Norwood High School

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Writing A Research Paper

Writing a research paper is a step-by-step process.  If
you follow the guidelines below, you will be off to an
excellent start.  Remember that steps may overlap, and 
that half the battle is selecting a topic that is of interest
to you.  If you are assigned a topic, find an aspect of the
topic that has meaning for you.  You will be amazed at
how much more interesting your work will become.

Basic Steps
From Cambridge Rindge and Latin a terrific guide
to conducting research.

Big Six Research Steps
The research steps that are used in all of the Norwood Public Schools.
© 2000 by Tom Albrecht 

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)*
Over 200 free resources including:

• Writing and Teaching Writing
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*Copyright © 1995-2011 by The Writing Lab, The OWL at Purdue, the English Department, and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

A Research Guide for Students
Covers every aspect of writing a research paper or working
on a research project.  From http://www.findingdulcinea.com/

Suggested Research Topics
Here's a list of possible research topics in which you might be
interested.  Also, look at encyclopedias, almanacs, timelines,databases

such as SIRS Issues or to get ideas. 

Where to Find Information:  Source Material

There are so many sources available.  Part of being
an excellent researcher is selecting the best sources.
Examine the source critically;  does it answer the questions
you have.  Who wrote the information?  Credentials?  When
was the material written? Why was it written? Is the infor-
mation relevant to your topic and the guidelines of the paper?
Does the source present another aspect of your topic that you
should examine? 

Destiny Catalog   
Books, CDs, DVDs, ebooks, Playaways.  Select Norwood High School. 
The default (what the program automatically goes to) is Keyword.
Ebooks are available at home;  read them online. 
Check off sources of interest and create a working bibliography and
save it to your folder and thumb drive.  You can also print it.
Check Destiny Catalog websites, too.  

NHS Library Databases 
Available 24/7 databases covering hundreds of topics.  Trying to find
a research topic?  Try SIRS Issues Researcher. 

Other Library Catalogs  
Morrill Memorial Library and Virtual Catalog. Use your NHS ID to apply for
a public library card at the public library located at 33 Walpole Street. 
Apply for a Boston Public Library ecard and access their 200+ databases for free. And Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has free digital collections.

Evaluating Websites

Evaluating Web Sites
Learn the A, B, C, D of web site evaluation, and you'll
always be set.  From Widener Library.
Copyright © 2011 President and Fellows of Harvard College

Evaluating Websites
Clear.  Easy to follow.  What should you ask yourself
before using a web site in your research paper.
©2011 Multnomah County

Taking Notes and Good Writing

You have found excellent sources, so you're ready to
take notes.  Whichever system you use, paper, online,
or a combination of the two, be sure that you have in-
cluded identifying information on each card.  You want
to easily be able to organize your material.

Note Taking and Avoiding Plagiarism
An excellent guide from John Woods Community College
Library in Illinois.  Very clear and concise.

Taking Notes from Research Reading 
It's not magic.  Take good notes and label them.  You're more than
half way to an excellent product.
University of Toronto

Protect Yourself Against Plagiarism
You have to cite any information you use from any source.
That includes using music in your power point presentation
or the person you interview.  What is plagiarism?  Well, it
can be tricky.  It is certainly more complicated than just
not using someone's exact words.  Check out at least one of
these sources.

_{Dr. Cite Right}  
Be prepared to laugh and learn.

Now Showing  Plagiarism Video 
Be prepared to laugh and learn even more.
Rutgers University

Purdue Owl  -  Is It Plagiarism Yet?
Purdue University

Expository Writing 

Guide to Grammar and Writing 
Any question that you could have about grammar, the writing process,
presentations - the answers are here.

Writing the Works Cited Page and In Text Citations  

EasyBib
Just plug in the correct information - bibliography and citations.  Create a personalized
account, and you will be able to access your work 24/7.

KnightCite

Just plug in the source information to create your footnotes.
Maintained by Hekman Library at Calvin College.

MLA Citation Examples
Don't understand what citing is?  You will.
U. of Maryland University College

Purdue Online Writing Lab – MLA Formatting and Style Guide 
Anything you need to know about MLA formatting and the research paper is here.
Purdue University

Purdue Online Writing Lab - APA Formatting and Style Guide
Anything you need to know about MLA formatting and the research paper is here.

Getting Permission
Just what it says and shows you what to do.

Sharing Your Work

Sharing your work is an important element of the process.  Besides a written paper, will you be creating a power point presentation?  an online poster?  a dramatic presentation?
Will you be presenting as a group?

Tech Tools

Evaluating Your Work 

Take time when the project is completed to evaluate your
experience in writing your paper.  Which steps were easiest
for you?  Which steps were more difficult?  Were you able to
find detailed information about your topic?  Did you need better sources?  Did you know how to find the best resources?

When you write your next research paper, which steps will you
approach differently?  Where do you need to allot more time?  

If you need help in a particular area, ask for help.   Like most
projects in life, you can improve by realistically looking at your
work, recognizing where you need to improve, and then taking
steps to improve by studying, practicing, asking for direction,
and maintaining focus on what you want to achieve.