Research Paper Notes
Mrs. Luehrs
Topic Choice
•Brainstorm a list of possible topics
•Choose the one that you want to learn
the most about
•Develop a thesis statement
•Specific subject followed by a limited
focus
•Create a basic outline
Prewriting
•Keep track of your research on note cards
•Each note card must have its own citation…yes,
you will need to copy it over and over again
•Front—citation information
•Back—any notes that you take from the
source
•You may only have 1-2 notes per card and
they must be on the same topic
•Your notes will be in the form of direct
quotations
Example front of a note card
Last name, first name. “Title of
Article.” Name of Magazine.
Date: Volume. Page
numbers.
Example back of note card
--Direct quotations with
page/paragraph numbers
Taking notes
•Make sure that you place quotation marks
around word-for-word quotations
Organizing your research
•Arrange your note cards into their most
logical order (color code them)
•Use them to construct your writing plan
•Make sure that you have enough researched
information to back up your opinions
•Number your note cards or head them to
coordinate with your outline
Writing your introduction
You must set the tone for your paper. Give the
reader just enough information to get them
interested and ready to learn about your
topic.
•Hook
•Explain hook
•Connector sentence
•Thesis
•Lead in
Writing your body
•Follow along with your outline
•When you get to a point when you want
to use a source note card, copy or
paraphrase what you have on your note
card into your paragraph
Citing your sources internally
•You will need to cite your sources
•Use parenthesis to do this
•Put the author’s last name inside of the
parenthesis along with the page number (if
any)
•Make sure that your period goes after the
parenthesis
Required format for adding quotations: This is not a
body paragraph format…this is within your paragraph!
•Introduce your quote
•Quote (direct or paraphrased)
•Explain your quote
•You must show me the how and why, not just
tell the what
•Use in-depth analysis
•Explain, explain, explain
•Remember to assume that your reader has no
prior knowledge (because they probably
don’t…Remember, Mrs. Luehrs is not a walking
encyclopedia
Conclusion
•Sum up main points
•Restate your thesis
•Closing argument and position statement
•Remind the reader what you wrote about!!!
•Don’t assume that they understood anything
that you wrote, so reintroduce/restate to ensure
comprehension
•Do not add new information…new information
goes in the body, not in the conclusion
Works Cited Page
•When you have finished with your paper, you
must attach a works cited page
•This page lists your sources from your note
cards alphabetically
•Be sure that you use the format given in the
MLA Handbook or from your notes
Conventions!!!
•Refer to the rules of writing in your notes
from the first week of school
• Let’s go over them again….Open your
notebooks!!!
Questions???