Writing a Research Paper
Re-Search
– Looking where others have looked before
Choosing
a Subject
Find a
Thesis - A research problem should make a judgment of right or
wrong
The
task of a research paper is to shift opinions
Without
a thesis to lead the paper – there is no way to ever dome out the
other
end
A
working hypothesis keeps the purpose alive
A
thesis should prevent the researcher from collecting only supporting
evidence
and ignoring non-supporting evidence
Persuade
the reader that you are right
Show
the reader that you have thoroughly investigated the subject
Pick
and argument
Choose
a subject where there is much to be said on both sides
There
are 3 parts to an essay
1.
Dealing
with the argument
2.
Citation of others facts used in
your argument
3.
Managing the notes and bibliography
Procedures
of Research
Gather
the material for the bibliography
Save
on note cards or electronically
Actual
notes should be few and brief at this stage
Plan
on about 5 sources for each 1,000 words of text
Take
all notes in ink or type electronically
Take
few notes
Read
quickly
Note
if the source supports your argument or is in opposition (pro or con)
Set
moral issues aside – concern your literature review with only the facts
When
all notes are taken – Writing can begin
First
Draft
Write
a beginning paragraph – include the thesis
Make
separate lists of all pros and cons – Formal outlines are probably a
waste
of time for a short paper
Insert
your references as you write your first draft
Where
Essays Fail
A bad
beginning usually is followed by a bad essay
State
your thesis in the last sentence of the first paragraph
“What’s
the big ideas?’’
The
big idea or central idea or thesis is the essays life
The
thesis defines the subject and narrows it to a workable size
Picking
an argument immediately prevents problems later on
Sharpen
the thesis
Take a
stand
Make a
judgment value
Don’t
be timid
Put
your well defined thesis on a sign on the wall in front of your computer
to
prevent drifting off target
Now is
the time to start polishing and refining the thesis
Believe
in your thesis
Your
original assertions will mellow with research
By now
you are beginning to know what can and cannot be proved true
Research
should be providing a path in which you can be confident
If you
aren’t persuaded, it’s unlikely that you can persuade the reader of
your
thesis
Start
with a desperate thesis and jump into the arena
If
supporting your thesis becomes increasingly difficult to argue, no matter
how
hard you push it, turn around and use the other ent
Persuade
the reader
You
have made a thesis, really a hypothesis – an opinion as to what the truth
seems
to be from your point of view
Its
time to make the skeptical reader to believe you too
Don’t
apologize
Never
say “in my opinion” or “its only my opinion” or the reader won’t
think
its worth much
It’s
probably better to just eliminate “I” from your essay completely
Beginning,
Middle, and End
Essays
should have three parts – beginning, middle, end
A
clear beginning sets forth your thesis
It
should be a full paragraph that let the reader gently into the subjects and
culminates with the thesis
The
middle amplifies, absorbs, and fulfills – this is the body of your
argument
The
middle should have your points arrainged in order of increasing interest and
persuasiveness
If
each item isn’t successively more interesting, The essay will start to become
anticlimactic
An
essay needs an end to let the reader know that he has arrived – this will
be
the final Paragraph
Acknowledge
and dispose of opposition
Present
a full scope of the con’s as well as the pros or the reader will think
that
you haven’t thought much about your subject
The
more opposition you deal with, the more triumphant your will seem
In
summary, you have found a thesis, worked it into a decent beginning,
improved
on it and worked out a convincing middle with your arguments presented in a
sequence of ascending interest
Paragraphs
Plan
for the big paragraph – Force yourself to at least four or five sentences
Visualize
all of your paragraphs as about the same size
Build
with orderly blocks – like a constructional rhythm or framework
Once
accustomed to the five-sentence frame, start to vary the length to make
certain
points stronger
Find
a topic sentence for each paragraph
Like
the essay itself – each paragraph has a beginning, middle, and end
The
beginning and end are usually only one sentence long
The
last sentence is the most emphatic in every paragraph
The
first sentence holds the next most emphatic place, and it will normally
be
the topic sentence, stating the small thesis (the thesis of the paragraph)
Beginning
Paragraphs - The Funnel
The
thesis should begin at the end of your beginning paragraph
The
beginning paragraph’s topic sentence should be the thesis sentence of
the
entire essay
The
beginning paragraph is a funnel, beginning wide and ending narrow
Middle
Paragraphs should be full and transition smoothly from the
beginning
paragraph to the ending paragraph
End
Paragraphs – The inverted funnel
The
end funnel is a funnel upside down
Thoughts
start morrow with the thesis and pours out broader and broader
with
implications developed in the middle paragraph
This
is the last chance to convince the reader
The
topic sentence of the end paragraph should be some version of the
original
thesis sentence, and should complement the beginning