How to Write A Research Paper

Focus Support and Elaborate

Sources

A+ Research Paper Edit Organize

Proper Conventions

Style

How can I create a clear focus in my research paper

1. You need to start off by writing a insightful, well-stated thesis.
A thesis is a statement that presents your argument on the essay topic and lists the main points of your argument that you will discuss in your paper (you should have about three main points). For more information on how to write a thesis, click here.

2. Write a introductory paragraph that describes your topic and explains why your topic is important.
You want to draw the reader in.

3. Write a conclusion that restates your main ideas in a new and interesting way
You want to remind the reader of what you wanted them to get out of your paper.

Focus Sample
Sample Essay Question: Why should teachers include the study of the Holocaust into their curriculums? (Introduction) The Holocaust was the most significant event during the twentieth century. It was the attempt to systematically destroy the Jewish race and its culture. It led to the destruction of six million Jews and to the displacement of millions more. The leader of this attempt was Adolf Hitler, a name that has been echoed in almost every comprehensive history book since his time. He believed that Jewish people were not only an inferior race, but also that they were a threat to his people, the German Aryan race. These racist beliefs inflicted pain and suffering not only in his time, but for decades to come. The Holocaust is an essential historical event for teachers to include in their curriculums so that the truth of this event will always be remembered, to deter events such as this from happening again, and to promote respect for diversity, one of Americas core principles. The first sentence introduces the reader to the topic of the essay. Gets the reader focused. The next several sentences describes the topic and pulls the reader in. (Conclusion) The necessity of including the Holocaust in the curriculum of schools today should no longer be a question. This is a world that has seen the twentieth century labeled as the age of genocide. The only way to prevent the loss of the truth, to avoid the continued occurrence of genocide, and to truly teach our core value of respect for diversity is to ensure that our students are taught the lessons of the Holocaust. Educators must ensure that they are giving students the tools they will need when they become the leaders of our nation to ensure that the label of the age of genocide does not extend to the twenty-first century. The first sentence refocuses the reader to the essay question. The next several sentences summariz es the authors main points

The thesis states the authors main arguments to be discussed in the paper.

The last sentence restates why the authors argument is important.

How can I support and elaborate on the focus?

1. Utilize ideas and information that clearly supports your thesis.
You want to answer the 5 ws in your body paragraphs. Therefore, in this paper, you want to explain the history of the conflict, the key events of the conflict, and how the international community is and should be responding.

2. Provide a meaningful presentation of opposing perspectives

Turn against your viewpoint, and reaffirm your argument.

Support and Elaborate Example

Who, what, where, when, and why is it important?
Immediately after revealing Hitlers atrocities to the world, the world cried, We will never forget! Countries came together in order to form international laws to prevent genocide, or race-killing, from occurring ever again. Allied soldiers came home to their countries to tell their horrifying stories in order to ensure that their sons and daughters would never have to witness what they had seen. However, international laws passed to prevent genocide were not passed by the United States for forty years after the Holocaust ended. The stories passed on through the generations began to fade. The word Holocaust was not even used in mainstream America until the 1960s, twenty years after it happened. Today, numerous organizations around the world, including modern Nazi organizations and several organizations in the Muslim world, deny that the Holocaust occurred. They argue that it is Western propaganda to gain favor for Jewish peoples. Teachers must continue to teach the Holocaust to ensure that the truth is known about what happened during this time period. The victims of the Holocaust deserve to have their true story told. History has the tendency to repeat itself if people do not stop and learn its lessons. Genocide has occurred in several countries since the Holocaust including Cambodia, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur. Each time the information is swept to the side and the majority of the Worlds leaders refuse to accept the comparison of these countries to the Holocaust until it is long over. When there is a leader who stands up and draws the comparison, the worlds people turn away and argue they need to focus on their own nations problems. By teaching the Holocaust, future citizens can understand the ramifications of inaction while genocide is occurring. Perhaps the phrase, not on our watch, can take on enough meaning to give perpetrators the belief that we will not allow them to govern a country on genocidal practices. America is a country founded on diversity. Today, in schools, teachers are to teach their students to respect and appreciate the differences between themselves and others. If teachers did not do this, they would not be preparing their students for the future. Outside of schools, their students will need to work with others that will undoubtedly be different from them. By studying the Holocaust, students will learn how judging others negatively based on their differences may lead to misunderstanding and mistreating others. Without studying the Holocaust, students may never understand how small racist jokes and prejudices may escalate to national practices that violate others rights. It is also essential to show students the importance of standing up for others even if they themselves are not being harmed by racist jokes, unfair laws, and unfair government practices. They will learn what happened in the Holocaust when people stood by and watched their neighbors rights slowly disappear until eventually they were exterminated. Critics argue that including the Holocaust in a high school curriculum can expose children to dangerous ideology, extraordinarily graphic images and stories, and an oversimplified version of events. However, examining Nazi ideology and these graphic images and stories is necessary to understanding the world today. Racist ideologies are still prevalent in the world today and what better way to combat modern racist ideologies than to teach students the fallacies in historical racist ideologies? Understanding how and why Nazi ideology became widespread in Germany during the 1940s is a key to preventing racist ideology to spread further. Also, although examining graphic images and stories is undoubtedly hard for anyone, it is admittedly much more difficult for teenagers. But examining these images and stories with the goal of understanding their significance enables students to create an accurate image of what occurred. One can not accurately grasp the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust without confronting these images. This also ultimately prevents the oversimplification of events that many critics are afraid of.

Meaningful presentation for opposing perspective

How can I organize my paper to make my focus stronger?

1. Draw strong, clear connections between thesis and related ideas in the body paragraphs
Use topic sentences to connect and support information clearly

2. Effective progression of related ideas throughout the paper

Organize Example
Look at those topic sentences!!!
Immediately after revealing Hitlers atrocities to the world, the world cried, We will never forget! Countries came together in order to form international laws to prevent genocide, or race-killing, from occurring ever again. Allied soldiers came home to their countries to tell their horrifying stories in order to ensure that their sons and daughters would never have to witness what they had seen. However, international laws passed to prevent genocide were not passed by the United States for forty years after the Holocaust ended. The stories passed on through the generations began to fade. The word Holocaust was not even used in mainstream America until the 1960s, twenty years after it happened. Today, numerous organizations around the world, including modern Nazi organizations and several organizations in the Muslim world, deny that the Holocaust occurred. They argue that it is Western propaganda to gain favor for Jewish peoples. Teachers must continue to teach the Holocaust to ensure that the truth is known about what happened during this time period. The victims of the Holocaust deserve to have their true story told. History has the tendency to repeat itself if people do not stop and learn its lessons. Genocide has occurred in several countries since the Holocaust including Cambodia, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur. Each time the information is swept to the side and the majority of the Worlds leaders refuse to accept the comparison of these countries to the Holocaust until it is long over. When there is a leader who stands up and draws the comparison, the worlds people turn away and argue they need to focus on their own nations problems. By teaching the Holocaust, future citizens can understand the ramifications of inaction while genocide is occurring. Perhaps the phrase, not on our watch, can take on enough meaning to give perpetrators the belief that we will not allow them to govern a country on genocidal practices. America is a country founded on diversity. Today, in schools, teachers are to teach their students to respect and appreciate the differences between themselves and others. If teachers did not do this, they would not be preparing their students for the future. Outside of schools, their students will need to work with others that will undoubtedly be different from them. By studying the Holocaust, students will learn how judging others negatively based on their differences may lead to misunderstanding and mistreating others. Without studying the Holocaust, students may never understand how small racist jokes and prejudices may escalate to national practices that violate others rights. It is also essential to show students the importance of standing up for others even if they themselves are not being harmed by racist jokes, unfair laws, and unfair government practices. They will learn what happened in the Holocaust when people stood by and watched their neighbors rights slowly disappear until eventually they were exterminated. Critics argue that including the Holocaust in a high school curriculum can expose children to dangerous ideology, extraordinarily graphic images and stories, and an oversimplified version of events. However, examining Nazi ideology and these graphic images and stories is necessary to understanding the world today. Racist ideologies are still prevalent in the world today and what better way to combat modern racist ideologies than to teach students the fallacies in historical racist ideologies? Understanding how and why Nazi ideology became widespread in Germany during the 1940s is a key to preventing racist ideology to spread further. Also, although examining graphic images and stories is undoubtedly hard for anyone, it is admittedly much more difficult for teenagers. But examining these images and stories with the goal of understanding their significance enables students to create an accurate image of what occurred. One can not accurately grasp the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust without confronting these images. This also ultimately prevents the oversimplification of events that many critics are afraid of.

Remember this is the thesis: The Holocaust is an essential historical event for teachers to include in their curriculums so that the truth of this event will always be remembered, to deter events such as this from happening again, and to promote respect for diversity, one of Americas core principles.

How should I style my paper to make my paper stronger?

Skillful use of language, including word choice, and consistent voice
Language and Word choice includes using terms correctly, using the correct words to describe and emphasize your point (sometimes fewer words are better than many), and avoiding the use of slang and jargon. Including voice within your paper is something that takes time and effort, but it is what makes a paper become meaningful. It is when you express emotion and passion within your writing. It shows the author feels connected to his/her work. It makes the message powerful.
Voice Example
Each time the information is swept to the side and the majority of the Worlds leaders refuse to accept the comparison of these countries to the Holocaust until it is long over. When there is a leader who stands up and draws the comparison, the worlds people turn away and argue they need to focus on their own nations problems. By teaching the Holocaust, future citizens can understand the ramifications of inaction.

How can I use the proper conventions required in a research paper

1. Label your pages 2. Use 1 inch margins 3. Use standard conventions in grammar including proper paragraphing, spelling, capitalization, punctuation 4. Do not use first or second person or contractions

Proper Conventions: Labeling Pages

Go to your menu at the top of your word document and click view. Click view header and footer. Type in your last name. Align it to the left hand side of the paper. Click the page with the number sign on it in the header and footer menu that is on your screen. Your screen should look similar to the screen on the left. Press ok on the page number format box. There should now be a one next to your name. On the next page, it should say your last name, and then 2 next to your last name. This will be done automatically by the computer.

Proper Conventions: Setting your Margins

Go to your menu at the top of your word document and click file Click page setup. Change your left and right margins to one instead of .75. Push ok.

How can I use the information from my sources best in my research paper?
It is extremely important to document your sources within your paper as well as in a Works Cited page at the end of the paper. Using both in-text citations and a Works-Cited page is necessary to avoid plagiarism. It is important for you to know how to do this to avoid committing plagiarism. Many people have gotten in trouble for plagiarism in school and in their professional careers (whether they committed it purposely or by accident) and have had serious consequences. Understanding how to properly document sources is essential for any career. Although there are several different formats for citing papers, we will be using the MLA format. Here is a link to Ms. Ks worksheet on how to cite sources within your paper.

How am I expected to cite my sources?

A Works Cited page lists all the sources you used within your paper. Here is a citation machine in which you can input your sources information and it will create a citation for you. Go to the next page to see how to format your Works Cited page.

How am I expected to cite my sources? Example of a Works Cited Page.

Works Cited Title is centered on a new page.
List of sources is alphabetized List of sources is double spaced If the source has more than one line, the second line needs to be indented (push tab). There is no header on this page

How can I edit my paper and make sure my paper is turn-in ready?
Have two peers edit your paper before you do your final draft. A peer editing worksheet will be given to you in a later assignment.