What is a research paper?

by Dr. Dan Fontenot

A research paper is a documented essay which requires careful planning, searching, studying, and writing. The length of a research paper depends on the nature of the project. Some personal research projects that you may develop into papers will be rather brief (two to five pages), but most academic research papers will be at least five pages in length. Quite often research papers are called term papers because a term (a quarter or semester) is the length of time given for its completion. Instructors often establish a minimum of pages for term papers, usually eight to ten pages.

Follow whatever timetable your instructors give you for a research project, and keep time on your side as much as possible. Instructors know what it takes to develop a worth while finished product. If they leave this up to you, use the general timetable which follows to help you plan your way. This is based on a research paper assigned at midterm, and due at the end of the semester: eight to nine weeks. Adjust accordingly.

Research Timetable

Prewriting:(four weeks)

Selecting a subject and making a list of potential sources (one week)

Searching for information, reading, and note taking (two weeks)

Studying your information, finalizing a thesis statement, developing an outline (one to two weeks)

Writing the First Draft: (one week)

Revising: (two weeks)

Allow for at least two revisions.

Set aside work between revising sessions (take in a movie, enjoy a pizza) and let ideas incubate.

Editing: (one week)

Preparing the final draft

Proofreading the finished product (one day)

Steps in the Research Process

Prewriting

1. Select an interesting subject. Your most meaningful research will satisfy a personal need: a question you want to answer, a condition you want to investigate, issue you want to explore. Keep four important points in mind when selecting a subject:

Select a subject that is well suited to your interests and background.

Make sure there is some information available on your subject.

Make sure you have enough time to develop it.

Make sure it meets the requirements of your instructor.

2. Do some preliminary investigating. Check area and school libraries material on the subject and select a number of books or articles to read. Begin your initial reading with a general reference book, an encyclopedia perhaps. Check the list of related articles and see references located at the end of most reference articles. This information be helpful in finding a specific focus for research.

You might also talk with someone in your community or school who may h, personal information about your research subject. Consider using one of the computer programs designed to help researchers in a subject search. Ask your local or sch librarian about the availability of such programs in your area.

3. Limit your subject. After you have done some investigating, develop a preliminary focus or thesis statement which makes clear what you plan to cover in your research paper. Make sure that you have enough current sources of information to adequately develop your focus. Check your timetable, too. Do you have enough time to develop this idea? (Note: Don't be surprised if your thesis changes as your research develops. You will probably consider a number of focuses before you settle upon the one you will finally use for your paper.)

Helpful Hint: Complete one of the ideas given below if you have trouble forming a preliminary focus statement.

*** I want to learn more about.......

*** I want to find out.........

*** I want to better understand..........

*** I want to see if........

Searching for Information

4.  Prepare a preliminary bibliography. Using the card catalog, Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, the vertical file, and other reference publications (including computer data bases, if available), compile a list of materials available on your subject. Place this information on 3- by 5-inch bibliography cards and arrange them in alphabetical order by the author's last name. If the name of the author is not known, alphabetize by the first word in the title (except a, an, or the). Number each card in the upper right-hand corner; place the call number of each book in the upper left-hand corner.

Whenever possible, check the reliability of potential sources before you include them in your list.

Take note of the author's credentials on the title page or in a special section called 'Contributors' in journals.

Check your source's reputation. Do other writers refer to the source?

Check your source's bias. Does he or she represent a certain school of thought?

Check your source's performance. Is the writing well researched? Clear? Logical? Thorough?

Ask an instructor or other professional in the field about the author's credibility.

5. Begin taking notes. As you read the material listed in your preliminary bibliography, take notes on ideas and jot down quotations which vou feet might be useful in your research. Place this information on note cards: follow the guidelines below:

Use cards of the same size and style (4- by 6-inch cards are recommended),

Place one main idea or quotation on each card. Be sure to list the page numbers on which you found the material as well as the bibliography card number of source. (Place the card number in the upper right-hand corner.)

Use abbreviations and phrases.

Place all verbatim (word for word) notes in quotation marks.

Use the ellipsis when necessary. Place any information which you ad, these direct quotes in brackets (like this].

Use a diagonal (/) to indicate where a quote has gone from one page to another the original source. This will be very useful when you are citing the exact page quote in a parenthetical reference.

Look up any unfamiliar words you come across in your reading. If you find that particular word is important, copy the definition onto a note card.

Leave space at the bottom of each card for notes on how and where you might the information.

Place a descriptive slug (heading) at the top of each card. The slug should be a or phrase which highlights the main idea of each note.

Note Taking: A Closer Look

There are three ways in which you can take notes.

1. You can summarize. Summarize (in your own words) as you take notes unless there is good reason to retrace the thinking of a source or to quote a sou directly. When you summarize, you narrow or reduce what you have read to a: important points.

2. You can paraphrase. Paraphrasing is restating in your own words what you have read. It is a helpful note-taking technique when you are trying to retrace the thinking of one of your sources. Put quotation marks around key words or phrases you borrow directly from the source.

3. You can quote directly. Use a source's exact words when they include essential, information, when the source's language is unique or distinctive, and when source is considered an expert on the subject. Put this information in quotation marks.

Special Note. Work each source of information into your own thinking before take notes on it. This is the best way to avoid plagiarism.

6. Collect Information from other sources. Consider creating your sources of information by conducting interviews, reading diaries or personal papers implementing questionnaires or surveys, or carrying out firsthand observations experiences.

Designing a Plan

7.  Write your working outline. Organize your note cards into their most logical order and use them to construct a preliminary or working outline. Your descriptive slugs may be used as main and subpoints in your outline.

8. Continue your research. Search for any additional information which is needed to support your thesis. Review your preliminary thesis statement and rework if necessary. Your thoughts about it might have changed as you gathered information.

9. Revise Your outline. Revise your working outline as needed when you find new information.

Writing the First Draft

10. Write your first draft. Begin with an introduction which establishes the purpose of your research (your thesis) . You might also work one or more of the following elements into your introduction:

information your reader needs to understand your research findings

definitions of complex terms or concepts

your reason for choosing this subject

an opening anecdote or quotation

additional background information.

The next step is to develop or prove your thesis in the body of the paper. You can develop this section in one of two ways: spontaneously or systematically.

Writing Spontaneously

You can put your outline and note cards aside and write as much as you can on your own. Refer to your note cards only when you need a quotation or specific facts and figures. After you have completed the initial writing, you can then review your outline and note cards to see if you have missed or misplaced any important points.

Writing Systematically

Or, you can approach the body in a more systematic fashion. Begin by laying out one section of note cards at a time (cards with the same heading) so that you can see all or most of them at one time.

Write a general statement which covers the main idea of that section of cards; then determine which cards contain the best information to support this statement. Repeat this process for each section of note cards.

Note: If you find that your general statement is valid, but you do not have enough information to support it, gather more information or drop it from consideration.

Make sure that you write your paper using your own words; use direct quotes only when the point being made is stated precisely as you want it to in the original source. As you sort through your cards, examine each for possible use as a transition.

Work to achieve a style which is semiformal. Do not use fragments, abbreviations, or substandard language (slang and colloquialisms). And do not try to impress your reader by using language which is too lofty or flowery. This will only be a distraction to the reader and cause him or her to question your understanding of the subject.

Present your ideas honestly and clearly. If you feel strongly about your research and have something meaningful to offer your readers, you are bound to write an interesting paper.

Aim for objectivity in your writing. This means you should focus on the discoveries you have made during your research rather than on your feelings or attitudes toward them. Don't, however, ignore your personal insights or observations if they add meaning to your paper.

The final section or conclusion of your paper should leave the reader with a clear understanding of the significance of your research. This is usually done by reviewing the important points you have made and drawing a final conclusion(s). You might, however, take a more personal approach in the closing of your paper. For instance, you might discuss how your research has changed or confirmed your thinking about your subject; or you might simply discuss what you have learned from your searching and researching.

11. Revise your first draft at least two times. Revise at least once to your thinking on the content of your paper, and one more time to refine the style your writing.

12. Include all necessary parenthetical references. Give credit for quo-materials and the general ideas of your sources.

Preparing the Final Paper

13. Edit your final revision. Check for punctuation, capitalization, usage and grammar.

14. Prepare your final copy. Type your paper (or write in ink) on good quality typing paper. Do not use erasable paper unless you plan on using a good photocopier to make your final copy. If you use a word processor, try to print with a letter-quality printer. Leave a margin of one inch on all sides, except for page numbers. Double-space your entire paper, including long quotations and the "Works Cited' section.

15. Arrange and number your pages. Begin numbering with the first of the essay and continue through the 'Works Cited" section.

16. Add your title. A title page is usually not required for a research paper. Simply type the author's name, instructor's name, course title, and date in the upper comer of the first page of the paper.

Note.- If a title page is required, center the title one-third of the way down from the top the page; likewise, center the author's name, instructor's name, and any additional formation two-thirds of the way down.

17. Type your final outline. Add, delete, or rearrange material as is need to make your outline consistent with the final version of your paper. Use either a topic sentence or a sentence outline (as, your instructor requires); do not mix the two in the same outline. Double- space throughout.

18. Proofread your paper for typing errors. Check the final draft from beginning to end. Submit your research paper as 'error free" as you can possibly make it.