Research Paper

To complete English 12B, you will be writing a research report on the topic of your choosing. You must have at least 3 sources that you use in your research: website; journal, newspaper or magazine articles; documentary films; books; etc.

You will be using MLA format for your paper: One inch margins, 12 point Arial or Times New Roman Font, double spaced, 3-5 pages.

Steps for writing a research paper:

1. Choose a topic. Choose something you would like to learn about.

2. Begin your research. Make a list of questions about your topic and use these questions to guide your research. Read your sources and take notes. Make sure you write down the bibliographic information about your sources for your Works Cited page.

3. Write a thesis statement. Your thesis is a sentence that explains what your paper will show, explain, or prove.

4. Organize the info you have found by making an outline of your essay. (See below)

5. Draft your paper. Include the information you have learned, but also add your own analysis. Your report should not just be a collection of information from your sources. You must make inferences and interpret evidence to make a conclusion. Use facts, quotations, statistics, and examples from your research to draw your own conclusions about your topic. Make sure you cite your sources!

6. Revise, edit, and proofread your paper.

7. Make a Works Cited List (bibliography).

The basic outline of a research paper is as follows:

 Introduction – Explain what your topic is and why this topic is important and/or interesting. Introduce 1-3 questions you plan to answer in your in your paper. Each question should relate to your thesis since that statement is what you are trying to show in the paragraphs. Your thesis statement should be stated somewhere in your introduction.

 Body Paragraphs – Answer the question(s) you raised in your introduction. Include specific examples and quotes from your research. Cite your sources in text using MLA format.

 Conclusion – Restate your thesis and summarize how the information presented in each body paragraph proves your thesis.

 Works Cited List – Your report must include a bibliography at the end of your report. You must include at least three sources on your Works Cited page.

Research Paper Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s Don’t’s

State ideas clearly in your own language. Do NOT plagiarize.

Use formal language. Don’t use slang, first-person pronouns (I, me, we,

us), or second-person pronouns (you, your).

Leave out conversational language. Don’t start sentences with “Well” or say “I think.”

Use complete sentences. Don’t use bullet points or incomplete sentences.

Use facts/evidence to back up the thesis. Don’t give your opinions without evidence.

Rubric

 Thesis (20 points): A thesis statement (that is underlined) is presented in the middle or end

of the introduction; the thesis clearly indicates the topic and position or argument that the

paper will take. The thesis is supported within the body paragraphs.

 Details/examples (50 points): Each paragraph must serve to answer the question(s) from

your introduction; the information used provides specific details (i.e. what, when, where,

why, how, who, etc.); essay avoids vague statements. Examples are drawn from works

cited.

 Critical thinking/Analysis (30 points): The content of the essay provides evidence of critical

thinking (illustrating connections, importance and/or significance). It provides concrete

examples from works cited.

 Evidence (50 points): At least three sources are correctly used as evidence to support

ideas in paragraph. The sources are clearly identified (i.e. author and page number); at least

one direct quote is used from each source, as well as the source is thoroughly explained and

connected back to the paragraph’s topic. Include a Works Cited page.

 Organization (30 points): The essay is presented in an organized manner. There is a welldeveloped

introduction with a thesis statement (that is underlined); paragraphs begin with

a topic sentence and end with a transitional sentence; the main topic is clearly identified in

the topic sentence, and each paragraph is limited to one topic. Clear indication of where

paragraphs begin and end. Paper must be formatted in MLA format.

 Clarity (20 points): The ideas are presented in a clear manner; ideas are understandable

and coherent; essay has no or minimal grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Avoid

using first person (I, me, my) and second person (you, your, yours) perspective.