Steps in Writing a Research Paper

Single most important skill – 3 steps: 1. Read what is in the article, book, or other source 2. Process it mentally 3. Use it in your own writing in a legitimate way

Step 1. Read the article, book, or other source: * If it is a brief article, read the entire article. * If it is a web source, check the author, organization, URL for .org or .edu, and other steps for evaluating the web source as listed in Writer’s Reference, page 355. * If it is a scholarly article, use the steps in the handout “On Reading a Scholarly Article”.

Step 2. Process it mentally:

First Reading

* Read (skim) through each source a first time for the big ideas. Take notes in the margin as you read. Note the main topics or ideas that relate to your research question. * After completing your reading, put the article aside and write a summary of the article that reflects the author’s findings or main points. * Review your margin notes from each source to find common themes or ideas. * Begin to analyze your sources to develop an outline based on the common ideas. Put aside sources that don’t help develop your paper. * Search for additional sources that relate to your outline of ideas.

Step 3. Use it in your own writing in a legitimate way – Three ways to use material from a source:

* Summarize – Write a few sentences or short paragraph that summarizes the main points of the article. * Paraphrase – Write the ideas in a particular section of the article in your own words. * Quote – Use this sparingly, but quote when appropriate to include the exact words of the author.

Second Reading

* Read through each source a second time. You may want to highlight significant sections of the source as you read so you can easily go back to verify that you have the information correct and haven’t plagiarized. You might want to use different color markers to highlight different topics that you will be covering in your paper. * Take notes as you read, using note cards or a sheet of paper. Note the author(s) and year at the top of the paper. Note the key idea in the left margin and record the information from the source that you want to include in your paper. You may want to use a notecard for each topic area from each source. Always note the page number in the left margin as you take notes so you can refer back to the source later. * Be careful to summarize or paraphrase as you take notes. This is a critical step. You are reading what the author is saying and making sense of it so you can understand it well enough to put it in your own words. Note the page number in the left margin so you can go back to check information. * If you want to record a quotation, make sure to use the exact words and write down the page number. Remember that you want to use quotations sparingly. Use a quotation when a particular sentence or two can’t be said any better than the original author. * Record statistics carefully and also note the page number.

Outline or Concept Map

1. Using your notes of your sources, find the common ideas that are covered in your sources. 2. Develop note cards or sheets of paper with those common ideas at the top. 3. Write down the key concepts from each article or source that fall under each of those common idea headings. 4. Think through the best order of your key ideas that will develop your paper in a logical order. 5. Develop an outline or concept map that illustrates the connection of your ideas and guides you in the development of your paper. 6. Note the authors that you will be citing under each heading to help you in writing. 7. Note that these topic headings can be the headings to structure your paper.

Review your Research Question

Does your outline or concept map clearly address your research question? Is your research question narrow, challenging, and grounded in facts?

Write your Thesis Statement

A thesis, which usually appears at the end of the introduction, is “a one-sentence (or occasionally a two-sentence) statement of your central idea." The articles and other sources you read presented the current state of research on your topic and addressed your central research question. Your thesis then presents “your informed, reasoned answer to your research question” (Hacker, 2011, p. 445).

Your draft thesis statement will present your position on your research question with your best educated guess of what the research will show in answering your question. Your thesis may be revised as you gather information and see new ideas develop. Your final thesis statement also serves as a map of your paper indicating the main ideas you will address.

Reference Information

Be certain that you have all the necessary information on each source to create your reference list. Check the “Information for a working bibliography” on page 360 in A Writer’s Reference to check that you have all the necessary information on your sources.