|
Worldcat.org -- help writing citations How to get to this page on the Internet
|
 In doing research that results in a research paper, you diligently search for information that pertains to a focused topic. The purpose of writing a research paper is to show that you know how to search for and identify quality information resources. In producing the paper you show that you have learned concepts about topics that pertain to the course, that you have applied critical thinking skills to framing arguments, and that you are able to clearly formulate and communicate your thoughts. Here are some suggestions and resources to help you write a research paper.. Set work schedule/timetable -- Map out the time period you have to research and to write your paper. Schedule where you want to be with what activity and when. It's good to write down your final due date and work backwards to today. Identify general topic and begin research work -- Your instructor may assign you your research topic. Or, your assignment may be to write, with supporting evidence, a certain type of paper, e.g., an argumentative essay or informative paper. For the purposes of this guide, we'll talk about the research process in general and will use a subject of recent interest -- "cyberbullying." Cyberbullying is the use of computers, social-networking sites and other technology to threaten or humiliate others. It's especially prevalent among teenagers. Read to narrow topic -- Once you have your general topic in mind, you want to identify background information to help you decide which aspect of the subject will be your focus. To find initial background information on your topic, here are some strategies:
It is best not to worry too much at first whether you have picked the perfect general topic. Once you learn more about it, you will invaribly get interested in a more narrow focus. When that happens, the research paper becomes your very own. Define your arument -- For many papers, developing a thesis is important. The thesis is your statement of your controlling idea about your topic. One approach to developing a thesis is to: 1) identify an issue; 2) ask a question; and 3) come up with a position. For the topic of cyberbullying, the sequence of those steps might look like this: 1) Identify an issue, for example: In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labeled cyberbullying (which it called "electronic aggression") an "emerging public health problem." Although cyberbullying mostly originates off campus, it affects relationships at school. 2)Ask a question, for example: Is cyberbullying a significant enough problem that schools should be able to regulate this behavior, even though it originates off campus? 3) Come up with your thesis (your position), for example: Although out-of-school speech is constitutionally protected, new legal rights must be developed for school authorities so that they can respond to off-campus speech that endangers student safety and well-being. Research and notetaking -- The next step is to explore books, periodical articles, and other materials on your topic. Citation style -- When you research, keep track of the facts and opinions you will use in your paper by noting down where you got them. Consistent, accurate documentation is critical to good research. Get used to noting down sources as you use them. Click for citation guides. See bottom of this page for help writing citations for books and periodical articles. Draft working outline -- As you go along, do an informal outline to organize the main ideas, major and minor details, you want to use to develop and support your thesis or arguments. In addition, outlining helps you present your ideas in a logical order. Continue research and notetaking, refine your thesis and write first draft -- From your reading you should be ready to rewrite your thesis statement into a clear, brief sentence that precisely focuses your paper. Your draft should be a well-crafted combination of direct quotations, idea summaries, paraphrased ideas—all properly credited. Your originality will shine through in the way your organize the information and express your thoughts. In fact, the very flow of your ideas will flesh out your argument. If often helps to think of the paper as structured in four parts, plus the list of references.
The key to good
writing is rewriting. Have someone, like a friend or
a tutor, read your draft. Lastly: edit, format and proofread once more.
You can use Google Books to look up chapters in books about researching and writing papers. Here are some suggestions:
Also available in the Cabrillo Library's electronic book collection is The Research Project: How to Write It -- Routledge Study Guides; 5th Ed. by Berry, Ralph. London Taylor & Francis Routledge, 2004. To get to the NetLibrary ebooks:
Worldcat.org is a catalog of library catalogs and databases. Go to it and look up a book or periodical article. It will identify where your book or article is in a nearby library. It will also show you how to cite that item -- in five different styles! Here, I am searching Worldcat.org for the book Frequently Asked Questions about Cyberbullying --Notice how you can put in your ZIP code. What appears, then, following the ZIP code you put in, is a list of libraries closest to that ZIP code that have the book.
When I click on Cite this Item, I get this:
Worldcat.org also has information about many periodical articles, for which you can use the "Cite This Item" button. Here, for example, is a citation for an article about cyberbullying published in Psychology in the Schools.
How to get to this page on the Internet
Based in part on Steps to Writing a Research Paper at http://www.rio.maricopa.edu/distance_learning/tutorials/study/research.shtml3/07 T.N. Smalley rev. 5/08 |
