Research Issues 101

I have heard your extensive moans and criesSo now it’s time to breathe and dry your tears

Here comes a list of issues for your eyesI hope this helps alleviate your fears

Top 10 Issues• Finding sources• Finding enough info for page requirement• Making an outline/notecards• Organization• Thesis statement• Separating research and argumentative

writing• Transitions• Staying on topic• MLA• Waiting until the last minute

Finding Sources

• Go back to sources sheet

• General search• Narrow, specific• Website endings• Trustworthy

Finding Enough Information

• Broad topics• Again,

narrow• Does it

match?• Multiples

Making an Outline/Notecards

• Similar to analysis outline

• Step-by-step• Easy organization• Ideas/quotations

• One idea at a time• Mixture of quotes

and paraphrase• Separation by color

Organization

• Detailed guidelines• Something different

daily• Outline• Narrow topic• Freedom• Mrs. Garrison!

Thesis Statement• Go back to organization• What generality do you want your

reader to know?• Claim about your topic• Include all the major points

EX: Joseph Mengele, a mad scientist in reality, used the helpless inmates at Auschwitz to fulfill his diabolical scientific interests and to further the agenda of the Third Reich.

Research vs. Argument

• Pure facts• Some commentary• No bias• Take the pieces and make a

puzzle• Offer interpretation• Not trying to persuade

Transitions

• Glue• Connections• Bridges

• ContinuationExample: Amy Tan became a famous author after her novel, The Joy Luck Club, skyrocketed up the bestseller list.There are other things to note about Tan as well. Amy Tan also participates in the satirical garage band the Rock Bottom Remainders with Stephen King and Dave Barry.Revision: Amy Tan became a famous author after her novel, The Joy Luck Club, skyrocketed up the bestseller list.Though her fiction is well known, her work with the satirical garage band the Rock Bottom Remainders receives far less publicity.

Staying on Topic

• THESIS• One piece at a time• What is this paragraph about?• Flow• Where the outline comes into

play• Main idea, supporting points,

evidence

MLA/Formatting

• Easybib• Purdue OWL• Citationmachine.net• Heading• Works Cited• In-text citation• Mrs. Garrison’s Wiki!!

Waiting Until the Last Minute

• Pieces along the way• Not 100% possible• Don’t do that• Seriously, don’t• Your own fault• Fail• Major grades