Flesher

“If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many, it’s research” -- Wilson Mizner

Mizner, Wilson. Quoted in The Legendary Mizners, ch. 4, Alva Johnson (1953).
      The Columbia World of Quotations. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996.
     3 November 2002, www.bartleby.com/66/

What is a research paper?
A research paper is not a report. When you were in the younger grades, you reported on different subjects – people, places, things. Research papers require that you:

• collect information
• recognize related issues, decisions, opinions, and problems
• analyze and make connections between bits of information
• draw your own conclusions

Research Checklist

___ Presearch	Sometimes you don't even know where to start! Presearch allows you to investigate what you already know about your topic and discover what you need to know. Consider: What information do you already have? What do you know before you can even start researching? What do you want to learn? Try a KWL-R Chart What I already KNOW What I WANT to learn What I LEARNED REFERENCES
___ Define Problem	Now that you know where to start, you need to find a focus for your research process. Selecting a topic and forming a focus can be the most important steps you take in your research process.   Make sure that the choice that you make will hold your interest and the focus that you select will guide your research. Ask an essential question: Make a decision - Ex. Should students be required to wear uniforms to school? Plan a course of action - Ex. What steps could be taken to reduce the light pollution in Nashua? Develop an argument for a position paper Define your position clearly Determine what arguments support your position Support your argument with facts derived from your research Create a thesis statement which: Establishes your point of view Forms a foundation for your paper Offers the reader foresight into your primary arguments For more information try How to Write a Thesis Statement from Indiana University
___ Create a Search Plan	Next you need to find your information. Where are you going to look? ___ Start by brainstorming some options: Encyclopedia Materials on our Reference Island (Just look for the signs) Books and periodicals - Visit our Information page for links Interview knowledgeable People Check out the Internet. Have you tried Google? Although it is no longer the largest search engine, it does come up with the most relevant hits. Make sure to use only quality web sites. Visit our page on Web Site Evaluation ___ Next you will Select the best resources ___ Locate those resources ___ Find the Information within those sources
___ Collect Information	You have now decided on the best sources to use and found the information in those sources, it is time to get the information out of those sources! There are two parts to this process, taking notes and compiling a working bibliography. First you need to Take Notes While you do this you need to compile a bibliography.   Most teachers at Nashua High require students to use the MLA format. The notecard is one way to gather notes The notecard incorporates taking notes and creating a bibliography First you need an outline.   The outline will help you organize your cards. Before taking notes from a source create a bibliography card.   Write the bibliography on the card and label it with a letter.   This will make it easy if you need to go back to the source to check information. On each card only put one piece of information, that will make it easier to write your report. When you have all the notes that you need, just put the note cards in the same order as your outline.   This organizational method makes it very easy when you get around to creating your presentation. Coming soon - more ways to organize notes!
___ Synthesize           information	This is the step where you put your presentation together. To pull it all together: ___ Recheck your assignment, make sure that you know exactly what is expected. ___ If you are working within a group, check with your team to make sure that everyone is on the same page. ___ Decide what your finished product is going to look like, and finish things up.
___ Evaluate	You thought you were done, didn't you?!   All you have left is to evaluate your process and your product. Is there anything that you would have done differently? What would have made your process easier?   faster?   smoother? What should you do differently next time?

Congratulations, if you have gotten this far you have completed your project!!!

Need more help?

A+ Research and Writing For High School and College Students

http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/

This site from the Internet Public Library leads students through the research process.

Study Guides and Strategies

www.studygs.net

Find here a ton of information on how to learn and study including time management tips