Ms. Gokturk

The Research Paper: I Know My Cause!

I am a Fountain of Knowledge!

[Adapted from The Five Paragraph Essay at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1437/pers.html and News Day at http://www.newsday.com/education]

You have chosen a topic. You decided to focus on a particular area or areas. Now, you need to start becoming an expert in your field. You will do this by researching and writing a research paper on your topic.

Research essays require that the writer give information, explain the topic or define something. To accomplish that, they are best developed by the use of facts and statistical information, cause and effect relationships, or examples. Since they are factual, they are written without emotion and usually written in the third person. That means that the use of the pronoun "I" is not usually found within the essay. This paper explains the topic/situation, offers details to make the reader aware, and does not seek to persuade a reader other than presenting the facts. The author simply presents the facts and lets the reader figure out their own opinion.

     Like all kinds of essays, there is a specific format that should be followed. This can be broken down into a three part structure:

INTRODUCTION:

• State the main topic.
• Offer three or more reasons/facts that support the main idea. Offer the details you will “flesh” out in the essay.

BODY:

• You must use specific evidence, examples, and to support the details you promised in the introduction. Each point should have its own paragraph. Each sentence must relate to the topic and the sentence that came before it. This way, the logic of the essay is easy to follow.
• Be sure to use adequate transitions as they make it easy for the reader to follow the logic of the presentation.

CONCLUSION:

• May contain your feelings on the topic.
• Restate the main ideas.
• Suggests future action that should be taken and/or ends with a prediction or warning.

Paper Requirements:

§ Approval of topic by Ms. G

§ index cards

§ outline

§ 1000-2000 words

§ typed

§ double space

§ pages numbered

§ proper citations using MLA format/ parenthetical citations

§ title page

§ four sources (minimum)

§ one website source

§ one database source: journal/magazine articles

§ one book or encyclopedia

§ bibliography

Phases. Your work will be collected or checked at the following points.

1. Topic Approval

2. Five subtopics defined

3. Index cards

4. Outline

5. Introduction

6. First two pages

7. First final draft/peer edited

8. Citations

9. Final Draft