Writing a Research Writing a Research PaperPaper

Mary Anne EllisMary Anne Ellis

04/1404/14

Steps to Research WritingSteps to Research Writing

PrewritingPrewriting WritingWriting RevisingRevising EditingEditing

PrewritingPrewriting

Select your topicSelect your topic Narrow your topic with a specific focusNarrow your topic with a specific focus

Gather informationGather information Use various sources to gather information.Use various sources to gather information.

Write a controlling sentenceWrite a controlling sentence Write a thesis sentence to focus your topicWrite a thesis sentence to focus your topic

Organize your informationOrganize your information Create an outlineCreate an outline

ThesisThesis

Your thesis statement should be specific—it Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.specific evidence.

Your thesis statement should be at the end of Your thesis statement should be at the end of the introductory paragraph, and it should have the introductory paragraph, and it should have three points.three points.

Organizing your PaperOrganizing your Paper

I. Introductory ParagraphI. Introductory Paragraph Capture the readers interestCapture the readers interest End with the Thesis sentenceEnd with the Thesis sentence

Paragraph One – main pointParagraph One – main point Three supporting detailsThree supporting details

Paragraph Two – main pointParagraph Two – main point Three supporting detailsThree supporting details

Paragraph Three – main pointParagraph Three – main point Three supporting detailsThree supporting details

Conclusion ParagraphConclusion Paragraph

Introductory ParagraphIntroductory Paragraph

Capture our attentionCapture our attention

Give an overviewGive an overview

State the topicState the topic

End with the thesisEnd with the thesis

Supporting ParagraphsSupporting Paragraphs

Begin with a topic sentenceBegin with a topic sentence Support each topic sentence with Support each topic sentence with threethree

supporting ideassupporting ideas. . Create a logical orderCreate a logical order Use transitions to connect ideasUse transitions to connect ideas Conclude with a closing sentenceConclude with a closing sentence Cite your sourcesCite your sources

Concluding ParagraphConcluding Paragraph

Reflect on what you have writtenReflect on what you have written

Bring it all togetherBring it all together

Leave your reader with something to considerLeave your reader with something to consider

Revising - IdeasRevising - Ideas

Consider… Consider…

Do I need to revise my thesis statement?Do I need to revise my thesis statement?

Do I have enough information to support my Do I have enough information to support my thesis? thesis?

Revising – Organization Revising – Organization

Does the beginning introduce the topic well?Does the beginning introduce the topic well?

Does the supporting information flow Does the supporting information flow logically?logically?

Does the ending reflect what was presented?Does the ending reflect what was presented?

Revising - VoiceRevising - Voice

Do you present the information in a Do you present the information in a knowledgeable confident voice? knowledgeable confident voice?

Revising – Word ChoiceRevising – Word Choice

Did you use words that describe your topic Did you use words that describe your topic well?well?

Do your words express emotion? Do your words express emotion? Did you write in active or passive voice?Did you write in active or passive voice?

Revising – Sentence FluencyRevising – Sentence Fluency

Are your sentences clear? Are your sentences clear? Did you use complete sentences?Did you use complete sentences? Did you use a variety of sentence structures? Did you use a variety of sentence structures?

Revising - ConventionsRevising - Conventions

Is the punctuation correct? Is the punctuation correct? Is capitalization used correctly? Is capitalization used correctly? Is your paper free from misused Is your paper free from misused

abbreviations?abbreviations?

EditingEditing

Now is the time to recheckNow is the time to recheck PunctuationPunctuation CapitalizationCapitalization GrammarGrammar SpellingSpelling Sentence structureSentence structure APA formatting APA formatting Resources cited pageResources cited page

Your Turn…Your Turn…

Now let’s brainstorm!Now let’s brainstorm!

How can you get your reader’s attention? How can you get your reader’s attention?

When you read something, consider what When you read something, consider what makes it interesting to you? makes it interesting to you?

Introduction Introduction

Use a question (or multiple questions)Use a question (or multiple questions)

Use a story or parableUse a story or parable

Use a startling statisticUse a startling statistic

IntroductionIntroduction

Use a quote from a notable sourceUse a quote from a notable source ““We are all inventors, each sailing out on a We are all inventors, each sailing out on a

voyage of discovery, guided each by a private voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.” world is all gates, all opportunities.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

IntroductionsIntroductions

Now Let’s Practice!!!Now Let’s Practice!!!