A brief summary about the main ideas about writing a research paper.

1. Research Paper Basics

2. What is a Research Paper?
• A research paper is an expanded essay that
presents your own interpretation or
evaluation or argument

3. Research Papers: What You Really
Should Know about It

4. First Thing to Remember about
Research Papers
• Research paper writing requires more than a
recitation of learned facts with the most
important element of a good research paper
being the author's own analysis of researched
information in a topic context.

5. • a real research paper is your own thoughts
based on your thorough analysis of what you
previously knew and what you managed to
research about your topic

6. A good research paper should contain:
Argument
Thesis
Introduction
Paper body
Quotes

7. Types of research projects

8. RESEARCH PAPER STEPS
STEP 1.
STEP 2. FIND STEP 3. STATE
CHOOSE A
INFORMATION YOUR THESIS
TOPIC
STEP 4. MAKE STEP 5. STEP 6. WRITE
A TENTATIVE ORGANIZE YOUR FIRST
OUTLINE YOUR NOTES DRAFT
STEP 7. REVISE
STEP 8. TYPE
YOUR OUTLINE
FINAL PAPER
AND DRAFT

9. What is an Outline
• An outline is a general plan of the material
that is to be presented in a speech or a paper.
The outline shows the order of the various
topics, the relative importance of each, and
the relationship between the various parts.

10. Example:
Examples
Topic Outline
Choices in College and After
Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses, depend on larger questions I am beginning
to ask myself about my life’s work.
I. Two decisions described
A. Art history or chemistry
1. Professional considerations
2. Personal considerations
B. A third year of French?
1. Practical advantages of knowing a foreign language
2. Intellectual advantages
3. The issue of necessity
II. Definition of the problem
A. Decisions about occupation
B. Decisions about a kind of life to lead
III. Temporary resolution of the problem
A. To hold open a professional possibility: chemistry
B. To take advantage of cultural gains already made: French