Question RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

04 Jun Question RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

Question
RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

© 2012 AMERICAN CITY UNIVERSITY

Page 1 of 12

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES

To write a research paper you must first conduct the research regarding the topic of

your interest. This may include reading about the topic in various sources such as

assigned text books, academic literature, periodicals, newspapers, and the Internet.

In some cases you may also interview the subject experts. The information gathered

from these sources is then compiled to support the focal points that you want to

address in your paper.

Please refer to the Assessment Scheme for the minimum numbers of words required

for the research paper that you are about to write.

The following steps will assist you in writing a research paper.

STEP 1: CHOOSE A TOPIC

1. Choose a topic which interests and challenges you. Your attitude towards the

topic will have major impact on the effort and enthusiasm you put into your

research. You can also select one of the suggested topics (see the course

Assessment Scheme). In selecting a topic for the research paper, ask yourself

the following questions:

• What interests you the most about a particular subject?

• Is there anything you want to explore further or are curious about with

regard to that subject?

2. Once a topic is selected, you need to narrow the subject down to a manageable

scope/focus.

One method for coming up with a more specific focus is called brain storming.

This entails putting your main idea in a circle in the middle of the page, then write

down whatever comes into your head about your topic. Write as many thoughts

as you can. Don’t stop to change what you have written or to correct spelling or

grammar errors.

STEP 2: FIND INFORMATION

1. Surfing the Net. Read and evaluate. Bookmark your favorite Internet sites. Pay

attention to domain name extensions, e.g., .edu (educational institution), .gov

(government), or .org (non-profit organization). These sites represent institutions

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

© 2012 AMERICAN CITY UNIVERSITY

Page 2 of 12

and tend to be more reliable, but be watchful of possible political bias in some

government sites. Be selective of .com (commercial) sites.

2. Check out ACU On line Library. Use the electronic catalog to look for books,

periodicals, magazines, etc. on your topic. If you find a book that is useful, check

the bibliography (list of sources) in the back of that book for other books or articles

on the same topic. Check with ACU librarian (see the office hours posted on ACU

site) if you need help finding sources.

Don’t rely on just one source for all your information.

3. As you gather your resources, jot down full bibliographical information (author,

title, place of publication, publisher, date of publication, page numbers, URLs,

creation or modification dates on Web pages) on your work sheet, or enter the

information into your computer for later retrieval. Keep a list of all the sources that

you use. This information will help you to write the bibliography in Step 6.

STEP 3: STATE YOUR THESIS

Do some critical thinking and write your thesis statement down in one sentence. Your

thesis statement is a declaration of your belief. The main body of your essay will

consist of arguments to support and defend this belief.

STEP 4: MAKE AN OUTLINE

Develop an outline to organize your ideas. An outline shows your main ideas and the

order in which you are going to write about them.

The purpose of an outline is to help you think through your topic carefully and organize

it logically before you start writing. A good outline is the most important step in writing a

good paper. Include in your outline an INTRODUCTION, a BODY, a CONCLUSION

and a paragraph on RECOMMEDATIONS / APPLICATIONS.

1. INTRODUCTION – State your thesis and the purpose of your research paper

clearly. What is the objective of the paper? State also how you plan to approach

your topic. Explain briefly the major points you plan to cover in your paper and

why readers should be interested in your topic.

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

© 2012 AMERICAN CITY UNIVERSITY

Page 3 of 12

2. BODY – This is where you present your arguments to support your thesis

statement. It consists of a number of paragraphs in which you develop your ideas

in detail.

• Don’t attempt to discuss more than one main idea per paragraph.

• Prove your points by using specific examples, quotations, grounded

theories, supporting literature.

• Use transitional phrases to ensure a smooth flow of ideas from

paragraph to paragraph.

3. CONCLUSION – Restate your thesis. Summarize your arguments. Explain why

you have come to this particular conclusion.

4. RECOMMENDATIONS / APPLICATIONS – Based on the search results and

conclusion derived, propose at least three recommendations for implementation

at work or daily life. The recommendations should be both relevant and feasible.

STEP 5: WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT

This is the most important stage in writing a research paper. Here you will analyze,

synthesize, and articulate on the information you have gathered and hopefully learn

something about your topic which is the real purpose of doing a research paper in the

first place. You must be able to effectively communicate your thoughts, ideas, insights,

and research findings to others through written words.

Do not include any information that is not relevant to your topic. Opposing views should

also be noted if they help to support your thesis.

Make sure the information that you have noted is carefully summarized and

paraphrased in your own words, if possible. Credit the sources for all ideas borrowed.

Plagiarism is ground for invalidating your paper. For detailed information, see the

power point presentation on “How to Avoid Plagiarism in Research Writing” posted on

ACU platform.

STEP 6: WRITE A BIBLIOGRAPHY

A bibliography is a list of the sources you used to get information for your report. It is

included at the end of your report.

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

© 2012 AMERICAN CITY UNIVERSITY

Page 4 of 12

You will find it easier to prepare your final bibliography if you keep track of each book,

periodical, magazine, or article you use as you are reading and taking notes described

in Step 2.

When assembling a final bibliography, list your sources (texts, articles, interviews, and

so on) in alphabetical order by authors’ last names. Sources that don’t have authors

(encyclopedias, movies) should be alphabetized by title. For detailed information, see

the power point presentation on “APA Style and Why Use” posted on ACU learning

platform.

STEP 7: PROOF READ AND FINALIZE YOUR DRAFT

Read your paper for any content errors. Arrange and rearrange ideas to follow your

outline. Always keep the purpose of your paper and your readers in mind.

Checklist for the contents of the paper:

1. Is your thesis statement clear?

2. Did you follow the outline drafted in Step 4?

3. Are your arguments presented in a logical sequence and supported with

documented evidence and examples?

4. Have you proved your thesis with strong supporting arguments?

5. Have you made your points interesting and convincing but remained

objective?

6. Are all sources properly cited to ensure that you are not plagiarizing?

Checklist for the writing Style:

1. Did you begin each paragraph with a proper transitional phrase?

2. Is there any run-on or unfinished sentences?

3. Does one idea flow smoothly into the next?

4. Did you avoid using contractions? Use “cannot” instead of “can’t”, “do not”

instead of “don’t”?

5. Did you write as a third person? Avoid using phrases such as “I think”, “I

believe”, “I suppose”

6. Did you leave the reader(s) with a sense of completion at the end of the

paper?

Proof-read your paper for grammatical errors. Do a spell check. Use a dictionary or a

thesaurus as needed.

“Practice makes Perfect”. Continue to refine your research writing skills.

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING GUIDELINES REV12A

© 2012 AMERICAN CITY UNIVERSITY