research paper guide 8th grade

8/4/2019 Research Paper Guide 8th Grade

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Dear Students and Learning Coaches,

Semester B opens with one of our most challenging and engaging projects of the

year; the Research Paper. This project will involve many hours of research,

planning, and drafting outside of what you may normally do in the school day.

Please expect to spend extra hours and weekend time working on this paper. It may

also be necessary to plan a trip to your local library for material.

Your FLVSCA Language Arts teachers have created a guide to help support youthrough this process. Attached you will find a step-by-step resource to help you

with your paper. If you are familiar with the research process or just want a quick

overview, please refer to our10 Simple Steps to Writing Your Research Paper.

The CA curriculum mentions that you need to start the research paper, but then

does not include it in any lessons until the day the draft is due. This surprises many

students because they werent reminded to work on their drafts on a daily basis.

Please follow these steps to stay on track:

1) Open up your planner and click on month view. Make a note of whenLanguage Arts 8 B- Writing Workshop Part 2: Research Report (3)appears on the planner. This is the day you first draft is due.

2) Create a custom event on every day in your planner between now and thedue date reminding you to be working and researching. You can do this by

clicking on the green plus sign in the upper left hand corner of the calendar

day.

3) Begin work immediately on your paper. Please use this suggested timeline:Day One- Choose Topic, Brainstorm, Research Questions

Day Two- Day Five- Find Sources, Note-Taking

Day Six- Outline and Thesis

Day Seven- Draft paper

You will find a guide to each of the steps mentioned above in the following

packet. As always, your Language Arts teacher is just a phone call or email away to

answer any questions you may have.

Thank you,

Your FLVSCA Language Arts Teachers


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Know Where Youre Going

Before you begin writing your paper you need to know what your final product should be. Take a

moment to read through the following essays.

Online: http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/literature/iwm-ms/center.php?fileName=G6-8_IWM_Research Report_2.xml&toPrint=Research Report

In your textbook: Page 383

What did you admire about these two essays that you would like to mimic in your own paper?

Create a list of every type ofprogress you can think of:

Examples: Space travel, electric cars, video games, TV dinners, cell phones

Take a look at the ideas you came up with above. Circle the topics that you think havestrong positive and negative sides/outcomes.

From those topics, choose two that you would be most interested in writing about. Complete the charton page 3 of lesson 1:2 and make your decision of which you would

rather write your report about.
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/literature/iwm-ms/center.php?fileName=G6-8_IWM_Research%20Report_2.xml&toPrint=Research%20Reporthttp://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/literature/iwm-ms/center.php?fileName=G6-8_IWM_Research%20Report_2.xml&toPrint=Research%20Reporthttp://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/literature/iwm-ms/center.php?fileName=G6-8_IWM_Research%20Report_2.xml&toPrint=Research%20Report


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Write at least five questions about your topic that you would be interested in finding the answer to.

If you find yourself stuck, ask WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW. When you begin

research, use the questions to guide you. Add more questions as you go.


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Watch the Teachlet on note taking.http://schools.connectionsacademy.com/content/play.aspx?idMedia=49676&width=720&height=540

You will need a variety of note taking sources (book, magazine, newspaper, website) and a minimum

of three sources.

Below, you will find blank note cards that you can use to keep track of your sources (Index cards are

also a great tool.) Each of the cards below models the style that the citation should be for a certain

format. Feel free to print as many of these cards as you may need to aid you in collecting and

properly citing your sources. More information can be found on R22 and R24 in your textbook.

Booksource card Source # _________

Example of how to cite:

Authors Last Name, Authors First Name. Title.

Location published: Publisher, Date.

Magazine source card Source # _________


Authors Last Name, Authors First Name. Title of Article.

Magazine title Issue # Month Year: pages.

Webpage source card Source #_________


Authors Last Name, Authors First Name. Title.

Day Month Year.
http://schools.connectionsacademy.com/content/play.aspx?idMedia=49676&width=720&height=540http://schools.connectionsacademy.com/content/play.aspx?idMedia=49676&width=720&height=540http://schools.connectionsacademy.com/content/play.aspx?idMedia=49676&width=720&height=540


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As you read, you will find facts and ideas to include in your paper. Take notes to help you keep track

of the information and focus on the topic.

This is first step to preventing plagiarism. When you take your notes, put the facts in your own

words. That way when you use your note taking cards later to write your report, you will be certain

that you are not using someone elses work.

If you are using a direct quote from a book, be sure to put it in quotation marks and also write down

the page you found it.

TIP: Instead of having to write the entire source information time and time again, simply number

your source cards, and then write the number of the source on your note-taking card.

For more information, see page R22 in your textbook.

Print as many of these cards as you may need, or use index cards and create your own.

Please take a moment to view the Teachlet on plagiarism.

http://schools.connectionsacademy.com/content/play.aspx?idMedia=48189&width=720&height=540

_________________________________________________________________________________ From Source # _____Key word or phrase that tells you about information

Facts/Ideas (be sure to put in your own words):

Page #



Page #


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Page #



Page #



Page #


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Whats the Big Idea?

1) Look back at the research questions you wrote. Consider the answers you found during yourresearch.

2)

Consider your opinion on the topic. Do the positive aspects outweigh the negative? Also,why? If not, why not?

3) Write a concise statement that tells your central idea.Example: Although playing video games can be fun and entertaining, the risks for violence

far outweigh the benefits.

Try it!

Although________________________________________________________________________________________________

Take a moment to watch the Teachlet on Outlining.http://schools.connectionsacademy.com/content/play.aspx?idMedia=49153&width=720&height=540

1) Write your thesis statement at the top of your paper.2) Group together note cards on similar topics. Use each group as a main topic in your outline.

(Main topics are noted on outlines with Roman numerals.)

3) Within each group of note cards, cluster similar note cards into subgroups that support andexplain the larger and more general mail topic. Use these subgroups as the subtopics in your

outline (the capital letters).

4) Organize your piles of note cards in an order that makes sense for your topic.5) Set aside note cards that dont fit under any heading.6)

Write your outline.

See page 319 and R22 in your textbook for more information.

With your note cards and outline next to you, begin writing your rough draft. Make sure:

The introduction grabs readers attention, presents the topic, and makes a thesis statement. The body supports the thesis with evidence found during the research. The conclusion summarizes the main points and restates the thesis.

1) Did I use someone elses exact words?2) Did I summarize a particular idea?3) Did I use information that is not generally known or found in most books on the subject?

Did you find yourself nodding your head at least once? Then you must cite your sources using

parenthetical citations. Turn to page 320 and R23 in your textbook for more information.

Type Explanation Example

Author cited in text Page numbers in parentheses According to Brown (172).

Book with one author Name of author followed by

page number(s)

(Downing 15).


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Step

#

Action You Need to Take

Click for further info Resources You Should Use

Reflection Notes - Use these to reflect after each step before you move onto the

next. Com

1

Read the sample research

papers.

Interactive Writing Models--Located on your Teacher's

Message Board and on Pg. 383

in your textbook

What additional features do you notice are included in a research paper

compared to an essay?

2

Brainstorm ideas for your

topic.

Read the article on pg. 326-

Could you use any of these

topics? Flip through magazines

and newspaper articles, or ask

your Learning Coach for some

ideas. What topics interest you?

Remember, it must focus on

progress--types of progress not

only include technology, but

progress that has been made in

education, health care, jobs, and

the environment. What are some of your ideas?

3

Choose one topic to focus

on. What will your topic be?

4

Locate information from

several sources and take

notes

Internet, library, home reference

materials Do you have a variety of sources?

5

Create a source and note

card for every source

you'd like to use in your

paper. You need a

minimum of three

sources.

See pg. R22 in the back of your

textbook for an example source

and note card, along with note-

taking tips. The source card is

on the left side of the page, and

the note card is on the right side

of the page. *Have yourLearning Coach help you

complete your first source and

note cards. *You will include

this information in your final

paper. This is the most

important step. Take your time!

Front of the note card - Do you have the author, title, date of publication, andcity of publication on every card? Back of the note card - Did you summarize the

information from the source in your own words? Don't forget to put the page

number on this card if there is one. Compare your cards to the examples on pg.

R22. Reflect--Do your cards look as good as the examples? Do you have all of

the research and information from this source you need to accurately document

it in your paper?

6

Organize your ideas,

before you write your

draft. Create a thesis

statement and outline the

ideas you have found from

your research that you will

include in your paper.

Go to page. 319 and follow the

directions under "Create and

Outline". There are additional

examples on pg. R22 and R23 in

your textbook of thesis

statements and outlines.

Did you review your thesis and outline with your Learning Coach? Do you have

enough information to draft your paper? If not, go back and do some more

research.

7

Use your outline to start

writing your paper. The

paper should be a

minimum of two pages

(double-spaced).

Read "Start Writing" on pg. 319.

Re-read sample papers again if

needed. Take your time drafting! Draft your paper in a minimum of two writing sessions.

8

Include parenthetical

citations wherever you

use information from your

sources.

Look at the example paper on

pg. 383. See how at the end of

every supporting paragraph the

author includes in parenthesis

information about their source?

These are called parenthetical

citations. Now turn to pg. R23

for more examples of

parenthetical citations. Place

parenthetical citations into your

paper. Did you site every source in your supporting paragraphs?


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List your sources at the

end of your paper.

This is called a bibliography or

works cited. Read pgs. R23 and

R24. See how you take the

information from your source

cards and put it in alphabetical

order at the end of your paper?

There's another example on pg.

600.

Did you include all of the sources you used in your paper? This page should have

a minimum of three sources listed.

10

Revise and edit with your

Learning Coach.

Go to page 380 and follow the

steps under "Make It Better".

Is your draft good enough to get full credit from your teacher? If so, submit it

now. If not, better go back and revise.

research paper guide 8th grade

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