Most high school students must complete a research paper before they graduate. The length of the paper and the style requirements may vary, but the basic assignment remains the same for everyone:

Choose a topic that interests you, read as much as you can about that topic in scholarly and timely sources, take notes as you read while keeping track of your sources, digest the information, formulate a thesis statement, and present the information in a well-organized, formal paper.

The process for doing this is as complex as it sounds.

Many students fail to understand the nature and purpose of the research paper. In some cases, they have been able to copy material from encyclopedias or books or magazines or websites and turn the work in as their own. In other cases, they have been told to think for themselves, to generate original ideas. Students wonder how they can write intelligent and original papers about topics they know little about--unless they copy information from experts. The research paper format provides a venue that allows students to be authoritative and honest and original.

Definition: A research paper is an original discussion of a given topic, explained and supported and developed with facts, stats, quotes, examples, reasons, and incidents provided by experts in the field.

The difference between a research paper and a copied (or plagiarized) essay is that the research paper allows the students to "borrow" the ideas of the experts by providing the writer with a method for identifying the source of those ideas.

This website contains information about incorporating and documenting research, practice exercises, style sheets and more. It is designed to help the high school teacher or student get through this process with relative ease.

The KEY to success in this project is to "eat the elephant one bite at a time." A wise person once said that you could, indeed, eat an elephant if you did it "one bite at a time." Good time management skills will enable a student to enjoy the learning process and to present a paper of which he/she can be proud.

 

A Schedule

This schedule would work for a student writing an 8-10 page paper that uses 8-10 sources.

Week One:

• Get an overview of the process
• Examine sample papers
• Search for a topic
• Check availability of sources

Week Two:

• Read two-three sources
• Write 15 note cards (*notes for this first deadline might come from only one or two sources. Much of what you find will be new information for you at this point.)
• Practice incorporating research with UFO exercise

Week Three:

• Read two-three more sources
• Write 15 more note cards
• Do another practice essay

Week Four:

• Read two-three more sources
• Write 15 more note cards
• Conduct your interview; take notes

Week Five:

• Cube, mind map, outline
• Write first three pages; have them checked
• Continue to write the paper

Week Six:

• Finish writing
• Find someone to read over it with you to check content
• Proofread; get help if possible
• Double check specifications