Parts of a Research Paper Four Parts of

Parts of a Research Paper

Four Parts of a Research Paper • Introduction Paragraph • Body Paragraphs • Conclusion • Works Cited Page

INTRODUCTION Here are the parts of the Introduction: • HOOK – Your Attention Grabber • Bridge (2 or 3 sentences) which are more specific than the hook and describes your topic. • Thesis Statement clearly stating opinion or point of view on topic

What is a Hook? ? • A hook is something that grabs the reader’s attention and introduces the general topic of your essay. It is the first few sentences of your Introduction paragraph. • Here are some examples of a hook: - Historical information - a story - a surprising statement - a declarative statement - a quote

Historical Information • Some topics are better understood if a brief historical review of the topic is presented to lead into the discussion of the moment: –Make sure it is factual –Keep it brief

Example of an Historical Info Hook In the spring of 1975, skateboarding took an evolutionary boost toward the sport that exists today. In Del Mar, California a slalom and freestyle contest was held at the Ocean Festival. That day, the Zephyr team showed the world what skateboarding could be. They rode their boards like no one had in the public eye, low and smooth, and skateboarding was taken from being a hobby to a serious, exciting sport. TAKEN FROM: http: //skateboard. about. com/cs/boardscience/a/brief_history. htm

Story Hook • An interesting story that includes: sights, sounds, smells, and other sensory images • Make sure to keep it brief

Example of a Story Hook • Here is an example of a story hook for a paper about auctions: Mike Cantlon remembers coming across his first auction ten years ago while cruising the back roads of Wisconsin. He parked his car and wandered into the crowd, toward the auctioneer's singsong chant and wafting smell of barbecued sandwiches. Hours later, Cantlon emerged lugging a $22 beam drill – for constructing post-and-beam barns – and a passion for auctions that has clung like a cocklebur on an old saddle blanket. "It's an addiction, " says Cantlon, a financial planner and one of the growing number of auction fanatics for whom Saturdays will never be the same.

A Surprising Statement • There are many ways a statement can surprise a reader. Sometimes the statement is surprising because it is disgusting. Sometimes it is joyful. Sometimes it is shocking. Sometimes it is surprising because of who said it. • Take care to explain how the statement relates to your topic. • Make sure the statement is relevant to your topic, not just shocking.

Example of a Surprising Statement Hook • If I wanted to inform parents of ways to protect their children and prevent accidents: Have a minute? Good. Because that may be all it takes to save the life of a child. Accidents kill nearly 8, 000 children under age 15 each year. And for every fatality, 42 more children are admitted to hospitals for treatment. Yet such deaths and injuries can be avoided through these easy steps parents can take right now. There is not a minute to lose!

A Declarative Statement Hook • In this hook, the writer simply states straight out what the topic of his/her paper is going to be about. • If you use this hook, follow these rules: - Don’t give too much information - Don’t write, “In this essay…” - Don’t write, “I’m going to tell you about…” - Don’t write, “My topic is…”

Example of a Declarative Statement Hook • If I wanted to explain why people should consider attending a free concert in a public park: If the reader attends a concert in a city park, chances are they are less interested in the performance than in the whole package, in which the music, the weather, the general sociability and the spirit of the moment become inseparable.

A Quote Hook • When a writer uses the words of another to help illustrate a point: • Your quote should be unusual, funny, or unclear • Don’t choose a long quote • Your quote should have a meaning that you plan to reveal in your Introduction • Remember to put quotation marks around the quote • Include who said or wrote your quote

Example of a Quote Hook • If I wanted to write an informative essay on how to recover from making a mistake: “You must never feel badly about making mistakes, ” explained Reason quietly, “as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. ” This quote was said by Norton Juster in the book The Phantom Tollbooth.

The Bridge • The bridge comes after the hook. • These sentences keep the reader focused on the point of the essay. • They also serve as a transition between the hook and thesis statement.

Example of Bridge • Here is an example of an introductory paragraph on a paper about building a fire: For anyone fortunate enough to have a wood-burning fireplace, sitting in front of a healthy fire on a frosty winter afternoon provides a sense of comfort and luxury. Unfortunately, many fireplace owners do not understand the three essential steps for achieving a successful fire. Everyone should learn the basics of preparing the fireplace, arranging the materials before igniting, and tending the fire.

• Can you figure out the parts of this Introductory paragraph? Remember you have: the hook, the general topic sentence(s), and thesis statement. Flannery O’Connor was fond of saying, “When in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville. ” O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia, but spent the bulk of her life in Milledgeville, and it is her Southern heritage that influenced her and made her writing extremely distinctive in the history that is American literature. It is because of her bout with Lupus that so many of her fiction short stories have to do with death and the grace that can be found in the face of it. Flannery O’Connor is a remarkable twentieth century American writer, who was influenced by her religion and heritage, wrote awe-inspiring fiction with unique characters, and made considerable and relevant contributions to American literature.

Practice Makes Perfect!! Look at the sheet that I handed out to you. Follow the directions!!

BODY PARAGRAPHS (each sub-topic will be 1 paragraph) • First Body Paragraph: Explanation of Sub-Topic # 1 • Supporting Evidence • Second Body Paragraph: Explanation of Sub-Topic # 2 • Supporting Evidence • Third Body Paragraph: Explanation of Sub-Topic # 3 • Supporting Evidence *You will be using the SIEL method to write your paragraphs*

SIEL Method • In case you forgot, here is what SIEL stands for: S = State it! (state your argument/topic) I = Illustrate it! (use a quote to back up your topic) E = Explain it! (explain how your quote goes with your topic) L = Link it! (last sentence links back to the topic sentence/sums up the paragraph)

Formula for Writing Body Paragraphs 1 st sentence = Topic sentence (what your paragraph is going to be about) 2 nd sentence = Use a quote from your source with correct In-Text Citation (this quote gives an example about your topic sentence) 3 rd sentence = Explain the quote you used (how does this quote relate to your topic) 4 th sentence = Use another quote from your source 5 th sentence = Explain that quote 6 th sentence = Last sentence links back to your topic sentence

Example Body Paragraphs Look at the Body Paragraphs I handed out to you. Let’s go over these!

CONCLUSION • Rephrased Thesis Statement • Briefly discuss main points (sub-topics) again • Think Big Picture – Attention Grabbing Statement. Leave the reader with a thoughtprovoking sentence or question for closure.

Things to Avoid in the Conclusion • Do not say “In conclusion, ” “In summary, ” or “In closing. ” • Do not introduce a new subtopic or idea • Do not say, “That is what I think about my topic. ”

MLA Works Cited Page • This will be done in the library with my help. • MLA stands for Modern Language Association. It is a specific format we will follow. This will all be explained to you in class.