Research+Paper

=THE RESEARCH PAPER = //In this unit, you will be writing a five to seven page research paper in which you pick a topic that interests you, take a side, and then prove your point using information gathered through research.//

=**Developing a Research Question** = **(**Some ideas adapted from Empire State College - http://www8.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/home)

It's absolutely essential to develop a research question that you're interested in or care about in order to focus your research and your paper. For example, researching a broad topic such as "Climate Change" is difficult since there may be thousands of sources on all aspects of climate change. On the other hand, a focused question such as "What is the effect of climate change on forest fires?"or "What is the effect of the changing climate on polar bear habitat?" would be easier to research and could be covered more fully and in more depth. Also, topics that are real 'hot button issues' (such as abortion or stem cell research) are really difficult to research because there is SOOO much information

How do you develop a usable research question? Choose an appropriate topic or issue for your research, one that actually can be researched. Then list all of the questions that you'd like answered yourself. Choose the best question, one that is neither too broad nor too narrow.Sometimes the number of sources you find will help you discover whether your research question is too broad, too narrow, or okay? If you know a lot about the topic, you can develop a research question based on your own knowledge. If you feel you don't know much about the topic, think again. For example, if you're assigned a research topic on an issue confronting the ancient Babylonian family, remember, by virtue of your own family life, you already know a great deal about family issues. Once you determine what you do know, then you're ready to do some general reading in a textbook or encyclopedia in order to develop a usable research question.
 * (Click here and do the activity developed by Empire State College to see if you can spot a researchable topic).
 *  (Click here for an activity on broad and narrow topic questions, also from Empire State College.)

It's a good idea to evaluate your research before completing the research exercise (Exercise 3from Empire State)

 **Topic/Issue**

A topic is what the essay or research paper is about. It provides a focus for the writing. Of course, the major topic can be broken down into its components or smaller pieces (e.g., the major topic of nuclear waste disposal may be broken down into medical, economic, and environmental concerns). But the important thing to remember is that you should stick with just one major topic per essay or research paper in order to have a coherent piece of writing.

An issue is a concept upon which you can take a stand. While "nuclear waste" is a topic, "safe and economic disposal of nuclear waste" is an issue, or a "point of discussion, debate, or dispute" (American Heritage Dictionary). It's important to narrow the topic to one that can be proven in a relatively short paper. Here's an example of narrowing down a topic:



A good way to help organize your possible topics is with <span class="wiki_link_ext">bubbl.us. It allows you to create a graphic organizer that is saved on line and can be edited and reworked as your ideas evolve. Check out this tutorial on using bubble.us: <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%;">media type="custom" key="10145689"

=<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 170%; text-align: center;">Michigan Electronic Library (MeL) =

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%;">Click here to enter the MeL library system. If you are not doing it from school, you'll need to enter a Michigan drivers license number, state ID number, or a public library card number. From school, you won't have to do this because the school has a membership.

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Here's a quick tutorial on logging into and using MeL.

I strongly suggest you get a Diigo account so you can store all the sources you find in one, on-line location. That way, you can access your journal article and other resources from any computer with Internet. Click on the link above, watch the handy 'getting started' video, and then click on "Get Started Now" to start using Diigo.

=<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 160%; text-align: center;">Citation Tools = **<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Click here **<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%;"> to go to Easy Bib, the on-line citation tool.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%;">You may want to watch this short tutorial to help you use Easy Bib.

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Google Docs is a great way to take notes on the Web and store them on the Google server so they are accessible from any computer, phone or other mobile devise. Watch the handy tutorial that walks you through how to use this application. It's easy!

A Sample Research Paper in MLA Style Click here

For other questions on MLA style, see Purdue University Online Writing Lab