Beginning My Research Paper

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Beginning My Research Paper

• How to Get Started

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Formatting Your Research Paper

1. First, be sure you have followed the Cover Page
   Directions PowerPoint.
2. Go to View? Header/Footer? Insert Page
   Number (the first icon)
3. Change centering to Align Right.
4. Hit Close.

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Formatting Your Research Paper

• 5) Change your centering to Align Left.
• 6) Type in your MLA heading (the same one we
  used in class all yearsee Cover Page
  Directions for format.
• 7) Hit Enter. Change your centering to
  Center.

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Formatting Your Research Paper

• 8) Type in a working title (a title for-the
  moment). See Minilesson 10Writing an Effective
  Title for help.
• 6) Hit Enter. Hit Tab once.
• Begin typing your introduction
• --See next slide for help with your Introduction

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Drafting Your Introduction

• Remember that you want to include the following
  three elements in your introduction
• A. An Attention Getter/Lead
• B. Background
• C. Your thesis

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A. Experiment with Attention Getters/Leads
suggested at these links

• http//www.mcte.org/resources/laneleads.html
• http//writing.colostate.edu/guides/speaking/infom
  od/pop8a.cfm
• http//www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixt
  rait/organization/leads.html

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B. Background Information

• Remember that background information will include
  the who, what, when , and where for your topic.
  The how and why will usually come in later as
  your draft your research paper.
• --See next page for more

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B. Background may include

• i. Important names
• ii. Literary works
• iii. Historical background
• iv. Narrowing of topic
• v. Definitions
• vi. Dates
• vii. Popular opinions

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B. Background Information

• Once you have written your background
  information, you will want to draft your thesis.
  

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C. Thesis Statement

• Your thesis consists of your topic, plus your
  specific assertion (opinionnot in 1st person)
  about that topic.
• Thesis topic assertion

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C. A thesis should

• --state a position.
• --not be a fact.
• --not be too broad.
• --be proven within the context of your research
  paper.

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C. Sample Thesis Statements

• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/
  
• http//www.utoronto.ca/writing/thesis.html

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Checking Your Introduction

• 6) Read through some of the samples provided to
  see if your introduction passes the test
• http//www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/KR/WRITE/FIVE/introd
  uctions.html

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Congratulations!

• You have just finished writing the introduction
  for your research paper.
• You are now ready to use your T-notes to write
  the body of your paper.
• --See Body Paragraphs PowerPoint for help.