McGraw-Hill's Concise Guide to Writing Research Papers

by Ellison, Carol

• ISBN13: 9780071629898
• ISBN10: 0071629890
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-02-01
• Publisher: McGraw Hill

Summary

Write an effective research paper--no sweat!The words "research paper" may send a chill down your spine. You're thinking about the hours of research and the days of writing ahead-and that's after wringing your hands about the topic! Never fear, this concise resource will guide you through the process step-by-step and make the experience painless. With veteran composition instructor Carol Ellison's advice, you'll be able to create a thought-provoking research paper that will get you the best possible grade!McGraw-Hill's Concise Guide to Writing Research Papersgives you the tools to: Organize a helpful outline before you write Find solid evidence at the library and on the Internet to back up your thesis Write effective sentences to support your topic Replace common phrases with attention-drawing wording to properly articulate your ideas Use smooth transitions between paragraphs to keep your paper flowing Craft eloquent summaries and conclusions Avoid accidental incidences of plagiarism Run a thorough check over your research paper before you hand it in

Author Biography

Carol Ellison is an experienced freshmancomposition instructor. She teaches on the writing faculty ofRutgers University and on the humanities faculty of The NewJersey Institute of Technology.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Getting Started	p. 1
Interpreting the Assignment	p. 2
Types of Assignments	p. 7
Choosing a Research Topic	p. 10
Developing a Working Thesis	p. 14
Analyzing Your Audience	p. 16
Writing a Proposal	p. 17
Doing Your Research	p. 19
Searching the Internet	p. 20
Using Library and Database Resources	p. 25
Finding Books at the Library	p. 26
Using Library Catalogs	p. 30
Browsing for Information	p. 32
Looking up Articles in Periodicals	p. 34
Identifying Appropriate Sources	p. 38
Identifying Reputable Online Sources	p. 40
Identifying Reputable Print Sources	p. 44
Reading Critically	p. 45
Documenting Your Research	p. 49
Narrowing (or Expanding) Your Search	p. 53
Writing Annotated Bibliographies	p. 55
Conducting Original Research	p. 57
Surveys	p. 59
Interviews	p. 64
Crafting Your Outline	p. 71
Making Lists	p. 74
Making Charts	p. 75
Creating an Outline	p. 78
Identifying a Thesis	p. 79
Identifying Topics and Arguments	p. 82
Outlining a Five-Paragraph Paper	p. 84
Expanding beyond Five Paragraphs	p. 88
Comparing and Contrasting Ideas and Information	p. 89
Preparing Your Draft	p. 93
Introductions	p. 94
Paragraphs	p. 104
Writing Topic Sentences	p. 108
Adding Evidence	p. 109
Writing Transition Sentences	p. 110
Conclusions	p. 116
Revising Your Work	p. 121
Avoiding Plagiarism	p. 122
Protecting Yourself against Plagiarism	p. 123
Choosing a Documentation Style	p. 124
Quotations/Citations	p. 129
Summaries/Paraphrases	p. 133
Bibliographies/Works Cited	p. 136
Avoiding Bias	p. 140
Polishing Your Writing	p. 145
Vocabulary	p. 146
Checking Your Usage	p. 148
Avoiding the "I"Trap	p. 152
Polishing the Prose	p. 153
Words	p. 158
Preparing Your Submission	p. 161
Pictures/Graphics	p. 162
The Final Checklist	p. 163
Getting Ready for the Next Time	p. 165
Interpreting Feedback	p. 165
Keeping a Portfolio	p. 166
The Dewey Decimal System	p. 169
The Library of Congress Classification System	p. 175
About the Author	p. 189
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