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THE RESEARCH ESSAYINVESTIGATION AND DOCUMENTATION

+WHAT IS A RESEARCH ESSAY?

It can be similar to an argumentation essay in the way it’s written – you will prove your thesis, which will have an argumentative and persuasive angle, through copious details and evidence

It can also be written to inform - that is, it doesn’t have to prove an argument, but rather it can inform the readers about a specific topic. It will still have a central thesis, which will be bolstered/supported through copious details and evidence

A research essay ALWAYS uses documented source material to illustrate ideas. That is, you must CITE your sources throughout the paper, and include a citations page at the end of the research project.

+ WHY DO WE USE CITATIONS?

A citation doesn’t have to be a dirty word – something that you receive from a cop when you drive too fast!

A citation in a research paper simply keeps us honest in our research. We attribute the ideas that we investigate to the people who wrote them. That’s harmless, no?

We cite because otherwise, it’s plagiarism –presenting someone else’s words/ideas as our own. That’s pretending.

We also cite because it shows that we used valid sources, which lends us credibility as writers

Finally, we cite because readers then have a tangible source to investigate the topic further, if desired

+ TAKE NOTE: TAKING NOTES You may find it useful to take notes on index cards, which can

group topics and sources logically. If you use this method, you can label the cards with topics in order to more easily sort them/use them.

You can also take notes on paper– try to have a logical sequence, at least, or a way to categorize your topics

If you take notes on your computer, owing to the ease of transfer to your essay, make sure to have a back up, and of course make sure that if you “copy and paste” from the notes, that you use your own wording, UNLESS you are quoting, in which case you use the correct format for quotations.

The most important thing to remember is: record bibliographic information for each source you use – source name, page number, etc.

+NARROWING TOPICS

Let’s practice narrowing topics, so that they have a persuasive or informative angle:

Immigration policy in the United States

The evolution of rap and hip hop

Healthcare in the United States

Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam

Women in the visual arts

+DEVELOPING THESIS STATEMENTS

Again, we develop thesis statements in research essays to be narrow and specific.

*Let’s say we are writing about Malcolm X, the revolutionary black leader. Entire books have been written about him, so we want to focus on a specific angle about his life. Perhaps we want to show how Malcolm X’s time in prison helped shape him. After all, Malcolm had plenty of time to read and write while he served his years in prison. Write a thesis statement about this topic.

*Or perhaps we want to write about women in the visual arts. The problem is, that’s a hefty topic that could take thousands of pages to write about. Write a thesis statement that is sufficiently narrow for this topic.

+PARAPHRASING VERSUS SUMMARIZING

Paraphrasing is what we do to re-state an author’s words into our own words. It differs from a summary (which is usually shorter and more to the point) in that a paraphrase mimics the author’s original sequence and retains the significant details. Write a paraphrase, and then a summary, of the following paragraph:

Common and John Legend performed their rap-gospel duet, “Glory,” at the 2015 Oscar Awards to a rousing standing ovation. The song was created for the motion picture, “Selma,” and its lyrics are a call to action regarding the need for further work in the realm of civil rights, as evidenced by racial tensions between cops and African-Americans in places like Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUZOKvYcx_o

+ USING QUOTATIONS EFFECTIVELY

When we use an author’s text word-for-word, we MUST use quotation marks – otherwise, it is plagiarism. Here are two examples of how we can weave in quotations into our research paper. Note the use of quotation marks, attribution, and page number.

*Blue cheese may have a pungent smell, but it has nutritional values, as well. “Blue cheese is rich in nutrients, “ says John Blue Queso, Founder of the Blue Cheese Society. “It is a good source of Vitamin D, for one.” (Blue Cheese Revolution 461).

*“Blue cheese reeks,” wrote Jane Roquefort. But, she said, it is tasty and nutritious (Blue Cheese Revolution 480).

+Paraphrase/Summary/Quotations: Weaving It All In Your research essay should be a smooth synthesis of

paraphrase/summary/direct quotations from your sources, plus your own ideas.

Paraphrase ideas where you want to retain the original order and all the main ideas.

Summarize ideas where you want to omit some points and shorten the length of what is said.

Quote remarkable statements, ones that bolster your points, and that grab attention. (“I don’t like blue cheese,” said a cheese detractor, is NOT an effective quotation)

Weave in your own ideas and personal experiences, when appropriate

+MLA CITATIONS WITHIN YOUR ESSAY When paraphrasing or summarizing from a source, the

author’s last name and page number appear directly after in parentheses before the period:

Dr. Seuss began as a political cartoonist for adults, before realizing his talents as a children’s author (Ross 247).

When paraphrasing or summarizing from a source where you mention the author’s name, only cite the page number in parentheses before the period:

According to writer A. Ross, Dr. Seuss began as a political cartoonist for adults, before realizing his talents as a children’s author (247).

+MLA CITATIONS:

WORKS CITED PAGE Books with one author:

Author last name, author first name. Title of book. City of publisher: Publisher name, date published. Medium of publication (print).

Books with two or more authors:

Author last name, author first name and second author full name. Title of book. Publisher: City of publisher, date published. Medium of publication.

Electronic source – webpage:

“Title of the work within the website.” Title of the website. Date of publication. Medium of publication (webpage). Date of access.

+WHAT WILL YOUR ESSAY LOOK LIKE? IT WILL CONTAIN: At least three sources: One MUST be a book, one MUST be a

reputable webpage (NO WIKIPEDIA); the third source is your choice

A minimum of 900 words/maximum of 1200 words

Double-spacing/12-point Times New Roman font

A catchy, to-the-point title

A heading that includes Name/Date/Research Essay

MLA in-text citations throughout

At least two direct quotations, used in the correct format

One quotation must be three to five lines, correctly formatted

MLA Works Cited page

Notes you used to prepare your essay

+KEY TEXTBOOK

PAGES TO CONSULT

Your textbook is a FANTASTIC resource. You are required to use it for all papers in this class, and most especially for the research paper, as there is too much ground to cover in class for this epic essay. As always, I am available for assistance to clarify the instructions in your textbook:

Notes/Quotations/Paraphrasing and Summarizing: Pages 389-391

Incorporating Sources: Pages 392-393

Avoiding Plagiarism: Page 394

MLA Citations: Pages 399-412

+TOPIC SELECTION AND PRACTICE

Turn to pages 301 and 302. There is a list of topics for Argumentation essays. You may choose one of those topics for your Research Essay, or use them as a jumping off point for your own topic. You may also develop your own topic without consulting that list. The important thing at this point is to begin thinking critically about topics that you want to choose. Of course, I, the instructor, will need to approve your topic before you begin your essay.

On page 303, answer at least three of the questions about your preferred topic, and I will consult with you on it. You will need to turn this in as part of your essay.