If you have never written a research paper or have done poorly on those you have written, start early in the semester working with a tutor in the SFSU Learning Assistance Center.
Beginning steps
Read course syllabus immediately, and see if a research paper is assigned.
If one is assigned, ask for the assignment details during the first week of the class.
Analyze/dissect the assignment and make a list of the approach and all the parts, steps, etc. that are required. (See the videotape in Library Media Access Center 3rd floor on "Writing Papers: Getting Started" for help with how to analyze writing assignments.)
Use this handout to make another list of all the steps that one should follow to write an excellent research paper.
Put the above two lists on your semester time management/ assignments calendar so that you will finish the final draft 2 days prior to the paper due date.
If you are NOT assigned a topic, lists topics of interest to you that relate to the course and are IMPORTANT and will fulfill the assignment. Start by asking questions about the topic that you want to know the answer to and that will NOT be revealed in the course assigned reading. Write the question(s) and narrow the focus of the question(s).
Do preliminary library research to see if you find articles and books or chapters to answer the question(s) you have written. During preliminary research determine if your preferred topic is doable in the time that you have and with the research resources that are available to you. You can start with specialized encyclopedia or chapter(s) in a textbook on your topic, see any bibliography and footnotes in these for other possible books and articles to use. Also read article abstracts in the Abstracts and see Indexes in the Library's reference area. See step 9 below.
Be prepared to change your question and thesis as you do the research. If you find several interpretations, you want to pick the best approach/interpretation. You must also write why you think your choice is the best and why the other interpretations are not the best.
Use INDEXES and ABSTRACTS to find articles by titles, author's and subjects. Ask reference desk librarian how to use these. START EARLY in order to use the SFSU Library document delivery to get articles from journals in other libraries sent free of cost to our library for your use. Articles must be in scholarly journals_NOT POPULAR MAGAZINES.
WEB RESEARCH can be a problem because there is no quality control for what goes on the web. Start web research with scholarly indexed materials. (Keep a hard copy of web research used in case it is removed from the web later.)
How to look at research materials when selecting the topic:
Get and overview by title, table of content, read headings, read any summaries, read first and last paragraphs. In other words skim!
Again, read footnotes and bibliographies for other possible research sources.
Make a list of the sources that you found useful so that you can quickly and easily return to these.
Determine if your topic(s) is doable and narrow your topic to one IMPORTANT topic. Hopefully, your topic is a question, if not, make it a statement.
If the teacher is willing, make an appointment and See the teacher to discuss your topic and get the teacher's approval and any additional research suggestions the teacher might have for your topic.
Reading and Notetaking for the Research Paper
Start the reading and take notes on cards or half sheets of paper. ALWAYS write the bibliographical and footnote details for each piece of information when you write a note so that you do NOT have to find that reference again.
Reconfirm/Determine major and subordinate topics as you read.
Also notice how articles are written to use as models for writing your paper.
WRITING the research paper
You must write your own research and NOT JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT IS ALREADY WRITTEN in the research you read. See what the evidence is for the written opinions and determine your answer to your question. Your answer will be your thesis and your question will become your hypothesis.
Often you will find that there is NO CONSENSUS on your topic or that the ISSUE/QUESTION IS NOT RESOLVED. You want to include these opinions and unresolved questions in your paper.
However, DON'T JUST BUY CONSENSUS, make up your own mind and defend your opinion with your reasoning for your decision. State your opinion/decision(s) on the topic and your reasoning for your opinion/decision clearly in your paper.
Write first draft, insert numbers for footnotes and write the same number in your notes next to your detail footnote info to make typing the footnotes faster.
Quotations
Use only if it is the best access and most persuasive info.
A quote needs to be precise and as short as possible.
It is NOT necessary to use all of the quote. Use ... for the portion(s) that you do not include.
Make it clear to the reader when it is an author's idea(s) and when it is your idea.
Minimize distortion of authors' ideas.
Organization of paper:
A. Introduction
A paper needs a good LEAD-IN to persuade the reader to read it and
some expression of your thesis:
raise it as a question or
make it a statement and
a Map - that is an outline of the sequence in which you will discuss the question(s).
B. Alternative views
Present these before your own view.
Make the best possible case for each alternative view and
then give the limitations of these alternative views.
C. Your own view and
1. why it is your view and
2. any limitations of your view, if there are any, must be included.
D. Conclusion
Try to write beyond just summing up and
place your view with other implications or possibilities for the thesis/view. Make suggestion(s) for other or further research possibilities around the thesis/view.
If you start with a question(s), conclude with an answer(s).
If you start with a statement, end with a re-statement.
E. Footnotes and bibliography
One must acknowledge who wrote what one uses in his paper. Use a guide book for writing research papers and follow the accepted formats for writing footnotes and bibliographies to acknowledge who wrote what you used.
Generally bibliographies
group by category of the literature and
alphabetize in most categories by author's last name.
For internet research see a recent guide book or go to Media Access Center in the library and ask to see AV's video tape #81127, "Doing Research on the Internet."
Proofread, revise and correct the paper
Check your list of the approach and all the parts required in the assignment that you made when you first analyzed the assignment. Now be sure that you have included everything on your list in your first draft.
Ask Others to read
Ask the teacher to read the first draft and make suggestions. If the teacher won't, contact LAC at this site SFSU Learning Assistance Center for tutoring, also check with classmate, friend etc. Be sure to let them read the assignment and your analysis list before they read your draft.
Use suggestions and revise the first draft. If you need help with revising, see the video, "Writing Papers: Revising Strategies," in the Media Access Center on the 3rd floor of the library listed under the Testing Center.
Ask someone to read the revised draft and revise or correct more if necessary.
Write final paper
Proofread - correct