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Jim
Roth’s Website English 102/Fall 2014 Jim’s
Video Tour of the Assignment The English 102 Research Paper Assignment NOTE: Please keep ALL work, including sources,
drafts, and notes. (Hint: be sure to rename files instead of saving new work
over old.) Introduction This quarter we'll create a college-level research paper, but before
we get to the actual assignment, let's talk a bit about research. Put simply, research is the
process of finding answers we can
trust. Any search for
trustworthy information, from using a phone book to seeking a cure for a
disease, is research. The research paper itself is the final
product that clearly presents and supports the results of our
search. One reason that mastering this process is so important is the number
of research papers (term projects, etc.) assigned at four-year schools and
universities. I cannot recall a course
beyond my sophomore year of college that did NOT require a research paper; in
fact, some required two. Many students make writing research papers more difficult than need
be. Some do this by choosing too large
a topic to cover and, because of this, often become so overwhelmed with
information (information overload) that it’s hard to know where to begin. Other students wait until just before the due date to begin the
assignment; this leaves them little time to learn, digest, synthesize, and
enjoy the discovery (the “Aha!” moments) inherent in proper research. Still others try to do the whole thing at once rather than step by
step. It’s helpful to remind yourself
occasionally that even the longest research paper is really only a cluster of
short essays united by a good outline under a common purpose (thesis). What is a research paper? In
simplest terms it's an essay that blends your words and ideas with other
people’s words and ideas. An even
better definition might be this: a
research paper is a regular essay to which you've added other people's words
for support and better understanding. In any case, the paper itself is the
result of your research and thought. Regardless of definition, research can be a lot of fun if you start
early and have a clear outline. An
outline may seem like extra work, but it has one huge advantage--it limits
the topic so that you don't have to cover anything that's not on it. If a related topic is not on the outline,
you don't have to find or read sources about it, you don't have to ask about
it in interviews, and you don't have to consider it in your final draft. So remember, outlines restrict topics, not
researchers. The Assignment _An original, college-level, research paper due no later than
noon Monday, December 8th. The entire process, including the final
paper, will account for 40% of the course grade. Specifics Your research paper
can be about any topic you choose as long as it can be stated as an
acceptable research question. Most
importantly, choose a topic that sparks your passion or interest. Be sure you care enough about the topic to
want to search for and find answers. Ø
Your
research paper must conform exactly to either current MLA or APA
guidelines. Excellent research paper
examples exist for both the MLA
and APA
styles. Ø
Your
research paper must be typed (double spaced, 12 pt
Times New Roman font) and have a minimum of eight final sources. (You will encounter far more sources than
you will actually use.) Sources can include books, periodicals, interviews,
legitimate Internet sites, questionnaires, surveys—seek any source that will
assist your study, regardless of its type. Ø
The
length of the final essay should be 7-10 double-spaced text pages (about
1500-2000 words), plus an outline (if the format requires it) and the Works
Cited (MLA) page or References (APA) page.
(Think of this length as the equivalent of three typical English 101-length
essays with an added introduction and conclusion.) Ø
I will
ask to see your progress at various times throughout the quarter. Ø
Your
research paper, along with its notes and drafts, will not be accepted late
for any reason. MPlease note that any act of plagiarism, intentional
or unintentional, will result in zero points from this assignment and all
related activities. The Steps to Follow: 1) Take time to clearly
understand the research process by combing through the links on the Research
Paper Resources page. Read/view as
many tutorials as you need to understand each step in the process. The better you understand the process, the
more successful you will be. 2) Select two or three subjects that you
have always wanted to know more about, subjects of real interest to you. You
can use the topic links on the Research
Paper Resources page for ideas. 3) Buy a research
notebook (the smaller the better) and begin using it. 4) Spend the
time necessary to learn how to access library databases (ProQuest and the like). Libraries have excellent tutorials
navigating databases and the Web. 5) Browse
databases (library catalogs, ProQuest,
Opposing Viewpoints, CQ Researcher, eLibrary, trustworthy Internet
sites) to get a sense for each subject's size and available sources. (If you’re having a difficult time finding
sources, please see me immediately.
However, you’ll likely be overwhelmed with sources, no matter the
subject.) 6) Settle on one of the subjects you briefly
explored. 7) Now
comes the time to narrow this subject to a topic. First, brainstorm/free
write about the subject—spill out onto paper anything that comes to mind—see
how many narrowed pieces you can pop out.
Do more browsing of sources if necessary—look for names of categories,
pieces, divisions. The goal is to
tease out as many appropriate-size topics as possible. If you get stuck, please refer to Critical
Thinking (The Holes-in-the-Hedge example) and Critical
Thinking Idea Generators for help. Narrow, narrow, narrow.
Keep dividing new topics into smaller parts until you have narrowed to
the point where the pieces you are working with feel too small for a
research paper. These will likely
be the right-size topics to research and write about in the time we
have. The
Bedford Research Room as activities that can help you. 8) Next, make a final decision: choose the
most interesting topic-size piece.
Then, form this topic into a research
question—a specific
question you really want answers to.
You can find examples of research questions at the topic links on the Research
Paper Resources page. To get full credit for your Research
Question, post your refined research question to the
appropriate CANVAS discussion by the Target Date of midnight Sunday, October 19th. 9) Once I approve your research question, begin by free-writing about anything you know, think you know,
or would like to know about your topic.
Start digging up useful information only on that piece and begin
studying sources about that piece in detail (Remember--a source can be a
magazine article, a book, a video, a legitimate Internet source, an
interview, a survey, etc.) Take
general notes as you browse, but the goal is not to start writing the
paper yet; instead, the goal is to get a sense for the important parts of
your topic, so you can use the important parts you locate to build a working
outline later in the research process. Whenever ideas about your topic or the
direction you might take pop into your mind, record them in your research
notebook. Record anything you think of that might
apply to your topic, no matter how marginal it may seem. 10) Begin a serious
study of any
sources that can help you answer your research question. Give yourself time to think, question,
synthesize. Think outside the box—consider using surveys, questionnaires, and
interviews in addition to the more traditional sources. Make a copy immediately of
EVERYTHING you find that will likely be useful. BE SURE that all of the PUBLICATION
INFORMATION is somewhere on the copy.
The Web has many free programs that can help you keep track of your
sources. The
Bedford Research Room is one example.
In addition, wear out your research notebook with your thoughts about
your topic as they come to you. Target Dates: Monday, October 20th through Sunday, November 16th (four
weeks). 11) Prepare a brief outline of what you
have learned about your topic to serve as a guide for actually writing the
paper. To create this outline, simply
list the two or three most important things you have learned during your
study. Each entry on this list will
likely become a roman numeral on the outline. Target Dates: Monday,
November 17th through Tuesday, November 18th. 12) Carefully
create your sources page (either MLA or
APA). Target
Date: November 20th (This should go quickly if
you’ve kept your sources with the Bedford Bibliographer). 13) Using your
outline as a guide, write the first rough draft without yet
including any words or specific information from your sources (anything you will need to cite). The best way to create this draft is to
have no sources open in front of you as you write it. Instead, write it from the knowledge you’ve
gained through your research. Target Dates: November
21st through November 26th. 14) Once you
complete this first rough draft, create a new draft by
blending in the words and information from others that you had planned to include.
Remember the general guidelines: quote only when something is aptly
said or when your words and ideas need authoritative support. Target Dates: December 1st through December 4th. 15) Continue to refine and
revise your drafts, being sure
to smoothly blend others’ words with yours (signal phrases) and properly
credit the owners of the words and information you borrow. 17) Refine
your final rough draft into a final copy. Check citations
carefully. Be sure your sources page
conforms exactly to the standard you have chosen to follow (MLA or APA). Target Dates: December 5th through December 7th. 18) Submit
your completed copy, along
with your drafts, by midnight Monday,
December 8th. No
late option is possible for the research paper. 19) At all
times during the process please be prepared to share with me your work to that point.
Please keep all rough drafts and raw data. |
Jim’s Video Tour of the Assignment
Jim’s Suggested Research Paper Calendar Video