Stage One of Research Process: Focus and Bibliography
Due Date:
The focus is a minimum one paragraph outline of your topic. Include in this outline your topic range, questions you are asking yourself, points that you find interesting and subtopics or arguments you may pursue. Finally, if you are ready to present a preliminary thesis or theses, include these now as well. The more you are able to develop this focus, the more input I will be able to give you.
In order to do the focus, you have to do some research. Please include with the focus, a brief bibliography that includes at least 5 sources. Use the Chicago Style guide to do the bibliography properly.
Choose 2 -3 topics from the topic list that interest you and do some preliminary research to get a broad overview of each topic.
Stage #1 - Getting an overview:
Use your textbook; this is the most logical place to start
In the Library, look for other texts that may be relevant. Use the footnotes and endnotes in general texts to find more specific sources
Internet sources: to begin your research, please refer to the Research Skills Guide to determine what are valid and reliable digital resources. For this research paper, I encourage you to use the databases to research magazine, newspaper and journal articles or to use government websites. However, there will be other websites that may be legitimate sources of evidence. To determine their validity and legitimacy, check the Research Skills Guide or see Mrs. Wright.
Familiarize yourself with the topic and start to think about the issues within your topic
Remember an essay is written to persuade and not to tell a story. When you research your topic look for “a hook” or something(s) that are contradictory, controversial, debated about your topic. This will help you to begin to formulate your thesis. The thesis statement is the focus of your essay; it is the central organizing idea of the essay. Your thesis states a clear position. It must be provable and arguable. It must be researchable and it must be worth proving. The thesis cannot be self evident; it will need to be proven with a carefully planned structure of ideas supported by evidence. Remember, however, that while your original thesis will change as you do more research, you need to start with a general thesis to direct that research.
Due Date:
The focus is a minimum one paragraph outline of your topic. Include in this outline your topic range, questions you are asking yourself, points that you find interesting and subtopics or arguments you may pursue. Finally, if you are ready to present a preliminary thesis or theses, include these now as well. The more you are able to develop this focus, the more input I will be able to give you.
In order to do the focus, you have to do some research. Please include with the focus, a brief bibliography that includes at least 5 sources. Use the Chicago Style guide to do the bibliography properly.
Choose 2 -3 topics from the topic list that interest you and do some preliminary research to get a broad overview of each topic.
Stage #1 - Getting an overview:
Use your textbook; this is the most logical place to start
In the Library, look for other texts that may be relevant. Use the footnotes and endnotes in general texts to find more specific sources
Internet sources: to begin your research, please refer to the Research Skills Guide to determine what are valid and reliable digital resources. For this research paper, I encourage you to use the databases to research magazine, newspaper and journal articles or to use government websites. However, there will be other websites that may be legitimate sources of evidence. To determine their validity and legitimacy, check the Research Skills Guide or see Mrs. Wright.
Familiarize yourself with the topic and start to think about the issues within your topic
Remember an essay is written to persuade and not to tell a story. When you research your topic look for “a hook” or something(s) that are contradictory, controversial, debated about your topic. This will help you to begin to formulate your thesis. The thesis statement is the focus of your essay; it is the central organizing idea of the essay. Your thesis states a clear position. It must be provable and arguable. It must be researchable and it must be worth proving. The thesis cannot be self evident; it will need to be proven with a carefully planned structure of ideas supported by evidence. Remember, however, that while your original thesis will change as you do more research, you need to start with a general thesis to direct that research.