Writing A Research Paper that wont put the

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Writing A Research Paper (that won’t put the reader to sleep) 8 th Grade

Writing A Research Paper (that won’t put the reader to sleep) 8 th Grade LA Butler 2019

Step 1: Use What We’ve Learned So Far Technical Writing – Good Research Papers

Step 1: Use What We’ve Learned So Far Technical Writing – Good Research Papers have these elements of technical writing – Use clear specific facts – Put the facts in a clear sequence – Has an intro that explains the “context” and the “importance” of the topic – Has a clear glossary of terms and helpful pictures – Has a dash of “voice”, “personality”

Step 1: Use What We’ve Learned So Far Hard News – Good Research Papers

Step 1: Use What We’ve Learned So Far Hard News – Good Research Papers have these elements of Hard News Journalism – Cover the 5 Ws and How – Accurate, clear facts – Use extensive quotes from experts and witnesses – Absolutely no author opinion

Step 1: Use What We’ve Learned So Far Feature Stories – Good Research Papers

Step 1: Use What We’ve Learned So Far Feature Stories – Good Research Papers have these elements of Feature Story Journalism – Focus on an interesting person, event, issue – Cover a longer period of time and broader subject matter (as opposed to one incident) – WEAVE story elements with factual data – Present “both sides” of an issue, but usually focus on one in particular

Step 2: Analyze the Research You Have Gathered The Question You Started With •

Step 2: Analyze the Research You Have Gathered The Question You Started With • Did the facts you found answer the question? • What aspects of the question did you not research? The Facts You Gathered • What TYPE of facts do you have? You should have a balance of these: ü Statistics ü Definitions ü Descriptions ü Expert Opinion Quotes ü Graphs and Charts ü Personal Testimonials (One person’s Stories) ü Background Stories ü Examples and/or Analogies • Do you need to go get more information?

Step 3: Choose an Audience and a Purpose Audience Considerations • Who are you

Step 3: Choose an Audience and a Purpose Audience Considerations • Who are you writing for and how much do they already know about your Research Question? • Do they care about your question? Why should they? • What Questions do you think they have? Choose Your Purpose • Possible Purposes ü To inform in a scientific voice ü To inform in a conversational voice ü To inform and to entertain in a voice of wonder ü To inform in an urgent voice • Which of the audience’s questions will you focus on answering? These should be your subtopics.

Step 4: Your Research Paper Format and Writing Sequence Basic Format • • •

Step 4: Your Research Paper Format and Writing Sequence Basic Format • • • Title Page Introduction Body Summary Works Cited Page Writing Sequence 1. Outline the Body First. Analyze your research and come up with 3 -5 subtopics. Each subtopic should have 2 -4 paragraphs. 2. Write your introduction paragraphs. It should include a good hook – why your audience should care. It should include your Topic, your Focus Topic, and your Subtopics. 3. Write your Body – each subtopic should have its own heading. 4. Write your Summary – restate your question and focused topic along with a summary of key information. Finish with “what’s next” for this topic and “for further reading. ” 5. Complete your Paragraph Citations and your Works Cited Page.

Step 5: IMPORTANT WRITING and FORMATTING TIPS Ø You must write in 3 rd

Step 5: IMPORTANT WRITING and FORMATTING TIPS Ø You must write in 3 rd person. I do not want to see the words “I” or “You” unless they are in a quote. Ø Absolutely NO author opinions! Be careful with intensifiers and adjective/adverbs. Ø Use a consistent voice. Be careful of jargon and technical terms. Define them right away. Ø The more technical your description, the more simple your sentences. Help your reader digest in small bites. Ø As best you can, weave story and data. Be careful with statistics. Ø 1. 5 or double spacing in 14 font. Use Times New Roman, Arial, or Verdana. Ø Main Headings in 18 font and bold: Introduction, Body, Summary. Ø Subtopic Headings should be in 16 font and underlined. Remember, Capitalize each significant word. Ø Use Butler’s templates for the Title Page and the Works Cited Page. Ø 3 -5 pages, NOT including Title page and Works Cited Page. Ø Pictures and charts welcome. Please, only 1 per page. Word wrap.

Step 6: Writing the BODY Paragraphs 1. STRUCTURE. Look at your subtopics. What structure(s)

Step 6: Writing the BODY Paragraphs 1. STRUCTURE. Look at your subtopics. What structure(s) would work best with your subtopics? I will be most impressed if you can weave story sequences and another structure (categories? ) together. 2. FLOW your subtopics one into another ü Most papers start with a subtopic that captures the interest of the reader ü Then, the writer uses transitions to flow into the next subtopic, connecting one to another. I’m looking for sophisticated transitions (see handout). 3. LENGTH. 3 -5 Subtopics that are 2 -4 paragraphs each. 4. QUOTES, PARAPHRASES, SUMMARIES ü A Quote is a “word for word” copy from a text. Must be cited. ü A Paraphrase is a rewriting of words from a text. It mixes the original words and the author’s phrasing. Citations depend on how much of the original is used and how unique the information is. See Butler with ? s. ü A Summary is mostly the author’s words, but the text’s ideas. No citation. 5. BULLET POINTS are acceptable but they must be “offset” – indented one tab length on each side and single spaced.

Step 7: Writing the INTRODUCTION 1. THE HOOK. A reader will decide whether to

Step 7: Writing the INTRODUCTION 1. THE HOOK. A reader will decide whether to keep reading your paper based on the first 2 -3 sentences. Those sentences have to be good. ü Be careful here. You are writing to inform, but you must also engage the reader. ü A stunning fact, a very short pathos story, a compelling reason to pay attention (save the world? ) are best bets. ü Questions generally do not work. What if the reader doesn’t care or stops and answers the question for themselves? 2. FOCUSED TOPIC and SUBTOPICS ü Clearly state what the whole paper is about in one sentence. ü Readers of information want to know what you will cover. Clearly explain what subtopics you will discuss in the paper. 3. TRANSITION ü The final sentence of your intro should connect with your first subtopic. This will be hard to do. Avoid saying, “Let’s begin by looking at…” ü A question is usually acceptable here. AT ALL COSTS, AVOID SAYING, “I WILL TELL YOU…”

Step 7: Writing the SUMMARY 1. TRANSITION. You will have the subtitle SUMMARY, so

Step 7: Writing the SUMMARY 1. TRANSITION. You will have the subtitle SUMMARY, so you don’t need to say, “In summary…” Duh. ü It’s impressive when the first sentence of your summary connects with the first few sentences of the Introduction. Can you do that? ü If you can’t, try transitioning with a quote that summarizes your focused topic. 2. SUMMARIZE THE FOCUSED TOPIC and SUBTOPICS ü Yes, it is repetitive… but that’s the whole point of a summary and a research paper. People need the main points reinforced. ü You may even want to repeat a juicy fact or stat. But keep it short. 3. CONCLUSION ü Most research papers end with something like, “For more information on ______, go to (a book, a website, a video, etc. ) REMEMBER, people are reading your paper because they want INFORMATION. ü If you don’t have any suggestions like that (you should), then end with what might happen next with this topic, or end with a good summarizing quote from an expert.

Step 7: Citing Sources 1. CREATE WORKS CITED PAGE ü Make sure your citations

Step 7: Citing Sources 1. CREATE WORKS CITED PAGE ü Make sure your citations are in correct MLA format (see Butler’s) ü Put them in alphabetical order by the first letter of the entry. ü Entries are single-spaced. Put one space between each entry. 2. DECIDE WHAT NEEDS TO BE “CITED” ü Direct Quotes must be cited. Make sure you have quotation marks. ü Any facts that are not common knowledge, that are unique should be cited. If in doubt, ask Butler. ü Paraphrases usually are not cited. But if you include a lot of the original language, and the statement is pretty technical, it probably should be cited. 3. PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS (Author Last Name, Page #) ü They go at the end of what you are citing – outside of the quotation marks if there are some. ü If they are at the end of a sentence, the period goes AFTER the parentheses. 4. QUOTES MORE THAN 40 WORDS ü Long quotes must be “offset” with block text. ü Double space, then indent one inch on both sides. Single space the quote. ü The parentheses go right after the last word, then the period.

Writing the Introduction The introduction to a research paper should do these things in

Writing the Introduction The introduction to a research paper should do these things in this order: 1. Establish why this information is important (Purpose). 2. Clearly state the topic, the focused topic, and the subtopics 3. Signpost how the whole paper is organized. Give a “roadmap” how the reader will “travel” through the paper. 4. Establish the author’s voice (and hope that it will “speak” to the audience.

Formatting the Introduction 1. Use a subheading that is at least 18 font and

Formatting the Introduction 1. Use a subheading that is at least 18 font and bold titled: Introduction. 2. The Introduction should be 1 -3 paragraphs long, but no more. 3. Transitions are critical. Remember, DO NOT use “I”. Instead say, “This paper will examine…” 4. The last sentence of the Intro should segue into the first subtopic.

Writing the Summary The Summary to a research paper should do these things in

Writing the Summary The Summary to a research paper should do these things in this order: 1. Summarize the Focused Topic. 2. Restate the key info – the subtopics. Often, a good summary will repeat a key detail/fact. 3. Remind the reader why this information is important. 4. Tell the reader where they can find further information.

Formatting the Summary 1. Use a subheading that is at least 18 font and

Formatting the Summary 1. Use a subheading that is at least 18 font and bold titled: Summary. 2. The Introduction should be 1 -2 paragraphs long, but no more. 3. You are summarizing. DO NOT add new information here.