Millville Public Schools Research Manual
Updated July 25, 2017
Compiled by: Patti Atkinson, Beth Benfer, Heather Birnstiel, Meg Finney, and Kelly Gandy
Adapted from: Fayette County Schools Research Paper Survival Guide
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In an effort to support the New Jersey Learning Standards (NJLS) and the use of technology in all subject areas, this Research Manual is provided for use. This manual builds a scaffold of research and documentation skills from 6th through 12th grade which supports the expectations of the NJLS.
The manual will serve as a reference for teachers, students, and guardians to assist in the process of conducting academic level research, understanding and avoiding plagiarism, formatting assignments in the proper MLA style, as well as various other resources associated with proper research. This guidebook also lays out the expectations for each grade level when producing any type of task which requires the use of research.
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Table of Contents 5 6
What Is Plagiarism?……………………………………………………………………….. How Do I Avoid Plagiarism?………………………………………………………….. Statement of Plagiarism…………………….…………………………….............. Research Requirements………………………………………………………………...
7 8
6th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10th Grade…………………………………………………………………………………….…. 11th Grade……………………………………………………………………………………….. 12th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………..
Research Process…………………………………………………………………………... Research Steps……………………………………………………………………………….
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1. Define................................................................................ Thesis Statement………………………………………………………….. 2. Locate................................................................................ Locating Sources…………………………………………………………. Search Tips…………………………………………………………………... Types of Sources………………………………………………………….. Evaluating Sources………………………………………………………. 3. Organize............................................................................ Research Logs……………………………………………………………... Source Cards………………………………………………………………... 4. Synthesize……………………………………………………………………….…. Note Cards…………………………………………………………………….. Direct Quotes………………………………………………………………... Paraphrasing…….………….……………………………………………….. Summarizing….……………………………………………………………... 5. Analyze……………………………………………………………………………….. Outlines…………………..………….…………………………………………. Common Writing Mistakes…………………………………………. 6. Evaluate…....………………………………………………………………………..
MLA Format…………………………………………………………………………………….. Citations………………………………………………………………………………………….. Works Cited Page………………………………………………………………………….. Annotated Bibliography………………………………………………………………... Manuscript……………………………………………………………………………………... Quotes………………………………………………………………………………………………
Research Glossary…………………………………………………………………………. Online Resources……………………………………………………………………………. Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………..
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What Is Plagiarism? Plagiarism is the representation of another’s ideas or writing as your own.
There are two common types of plagiarism: ✘ Intentional Plagiarism: A deliberate attempt on the part of the student to pass off as his or her own writing or ideas of another person (student, parent, published or unpublished author, etc.) Example: Copying another student’s paper or downloading a paper written by someone else and turning it in as your own ✘ Unintentional Plagiarism: A failure to acknowledge indebtedness to outside material that results from the student’s lack of attention to proper procedures for documentation. Example: Forgetting to cite the sources you used to write your paper
Both types of plagiarism are serious violations of the principles of academic integrity.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
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How Do I Avoid Plagiarism? 1. Always record the sources that you use in your research. You can do this on paper, in Microsoft Word, or in a Google Doc. Keep a Research Log or create Source Cards to organize your sources: ★ Learn how to create a Research Log ★ Learn how to create Source Cards TIP: As you locate sources, record them! Don’t wait until you are writing your paper to try and find them again. Not sure if you are going to use a source? Record it anyway. You can always remove it later!
2. If you use an idea from another author, cite it in both parenthetical documentation and on the Works Cited page. ★ Learn how to create a Parenthetical Citation ★ Learn how to create a Works Cited page TIP: Even if you are not using a direct quote, you need to cite your source. Paraphrasing and summarizing also require parenthetical citation and an entry on the Works Cited page. Always remember to do both!
3. If you aren’t sure whether to cite a source or not, always cite it. Your teacher can help you decide if this information is considered general knowledge and does not need a citation. You can always remove the citation later!
Please Note: Your paper may be reviewed by anti-plagiarism software.
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Statement of Plagiarism Millville Public Schools Grades 6-12 Definition of Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the representation by a student of another’s ideas or writing as his/her own. Two types of plagiarism are common. Intentional plagiarism, the more severe type, involves a student deliberately passing off as his/her own the writing or ideas of another person (student, parent, published or unpublished author). Unintentional plagiarism results from the student’s lack of attention to proper procedures for source citation, and normally involves one or more technical errors. The student in this case fails to acknowledge his/her indebtedness to outside material. Both types of plagiarism are serious violations of the principles of academic integrity and will not be tolerated. Penalties, especially for those involved in intentional plagiarism, may be severe.
Penalties for Plagiarism: A. A student who has unintentionally plagiarized will receive no grade until citation errors are corrected. The corrected paper will receive a grade reduction just as with any other format error. Failure to re-submit the paper with corrections within 5 school days will result in a grade of zero. B. A student who has intentionally plagiarized (by purchasing or downloading a paper, submitting a previously-submitted paper, copying and pasting from a source, or otherwise passing off someone else’s work as his/her own) will receive no credit for the assignment. No substitute assignment will be given. * C. A student who submits a paper with no parenthetical citation or Works Cited page will receive no credit for the research assignment. D. A student who allows another student to copy his or her paper or assists in the act of plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary action. * * A disciplinary referral will result for any student accused or suspected of intentional plagiarism or involvement in such an activity. Teachers may present evidence for review by Guidance Counselors and/or Administration. A parent conference may result. *NOTE TO PARENTS: All students will be instructed about what constitutes plagiarism. Teachers will give this instruction orally, in writing, and through specific examples.
I have read and understand the above statement on plagiarism.
Student signature
Date
Parent/guardian signature
Date
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6th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS
LANGUAGE ARTS
Research Assignment
Research Assignment
Product: (Teacher Discretion)
Product: ● ●
5 Paragraph Essay including parenthetical citations Works Cited page with 3 teacher-provided sources
The Works Cited page will contain citations in MLA format.
Requirements:
Requirements:
● ●
● ●
● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Formatting ○ 1” Margins ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 Works Cited Page Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Formatting ○ 1” Margins ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 Works Cited Page Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page:
Works Cited Page:
Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Author of source ● Source title
Students will create a Works Cited page from the 3 teacherprovided research sources. Each citation must include: ● Author of source ● Source title
Source Cards/Research Log: Source Cards/Research Log: Students will complete basic Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete basic Source Cards or a Research Log for their 3 teacher-provided sources: ● Book ● Encyclopedia ● Online Source (database article, website)
Note Cards/Note Paper Note Cards/Note Paper Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
Students will complete at least 3 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 3 teacher-provided sources: ● 2 direct quotations ● 1 paraphrase
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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7th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS
LANGUAGE ARTS
Research Assignment
Research Assignment
Product: (Teacher Discretion)
Product: ● ●
5 Paragraph Essay including a thesis statement and parenthetical citations Works Cited page with 4 sources ○ 1 student-chosen source ○ 3 sources chosen by student from 6 teacherprovided sources
The Works Cited page will contain citations in MLA format.
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Formatting ○ 1” Margins ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Works Cited Page Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Formatting ○ 1” Margins ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Works Cited Page Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page:
Works Cited Page:
Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Students will create a Works Cited page from their 4 sources. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log:
Source Cards/Research Log:
Students will complete basic Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete basic Source Cards or a Research Log for their 4 sources: ● Book ● Magazine ● Newspaper ● Online Source (database article, website)
Note Cards/Note Paper
Note Cards/Note Paper
Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
Students will complete at least 8 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 4 sources: ● Choose at least 2 direct quotations ● Choose at least 2 paraphrases
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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8th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS
LANGUAGE ARTS
Research Assignment
Research Assignment
Product: (Teacher Discretion)
Product: ● ●
2 Page Argumentative Paper including a thesis statement and parenthetical citations Works Cited page with 5 sources ○ 2 student-chosen sources ○ 3 teacher-provided sources
The Works Cited page will contain citations in MLA format.
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Formatting ○ 1” Margins ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Works Cited Page Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Formatting ○ 1” Margins ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Credible Sources Works Cited Page Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page:
Works Cited Page:
Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Students will create a Works Cited page from their 5 sources. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log:
Source Cards/Research Log:
Students will complete basic Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete basic Source Cards or a Research Log for their 5 sources: ● Book ● Encyclopedia ● Magazine ● Newspaper ● Online Source (database article, website)
Note Cards/Note Paper
Note Cards/Note Paper
Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
Students will complete at least 9 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 5 sources: ● Choose at least 3 direct quotations ● Choose at least 2 paraphrases
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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9th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS Research Assignment
LANGUAGE ARTS Research Assignment
Product: ● (Teacher Discretion)
Product:
Requirements:
Requirements:
● ● ● ● ● ● ●
●
Student-generated research must be a component of the activity Minimum of 2 credible sources Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper Sources must be parenthetically cited Works Cited Page in MLA format If Product is a paper: o Correct MLA Heading o Formatting ■ 1” Margins ■ Font Type: Times New Roman ■ Font Size: 12 ■ Paragraph Indents ■ Title and Title Indents If Product is not a paper: o Teacher must determine formatting variations that are acceptable
● ●
● ●
● ● ● ●
4-5 Page Research Paper Works Cited page with 5 sources
Correct MLA Heading Correct MLA Manuscript Formatting: ○ 1” Margins ○ Double Spaced ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Credible Sources Works Cited Page in MLA format Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page from their 5 sources. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log: Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log: Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their 5 sources: ● At least 1 source from anthology (edited collection of criticism, textbook, etc.) ● At least 1 source from scholarly journal (database article)
Note Cards/Note Paper Students will complete at least 10 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 5 sources: ● 5 direct quotations (1 from each source) ● 5 paraphrases (1 from each source)
Note Cards/Note Paper Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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10th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS
LANGUAGE ARTS
Research Assignment
Research Assignment
Product: ● (Teacher Discretion) Requirements: ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
●
Student-generated research must be a component of the activity Minimum of 2 credible sources Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper Sources must be parenthetically cited Works Cited Page in MLA format If Product is a paper: o Correct MLA Heading o Formatting ■ 1” Margins ■ Font Type: Times New Roman ■ Font Size: 12 ■ Paragraph Indents ■ Title and Title Indents If Product is not a paper: o Teacher must determine formatting variations that are acceptable
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Product: ● ● ● ●
5-6 Page Research Paper Student-generated research Student-generated thesis statement Works Cited page with 5 sources
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Correct MLA Manuscript Formatting: ○ 1” Margins ○ Double Spaced ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Credible Sources Works Cited Page in MLA format Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page from their 5 sources. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log:
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their 5 sources: ● Sources must include (but are not limited to) scholarly journals and/or other academic sources (database articles, encyclopedic entries, etc.)
Note Cards/Note Paper
Note Cards/Note Paper
Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
Students will complete at least 15 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 5 sources: ● 5 direct quotations (1 from each source) ● 5 paraphrases (1 from each source) ● 5 summaries (1 from each source)
Source Cards/Research Log:
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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11th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS
LANGUAGE ARTS
Research Assignment
Research Assignment
Product: ● (Teacher Discretion) Requirements: ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
●
Student-generated research must be a component of the activity Minimum of 2 credible sources Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper Sources must be parenthetically cited Works Cited Page in MLA format If Product is a paper: o Correct MLA Heading o Formatting ■ 1” Margins ■ Font Type: Times New Roman ■ Font Size: 12 ■ Paragraph Indents ■ Title and Title Indents If Product is not a paper: o Teacher must determine formatting variations that are acceptable
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Product: ● ● ● ●
5-6 Page Research Paper Student-generated research Student-generated thesis statement Works Cited page with 5 sources
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Correct MLA Manuscript Formatting: ○ 1” Margins ○ Double Spaced ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Credible Sources Works Cited Page in MLA format Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page from their 5 sources. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log:
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their 5 sources: ● Sources must include (but are not limited to) scholarly journals and/or other academic sources (database articles, encyclopedic entries, etc.)
Note Cards/Note Paper
Note Cards/Note Paper
Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
Students will complete at least 15 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 5 sources: ● 5 direct quotations (1 from each source) ● 5 paraphrases (1 from each source) ● 5 summaries (1 from each source)
Source Cards/Research Log:
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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12th Grade Research Requirements OTHER CONTENT AREAS
LANGUAGE ARTS
Research Assignment
Research Assignment
Product: ● (Teacher Discretion) Requirements: ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
●
Student-generated research must be a component of the activity Minimum of 2 credible sources Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper Sources must be parenthetically cited Works Cited Page in MLA format If Product is a paper: o Correct MLA Heading o Formatting ■ 1” Margins ■ Font Type: Times New Roman ■ Font Size: 12 ■ Paragraph Indents ■ Title and Title Indents If Product is not a paper: o Teacher must determine formatting variations that are acceptable
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Product: ● ● ● ●
5-6 Page Research Paper Student-generated research Student-generated thesis statement Works Cited page with 6 sources
Requirements: ● ●
● ● ● ●
Correct MLA Heading Correct MLA Manuscript Formatting: ○ 1” Margins ○ Double Spaced ○ Font Type: Times New Roman ○ Font Size: 12 ○ Paragraph Indents ○ Title and Title Indents Credible Sources Works Cited Page in MLA format Source Cards or Research Log Note Cards or Note Paper
Works Cited Page: Students will create a Works Cited page from their 6 sources. Each citation must include: ● Proper MLA citation format
Source Cards/Research Log:
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their sources.
Students will complete Source Cards or a Research Log for their 6 sources: ● Sources must include (but are not limited to) scholarly journals and/or other academic sources (database articles, encyclopedic entries, etc.)
Note Cards/Note Paper
Note Cards/Note Paper
Students will complete Note Cards or a Note Paper from their sources.
Students will complete at least 18 Note Cards or a Note Paper from their 6 sources: ● 6 direct quotations (1 from each source) ● 6 paraphrases (1 from each source) ● 6 summaries (1 from each source)
Source Cards/Research Log:
* All Source Cards/Research Logs and Note Cards/Note Paper must be completed following guidelines in this manual. * Wikipedia and other user-edited information sites are not allowed as sources for any research assignment. * All research will be reviewed for plagiarism which may include the use of online plagiarism services or programs.
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The Research Process This may surprise you, but research is something that you do every day. Do you search up a celebrity biography on Wikipedia, read information about an upcoming game on Game Informer, or even compare sneaker styles on the Nike website? Congratulations: you’ve done research! The simplest definition of research is this: locating and using information to answer a question or solve a problem. However, the personal research you do above is different from academic research you do for school, or professional research you may do in the future for your job. This manual is intended to help you with academic research. This kind of research requires more than a quick Google or Wikipedia search. When you perform academic research, you must find information that meets a specific standard, use that information in a way that is not simply copying-and-pasting or sharing on social media, and incorporate your own ideas and conclusions. This section will guide you through the steps to do academic research correctly. As long as you follow these steps, you will find that you understand the process better, and it will be easier each time you are given a research assignment. These Research Steps also help you avoid plagiarism. Most students don’t mean to plagiarize and do so unintentionally by making common mistakes like forgetting citations. In the end, we want you to work smarter, not harder. When you research by the rules, you make less work for yourself and will be better prepared for your next research assignment.
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Research Steps Have you completed an RST (Research Simulation Task) or DBQ in one of your classes? If so, you are already familiar with the basic steps of research. RST and DBQ are miniresearch exercises that help you think like a researcher. For your research assignment, the steps are a little more involved, but we will show you what each step means. Your teacher will ultimately decide how you will approach your research assignment. The steps are:
1. Define What question am I answering / problem am I solving? What information do I need to do this?
2. Locate What information sources are available to me? How do I properly search for sources?
3. Organize (RST Step 1) How do I manage the sources I choose? How do I properly cite these sources?
4. Synthesize
(RST Step 2) How do I extract information from each source? How do I put that information in my own words?
5. Analyze
(RST Step 3) How do I build a paper around my information? How do I analyze instead of summarize the topic?
6. Evaluate (RST Step 4) How well did I follow the first 5 steps? What can I do better next time? MPS Research Manual
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Step 1: Define The 1st step is to define your research task. How can you get started if you aren’t sure what you’re doing? Ask yourself this question: What does my teacher want me to do? You might also ask yourself: What question am I answering? What problem am I solving? ●
For some research assignments, your teacher may tell you exactly what to do or what question to answer.
Example:
●
Your teacher may even give you a thesis statement to use.
Example:
●
Are energy drinks dangerous? Analyze the health impacts of energy drinks and use at least 3 examples to answer this question.
Oscar Wilde used satire to critique the strict moral values and gender stereotypes of the Victorian era.
For other assignments, your teacher might leave it up to you.
Example:
Write an argumentative paper about a current controversial topic in American politics.
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Thesis Statements What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement is a single sentence that presents the main topic or argument of your paper. Think of your thesis statement as the Twitter version of your paper: in one sentence, you should be able to sum up what your paper is about. Anyone (from your teacher to a total stranger) should be able to understand where your paper is going based on this statement. You get a little more than 140 characters, of course! There are two types of thesis statements: 1. An informative thesis statement presents the topic of an informative paper and shows the direction it will take. In this type of paper, you are teaching the reader about the topic. Example: Jim’s Lunch, a Millville landmark, has been owned and operated by the same family for over 90 years, and attracts steady business even on a limited seasonal schedule.
2. An argumentative thesis statement presents the topic and central argument of an argumentative paper. In this type of paper, you are taking a stance on a topic and backing it up with facts. Example: The special sauce used on Jim’s Lunch hamburgers is much more delicious than the McDonald’s special sauce, based upon ordering statistics and customer feedback. TIP: It is normal to revise your thesis statement as you build your paper. Research is a process and you make adjustments as you go! MPS Research Manual
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Step 2: Locate The 2nd step is to locate your information sources, including coming up with a search strategy and deciding which sources to use. Ask yourself these questions: What information sources are available to me? What types of sources will be the most useful? How do I properly search for sources?
●
For some research assignments, your teacher may give you a list of information sources to use. You will be responsible for finding the information you need within those sources.
●
As you progress from middle school to high school, you will be responsible for finding information sources on your own.
●
The information sources you choose must meet the standards of academic research. A simple Google search is not going to cut it!
Don’t worry! You aren’t alone. Your teacher and your school librarian are here to help you learn about the best sources to use and how to find them. This section will cover the different places to find sources, search tips and tricks you can use, and types of sources out there.
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Locating Sources You may think that locating sources of information is as easy as opening Google, but remember, this isn’t personal research. You need to step up your search game when you are working on an academic research assignment. Here is a rundown of the best ways to locate sources: 1. Library Databases If you have access to databases* through your school library, then you have access to thousands of credible sources, including e-books, scholarly journals, professional journals, primary sources, and more. Examples: Britannica School, EBSCO Explora, Infobase History Research Center * The term databases can apply to a lot of things. When it comes to research, we are talking about academic databases, which require a school log-in to access and only include reliable sources of information.
2. Library Catalog Your school library has an online catalog that allows you to search for books and e-books owned by the library, using a simple keyword search (like Google). You can search this catalog from anywhere with any device, as long as you have an internet browser. 3. Library Stacks You can visit your school library in person and search what are called the stacks, which is just a term for the bookshelves in the library. Informational (nonfiction) books are arranged by call number, and you can ask your librarian or a library assistant for help locating a specific book or topic section in the stacks. Shelf-browsing, or looking at the titles on the book spines, might help you find more than one book on a topic. 4. Google Google is not actually a bad way to find sources. The problem is that most people don’t use Google in the best way. See the next page for tips.
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Search Tips Once you decide where to search for your sources (database, catalog, even Google) there are ways to search better so you get better results.
1. Speak the Language You might be used to talking directly to Siri, Alexa, or repeating “Ok, Google” on a daily basis, but just remember that these are not people. Thanks to artificial intelligence these search tools are getting better, but it is very much a work in progress. The best way to search a database or the Internet is to keep it simple. ✘ DON’T copy-and-paste your assignment description, question, or thesis statement directly into the search box. This is too complex! ✓ DO break down that description, question, or thesis statement into the most important keywords to use as search terms and phrases (what you type into the search box). Example Thesis Statement: Young Adult novels that deal with controversial issues offer teens a realistic view of the world, encourage honest communication by and with teens, and equip teens with strategies and tools in the event that they face similar issues.
⇩ ⇩ ⇩ ⇩ Example Keywords / Search Terms: “young adult” “controversial issues” “teens” “realistic” “honest” “communication” “strategies” “tools”
2. Keep Notes and Keep Track As you search for sources, keep track of the search terms and phrases you use. What worked? What didn’t work? Would a synonym work better? Is a certain term giving you results that have nothing to do with your topic?
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Keep this advice in mind: you will not find everything you need with your first search. It’s OK to find nothing useful on your first search! Just adjust the search terms or how you combine them, and see what happens. Switch over to another source location. Try something new. Just keep track so you don’t repeat the same steps. Example Problem: You tried searching using the following terms together: young adult teen controversial issues Now you are getting sources in your results that talk about every issue that could ever happen to a teen or adult! That is not what you wanted! Example Solution: Your search terms are simple (which is good!) but too broad. You need to be a little more specific to get results that are helpful. Try these terms: “young adult” novel teen “controversial issues” The terms above make it a little more specific, so you don’t get tons of useless results. It’s all about making adjustments. You could also try swapping “controversial issues” with something specific like “mental health” or bullying if you’d like even more specific results.
3. Shortcuts and Tricks There are shortcuts and tricks to searching databases, library catalogs, and especially Google, that will help you search better. We used one of them above in our example! ●
Use quotations marks around two words or more to search for that exact phrase: Example:
“Mike Trout”
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By putting Mike Trout in quotations, we are telling the search tool to search that exact phrase, instead of searching Mike and Trout separately. Searching them separately will give you loads of unhelpful results (a lot of guys named Mike and a lot of fish). ●
Use the tag AND between phrases to search for results that include BOTH (or all) of those phrases: Example:
“Mike Trout” AND “rookie season”
By putting the AND between our 2 phrases, we are telling the search tool that we only want results that talk about Mike Trout’s rookie season, instead of all of his seasons. This is another way to make you results more specific. ●
Use the tag OR between phrases to double-up your searches and show results for any of those phrases: Example:
“Mike Trout” OR “Millville Meteor” OR “Trouty”
By putting OR between these 3 phrases, we are telling the search tool that we want to results for any of these phrases. We want to make sure we find all the articles about Mike, whether they use his real name or one of his nicknames. ●
Google Tricks! Here are just a few of the tricks you can use when you are searching Google for sources: ○ -salmon
Put a dash in front of a word or phrase you want Google to exclude from your results. Example:
○ site:.gov
“Mike Trout” -salmon
Use site: in front of your search to tell Google to search only specific types of sites. We recommend: .gov (government websites), .edu (educational websites), and even .org (nonprofit websites) Example:
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Types of Sources One major difference between personal research and academic research is the types of sources you use. Here is an overview of the types of sources you may encounter: 1.
Academic/Scholarly Journal A periodical written by academic experts on a specific topic. These journals are usually peerreviewed, which means that articles submitted by authors must follow a strict review process by other experts. Example: Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
2.
Anthology A collection of works by different authors. Your English textbook is an anthology. Other examples include literary criticism books, books with essays about controversial issues, and short story collections. Example: Point/Counterpoint: Media Bias
3.
Artwork A painting, sculpture, or other piece of fine art. You can search for well-known artwork online or access free online exhibits on museum websites. Example: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat
4.
Audio A musical piece or other type of recorded audio, including podcast episodes, spoken word performances, and speeches. Example: “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy
5.
Blog A website updated regularly by a person or group that is typically written in an informal or discussion style. BE CAREFUL: Anyone can write a blog. Make sure to evaluate it. Example: 38 Pitches (Curt Schilling’s Official Blog)
6.
Book A written or printed work available to you in your school and public library. Example: Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin Manuel-Miranda and Jeremy McCarter
7.
Correspondence (Emails and Letters) A printed or digital communication between two or more individuals. Example: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (Martin Luther King Jr.)
8.
E-book A digital version of a book that can be read on a computer or device. Example: The Birth of Mathematics by Michael J. Bradley, Ph.D.
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9.
Government Document A print or digital version of any document published by a government body, including bills, laws, census information, and more. Example: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
10. Image/Photograph Any type of digital image file (including photographs). BE CAREFUL: If you find an image in an image search (like Google Images), you need to make sure you track that image back to its original creator and/or home. Example: The Starbucks logo 11. Interview A formal or informal question-and-answer session normally between two people. Example: Richard Frost’s interview of Richard Nixon 12. Popular Magazine General audience periodicals intended to be read for enjoyment or information, and may include news articles, pop culture articles, advice and tips, and more. Example: Entertainment Weekly 13. Professional/Trade Journal A periodical for professionals who work in a specific trade or industry, and may include best practice articles, product reviews, job listings, and more. Example: Publisher’s Weekly 14. Reference (Dictionary, Encyclopedia, etc) A written work intended to be consulted for specific information on a topic or subject, rather than read from beginning to end. Example: Encyclopedia of World Religions 15. Social Media Any type of social media post. Example: The Twitter posts of J.K. Rowling 16. Transcript (Radio/TV) Written version of information presented in audio or video originally, such as a radio or television program. Example: A transcript of a CNN breaking news presentation 17. Video Any type of digital video file, including television, film, and live feeds. Example: The Civil War, directed by Ken Burns (Documentary) 18. Website Any type of page (or pages) on the Internet, ranging from professional to personal websites. Example: EasyBib (easybib.com)
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Evaluating Sources Once you have located potential sources, you need to evaluate them to find out if they meet the standards of academic research. Be a skeptic! Always stop and ask yourself if the source you found is as good as it seems. There is nothing worse than putting in the work to cite a source and pull information from it, only to find out later that it isn’t trustworthy. Remember: work smarter, not harder. A good (and memorable!) method for evaluating sources is called the CRAAP Test. You can apply this test to each source you find to determine if the source should be used. The test covers 5 main checkpoints: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Ask yourself the questions below each checkpoint:
CRAAP Test Checklist CURRENCY ● ● ● ●
When was the information published or posted? Has the information been revised or updated? Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic? Are the links functional? *WEBSITES*
RELEVANCE ● ● ● ● ●
Does the information relate to your topic/answer your question? Who is the intended audience? Is the information at an appropriate level (not too easy/not too difficult)? Have you looked at a variety of sources before choosing this one? Would you be comfortable using this source for a research assignment?
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AUTHORITY ● ● ● ● ● ●
Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given? What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations? What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic? Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address? Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? *WEBSITES*
ACCURACY ● Where does the information come from? ● Is the information supported by evidence? ● Has the information been reviewed or refereed*? *Reviewed/Refereed = Read and approved for publication by a panel of experts
● Can you verify any of the information in another source? ● Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion? ● Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?
PURPOSE ● ● ● ● ●
What is the purpose of the information? Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear? Is the information fact? Opinion? Propaganda? Does the point of view appear objective and impartial? Are there political, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?
A worksheet version of this evaluation method is available HERE. Feel free to print it out or Save as a Copy so you can use it!
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A Special Note on Google & Wikipedia Google Google is a search engine. It can be used to locate sources on the public Internet for personal research. Google uses algorithms to sort search results in a type of “popularity contest.” If your teacher allows you to use Google for academic research, keep this in mind: ● Google is a search engine, not a source. Google (or Google Images) can never be listed as a source. Think of Google as your tour guide instead of the exhibit. ● Google should be your last stop when doing academic research, not your first. Search academic databases, books, and e-books before you turn to Google. ● Use our tips in the previous pages to Google smarter. You can hack the “popularity contest” algorithms and get better results. ● Use the CRAAP Test to evaluate every source you get from Google. This test was made for websites so you can determine if they are reliable. Google does not care if they are reliable.
Wikipedia Wikipedia is an open source site, written and edited by users. Because anyone can make changes on it, the information is sometimes inaccurate. While Wikipedia may be a good place to get initial background information, it is not a reliable source of information for an academic research paper. The co-founder of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales agrees: “I would agree with your teachers that that isn’t the way to use Wikipedia. The site is a wonderful starting point for research, but it’s only a starting point, because there’s always a chance that there’s something wrong, and you should check your sources if you are writing a paper” (6). Read Wikipedia’s statement concerning the use of its site for research here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Academic_use
Our advice for using Wikipedia: Start there, don’t stop there. If you decide to use Wikipedia, scroll to the bottom of the article to see what it references and what resources it used. Follow those links! MPS Research Manual
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Step 3: Organize The third step is to organize information sources by filling in a Research Log or creating Source Cards. Ask yourself these questions: How do I manage the sources I choose? How do I properly cite these sources?
●
This is the first step in the RST (Research Simulation Task). We skip the first 2 steps because the sources are provided to you by your teacher.
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Organizing your sources is another way to work smarter, not harder. If you start organizing right away in your research assignment, you will be much less stressed later on.
●
For some research assignments, your teacher may ask you to begin creating your Works Cited page as you locate your sources. This allows you to do two steps at once (Locate and Organize).
This section will cover how to format a Research Log and Source Cards. It is ultimately up to your teacher which method you will use.
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Research Logs A Research Log is a worksheet that you can use to fill in information about each source you are going to use. The information you record is called bibliographic information, which means information about your source. Academic research requires more than just a title and author. It requires what is called a citation, which is built by collecting bibliographic information. If you have never created a citation on your own, it is a good idea to start with a Research Log so you understand the different parts of it: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Author (or Authors) Title of the Source (Article, Book, Video, Webpage, etc.) Publication Name (Anthology, Journal, Magazine, etc.) Database Name (Britannica School, Infobase World History, etc.) Page Numbers (If an article, book section, etc.) Volume/Edition/Issue Number (If an article or book) Copyright or Date Published/Created Website Title URL (Link to online source) Search Terms Used (Remember our advice in Search Tips?) Other Information (Anything else helpful to you!) Author Biography/Credentials (Who is it and why do you trust them?) Medium of Publication (Print, Digital, etc.)
Use a copy of the worksheet on the next page for each source are planning to use for your research assignment:
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Research Log
Today’s Date: ____________
SOURCE # ______ AUTHOR(S)
Research Location: _________________________
CALL # (if library book): _______________ TITLE OF SOURCE
PUBLICATION NAME
PUBLISHER
VOLUME, EDITION, OR ISSUE NUMBER
COPYRIGHT OR DATE PUBLISHED/CREATED
(Article, Book, Webpage, etc.)
DATABASE NAME
WEBSITE TITLE
PAGE NUMBERS
URL (DATABASE OR WEBSITE LINK)
OTHER INFORMATION TO HELP DOCUMENT SOURCE?
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SEARCH TERMS USED
MEDIUM OF PUBLICATION
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Source Cards Source Cards are another way to organize your information sources. You can use index cards to create your Source Cards, or you can fill in a Microsoft Word document or Google Doc. It is ultimately up to your teacher if you use Source Cards and how you should record them. Think of them as a step-up from the Research Log: when you create Source Cards, you need to format your bibliographic information as citations following the MLA formatting rules. We hear this question a lot: Why do we have to do this? Why does it matter how it’s formatted? The answer is this: We all need to play by the same rules when we are working on research assignments. MLA is the most popular set of rules to follow for Humanities and Arts subjects. If you decide to go to college, you might follow other types of research rules when working on assignments. History writers follow one set, science writers follow another set, and so on! We’ll show you the different parts of the Source Card on the next page.
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Parts of A Source Card
Citation format guidelines can be find in the MLA Citation Formats section of this manual. You can also check Purdue OWL or other MLA citation reference websites in our Online Resources section.
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Step 4: Synthesize The fourth step is to synthesize your source information by creating Note Cards. Ask yourself these questions: How do I extract information from each source? How do I put that information in my own words?
●
Now that you have chosen your sources, you need to read your sources (listen to them, watch them, etc.). Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can skip this step.
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Your teacher may ask you to select one or more direct quotes from each source. These are sections of text taken directly from the source and must be surrounded by quotation marks (“ ”).
●
Your teacher may ask to paraphrase one or more quotes from each source. We will explain how this differs from summarizing in this section.
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Your teacher may ask you to summarize one or more quotes from a each source. You may be asked to summarize the source as a whole if you create an annotated bibliography.
We’ll show you the different parts of the Note Card on the next page.
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Parts of A Note Card
On the next pages we will discuss how to summarize and paraphrase a source quote. Remember that a Note Card can be created for a direct quote, paraphrase, or summary.
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Direct Quotes Direct quotes are the text you copy directly from your source. You must include a parenthetical citation when you use a direct quote, or you will be plagiarizing. It is best to use direct quotes when: ● An idea is especially well-stated ● A passage is memorable ● The exact quotation is important due to literary/historical merit
How do you decide which quotes to choose? Here are some tips: 1. Go back to your thesis statement or main objective and choose quotes that support your argument or topic. Example: You are writing a paper about the French Revolution. You want to include a paragraph about the storming of the Bastille. Which quote would you use? 1. The Bastille had “eight towers, 100 feet high, linked by walls of equal height and surrounded by a moat more than 80 feet wide” (“Bastille”). 2. The Bastille was a “symbol of the despotism of the ruling Bourbon monarchy and held an important place in the ideology of the Revolution” (“Bastille”). Choose 2! The first quote might be informative, but you are not writing a paper about the architecture of the Bastille. It does not support your topic.
2. Choose powerful statements from your source. These are quotes that have impact on the reader. They are both informative and effective.
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Example: You are writing an argumentative paper about graffiti. Your argument is that graffiti is art. Which quote would you use? 1. Graffiti is a “democratizing art form that affords anyone, whether a trained artist or not, a vehicle for self-expression in public” ("Graffiti: Is graffiti art?"). 2. “Despite law enforcement efforts, graffiti is not likely to disappear” (“Graffiti: Is graffiti art?”). Choose 1! The first quote has much more impact than the second quote. You are making an argument about the positive aspects of graffiti, so use a quote that makes your argument strong.
3. Choose short and to-the-point statements. You normally want to pick single sentences and make the point in as little words as possible. Example: You are writing a literary analysis about the use of vision as a metaphor in To Kill A Mockingbird. Which quote would you use? 1. “Moreover, descriptions of physical eyes and references to shades of light metaphorically denote philosophical and social concerns the novel expounds and suggest Emerson's idea that we can truly see only with an unconquered eye”(Champion 237). 2. “Atticus wears glasses, cannot physically see well, yet he has insight and wisdom” (Champion 237). Choose 2! The first quote is too long and while it makes an interesting point, it does not do it succinctly. The second quote makes a similar point just as well and with much fewer words. TIP: You might choose the first quote to paraphrase so you can shorten it and put it into your words. See the next page!
Learn how to format Direct Quotations MPS Research Manual
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Paraphrasing Paraphrasing involves rephrasing the author’s original text into your own words and style. Paraphrases are usually shorter than the original text. You must include a parenthetical citation when you paraphrase, or you will be plagiarizing. When you paraphrase, you should capture the meaning of the author’s original words without using his/her language or sentence structure. Example Quotation: “For the vast majority of the world's inhabitants during this period, technologies of food production changed slowly and haltingly, if at all. Most people farmed in the way of their ancestors, using mostly human and animal labor and simple tools to produce enough for their own subsistence and, in class-based societies governed by states (the domain of most agriculturalists), to pay taxes.” (“Major Themes in World History, 1450-1750”). Paraphrase: During this time, most people continued to approach food production the same way that their ancestors traditionally did, including using human and animal labor and rudimentary tools, either purely for subsistence or, in some places, to pay taxes. This technology changed very slowly.
In some cases, you can include short quoted phrases from the original text in your paraphrases, but usually you want to avoid this.
TIP (from EasyBib): If you’re having trouble paraphrasing, try making a short list of the main idea(s) of the quote and words that relate to it. Build your paraphrase around these concepts and words!
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Summarizing Summarizing involves putting the main idea of a source into your own words, including only the main points. Summaries are much shorter than the original text and take a broad overview. You may write a summary of an entire source if you are creating an Annotated Bibliography, which is a list of citations of sources that includes a brief descriptive (or evaluative) paragraph about each source. These paragraphs are called annotations. Your teacher may ask you to create an Annotated Bibliography during the Locate or Organize steps of your research assignment. This shows your teacher that you have appropriately evaluated and read your sources.
Example Annotation: "Tulip Mania." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 23 Feb. 2007. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Tulip-Mania/73725. Accessed 18 Jul. 2017. This encyclopedia entry briefly discusses a phenomenon that occurred in Holland in the 17th century, in which the tulip flower became so popular that the prices of bulbs rose dramatically, and eventually crashed. This was a speculative phenomenon that led to many families and individuals becoming financially ruined. This source provides an excellent overview of the crisis to properly lead into a more detailed analysis of the financial aspects.
Learn how to format an Annotated Bibliography MPS Research Manual
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Step 5: Analyze The 5th step is to complete your research assignment. You must apply your analytical skills to your writing by properly structuring your paper based on your thesis statement (or main topic), incorporating your selected quotes and paraphrases, and following the proper formatting guidelines. Ask yourself these questions: How do I build a paper around my information? How do I analyze instead of summarize the topic?
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In order to structure your paper, your teacher may ask you to create an outline. You may also choose to create an outline for this or other assignments if you find it helpful.
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It is important to always include some form of analysis in your research assignment. Summaries are appropriate for annotated bibliographies, but your final product must do more than simply summarize.
This section will cover how to format an outline and what mistakes or misconceptions are common to writing assignments. Please note that your teacher is the best source of information when it comes to the writing process. You should seek assistance and feedback from your teacher as often as possible during this time.
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Outlines An outline allows you to map out the structure of your paper in an ordered fashion. This is helpful when you have a large amount of information, such as many source quotes and paraphrases, and you need to organize your ideas or see the relationships. There are 3 main types of outlines: 1. Topic Outline An ordered list of brief phrases or single words that are numbered or lettered to show the order and relative importance of your ideas. Note: Do not outline your introduction or conclusion, only your body paragraphs. Topic Outline Example (Oakton Community College) 2. Sentence Outline An ordered list in which each topic and subtopic is expressed in a single, complete sentence. Sentence Outline Example (Oakton Community College) 3. Documented Sentence Outline A sentence outline which incorporates parenthetical citation for information in the outline which comes from Note Cards. It follows the same format for a sentence outline.
It is ultimately up to your teacher if you create an outline and what type of outline you use. However, this is a good skill to learn for future writing assignments, including college-level writing. MPS Research Manual
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Common Mistakes Is it okay to use the first or second person? No. In formal research papers, avoid using the pronouns I, we, you, your, me, my and phrases such as: “You would think that...” “In my opinion...”
“I didn’t realize that...”
“I feel that...” “You might be surprised to know that . . .”
Can I refer to my paper while I am writing it? No. This is wordy and redundant. Avoid saying, “This paper will consider the three following works...” or “In this paragraph, the reader will learn that...”
When do I use the present tense? When do I use the past tense? Use past tense to talk about the biographical facts concerning an author or the publication of a literary work. Use the present tense to write about what happens in the literary work itself. Example: A Confederacy of Dunces was published posthumously more than 11 years after John Kennedy Toole committed suicide. The book traces Ignatius J. Reilly’s search for employment in New Orleans.
When should I use italics? The MLA Handbook recommends using italics with specific titles or when emphasizing specific works within the body of the paper.
MLA Format and Style Errors ● Make sure that your parenthetical citations and Works Cited citations are in the correct format.
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● Make sure that your margins, page numbers, headers, title format, font choice, font size, paper, and spacing are correct. Double-space everything but do not include extra space between any paragraphs or citations. ● Failing to introduce and attribute quotations, not just document them. Wrong:
“Journeys are the midwives of thought” (4).
Correct:
University of London philosophy professor Alain de Botton writes in his 2002 book The Art of Travel, “Journeys are the midwives of thought” (4).
● Remember to prove your thesis. Do not get bogged down in so much summary you forget to analyze the connections between ideas. Provide just enough summary that the reader knows the main points. Focus on developing your main point.
Grammar and Punctuation Errors ● Never use an apostrophe to create a plural. Example: heroes is the plural, hero’s is the singular possessive. Double-check for errors such as: "city's" for "cities," "dog's" for "dogs," and "TV's" for "TVs" haven't been committed. Remember, apostrophes indicate possession or contraction. They are never used for pluralizing nouns. ● Avoid using contractions Example: “it’s” is the contraction of “it is.” If the possessive form of "it" is required, "its" is the proper form. This is easy to remember since no possessive pronouns take the apostrophe: his, hers, theirs, yours, ours, its. ● Check to make sure you don’t use the homonym of the intended word. Example: there/they’re/their. If you avoid using the first and second one in your paper, you narrow your chances of making these errors. “There” is too vague in a research MPS Research Manual
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paper, and “they’re” is a contraction, which is too informal. All you have to worry about is the possessive “their.” Also watch out for the nasty to/too/two. Spell checkers do not catch this mistake! ● “A lot” is always two words. However, they are two words that can be eliminated from your writing a lot of the time. ● Words, phrases, or symbols to eliminate: ○ Starting sentences with “there” and “it” ○ The intensifiers “very,” “too, “really” or “extremely” ○ “I think,” “I believe,” “In my opinion” ○ Abbreviation ○ Contractions ○ etc. ○ & ○ + ● Comma Splices: Do not link two independent clauses together with a comma. Example: Jung believes that there is a collective unconscious, Campbell writes about the monomyth. Correction: Jung believes that there is a “collective unconscious”; Campbell writes about the monomyth. ● Do not insert a comma between an independent clause and a subordinate clause at the end of the sentence. Example: He believes that images had universal connections, because all cultures share a “collective unconscious.” Correction: He believes that images had universal connections because all cultures share a “collective unconscious.” MPS Research Manual
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● Remember, to put commas and periods before the quotation mark, not after it. ● If parenthetical citation is added to the sentence, the period goes after the documentation. Example: He believes that images had universal connections because all cultures share a “collective unconscious” (Jung 4). ● Sentence Fragments Make sure your sentences are complete (subject and predicate). Fragments often happen when you try to introduce examples or elaborations without linking the idea to the previous sentence. Example: Many works of literature have heroic journeys. For example, the Harry Potter series. Correction: Many works of literature have heroic journeys, for example, the Harry Potter series. ● Academic English Double check for inappropriate use of first or second person pronouns (i.e., "I," "Me," "Mine," "We," "Us," "Ours," "You" and "Yours") and slang language (e.g., "kids" when the word "children" is meant).
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Step 6: Evaluate The final step is to evaluate your completed assignment. Make time to think about how you approached each step of the research assignment, what worked and what didn’t work, and consider how you might improve your approach for the assignment. Ask yourself these questions: How well did I follow the first 5 steps? What can I do better next time?
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Your teacher may give you a rubric for your assignment. This is a good way to make sure you are meeting all the criteria while you are working. This will determine the grade you receive, but this evaluation is from your teacher.
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You should also do a self-evaluation to score, for yourself, how well you did on the assignment. This helps you make changes so you don’t repeat the same mistakes in future assignments.
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ReadWriteThink has a good example of a Research Assignment SelfEvaluation you can save and print for yourself: ReadWriteThink: Research Self-Assessment
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Be honest with yourself. Consider your grade, what comments your teacher left on your assignment, and where you know you may have cut corners or unintentional errors.
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MLA Format In this section we will show you the various MLA formatting guidelines you need to follow when completing your research assignment, including: citations (full and parenthetical), Works Cited page, Annotated Bibliography, manuscript, and quotes.
Citations Type of Source
Full Citation Format
Article/Short Story in an Anthology
Author’s Last Name, First Name. "Title of Work." Title of Collection, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, Page range of entry.
Parenthetical Citation Format (Author’s last name Page Number)
Artwork: Reproduction on the Web
Artist’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Year of creation. Name of Institution/Private Collection housing artwork, Location of Institution/Private Collection. Artist’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Year of Creation. Name of Institution/Private Collection housing artwork. Title of Print Source. Author/Editor’s First Name Last Name. Publisher, Year, Page/Plate Number. Artist’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Year of Creation. Name of Institution/Private Collection housing artwork. Title of Database or Website. Publisher/Sponsor of Database or Website. Date of Access.
Book: Single Author
Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
(Author’s Last Name Page Number)
Book: Two Authors
First Author’s Last Name, First Name and Second Author’s First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
(First Author’s Last Name and Second Author’s Last Name Page Number)
Book: Three or More Authors
First Author’s Last Name, First Name, et al. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
(First Author’s Last Name, et al. Page Number)
Artwork: Original Artwork: Reproduction in Print (Book)
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(Artist’s Last Name)
(Artist’s Last Name)
(Artist’s Last Name)
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Book: No Author Book: Editor or Translator and an Author Book: Editor or Translator but no Author Book: Group Author Correspondence: Email or Other Discussion Board/Group Posting
Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
(Title of Book Page Number)
Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Edited/Translated by First Name Last Name. Publisher, Publication Date.
(Author’s Last Name Page Number)
Last Name, First Name, editor/translator. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
(Editor/Translator’s Last Name Page Number)
Group Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
(Group Name Page Number)
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Correspondence/Subject of Email.” Received by Recipient’s First Name Last Name, Date Message Sent.
(Author’s Last Name)
Screen Name/Author Name (if available). “Posting Title.” Title of Site, Posting Date, Sponsor/Publisher of Site, URL. Date of Access.
(Author’s Last Name/Screen Name)
Drama (in Anthology)
Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Drama. Title of Anthology, edited/translated by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Publication Date, Page range of entry.
(Author’s Last Name Act #.Scene #. Line Range)
Encyclopedia Entry: No Author
“Title of Article.” Title of Encyclopedia. Edition, Publication Year.
(“Title of Article” Page number)
Title of Film. Directed by First Name Last Name, performances by First Name Last Name, First Name Last Name, Film Studio/Distributor, Release Year. Interviewee’s Last Name, First Name. Personal Interview. Date of Interview. Interviewer’s Last Name, First Name. Interview with Interviewee’s First Name Last Name. Title of Publication, Publication Day Month Year, Page range of entry.
Film/Movie Interview: Personal Interview: Published Journal Article: Online Database
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Publication Year, Page range of entry. Database Title, URL/DOI.
Magazine Article: Online Database
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, Publication Day Month Year, Page range of entry. Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, Publication Day Month Year, Page range of entry. Database Title, URL/DOI.
Newspaper Article or Editorial: Print
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Publication Day Month Year, Page range of entry.
Magazine Article: Print
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(Title of Film) (Interviewee’s Last Name) (Interviewer’s Last Name) (Author’s Last Name Page Number) (Author’s Last Name Page Number) (Author’s Last Name Page Number)
(Author’s Last Name Page Number)
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Newspaper Article or Editorial: Online Edition
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper Site, Publication Day Month Year, URL. Date of Access. “Episode Title.” Podcast Title from Podcast Sponsor/Publisher, Publication Day Month Year, URL. Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Anthology, edited/translated by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Publication Date, Page range of entry. Title of Text. Version/Edition, Publisher, Publication Year. Artist or Group’s Name. “Song Title.” Album Title, Recording Manufacturer, Publication Date. Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Speech.” Conference or Meeting Title, Sponsor Name, Speech Day Month Year, Venue, Location. Type of address (Keynote/Lecture/Presentation/Speech). “Episode Title.” Series Title, written by First Name Last Name, directed by First Name Last Name, Distributor Name, Distribution Date.
Podcast Poetry (in Anthology) Sacred Text Song Speech/Lecture Television Show Twitter or other Social Media Post Web Page: Professional with an Author
Screen Name/Author Name (if available). “Text of posting.” Title of Site, Posting Date, Posting Time, URL.
Web Page: Personal Page YouTube or other Online Video
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Web Page.” Title of Site. Sponsor/Publisher of Web Site, Date of Creation, URL/DOI. Date of Access. Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Web Page.” Title of Site. Date of Creation, URL/DOI. Date of Access. “Title of Video.” Title of Site, uploaded by Screen Name, Uploading Date, URL.
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(Author’s Last Name Page Number) (“Episode Title”) (Poet’s Last Name Line Range) May vary! (Chapter #.Verse #) May vary! (Artist Name) (Speaker’s Last Name) (“Episode Title”) (Author’s Last Name/Screen Name) (Author’s Last Name) (Author’s Last Name) (“Title of Video”)
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Works Cited Page The Works Cited page appears at the end of your research assignment. It should be the final page in a research paper. If you do not include this page, you are plagiarizing. On this page, you must list all the sources you used (quoted or paraphrased) in your paper. These entries must be in alphabetical order and correct MLA citation format. How to format your Works Cited page: ● ● ● ● ●
Use 1-inch margins on all sides Include the running header you formatted for your main paper Center the title Works Cited at the top Double space the entire page (between and within entries) Put all entries in correct MLA citation format
Example (MLA Style Center):
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Annotated Bibliography An Annotated Bibliography is an optional approach to organizing your sources, often done during the Locate or Organize steps as part of your source evaluation. We introduced this approach to summarizing earlier in the manual. How to format your Annotated Bibliography: ● ● ● ● ● ●
Use 1-inch margins on all sides Include the running header you formatted for your main paper Center the title Annotated Bibliography at the top Double space the entire page (between and within entries) Put all entries in correct MLA citation format Indent the annotation paragraph below its respective citation
Example (MTSU):
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Manuscript By Manuscript, we mean the main body of the actual research paper you are writing. You must following MLA formatting guidelines so that the appearance of the paper is correct. How to format your Manuscript: ● Use 1-inch margins on all sides ● Use a running header ½ inch from the top of the paper ○ Include your last name and the page number in the upper right corner ● Include in the upper left corner of the first page: ○ Your full name ○ Your teacher’s full name (beginning with Ms./Mrs./Mr.) ○ Your class name ○ The date (Day, Month, Year) ● Center the title of your paper at the top ● Double space the entire paper ● ½ indents to begin new paragraphs
Example (MLA Style Center):
1st Page ⇑
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Quotes When you include quotes in your paper, you must follow specific formatting guidelines. Prose (4 lines or less): Incorporate the quote into your text as normal. Include citation after closing quotation make and before the period. Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” wrote Charles Dickens of the eighteenth century (35).
Prose (more than 4 lines): Indent the quote ½ inch from the left margin and place parenthetical citation after the period. Do not use quotation marks. Example: At the conclusion of Lord of the Flies, Ralph, realizing the horror of his actions, is overcome by great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his entire body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (186)
Poetry (3 lines or less): Incorporate the quote into your text and use a forward slash ( / ) to indicate line breaks and double forward slash ( // ) to indicate stanza breaks. Example: The Tao te ching, in David Hinton’s translation, says that the ancient masters were “so deep beyond knowing / we can only describe their appearance // perfectly cautious, as if crossing winter streams. . .”
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Poetry (more than 3 lines): Indent the quote ½ inch from the left margin and place parenthetical citation after the period. Do not use quotation marks. Example: In Walt Whitman’s “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” the poet’s gaze sweeps across the nation from east to west like the sun: Lo, body and soul—this land, My own Manhattan with spires, and the sparkling and hurrying tides, and the ships, The varied and ample land, the South and the North in the light, Ohio’s shores and flashing Missouri, And ever the far-spreading prairies cover’d with grass and corn. (canto 12)
Drama (Short single character dialogue): Incorporate the quote into your text use a forward slash ( / ) to indicate line breaks. Include citation after closing quotation make and before the period. Example: Horatio says of the ghost: "And then it started like a guilty thing / Upon a fearful summons" (1.1.148).
Drama (More complex dialogue): Indent the quote ½ inch from the left margin and begin each character’s line with that character’s name in capital letters followed by a period (HAMLET.). Start the quotation following the name and indent all subsequent lines. Place parenthetical citation after the period. Do not use quotation marks. Example: HAMLET. A little more than kin, and less than kind. CLAUDIUS. How is it that the clouds still hang on you? (1.2.65-66)
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Research Glossary Annotated Bibliography A list of citations to research materials, including books, articles, or other documents. Each citation is followed by a brief descriptive paragraph and sometimes an evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the content, usefulness, and quality of the sources used in the research.
Annotation A descriptive and/or evaluative comment about a source. Descriptive: Briefly summarizes what the source is about. Evaluative: Briefly explains the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the source.
Attribution Giving information credit to a source; see Citing Authority.
Audience The person or people you intend to read the paper. Questions to ask about your audience: What does the audience already know about my topic? What do I need to define so the audience will understand my terms? What do I need to explain in more detail to give the audience a clearer picture of my main ideas? Can I assume my audience is familiar with the literary work or works about which I am writing?
Brainstorming Prewriting technique used to generate ideas.
Call Number The group of numbers or letters and numbers that help you locate a book on the shelf of the library.
Cause and Effect An organizational pattern used in writing; establishing a relationship between two or more things where there is a motive and a consequence.
Chronological Order An organizational pattern used in writing; traces an idea in time order from first to last, earliest to latest, or sometimes, for effect, from latest to earliest; sometimes called “time order.” Topic: Writing an essay I. Choose a topic II. Brainstorm ideas III. Write a final draft IV. Revise a final draft
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Citation Often referred to as “in-text” citations or parenthetical documentation; a note used after quotations and paraphrases that gives the author and page number of the source Document.
Citing Authority Incorporating information about the credentials of the authors you cited in your papers, usually through an appositive phrase following the first reference to the author in the text of your essay Example: Dr. Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor Emeritus of the Humanities at Yale University, says...
Cliché A word or expression used so often that it has lost its freshness and meaning. A good list of clichés to avoid (including that last sentence) is found at http://suspense.net/whitefish/cliche.htm.
Coherence Words or phrases (transitions) that make your ideas in the paper relate logically to each other.
Common Knowledge Any information that can easily be accessed from a number of sources, such as an author’s birth date.
Comparing/Contrasting An organizational pattern used in writing to compare two or more things; explains likenesses and differences; comparisons can be written two patterns of organization (block or point-by-point).
Conclusion The conclusion of a research paper is the last paragraph or paragraphs. The concluding paragraph is essential to the research paper; otherwise, the paper is incomplete. Do not merely reach the required length of the paper and stop writing. The paper must be taken to completion with a conclusion that reflects the thesis statement. A successful conclusion should: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Wrap up the ideas you have developed Follow logically from the rest of your composition Leave the reader with something to think about Restate the central idea (thesis) in a new way, reflecting the deeper understanding you have developed Make a generalization about the information you have presented, relating the topic to a larger context Make a prediction based on your understanding of the topic End with a quotation from someone discussed in the paper End with a question that leaves the reader something to think about
A conclusion should not: ● ● ● ● ●
Introduce new fact, opinions, or arguments Change the point of view by introducing the pronoun “I” Simply repeat the introduction Repeat the thesis verbatim Techniques for concluding a research paper Review and summarize the main points presented in the body
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Database A collection of logically stored information that can be accessed by computer.
Diction Choice of words and the level of formality of writing based on the kinds of words used.
Direct Quotation The exact replication of an author’s words; usually what is meant by quotation; see also indirect quotation.
Documentation Proper credit given to another author for words or ideas. Documentation must match in text and works cited.
Documented Sentence Outline A sentence outline which incorporates parenthetical documentation for information in the outline which comes from Note Cards. It follows the same format for a sentence outline.
Double-Space Double-space means to skip every other line. Do not hit return or enter at the end of the lines. This will cause the first word of the next line to be automatically capitalized on most word processing programs. Instead, format the paragraph line spacing to “double” for automatic double-spacing. This glossary entry is double-spaced.
Editing Reading carefully and changing mechanical errors in your paper. Editing is different from revising. Revising is making changes to improve the paper by rearranging ideas, omitting or adding information, refining the thesis and word choice. Editing is making corrections in the grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and typing errors in your paper. Editing is done throughout the writing process, but the final editing and proofreading process is done just before printing the final draft for submission.
Ellipsis ... Three spaced periods indicating that words from a direct quotation have been omitted. You are guilty of academic dishonesty if you use an ellipsis to change the intended meaning of a quotation.
Evidence Facts, examples, statistics, and expert testimony that are used to support claims.
Final Draft The final written product turned in for a grade.
First Draft Often called the rough draft; the first prose (not outline) format of the paper; used to discover the writer’s
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ideas and direction.
Format How the written product looks; includes headings, subheadings, type fonts, text, graphics style, page layout, and white space; often referred to as manuscript form.
Heading Caps The words in a title which must be capitalized in MLA format: the first word, the last word, and all principal words. Do not capitalize: articles, prepositions, conjunctions, or the infinitive “to”
Imprint Publishers sometimes group their books under "imprints." The publisher Simon and Schuster, Inc., for example, publishes under imprints such as Washington Square Books, Touchstone, Fireside, Free Press, and Pocket Books. If there is an imprint on the title page of your material along with the publisher's name, use the name of the imprint followed by a hyphen (no spaces) and the name of the publisher. Example: The Free Press-Simon and Schuster.
Indirect Quotation An indirect quotation is when the meaning but not the exact words of something someone spoke is referred to; often used when a writer does not remember the exact phrase but generally remembers a conversation’s gist. Quotation marks are not used with indirect quotations. Indirect quotations frequently begin with “that” or “if.” Example: He said that he believed the author intended the bird as a symbol of freedom.
Indirect Sources Sometimes you will find an important author quoted in a critical source you are using, but you do not have access to the source of the original quote. You must use the format for an indirect source. Also see “qtd. in.”
Integrated Quote To integrate a quotation properly within a paragraph, a good writer usually writes one sentence to introduce the quotation, a second sentence that includes the quotation, and a third sentence to comment on the significance of the quotation.
Introduction The structured paragraph or group of paragraphs used to begin a research paper; presents the background, purpose, and focus of the paper and summarizes the writer’s position in a thesis statement; often organized in a funnel shape with the most general ideas at the beginning and the most specific (the thesis) at the end.
Manuscript Form The way a finished paper appears on a page—margins, type size, font, pagination, spacing, types of ink and paper. MLA manuscript form is very specific about the appearance of research papers and Works Cited pages.
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Mechanics The elements of writing corrected in the editing/proofreading stage: some grammar errors, usage, punctuation, capitalization, spelling.
Medium of Publication The physical form of the information you are citing. MLA format now requires researchers to provide the medium of publication in all citations. Examples include: print, website, film, television, DVD, Youtube video, MP3
Modern Language Association (MLA) The professional organization that publishes the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. This handbook is the standard reference for documentation and writing format for research papers in languages, literature, and the humanities.
Note Card Contains the direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary of one main idea from a book, article, or other document you are using for your research paper
Order of Importance An organizational pattern used for writing; the ideas are organized from least important to most important or most important to least important. Some writers prefer to organize persuasive essays by starting with the most important reason and ending with the second most important. This structure buries the least important reason in the middle and leaves the reader with a strong reason. Order of Importance Topic: Reasons for choosing a career in the computer field I. Job availability (most important) II. Aptitude (second most important) III. Personal interest (least important)
Organization The way ideas are tied together to provide a logical order to a paper.
Outline A type of format for showing the relationships of major and minor ideas; an informal or formal way to organize your ideas in the planning stages of writing; outline formats include topic, sentence, and documented sentence.
Pagination Any system of numbering pages. In MLA style, the pagination follows this format: In the header, type your last name and insert # on the header format box. Make sure that you right justify. This process should paginate all of your pages. All pages including “Works Cited” follow this format and are numbered consecutively.
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Paragraph A unit of writing that generally has a stated topic sentence and develops one idea in support of the thesis.
Paraphrase A restatement of the author’s information in your own words and in your own style. A paraphrase is as long as or longer than the original text being paraphrased. Use a paraphrase as your basic note form unless you have a good reason to quote or summarize. All paraphrases, just like quotations, must be documented.
Parenthetical Citation A system for giving credit to authors and work for their words or ideas by writing the source and the page number in parentheses within the text of the research paper. All items that receive parenthetical citation in your research paper must have a corresponding citation on the Works Cited page.
Partial Quotations A word or a phrase from a speaker or a source rather than the full sentence; partial quotes must be enclosed in quotation marks and include documentation; often used when the full sentence may be too long or confusing but a few words are particularly worthy of including for support.
Research Question A question you will seek answers to as you conduct your research. Example: What elements of archetypal duality are represented by Cain and Abel?
Revision The making of changes in order to improve the paper by rearranging ideas, omitting or adding information, refining thesis and word choice. Revising is different from editing. Revising is making changes in order to improve the paper by rearranging ideas, omitting or adding information, refining the thesis and word choice. Editing is making corrections in the grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and typing mistakes in your paper. Revision is done in the middle stages of drafting between the first draft and the final draft. Avoid worrying too much about editing and proofreading during this stage because you are still changing content, organization, and sentences. Save editing and proofreading until later.
Scholarly Journal Journal used by scholars and recognized for its accuracy of information and depth of thought. Scholarly journals are considered the preferred source for literary research and analysis. Scholarly journals are often available electronically on EbscoHost.
Secondary Sources Writings and discussions about the primary sources, such as works of literary criticism found in books and journals.
Sentence Outline An outline in which each heading is expressed as a complete single sentence.
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sic [sic] is used to indicate the writer is aware of an error in the quoted source. The word immediately follows the indicated error and appears in brackets. Example: Smith concludes, “Huck’s treatment [sic] of Jim ruins Twain’s intended effect”
Site A site is a location on the Internet. Do not confuse this word with “cite.”
Spatial Order An organizational pattern in writing used to describe information in a logical sequence based on location (for example, top to bottom, east to west). Topic: Describing spring in the South I. Coastal areas II. Midland areas III. Mountain areas
Source The material you used to find the quote or paraphrase; may be primary or secondary. This must be documented.
Source Card (alternative to a Research Log) The publication information on your source written on an index card. Sometimes this is called a bibliography card. A Source Card contains: ● The bibliographic information ● A source location ● A source number ● A call number, if appropriate.
Source Location Information on a Source Card which tells where you found the source. Examples: the Millville High School Library Media Center, the Millville Public Library, EbscoHost, Google search engine keyword: archetype. The source location may also include a call number if appropriate.
Source Number Information on a Source Card written in the upper right-hand corner of the card and circled. Assign a different number to each source you find. You will use this number to refer to sources on Note Cards containing material from that source. This number will not appear in your paper.
Summary A brief restatement of an idea expressed in a source; a summary says the same thing in fewer and different words. Use a summary when a passage is too long to be effectively quoted or paraphrased. Both summaries and paraphrases are written in your own words, but a paraphrase is about the same length as the original
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while a summary is a much shorter condensed version of the original.
Thesis The controlling idea supported throughout the paper. A thesis has a premise and a conclusion. A thesis is not a statement of fact. Rather, it is a position supported by argument and evidence.
Topic Outline An outline of brief phrases or single words that are numbered or lettered to show the order and relative importance of your ideas.
Transitions Words or phrases that help bridge gaps from one idea or section of the paper to the next. Good writers embed transitions into their sentences and paragraphs to link one idea to the next seamlessly. Transitions hook sentences, phrases, words, and ideas together. Avoid “watch this” statements that call attention to your organizational structure. Beginning writers often number their paragraphs or ideas (First(ly)..., Second(ly)..., Third(ly)...). However, this calls attention to your organizational structure without showing your reader any logical link between the ideas. Avoid this type of transition. Also avoid: In this paper (paragraph) I will..., in this paper (paragraph) the reader will learn..., In conclusion...
Unity Arrangement of ideas and support within a paragraph and within an entire essay so that each contributes to the defense of the thesis.
Working Thesis The draft thesis a writer uses to begin writing the assignment; often develops from the research question; this thesis changes as the writer revises the draft to make it final.
Works Cited A page at the end of the paper alphabetically listing all sources used in the paper— without this page you are plagiarizing.
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Online Resources MLA Formatting and Style These resources will assist you with MLA formatting and citation: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ https://style.mla.org/formatting-papers/
Quotations These resources will assist you in using and formatting quotes: http://web.ku.edu/~edit/quotes.html
Thesis Statement Help These resources will assist you in creating a strong thesis statement: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/ http://www.easybib.com/guides/students/writing-guide/thesis-statements/ http://www.easybib.com/guides/how-to-write-a-strong-thesis-statement/ http://www.shmoop.com/video/how-to-write-a-killer-thesis-statement https://youtu.be/6n0f_bR5aoc (Writing Ninjas: How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement)
Thesis Statement Builders These resources offer an interactive tool to assist you in building your thesis statement:
https://awc.ashford.edu/writing-tools-thesis-generator.html http://johnmcgarvey.com/apworld/student/thesiscreator.html
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Works Cited Bowen, Jillian, Joanne Dirring, Monica Dorner, Greta Jackson, Shery Kearney, Ann Richardson, and Cheryll Thompson-Smith. "Fayette County Schools Research Paper Survival Guide." Fayette County Board of Education. Fayette County Board of Education, Nov. 2011. Web. 07 July 2017. Handel, Randolph. MLA Style for Online Resources. n.d. Web. 27 June 2007. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 8th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2016. Print. Wales, Jimmy. "10 Questions." Time 2 Apr. 2007: 6. Print.
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