Need Help Writing you Research Paper??
Follow this link: http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/Research_Tip_Sheets.asp Holly Samuels has gone through the trouble of making writing information off The "Big6 ™" available to students in an easy to use format! Some of the pages are listed below.
Copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. www.big6.com
Copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. www.big6.com
Writing the Body of the Paper
Ask these questions:
What is it?
It is putting all of your research together in a format that you can present to people.
There are many different ways to put together and present your thesis statementand supporting evidence.
Once you have an outline that you like, you will be able to link your ideas and evidence either with sentences and paragraphs, visuals, sounds, movements, or a combination of any of these.
This tip sheet will focus on the written research paper, which is the format most commonly required.
If you have some flexibility in how you present your project, see Alternative Formats for the Presentation of Research Projects.
How do I begin to write the body of a research paper?
Samuels, Holly. "Writing the Body of the Paper." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/15_Body_Of_Paper.asp>.
What is it?
It is putting all of your research together in a format that you can present to people.
There are many different ways to put together and present your thesis statementand supporting evidence.
Once you have an outline that you like, you will be able to link your ideas and evidence either with sentences and paragraphs, visuals, sounds, movements, or a combination of any of these.
This tip sheet will focus on the written research paper, which is the format most commonly required.
If you have some flexibility in how you present your project, see Alternative Formats for the Presentation of Research Projects.
How do I begin to write the body of a research paper?
- Take out your outline and your note cards.
- Before you begin writing, take some time to put all of your note cards and borrowed material (pictures, etc.) in the order they will appear in your project. You can use your outline as a guide for this important step. You don't want to be searching for these things as you are writing.
- You will write your first paragraph about the first subtopic in your outline. (Yourintroduction will be written later.) Introduce that subtopic in the first sentence.
- The body of that paragraph will be more information about the first subtopic and your evidence for why it supports your thesis statement.
- Use your note cards to get borrowed material (quotes, statistics, etc) to use as evidence. You may also include pictures here from other sources. Remember that you need to cite all borrowed material immediately after you use it.
- You will continue in this manner until you reach the conclusion section of your outline.
Samuels, Holly. "Writing the Body of the Paper." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/15_Body_Of_Paper.asp>.
Making a Works Cited
Ask these questions:
What is it?
A Works Cited is an alphabetical list of the sources (also called "works") you used in the body of your project.
Where does it go?
It should be the last page in your project.
Why do I need to do it?
When you do a research project you must give credit to the sources from which you found the material you used directly in your project. This is called citing your sources. You must do it whenever you use a complete piece of someone else's material (like a quotation, a picture, a song, statistical data, or even someone else's idea that you put into your own words) and you must do it even if you only use a recognizable part of that material. If you do not cite your sources, you are committing plagiarism by calling someone else's work your own. For additional information on citing sources, see the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, available in the Pearl K. Wise Library at CRLS.
Isn't this a Bibliography?
People use the terms interchangeably, but they are actually different. A bibliography is a list of related reading material that your reader can look for if they want to do more reading on your topic. A Works Cited is a list of only those sources from which you used borrowed material in your project, and which you cited with parenthetical documentation within your project. It is a fine difference. If your teacher asks for a bibliography, give them a Works Cited. It is probably what they meant to ask for.
Samuels, Holly. "Making a Works Cited." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/19_Making_Works_cited.asp>.
What is it?
A Works Cited is an alphabetical list of the sources (also called "works") you used in the body of your project.
Where does it go?
It should be the last page in your project.
Why do I need to do it?
When you do a research project you must give credit to the sources from which you found the material you used directly in your project. This is called citing your sources. You must do it whenever you use a complete piece of someone else's material (like a quotation, a picture, a song, statistical data, or even someone else's idea that you put into your own words) and you must do it even if you only use a recognizable part of that material. If you do not cite your sources, you are committing plagiarism by calling someone else's work your own. For additional information on citing sources, see the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, available in the Pearl K. Wise Library at CRLS.
Isn't this a Bibliography?
People use the terms interchangeably, but they are actually different. A bibliography is a list of related reading material that your reader can look for if they want to do more reading on your topic. A Works Cited is a list of only those sources from which you used borrowed material in your project, and which you cited with parenthetical documentation within your project. It is a fine difference. If your teacher asks for a bibliography, give them a Works Cited. It is probably what they meant to ask for.
Samuels, Holly. "Making a Works Cited." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/19_Making_Works_cited.asp>.
Citing Sources: Parenthetical Documentation
Ask these questions:
What in the world is that?
You must cite your sources when using the following kinds of materials, in whole or in part:
Citing your sources can be done as "footnotes" or "endnotes" but they are a pain to do.
Now you can use "parenthetical documentation" and it is very easy. The word "parenthetical" is a clue to the meaning. It means "within parentheses".
There are two main ways to do this type of citing or "documentation".
One way to do it is this:
At the end of the borrowed material, put in parentheses the author's last name and the page(s) where the material is found within the source.
It looks like this:
"No nation in the world has so many drastic problems squeezed into so small a place, under such urgent pressure of time and heavy burden of history, as Israel" (Tuchman 123).
Tuchman is the author's last name and the quote is on page 123 of a book you will list in your Works Cited at the end of your project. Therefore the reader can get that book immediately if they want to and check that you have copied the quote correctly, or simply read the book, if they have the interest. The quote is in quotation marks because it is used directly as found within the source. If you paraphrase you don't have to use quotation marks.
Another way to do it is this:
Use the author's name in the text that you write and put the page number(s) in parentheses at the end of the borrowed material.
That way looks like this:
Barbara Tuchman said,"No nation in the world has so many drastic problems squeezed into so small a place, under such urgent pressure of time and heavy burden of history, as Israel" (123).
Although it looks pretty straightforward, you will run into some unusual cases, like books with more than one author, books with no author, websites, interviews, etc. So I will direct you to two places to find out how to cite different kinds of sources. The first is Tip Sheet #19: Making a Works Cited. The second is the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, fifth edition (Gibaldi) which can be found in most libraries including CRLS. Go to the section on "Documentation: Citing sources in the Text". These 2 resources will give you the many variations of citation formats. Or, you can ask a librarian!
Samuels, Holly. "Citing Sources: Parenthetical Documentation." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/16_Citing_Sources.asp>.
What in the world is that?
- It is way to let people know where your information comes from.
- Whenever you use material that you got from another source in your research project, you must let your audience know immediately where it came from, right after you use it.
- It lets your reader know that you want to make clear to them which are your ideas/words/pictures, etc. and which are someone else's. If you do not cite your sources, you are committing plagiarism (Plagiarism is an unlawful act in which you use someone else's work as if it is your own. It can get you in big trouble. Avoid it.).
- It gives your Thesis Statement a lot more credibility because you obviously didn't just make up what you are claiming. You did your research!
- Your reader can check the original source for more information or for accuracy if they want to challenge you.
You must cite your sources when using the following kinds of materials, in whole or in part:
- Direct quotations whether in written or oral formats (includes stories, speeches, fiction and nonfiction)
- Paraphrased quotations (these are quotes whose words you have changed somewhat)
- Statistical Data (numbers about things)
- Images that are attributed to someone (includes cartoons, photos, maps, artwork, computer graphics-but not free "clip art")
- Song lyrics
- Original ideas that are attributed to someone else, even if you put them in your own words
Citing your sources can be done as "footnotes" or "endnotes" but they are a pain to do.
Now you can use "parenthetical documentation" and it is very easy. The word "parenthetical" is a clue to the meaning. It means "within parentheses".
There are two main ways to do this type of citing or "documentation".
One way to do it is this:
At the end of the borrowed material, put in parentheses the author's last name and the page(s) where the material is found within the source.
It looks like this:
"No nation in the world has so many drastic problems squeezed into so small a place, under such urgent pressure of time and heavy burden of history, as Israel" (Tuchman 123).
Tuchman is the author's last name and the quote is on page 123 of a book you will list in your Works Cited at the end of your project. Therefore the reader can get that book immediately if they want to and check that you have copied the quote correctly, or simply read the book, if they have the interest. The quote is in quotation marks because it is used directly as found within the source. If you paraphrase you don't have to use quotation marks.
Another way to do it is this:
Use the author's name in the text that you write and put the page number(s) in parentheses at the end of the borrowed material.
That way looks like this:
Barbara Tuchman said,"No nation in the world has so many drastic problems squeezed into so small a place, under such urgent pressure of time and heavy burden of history, as Israel" (123).
Although it looks pretty straightforward, you will run into some unusual cases, like books with more than one author, books with no author, websites, interviews, etc. So I will direct you to two places to find out how to cite different kinds of sources. The first is Tip Sheet #19: Making a Works Cited. The second is the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, fifth edition (Gibaldi) which can be found in most libraries including CRLS. Go to the section on "Documentation: Citing sources in the Text". These 2 resources will give you the many variations of citation formats. Or, you can ask a librarian!
Samuels, Holly. "Citing Sources: Parenthetical Documentation." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/16_Citing_Sources.asp>.
Citation for information on Chivalry
Alchin, Linda K. "Medieval Code of Chivalry." Medieval Code of Chivalry. Castles, 20 July 2012. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. <http://www.castles.me.uk/medieval-code-chivalry.htm>.
Writing an Introduction
Ask these questions:
What is it?
An introduction is the first paragraph of a written research paper, or the first thing you say in an oral presentation, or the first thing people see, hear, or experience about your project.
It has two parts:
1. A general introduction to the topic you will be discussing
2. Your Thesis Statement
Why do it?
Without an introduction it is sometimes very difficult for your audience to figure out what you are trying to say. There needs to be a thread of an idea that they will follow through your paper or presentation. The introduction gives the reader the beginning of the piece of thread so they can follow it.
When do I do it?
Many books recommend writing your introduction last, after you finish your project. This is to make sure that you introduce what you are actually going to say.
If your project changes in the creating process, it is important to make sure that your introduction accurately reflects what you will be saying. If, however, you have written a good outline and stick to it, then it is fine to start writing your introduction first. Just make sure in your proofreading that you have kept the thread consistent throughout the paper.
How do I do it?
Start with a couple of sentences that introduce your topic to your reader. You do not have to give too much detailed information; save that for the body of your paper. Make these sentences as interesting as you can. Through them, you can hook a reader and get them very interested in the line of thinking you are going to develop in your project.
Then state your thesis, which may be done in one or more sentences. The length of your introduction depends on the length and complexity of your project, but generally it should not exceed one page unless it is a very long project or a book. The average length of an introduction is one half a page.
Some Examples:
For the example, the regular text is the general introduction to the topic. The BOLD text is the writer's Thesis Statement.
Example 1
Teenagers in many American cities have been involved in more gangs in the last five years than ever before. These gangs of teens have been committing a lot of violent crimes. The victims of these crimes are both gang members and people outside of gangs. Many people do not want to travel to areas in our cities because of the danger from this problem. For this terrible situation to stop, it is going to take a combined effort on the part of many people. Excellent, supervised after-school programs, more jobs available for teens, and healthy family relationships will go a long way towards ending this crisis in our society.
Example 2
During the Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East there was much armed conflict between Christians and Muslims. Christians called these conflicts the Crusades because they were fighting under the sign of the cross to save the holy lands of the Bible from being desecrated by non-Christians. However, the true reason for fighting for these lands was less than holy. It was mainly a desire for economic gain that prompted the Christian leaders to send soldiers to fight in the Holy Land.
An introduction gives the reader an idea of where you are going in your project so they can follow along. You can give them more background details and supporting evidence for your thesis in the body of the paper itself.
Samuels, Holly. "Writing a Introduction." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/18_Writing_introduction.asp>.
What is it?
An introduction is the first paragraph of a written research paper, or the first thing you say in an oral presentation, or the first thing people see, hear, or experience about your project.
It has two parts:
1. A general introduction to the topic you will be discussing
2. Your Thesis Statement
Why do it?
Without an introduction it is sometimes very difficult for your audience to figure out what you are trying to say. There needs to be a thread of an idea that they will follow through your paper or presentation. The introduction gives the reader the beginning of the piece of thread so they can follow it.
When do I do it?
Many books recommend writing your introduction last, after you finish your project. This is to make sure that you introduce what you are actually going to say.
If your project changes in the creating process, it is important to make sure that your introduction accurately reflects what you will be saying. If, however, you have written a good outline and stick to it, then it is fine to start writing your introduction first. Just make sure in your proofreading that you have kept the thread consistent throughout the paper.
How do I do it?
Start with a couple of sentences that introduce your topic to your reader. You do not have to give too much detailed information; save that for the body of your paper. Make these sentences as interesting as you can. Through them, you can hook a reader and get them very interested in the line of thinking you are going to develop in your project.
Then state your thesis, which may be done in one or more sentences. The length of your introduction depends on the length and complexity of your project, but generally it should not exceed one page unless it is a very long project or a book. The average length of an introduction is one half a page.
Some Examples:
For the example, the regular text is the general introduction to the topic. The BOLD text is the writer's Thesis Statement.
Example 1
Teenagers in many American cities have been involved in more gangs in the last five years than ever before. These gangs of teens have been committing a lot of violent crimes. The victims of these crimes are both gang members and people outside of gangs. Many people do not want to travel to areas in our cities because of the danger from this problem. For this terrible situation to stop, it is going to take a combined effort on the part of many people. Excellent, supervised after-school programs, more jobs available for teens, and healthy family relationships will go a long way towards ending this crisis in our society.
Example 2
During the Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East there was much armed conflict between Christians and Muslims. Christians called these conflicts the Crusades because they were fighting under the sign of the cross to save the holy lands of the Bible from being desecrated by non-Christians. However, the true reason for fighting for these lands was less than holy. It was mainly a desire for economic gain that prompted the Christian leaders to send soldiers to fight in the Holy Land.
An introduction gives the reader an idea of where you are going in your project so they can follow along. You can give them more background details and supporting evidence for your thesis in the body of the paper itself.
Samuels, Holly. "Writing a Introduction." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/18_Writing_introduction.asp>.
Writing a Conclusion
Ask these questions:
What is it?
A conclusion is the last paragraph in your research paper, or the last part in any other type of presentation.
Why do it?
A conclusion is like the final chord in a song. It makes the listener feel that the piece is complete and well done. The same is true for your audience. You want them to feel that you supported what you stated in your thesis. You then become a reliable author for them and they are impressed by that and will be more likely to read your work in the future. They may also have learned something and maybe have had their opinion changed by what you have written or created!
How do I do it?
A conclusion is, in some ways, like your introduction. You restate your thesis and summarize your main points of evidence for the reader.You can usually do this in one paragraph. In the following example, the thesis statement is in bold. Notice that it is written in 2 sentences. This is a stylistic choice for impact.
Example:
The problem of teen gang violence can be eliminated. It will, however, take time, money, and a combined effort on the part of many people. Organized, free, after-school programs such as: sports teams and games; art, music, and drama activities; internships in local area businesses and professional organizations; and interesting volunteer activities in the community would help engage teens in worthwhile pursuits outside of school hours. More job opportunities for teens, especially those funded by state and local programs, would offer income for teens as well as productive work for the community. Outreach to families through schools, community organizations, and places of worship would help promote inter-generational activities that could improve family closeness, helping teens to work on their problems at the family level, instead of taking them to the streets. If these programs can be implemented, we will surely see a decrease in teen gang activity and safer streets and neighborhoods for us all.
Samuels, Holly. "Writing a Conclusion." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/18_Writing_Conclusion.asp>.
What is it?
A conclusion is the last paragraph in your research paper, or the last part in any other type of presentation.
Why do it?
A conclusion is like the final chord in a song. It makes the listener feel that the piece is complete and well done. The same is true for your audience. You want them to feel that you supported what you stated in your thesis. You then become a reliable author for them and they are impressed by that and will be more likely to read your work in the future. They may also have learned something and maybe have had their opinion changed by what you have written or created!
How do I do it?
A conclusion is, in some ways, like your introduction. You restate your thesis and summarize your main points of evidence for the reader.You can usually do this in one paragraph. In the following example, the thesis statement is in bold. Notice that it is written in 2 sentences. This is a stylistic choice for impact.
Example:
The problem of teen gang violence can be eliminated. It will, however, take time, money, and a combined effort on the part of many people. Organized, free, after-school programs such as: sports teams and games; art, music, and drama activities; internships in local area businesses and professional organizations; and interesting volunteer activities in the community would help engage teens in worthwhile pursuits outside of school hours. More job opportunities for teens, especially those funded by state and local programs, would offer income for teens as well as productive work for the community. Outreach to families through schools, community organizations, and places of worship would help promote inter-generational activities that could improve family closeness, helping teens to work on their problems at the family level, instead of taking them to the streets. If these programs can be implemented, we will surely see a decrease in teen gang activity and safer streets and neighborhoods for us all.
Samuels, Holly. "Writing a Conclusion." CRLS Research Guide. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/18_Writing_Conclusion.asp>.
Introductions
Éste = This is (masculine)
Ésta = This is (feminine)
Es = is
Son = are
Names
The following is a dialog, see if you can match each comment to its English meaning. (Things that will give it away gave been removed.) Answers can be used more than once.
1. --¡Hola! ¿Cómo se llama?
2. --Me llamo Señorita Rehberg.
3. --¿Cómo se llama ella?
4. --Ella se llama Señora Paisley.
5. --Y él? ¿Cómo se llama él?
6. --Él se llama Señor Lenning.
7. -- Él sabe cómo nos llamamos?
8. -- Claro que sí! Él es profesor de matemáticas. Pero, yo no sé cómo se llaman ustedes. ¿Cómo te llamas?
9. --¡Ay! Me llamo Julia, y ellas se llaman Clara, Yolanda, Mariposa y Ana. Ellos se llaman Juan, Julio, Rodrigo, y Felipe.
10. --¡Qué bueno! ¡Ahora yo sé cómo se llaman ustedes!
1. --¡Hola! ¿Cómo se llama?
2. --Me llamo Señorita Rehberg.
3. --¿Cómo se llama ella?
4. --Ella se llama Señora Paisley.
5. --Y él? ¿Cómo se llama él?
6. --Él se llama Señor Lenning.
7. -- Él sabe cómo nos llamamos?
8. -- Claro que sí! Él es profesor de matemáticas. Pero, yo no sé cómo se llaman ustedes. ¿Cómo te llamas?
9. --¡Ay! Me llamo Julia, y ellas se llaman Clara, Yolanda, Mariposa y Ana. Ellos se llaman Juan, Julio, Rodrigo, y Felipe.
10. --¡Qué bueno! ¡Ahora yo sé cómo se llaman ustedes!
Greetings
Wednesday:
Introductions- Hola me llamo Señorita Rehberg. You may call me Miss Rehberg when you speak English and Señorita Rehberg when you speak Spanish.
"¿Cómo se llama?" means - What is your name? We will pick out Spanish names on Friday so start thinking about them!!
Ways to say greet people:
Hola - Hello
Buenos días - Good morning
Buenas tardes - Good afternoon
Buenas noches - Good evening
*be careful! "Noche Buena" means "Christmas Eve."
¿Cómo estás? - How are you?
Estoy bien/mal/así así, ¿Y tú? - I am well/bad/so so, and you?
Ways to say goodbye:
Adios - Goodbye
Hasta la vista - Until I see you
Hasta luego - See you later
Hasta pronto - See you soon
Hasta mañana - See you tomorrow
*If you add "por la mañana" to this, it becomes "See you tomorrow morning."
**The same goes for adding "por la tarde" and "por la noche" to make it "tomorrow afternoon" and "tomorrow night"
Ya me voy - Now, I go.
Chau - bye
Then we sang this awesome song called "Pulgarcito" to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?"
The words are as follows, and the actions are the same:
Pulgarcito, ¿Dónde está?
¡Aquí estoy! ¡Aquí estoy!
¿Cómo está usted? Muy bien gracias.
Ya me voy. Ya me voy.
Señor Indice, ¿Dónde está?¡Aquí estoy! ¡Aquí estoy!
¿Cómo está usted? Muy bien gracias.
Ya me voy. Ya me voy.
Medio y Anular, ¿Dónde están?
¡Aquí estamos! ¡Aquí estamos!
¿Cómo está ustedes? Muy bien gracias.
Ya nos voy. Ya nos voy.
Señorita Meñique, ¿Dónde estás?
¡Aquí estoy! ¡Aquí estoy!
¿Cómo estás tú? Muy bien gracias.
Ya me voy. Ya me voy.
With our extra time we looked at page xx in our books, which talks about some courtesy words that we need to know and use in class...
La Cortesía
Por favor - Please
Gracias - Thank you
De nada - You're welcome
Con permiso - Excuse me
Perdón - I'm sorry
Está bien - It's okay
Introductions- Hola me llamo Señorita Rehberg. You may call me Miss Rehberg when you speak English and Señorita Rehberg when you speak Spanish.
"¿Cómo se llama?" means - What is your name? We will pick out Spanish names on Friday so start thinking about them!!
Ways to say greet people:
Hola - Hello
Buenos días - Good morning
Buenas tardes - Good afternoon
Buenas noches - Good evening
*be careful! "Noche Buena" means "Christmas Eve."
¿Cómo estás? - How are you?
Estoy bien/mal/así así, ¿Y tú? - I am well/bad/so so, and you?
Ways to say goodbye:
Adios - Goodbye
Hasta la vista - Until I see you
Hasta luego - See you later
Hasta pronto - See you soon
Hasta mañana - See you tomorrow
*If you add "por la mañana" to this, it becomes "See you tomorrow morning."
**The same goes for adding "por la tarde" and "por la noche" to make it "tomorrow afternoon" and "tomorrow night"
Ya me voy - Now, I go.
Chau - bye
Then we sang this awesome song called "Pulgarcito" to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?"
The words are as follows, and the actions are the same:
Pulgarcito, ¿Dónde está?
¡Aquí estoy! ¡Aquí estoy!
¿Cómo está usted? Muy bien gracias.
Ya me voy. Ya me voy.
Señor Indice, ¿Dónde está?¡Aquí estoy! ¡Aquí estoy!
¿Cómo está usted? Muy bien gracias.
Ya me voy. Ya me voy.
Medio y Anular, ¿Dónde están?
¡Aquí estamos! ¡Aquí estamos!
¿Cómo está ustedes? Muy bien gracias.
Ya nos voy. Ya nos voy.
Señorita Meñique, ¿Dónde estás?
¡Aquí estoy! ¡Aquí estoy!
¿Cómo estás tú? Muy bien gracias.
Ya me voy. Ya me voy.
With our extra time we looked at page xx in our books, which talks about some courtesy words that we need to know and use in class...
La Cortesía
Por favor - Please
Gracias - Thank you
De nada - You're welcome
Con permiso - Excuse me
Perdón - I'm sorry
Está bien - It's okay