
del Prado,
Madrid. Museo National del Prado. Web. 22 May 2006.
Article in a Web Magazine
Provide author name, article name in quotation marks, title of the Web magazine in italics, publisher name, publication date,
medium of publication, and the date of access. Remember to use
n. d. if no publishing date is given.
Bernstein, Mark. “10 Tips on Writing the Living Web.”
A
list Apart: For
People Who Make Websites.
A List Apart Mag., 16
Aug. 2002.
Web. 4 May 2009.
Article in an Online Scholarly Journal
For all online scholarly journals, provide the author(s) name(s), the name of the article in quotation marks, the title of the
publication in italics, all volume and issue numbers, and the year of publication.
Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current
Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The
International Online-Only
Journal 6. 2 (2008) Web. 20 May 2009.
Give the author of the message, followed by the subject line in quotation marks. State whom to the message was sent, the date the message was sent, and the medium of publication.
Kunka, Andrew. “Re: Modernist Literature.” Message to the
author. 15 Nov.
2000. E-mail.
Listserv, Discussion Group, or Blog Posting
Editor, screen name, author, or compiler name (if available). “Posting Title.”
Name of Site. Version number (if available) Name of institution/ organization (sponsor or publisher). Medium of publication. Date.
Salamar1515. “Re: Best Strategy: Fenced Pastures vs. Max
Numbers of Rooms?”
BoardGameGeek. BoardGameGeek, 29 Sept. 2008. Web. 5
Apr. 2009.
Other Common Sources
Personal Interview
Purdue, Pete. Personal Interview. 1 Dec. 2000.
Published Interview
Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review
27.3 (1999):
129-50. Print.
Paintings, Sculptures, or Photographs
Include the artist’s name. Give the title of the artwork in italics. Provide the date of composition. If the date of composition is unknown, place the abbreviation n.d. in place of the date. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork
followed by the location of the institution.
Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del
Prado, Madrid.
Films or Movies
List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor and the release year. If relevant, list
performers names after the director name. Use the abbreviation perf. before performers. List Film as the medium of publication.
The Usual Suspects. Dir. Bryan Singer. Perf. Kevin Spacey,
Gabriel Byrne, Chazz
Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin and Benecio del Toro. Polygram,
1995. Film.
Foo Fighters. In Your Honor. RCA, 2005. CD.
*Taken from The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008. Web. 23 Apr. 2008.
Preparing Note Cards and Source Cards
Keeping track of your sources is essential. Source cards represent your research. It is important that you follow the format provided for each type of source so that the integrity of your research can be maintained. Also, you’ll need accurate and complete information in order to prepare your Works Cited list, the list of sources at the end of your paper. The best system for collecting information is to put each source on an index card. When you are examining your sources, and you find a fact or quotation you want to use in your paper, you need to write it down on a note card.
In order to create a source card, you will need to look up the proper MLA format for the kind of source you are using and write down the information just as it will later appear on your Works Cited page. Here is a sample card for a book source:
When you create a note card, you need to make sure you include the following information:
From which source did you find the information?
On what page did you find it?
To what subject does the note pertain?
What is the Fact, Quotation, Summary or Paraphrase?
Huff, Dana. How to Write Research Papers.
Dunwoody: Weber School Press, 2005.A
Source Letter for Reference
Fact, Quotation, Paraphrase or Summary to include in your paper.
P. 123
Subject of Note Card (Descriptive Heading) A1
Source Letter and
Summarize, Paraphrase, or Quote?
Summary:
is a relatively brief, objective account, in your own words, of the main ideas of the source passage. You may have to condense or reduce the source material to draw out the points that relate to your paper.
You may have to omit extra information from the source material to focus on the author’s main points.
You may have to simplify the most important complex
arguments, sentences, or vocabulary in the source material.
Paraphrase:
is a restatement, in your own words, of a passage of text. Its structure reflects the structure of the source passage. Paraphrases are sometimes the same length as the sourcepassage, sometimes shorter or even longer than the original.
Most used method in research writing.
You may have to change the organization of ideas in source material so that you can emphasize the points that are most related to your paper.
You may have to simplify complex arguments, sentences, or vocabulary.
You may have to clarify technical passages or specialized information into language that is appropriate for your audience.
Page Number Where You
Quotation:
uses the exact words of the original source. Least used method in research writing. Use Quotes for: Accuracy: you are unable to paraphrase or summarize the source material without changing the author’s intent.
Authority: you may want to use a quote to lend expert
authority for your assertion or to provide source material for analysis.
Conciseness: your attempts to paraphrase or summarize are awkward or much longer than the source material.
Unforgettable Language: You believe that the words of the author are memorable or remarkable.
*taken from Bell, Jim. “Summarize, Paraphrase, or Quote“2000. Learning Skills Center. Web. 12 Apr. 2004.
Types of Notes
Below are examples of different types of notes taken from the following paragraph:
I have a dream, too- that the literary merits of Martin Luther’s King’s “I Have a Dream” speech will be thoroughly appreciated in every speech class in the nation. It is, quite
frankly, one of the finest examples of rhetoric in this century. The speech positively rings with genuine sincerity, conviction, and purpose. King’s use of repetition to stir the audience and his use of biblical allusions are masterful. The speech was given on
August 28, 1963, before a quarter of a million people in
Washington, D.C. It moved people then, and it continues to move us today (Elements of Literature 206).
Summarize when you need to remember the main idea.
About King’s Speech A1
The “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered August 28, 1963, in Washington D.C., before a quarter of a million people, is one of this century’s best examples of rhetoric.
Paraphrase when you need to remember detailed information.
Restate the material using your own words. Begin with identifying the writer whose words you are
paraphrasing.
Directly Quote only when it is Important to know the author’s exact words.
Copy the source material word for word, including punctuation marks.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of
another person’s words or ideas without acknowledging
the source of those ideas or words. Like all other forms of
theft,
plagiarism is against school policy and is
ethically wrong
.
Examples of Plagiarism:
Copying word for word without quotation marks.
Failure to cite the source of the material after quoting, and in the Works Cited list.
Paraphrasing without giving the source credit.
Using key words or phrases without quotation marks or acknowledging the source material.
Merits of King’s Speech A2
James Wisdom claims that the “I Have a Dream Speech” by Martin Luther King Jr., is one of the century’s best examples of rhetoric. King used repetition and biblical allusions well and is sincere and purposeful. King made the speech August 28, 1963, in Washington D.C., in front of a quarter of a million people.
p. 206 King’s Speech A3
“It is, quite frankly, one of the finest examples of rhetoric in this
century. The speech positively rings with genuine sincerity, conviction and purpose.”
Using an author’s idea without giving credit.
Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism:
When you use anything from another writer’s work (including phrases or a single word), always use quotation marks.
Give credit to the author by citing his/her name and source
When writing a research paper, clearly distinguish where the ideas of others end and your own comments begin.
Include a Works Cited page with correctly formatted entries
When in Doubt, Give Credit to
Your Source!
Copyright
When gathering sources for your paper it is important to
understand that a document may be copyrighted even if it does not explicitly state that it is copyrighted. As a result, it is a good idea to assume materials such as documents, images, or video clips are copyrighted
.
How Much Copyrighted Material Can I Use in My
Paper?
Text material:
• Up to 10 percent of the total or 1,000 words, whichever is less.
• An entire poem of less than 250 words may be used, but no more than three poems by one poet or five poems by
words, 250 words should be used but no more than three excerpts from one poet or five excerpts from different poets in the same work.
Motion media:
• Up to 10 percent of the total or three minutes, whichever is less.
Music, lyrics, and music video:
Up to 10 percent of the work but no more than 30 seconds of the music or lyrics from an individual musical work
Illustrations or photographs:
• No more than five images from one artist or photographer. • No more than 10% or 15 images, whichever is less, from a
collection.
Numerical data sets:
• Up to 10 percent or 2,500 fields or cell entries, whichever is less, from a copyrighted database or data table.
Always credit the source of your information!
* Taken from Ollmann, Julie. Library Orientation. East High School. PowerPoint. 2011.
How to Write a Thesis Statement
What is a Thesis Statement?
Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the
argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.
to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
to better organize and develop your argument to provide your reader with a “guide” to your
argument
In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.
How to Generate a Thesis Statement?
Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.
A good thesis statement will usually include the following five attributes:
takes on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
deals with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment express one main idea
is written in active voice, using an action verb asserts your attitude or opinion about a
subject
Thesis = Attitude + Subject
Brainstorm the Topic:
You start out with a thesis statement like this:
Sugar consumption.
This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.
Narrow the topic.
Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.
You change your thesis to look like this:
Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.
This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children.
Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.
Take a position on the topic.
After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.
You revise your thesis statement to look like this:
More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.
Use specific language.
You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices, so you write:
Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.
This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.
Make an assertion based on clearly stated support.
You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:
Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the
beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.
* Adapted from Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Web. 2011.
1. A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand.
Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:
There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.
This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.
Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.
This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's specific.
2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.
Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statements:
My family is an extended family.
This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.
While most American families would view arranged
Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.
This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.
3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.
Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:
Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.
This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:
Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer
support.
This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because, since, so, although, unless, and
however.
4. A strong thesis statement is specific.
For example, if you're writing a seven-to-ten page paper on hunger, you might say:
World hunger has many causes and effects.
This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages.
Second, many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:
Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.
This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.
Outlining Guidelines
Prepare Note Cards and Source Cards.
Create a working thesis and consider how you will organize your topic to develop your thesis argument.
Use key words/phrases to physically sort notes into related subtopics based on your thesis.
Think about the possible ways to organize the ideas. Should the ideas in pile #1 be presented first, or those in pile #3?
Prepare a rough topic outline that shows the flow of your ideas.
The key to outlining is to organize material in such a way as to clearly show the relationship between the main ideas and supporting details. The degree of importance of ideas in an outline is shown by the numbers and letters used, as well as the indentation.
should not use a “I” without a “II” or an “A” without a “B”).
Do not use complete sentences when outlining. (Your outline is merely a roadmap and not a draft of your paper).
I. Main Idea (topic sentence) A. Subtopic (support)
B. Subtopic
1. Supporting Detail(examples, paraphrase, quotes, evidence)
2. Supporting Detail
a. More specific detail (explanation of evidence) b. More specific detail
II. Main Idea A. Subtopic B. Subtopic
1. Supporting Detail a. More specific detail b. More specific detail
Introductions and Conclusions
A writer should accomplish three things in the introduction:
Capture the reader’s attention
Lead the reader into the thesis
State the thesis clearly
Sample Thesis: Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have greatly benefitted society
Choose a quotation that relates to your topic
Cite the source of the quotation
Work the quote into a larger sentence
In the lead-in, connect the quotation to your thesis
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from
magic,” according to Arthur C. Clark. Those who remember life before cell phones would certainly agree. The idea that one can communicate with others anytime, anyplace, continues to amaze and astonish them, and as cell phone technology advances, the sense of magic only intensifies. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have greatly benefitted society.
Ask a question
Choose a question that relates to your topic
Avoid yes/no questions (the reader could answer “no” and then you’ve lost him or her)
Choose a question that engages the reader (makes him or her think), but avoid “you” questions.
In the lead-in, connect the question to your thesis
What single technology has most improved communication? Computers? The internet? HDTV? Or, simply, the cell phone? All have certainly
contributed to an increase in communication, but only the cell phone hooks users above all others and still enables a person to speak to an actual voice. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have greatly benefitted society.
Set the Scene
Begin with an imperative like “imagine” or “envision” or “recall a time when”
Put the reader in your shoes
In the lead-in, connect the imaginary scenario to your thesis
cell phone; just like that, the situation brightens. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have greatly benefitted society.
Use a “teaser”
Describe the topic
Withhold naming it until the lead-in
In the lead-in, connect the teaser to your topic
Nearly everyone has one. They fit in a pocket, they come in a variety of colors, and they have numerous features that just make life easier. Those who own them suffer great duress whenever they
misplace them. “They,” of course, are cell phones. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have greatly benefitted society. Use an interesting or startling fact
Choose a fact related to the thesis
Cite the source of the fact
In the lead-in, connect the fact to your thesis
According to earthday.gatech.edu, 250-300 million cell phones are in use in the United States alone. Given that the U.S. Census Bureau says 304 million people live in the U.S. (as of 2008). That means nearly every person residing in the U.S.-nearly every man, woman, and child-owns a cell phone. No other technology covers so vast a percentage of the population. With so many cell phones in use, one might naturally want to take a minute to consider their value and their impact on society. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have mainly benefitted society.
Use an anecdote
Choose an illustrative story related to your thesis
Keep it brief-a few sentences at the most
Brittany, a sophomore at East, recently passed her driver’s test and now has the means to transport herself to and from school, soccer practice and her job at a local grocery store. However, on her way home from school, an inattentive driver crashes into her passenger side door. Brittany suffers no serious injuries, but her mother in no longer comfortable with allowing Brittany to go places where she contacts her. A simple solution presents itself: purchase a cell phone. A cell phone would enable Brittany to stay in touch with her mom, no matter where she traveled. More and more people are turning to cell phones to solve problems like this. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have largely benefitted society.
Use a moment in history
Choose a moment in history related to your thesis
Cite the source in which you found it, if necessary
In the lead-in, connect the historical moment to your thesis
April 18, 1775 Paul Revere rode through town on horseback, calling out to warn people, literally by word of mouth, to prepare for battle against the arriving British; May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse sent his first message, “What God hath wrought,” by wire; March 10, 1865, Alexander Graham Bell made his first official telephone call; and April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper called Dr. Joel S. Engel on the first cellular phone (Historylink 101.com). For several
hundred years, inventive people have worked tirelessly to find easier and more immediate ways for people to communicate with each other. Despite continual advances, one can barely imagine a more efficient means than the contemporary cell phone. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have largely benefitted society.
Choose an news item related to your thesis
Cite the source in which you found it, if necessary
In the lead-in, connect the news item to your thesis
The Fort Hood massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 13 people, could have ended even more tragically had not Sgt. Johnny Kallon, a victim of the shooting, called 911 on his mobile phone (msnbc.com). No one will ever know how much longer it would have taken authorities to arrive if the victims had had to find a land line to make the call, but certainly it would have taken some amount of time longer. A cell phone saved precious seconds, perhaps moments, and every second saved translated into some number of lives saved. Although cell phones have their drawbacks, they have largely benefitted society.
The Conclusion
The typical conclusion should accomplish three things:
Restate the thesis using slightly different language
Summarize the assertions
Make the essay “feel” finished
Ways to make the essay feel finished:
Make a reference to the attention getter in some way “Cell phones definitely work like “magic.” To end the essay that began with the quote introduction
1. “Cell phones have definitely done their part to improve communication.” To end the essay that began with the question introduction
2. “Ideally, you will never find yourself in the midst of a shooting rampage, but if you do, one hopes that you will have a fast and efficient means to call for help.” To end the essay with the news introduction.
Finish with a “call to action”; tell readers what they should do
1. Those who do not have a cell phone should find a way to buy one soon. They won’t regret it.
*Taken from Carlson, Susan. Introduction and Conclusions. East High School. Print. 2011.
Parenthetical Citations
In MLA style, referring to the works of others in your text
is done by using parenthetical citations. This method
involves placing relevant source information in
parentheses after a quote or a paraphrase.
The source information required depends upon the source
medium (e.g. print, Web etc.) and upon the source’s
entry on the works cited page.
Any source information that your provide in-text must
correspond to the source information on the Works Cited
page.
In-Text Citations: Print Sources
MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author’s last name and page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete citation should appear in your Works Cited page. The author’s name can appear in the citation or in the
parentheses following the quotation. Use citations for all direct quotes, paraphrases or summaries from your sources!
Romantic poetry is characterized by the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263).
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263).
Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).
Human beings have been described by Kenneth Burke as “symbol-using animals” (3).
Human beings have been described as “symbol-using animals”
(Burke 3).
In-Text Citations with no known author:
When a source has no known author, use a shortened version title of the work instead of an author name. Place the title in
quotation marks if it’s a short work (e.g. articles) or italicize it if it’s a longer work (e.g. plays, books, entire websites).
We see so many global warning hotspots in North American likely
because this region has “more readily accessible climatic data
and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study
environmental change” (“Impact of Global Warming” 6).
Citing authors with same last names:
If two or more authors have the same last name, provide both author’s first initials in your citation.
Although some medical ethicists claim that cloning will lead to
designer children (R. Miller 12), others note that the advantages
for medical research outweigh this consideration (A. Miller 46).
Citing a work by multiple authors
Smith, Yang, and Moore argue that tougher gun control is not
needed in the United States (76).
The authors state “Tighter gun control in the United states erodes
Second Amendment rights” (Smith, Yang, and Moore 76).
For a source with more than three authors:
Provide the first author’s last name followed by et al.
Legal experts counter Smith, Yang, and Moore’s argument by
noting that the current spike in gun violence in America compels
law makers to adjust gun laws (Jones et al. 4).
Citing indirect sources
An indirect source is a source cited in another source. For such indirect quotations, use “qtd. in” to indicate the source you actually consulted.
Ravitch argues that high schools are pressured to act as “social
service centers, and they don’t do that well” (qtd. in Weisman
259).
Multiple citations
To cite multiple sources in the same parenthetical reference, separate the citations by a semi-colon:
In-Text Citations: Electronic Sources
Include in the text the first item that appears in the Works Cited entry that corresponds to the citation (e.g. author name, article name, website name, etc.)
You need not give page numbers based on your Web browser’s print preview function.
Unless you must list the website name in the title, do not include URLs in-text. Only provide partial URLs such as when the name of the site includes a domain name such as, CNN.com or
Forbes.com.
One online film critic stated that Fitzcarraldo is a “beautiful and
terrifying critique of obsession and colonialism” (“Herzog: a Life”).
The Purdue OWL is accessed by millions of users every year. Its
“MLA formatting and Style Guide” is one of the most popular
Protesters chanting "Whose port? Our port!" marched on ports in
Oakland and Long Beach, California, in an attempt to shut down
West Coast ports (CNN.com).
*Taken from The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The
Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and
Purdue U, 2008. Web. 23 Apr. 2008.
Formatting Quotations
When you directly quote the works of others in your
paper, you will format quotations differently depending
on their length. Please note that all pages in MLA should
be
double-spaced
.
Short Quotations
To indicate short quotations (fewer than four typed lines) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks.
Provide the author and page citation in the text, and include a complete reference on the works cited page.
Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.
Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are part of the quoted passage but after
According to some, dreams express “profound aspects of
personality, though others disagree” (Foulkes 184).
According to Foulkes’s study, dreams may express “profound
aspects of personality” (184).
Is it possible that dreams may express “profound aspects of
personality?” (Foulkes 184).
Mark breaks in short quotations of verse with a slash, /, at the end of each line of verse.
Cullen concludes, “Of all the things that happened there / That’s
all I remember” (11-12).
Long Quotations (Block Quotes)
For quotations that extend to more than four typed lines: place quotations in a block of text and omit quotation marks. Start quotations on a new line, with the entire quote indented one inch from the left margin; maintain double spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.
Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him
throughout her narration:
They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in
landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow.
By chance or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to
Mr. Earnshaw’s door, and there he found it on quitting his
chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was
obliged to confess, and in recompense for my
cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house
(Bronte 78).
Adding or Omitting Words in Quotations
If you add a word or words to a quotation, you should put
brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text.
Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states “some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale” (78).
If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipsis marks (three periods preceded by a space).
In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold notes that “some
individuals make a point of learning every rumor or tale… and in a short time exchange occurs” (78).
MLA Works Cited Page
Works Cited is a list of citations at the end of a research paper. A Works Cited page starts on a new page and is numbered as a continuation of the paper. Items in a Works Cited list are
alphabetized by author. When no author is given, alphabetize by title, ignoring “A,” “An” and “The” if one of these is the first word.
Name, Page Upper
Use a five space (½”) indentation for all lines after the first line of a citation entry. Double-space the entire list. Do not list sources that are not cited in your paper.
Caitlin 7
Works Cited
Berman, Morris. The Twilight of American Culture. New York: W.W. Norton,
2000. Netlibrary. Web. 22 Aug. 2009.
Cox, Ted. “Once Daring, MTV Now a Bland Corporate Commodity.” Daily Curtin,
Herald [Arlington Heights, IL] 1 Aug. 2006: 1. Infotrac Custom Newspapers. Web. 27 Aug. 2009.
Michael F. “Media and the Degradation of Language: The Tides of Vulgarity Can
be Countered.” Vital Speeches of the Day 72.20-21 (Aug. 2006): 578-80. Print.
Edmundson, Mark. “One the Uses of a Liberal Education: As Lite Entertainment
for Bored College Students.” Harper’s Sept. 1997: 39-49. Print.
“The Liberal Arts in the Age of Info-Glut.” Chronicle of Higher Education 1 May
Center “Works
Cited”
Indent for All Lines after the First Line
1998: B4-5. Print.
Formatting Your Paper
It is very important that you follow the proper format when preparing your final draft of a research paper.
1-inch margins left, right, top, and bottom of page.
12 point font (Arial, Times New Roman, Cambria, Calibri).
Indent each paragraph one tab or 5 spaces. Type your paper, double-spaced.
Number all pages. Place your last name and the
number in the top right hand corner of each page, starting with page one.
Turn in work without any cross-outs, major revisions, or other marks on the paper.
Beth Catlin
Caitlin 1
Ms. Wood
American Literature
3 March 2012
Andrew Carnegie: The Father of the Middle Class
For decades Americans could not help but love the red-headed, fun loving
Little Orphan Annie. The image of the little girl moving so quickly from poverty to
wealth provided hope for the poor of the 1930s, and her story continues to be a
dream of what the future just might hold. The rags-to-riches phenomenon is the
heart of the American Dream. And few other people have embodied this
Your Name Teacher Name Course Title Date (day, month, year) Double space heading Name, Page Number Begins on Page One, for Each Page, Upper Right Hand Corner. Titles are centered. Titles
phenomenon as much as Andrew Carnegie did in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Carnegie’s example and industry caused him to become the father of middle-class
America.
Andrew Carnegie can be looked at as the poor immigrant making his way up
to become a leader of the capitalist world.
MLA Documentation for Tables, Figures, and Examples
MLA provides three designations for document illustrations: tables, figures, and examples (see specific sections below). Tables
Refer to the table and its corresponding numeral in-text. Do not capitalize the word table. This is typically done in
parentheses (e.g. "(see table 2)").
Situate the table near the text to which it relates.
Align the table flush-left to the margin.
Label the table Table and provide its corresponding Arabic numeral. No punctuation is necessary after the label and number (see example below).
On the next line, provide a caption for the table, most often the table title. Use standard capitalization rules.
Place the table below the caption, flush-left, making sure to maintain basic MLA style formatting (e.g. one-inch margins).
Below the title, signal the source information with the descriptor Source, followed by a colon, then provide the correct MLA bibliographic information for the source in note form (see instructions and examples above). Use a hanging indent for lines after the first. If you provide source
information with your illustrations, you do not need to provide this information on the Works Cited page.
If additional caption information or explanatory notes is
necessary, use lowercase letters
formatted in Indent Each superscript in the
Paragraph 1 Tab or 5
Spaces
Entire Paper is Double-spaced. Do
Not Add Extra Spaces Between
caption information or table. Below the source information, indent, provide a corresponding lowercase letter (not in superscript), a space, and the note.
Labels, captions, and notes are double-spaced.
Table Example
In-text reference:
In 1985, women aged 65 and older were 59% more likely than men of the same of age to
reside in a nursing home, and though 11,700 less women of that age group were enrolled
in 1999, men over the same time period ranged from 30,000 to 39,000 persons while
women accounted for 49,00 to 61,500 (see table 1).
Table reference:
Table 1 Rate of Nursing Home Residence Among People Age 65 or Older, By Sex and Age
Example Table
Source: Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, Older Americans 2008:
Key Indicators of Well-Being, Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics,
Mar. 2008, Web, table 35A.
a. Note: Rates for 65 and over category are age-adjusted using the 2000 standard population.
Beginning in 1997, population figures are adjusted for net under enumeration using the 1990
National Population Adjustment Matrix from the U.S. Census Bureau. People residing in personal
care or domiciliary care homes are excluded from the numerator.
Figures
All visuals/illustrations that are not tables or musical score examples (e.g. maps, diagrams, charts, videos, podcasts, etc.) are labeled Figure
Refer to the figure in-text and provide an Arabic numeral that corresponds to the figure. Do not capitalize figure or fig.
MLA does not specify alignment requirements for figures; thus, these images may be embedded as the reader sees fit. However, continue to follow basic MLA Style formatting (e.g. one-inch margins).
Below the figure, provide a label name and its corresponding Arabic numeral (no bold or italics), followed by a period (e.g. Fig. 1.). Here,
Figure and Fig. are capitalized.
Beginning with the same line as the label and number, provide a title and/or caption as well as relevant source information in note form (see instructions and examples above). If you provide source information with your illustrations, you do not need to provide this information on the Works Cited page.
Figures Example
In-text reference:
Some readers found Harry’s final battle with Voldemort a disappointment, and recently,
the podcast, MuggleCast debated the subject (see fig. 2).
Figure caption (below an embedded podcast file for a document to be viewed electronically):
Fig. 2. Harry Potter and Voldemort final battle debate from Andrew Sims et al.; “Show
166”; MuggleCast; MuggleNet.com, 19 Dec. 2008; Web; 27 Dec. 2008.
Examples
The descriptor Example only refers to musical illustrations (e.g. portions of a musical score). Example is often abbreviated Ex.
Refer to the example in-text and provide an Arabic numeral that corresponds to the example. Do not capitalize example or ex.
Supply the illustration, making sure to maintain basic MLA Style formatting (e.g. one-inch margins).
Below the example, provide the label (capitalized Example or Ex.) and number and a caption or title. The caption or title will often take the form of source information along with an explanation, for example, of what part of the score is being illustrated. If you provide source
information with your illustrations, you do not need to provide this information on the Works Cited page.
Research Paper Checklist
Do the opening statements in your introduction provide enough background information for the reader to
understand the thesis statement and the body paragraphs that follow?
Does the thesis statement clearly represent the main point of the paper as well as your purpose for writing it?
Do the paragraphs in the body present a well-organized development of the thesis statement and its stated subtopics?
Does each body paragraph contain a topic sentence?
Are the details and other pieces of information in each paragraph arranged in logical order?
Do transitions help to connect ideas logically?
Are direct quotations marked with quotation marks and cited in parenthetical citations?
Are all paraphrased or summarized ideas appropriately cited?
Does the conclusion contain a reference to the thesis statement and subtopics?
Are sentences throughout the paper varied in length and structure? Is the language suitable for your
audience?
