Writing a Research Paper

Step 1: Define your topic

Define Your Topic State your topic in the form of a question. List keywords and ideas related to your topic.

Step 2: Identify Sources

Identify Sources Books Periodicals Online Sources

Step 3: Evaluate Sources

Evaluate Sources Is the source timely? Reliable? Relevant?

Scan Skim Preview Abstract

Step 4: Compile Sources

Compile Sources For paper sources, file PDF scans

Jot Not App For online sources, save links or PDF

Flash Drive Cloud

Google Drive Dropbox Box.com

Step 5: Read & Take Notes

Read & Take NotesFor every source: Citation information

Title, author, publisher, place and date of publication

Outline main ideas and supporting details

If you use the text verbatim, make sure to use quotation marks and cite

If you summarize or paraphrase an idea, you don’t need to use quotations but you do need to cite

Index Card Method Write each fact on a separate index card by

hand Color code the cards according to the source Later, you can lay the cards out to organize

your outline

Word Processing Method Type your notes for each source in a Word

document Color code the text based on the source Later, you can cut and paste the text to

organize your outline

Step 6: Organize Ideas

Organize Ideas Think about all of the sources you read. What main

ideas or patterns stand out? Review your notes. What themes are repeated? Group related ideas from different sources together.

Each main idea will later form a paragraph. Set aside or discard notes that don’t fit with your

main ideas.

Index Card Method: Group cards with similar ideas together.

Word Processing Method: Cut and paste similar ideas together in a list.

Step 7: Outline Paper

Outline Paper List your main ideas. Put them in a logical

order. Distinguish between main ideas and

supporting details. Put them in a logical order. Some research papers follow this outline:

Abstract: Summary Introduction: Topic, Research Questions, Literature

Review, Hypotheses, Design Methods: Participants, Materials, Procedure Results: Data & Statistics Discussion: Interpretation & Evaluation

Step 8: Write Paper

Write Paper Write one paragraph for each of your main

ideas Remember that each paragraph should have:

Topic Sentence Supporting Sentences Concluding Sentence

Convert outline into full sentences as you write

Provide in-text citations after every piece of information from your sources

Write Paper You should not have a quotation in every

sentence of your paragraph Use your own words and ideas For each piece of cited information, you can:

Clarify by restating it in your own words Explain your interpretation Connect the information to other pieces of

information Show why that information is important or

significant to the main idea of the paragraph Show why that information is important or

significant to your overall research topic

Step 8: Revise Paper

Revise Paper When you are done writing, read your paper

Are there parts that are unclear? Are there explanations or examples you could

add? Are the ideas in the paragraph in a logical order? Are the paragraphs in a logical order? Would someone unfamiliar with the topic

understand your writing? Make changes to organization and content

Add Delete Move

Step 9: Edit Paper

Edit Paper Make changes to grammar, syntax,

vocabulary Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement, Singular &

Plural Nouns, Determiners, Prepositions, Gerunds & Infinitives, etc.

Syntax: Simple, Compound, Complex sentences Vocabulary: range, level, usage, meaning

Step 10: Format Paper

Format Paper MLAhttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01

/ APAhttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01

/ Chicago Stylehttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01

/

Consult Style Guide for formatting rules, especially for citations.

Step 11: Cite Sources

Cite Sources Create a Works Cited page that lists all of your

references Follow the format depending on what style

you are using If you took good notes at the beginning, this is

much easier! Make sure in-text citations correspond with

the Works Cited page

Step 12: Proofread Paper

Proofread Paper Make changes to mechanics

Punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting This is your last chance to find and fix any

mistakes Print out the paper Read it out loud

Helpful Links Conducting Researchhttp://www.kyvl.org/html/tutorial/research/ Writing Research Papershttp://www.infoplease.com/homework/t1termpaper1.html Formatting Citationshttp://www.easybib.com