WHAT IS A RESEARCH PAPER? 

 What is a Research Paper?   It is a thesis driven exploration of thoughtful reading on a particular subject.  The reading material may come from several sources.

What is the purpose of a research paper?    The purpose is to find and compile data, to participate in an exploration of the data, to make original observations, to show relationships between data, and to make evaluations on a subject.

Where do I begin?  Start with your primary sources.  These sources may include experiments, surveys, or interviews; notes form field research; works of art or other objects you examine; works of literature; eyewitness accounts; and historical documents.

So I'm reading the texts. What do I do now?  Begin to form your thesis; that is, take a position or stand.  It is the reason for writing the paper, the organizing idea.  You may wish to explain, argue, or justify.

What do I do next?  Research additional sources, to help support your thesis.  Look in books, magazines or journal articles, newspapers, online journals and web sites.  Locate facts or ideas which help explain, clarify, add additional information or evidence to your main point.  Make sure you understand the criteria for substantiating the authenticity of web site content.  An .edu site is a good place to start.

How should the paper be formatted?  Work with APA style.  These styles give specific directions so that you mayacknowledge each idea referenced.  Additionally, the documentation guidelines will tell you how to reference each borrowed idea in the body of your paper, and how to prepare the final page, theWorks Cited or References page. Refer to a grammar handbook, or visit the LRC Writing Center Online, or type MLA or APA in a Web search engine such as Google, to locate guidelines.

How do I cite my additional sources?    Let’s use Mendeley ;)

Do I write in first, second or third person?  Generally, a research paper is written in third person; however, some projects may require a first or second person style.

A final point:  You are not locked into your original thesis.  As you collect information and, even during the process of writing the paper, you may discover new knowledge that will modify or alter your original thesis; it's okay to change it.

A research paper is not "about" a subjectA research paper should have a thesis -- a clear point of view. It is not simply a generalized discussion of an issue.

A research paper is not a summary of everything you can findYour goal is not to collect everything you can find out about a subject and

summarize it. Although you should review as much material as possible, you should select sources that directly support your thesis.

A research paper is not a list of quotesThe focus of your paper is your point of view, your commentary. Direct quotations, facts, and statistics may be woven throughout your paper, but they should support your position. Your commentary should do more than simply introduce or link quotations.

A research paper does not support a pre-conceived point of viewLooking up facts that support what you already believe is not genuine research. You should examine evidence then form an opinion.

A research paper does not present the ideas of others without documentationResearch papers must use documentation methods to prevent you from plagiarizing sources. Do not borrow ideas, statistics, or facts without noting their original source.

A research paper, no matter what the subject, must achieve specific goals:

A research paper meets the needs of the assignmentMany instructors give specific requirements for research papers, detailing topics, use of sources, and documentation methods.

o Make sure you fully understand the scope of the assignment.o Keep the needs of the assignment in mind as you work on your

paper. Constantly refer to the instructor's guidelines to keep your research on track.

A research paper has a clear focusThe more narrow you make your subject, the easier your paper will be to write. It is better to write about one character in a novel or a play than attempt to comment on an entire work. It is easier to focus on one treatment for a single psychiatric disorder than trying to address mental health.

A research paper has a clear thesisA research paper must express a point of view, not simply report on the ideas of others. The focus of the paper is not the views of others but your opinions and interpretations.

A research paper comments on the quantity and quality of sourcesA research paper does not simply summarize and present the ideas of others. A good research paper distinguishes between reliable and biased sources, between authoritative and questionable statistics, between fact and opinion.