Research ProjectResearch Project2 pages ONLY. Do NOT hand in more than 2 pages.2 pages ONLY. Do NOT hand in more than 2 pages.

Should take 2 hours.Should take 2 hours.

Draft due: December 2Draft due: December 2Turn in Draft. Turn in Draft.

You may revise before You may revise before final due date for a better score.final due date for a better score.

FINAL Due date: December 11FINAL Due date: December 11

Academic Research

Your Research ProjectDirections: Imagine you have been asked by an instructor to prepare an eight-page research paper on a topic related to human psychology or health. Choose your topic, making sure it is not too general or too narrow. Go to the library (in person or via the Internet) and find:

2 books2 articles (from magazines or newspapers. NOTE: 1 article MUST be from the online databases available through our LAMC Library.2 websites relevant to your specific topic

DO NOT WRITE A PAPER!! Your assignment is to hand in 3 items:

1. A tentative thesis statement 2. A brief, tentative (but formal) outline of the imaginary paper 3. A Works Cited (MLA) or Reference (APA) page. To prepare the page you must use either the MLA or APA guidelines found in a college handbook or on online sites such as Diana Hacker’s Guide to MLA or APA

REMEMBER!!1. Your topic MUST be related to human psychology or health.

2. You MUST have six (6) sources on your Works Cited/Reference page

3. DO NOT WRITE A PAPER!! 4. You must hand in three (3) items:

thesis statementoutline of the imaginary

paperWorks Cited or Reference

page.

Thesis & Outline EXAMPLE:Your outlines does not need to be in complete sentences. You may use phrases for each point.

Works Cited EXAMPLE:You must have 2 books, 2 webpages, and 2 articles (one must be from a database).

Identify and narrow your topicIdentify and narrow your topic

Determine the purpose of and audience for Determine the purpose of and audience for your paperyour paper

Locate appropriate sources of informationLocate appropriate sources of information

Refine the topic, if necessaryRefine the topic, if necessary

Steps in Writing a Research PaperSteps in Writing a Research Paper

Write a tentative thesis statement & brief outlineWrite a tentative thesis statement & brief outline

Take research notesTake research notes

Write a first draftWrite a first draft

Revise. Revise. Revise.Revise. Revise. Revise.

Prepare the final draftPrepare the final draft

Prepare the bibliographyPrepare the bibliography

Steps in Writing a Research Paper

Locate Appropriate Sources of Information Print sourcesPrint sources

• BooksBooks

CirculatingCirculating

ReferenceReference

ReserveReserve

OversizedOversized

AtlasesAtlases

Children’sChildren’s

PaperbacksPaperbacks

Locate Appropriate Sources of Information

Print sources– Periodicals

• Magazines• Newspapers • Journals

Locate Appropriate Sources of Information

Non-print sources

– Audio-visual materials– Interviews– CD-ROM’s– Databases Use this link to get to the LAMC

Library Database page. (Remember: to access the databases from home, you must use the passwords on the Library Handout I gave you). Use EBSCOhost or National Newspapers (ProQuest).

– Internet

What Is Documentation? In-text parenthetical citations indicate the

source of each piece of information used in your paper

One expert states that “computer systems may soon be the primary educational delivery method” in colleges and universities (Polk 90).

Readers can turn to the last page(s) of your paper for your bibliography--publication information on each source used

What Is Documentation? You must provide information about each

source used in your paper. For example, if your source is a book, you must include– Author– Title– Publication data (publisher, place published, year

published)– Page numbers

To access EasyBib (for MLA) or BibMe (for APA), use this link to the Learning Center.

How to create Works Cited or Reference page

To access EasyBib (for MLA) or BibMe (for APA), use this link to the Learning Center.

To see the PowerPoint on how to format a journal from the Library database, click here.

Why Do We Document? Readers may want to locate and use your

sources for further information Give credit to others for their work Distance yourself from opinions that are not

your own Avoid plagiarism!

When in doubt, DOCUMENT!

When Do We Document? Cite any fact, statistic, or information that is

specific to a single source, whether you use a direct quotation or a paraphrase

Cite any use of another writer’s exact words, and use quotation marks

Cite other writers’ opinions, whether you use a direct quotation or a paraphrase

Documentation Styles MLA—Modern Language Association APA—American Psychological Association CBE/CSE—Council of Biology

Editors/Council of Science Editors Chicago—The Chicago Manual of Style Columbia—The Columbia Guide to Online

Style

Bibliography Cards

Create a bibliography card for each source you use—do it FIRST!

Use a college handbook or style guide to format bibliography cards

Put cards aside (in a safe, safe place) until you need to create your bibliography page

When your paper is complete, simply alphabetize the cards and type your bibliography

Sample Bibliography Card

Sidel, Ruth. On Her Own: Growing Up in

the Shadow of the American Dream.

New York: Penguin, 1990.

Finding Print Sources

On-line catalog—in library

Click on Internet Explorer—Library home page

3 ways of searching

title

must be spelled correctly

omit “a,” “an,” or “the” if first word of title

books sorted by date of publication

topic (keyword)

author

Finding Print Sources

Citation information—found on Detail page Info given on author, title, copyright, location—Call

number Call number—number found on spine of book, indicates

where book is found in library

Additional Library Resources—Books On-Line

• E-Books• In catalog, click on URL, which takes you to

NetLibrary• Go to www.netlibrary.com

• Create a free account while on campus• Gale Virtual Reference Library

• Need a password—Mission

To use resources

On campus--no password is necessary At home--need Mission passwords (use the

handout I gave you or get the handout at the Library Reference Desk)

Magazines and Journals EBSCOhost used most--entire article on line Current articles listed first Review abstract--summary of article Citation info--needed for Works Cited page Article can be emailed, saved, or printed User ID—Mission password--la

HOMEWORKHOMEWORK

Prepare draft of ResearchPrepare draft of Research

review review

Learning Center & Library

Web pages Web pages (click on above links)(click on above links)

Magazines

Intended for general readers Wide subject area Authors not experts Brief articles Only reviewed by editor, not experts Weekly, monthly

– ex: Time, NewYorker

Journals Intended for specialists Specific in focus Authors are experts Longer articles Peer reviewed, includes bibliography Monthly, quarterly

Ways to Use Sources Direct quotation with parenthetical citation Paraphrase with parenthetical citation Summary with parenthetical citation

Direct Quotation--MLA Author included in text

– According to Hofritz, “Some candidates are unprepared to meet the requirements of political office” (90).

Author included in citation– Another writer states, “Some candidates are

unprepared to meet the requirements of political office” (Hofritz 90).

Paraphrase--MLA Hofritz, for example, believes that not all

candidates are prepared to hold political offices (90).

Taking Reading Notes Use 4” x 6” or 5” x 8” index cards Take notes on each source, one card per

statement or fact or topic List author and topic on top of card Be sure to indicate whether information is a

quote, paraphrase, or summary Be SURE to note page number!

Sample Note CardBerk Treatment--Stimulants

“Researchers do not know precisely why stimulants are helpful. Some speculate that they change the chemical balance in brain regions that inhibit impulsiveness and hyperactivity, thereby decreasing the child’s need to engage in off-task and self-stimulating behavior.”

Direct quote, p. 360

Sample Works Cited Page Zaiens 10

Works Cited

Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s

Development. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1982.

Ramirez, Anthony J., and Dorie Mathews. “Computer Groups Plan

Standards.” New York Times 14 Dec. 1993, late ed.: D5.

Stevens, Mark. “Low and Behold.” New Republic 24 Dec. 1990: 27-33.