FINAL PROJECT OVRERVIEW

Seminar Unit #2

Prof. Christopher L. Howard

Choosing an environmental topic

• Choosing a Topic• If you know you are interested in doing research in a broad subject area, try to think of ways you can make your

subject more specific.• Example: writing a paper about global warming• Brainstorm for topic ideas• What aspects of your topic are you interested in?• Environmental-- The impact of global warming on the sea level. • Economic-- The impact of global warming on the agricultural industry. • Political-- Frequently representatives of countries gather together to address pollution problems that may

contribute to global warming. Has this process been effective? • What time period or geographic area are you interested in?• Geographic Area-- How will global warming affect developing countries? • Time Period-- Have reports of global warming increased over the past 10 years? • What do you already know about the topic?• I've heard that there is disagreement in the scientific community about the existence of global warming. What are

the arguments on both sides of this issue? • Some tips to consider when choosing a topic:• When selecting a topic, be sure to choose a subject area that is of genuine interest to you. • Consult your instructor, as he or she may be able to give advice concerning paper topics. • In order to articulate your ideas, it helps to express your topic idea as a question. • Example: Global Warming > The effect of global warming on the agriculture industry > Will global warming cause

the grain belt to move north? Will farmers have to change their crops as a result of global warming?• What if you don't have enough information to express your topic idea as a specific question? If this is the case,

doing some background reading can help you to articulate your research topic. • http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/basics/researchprocess.html

Background Information

• Background Information• Finding background information about a topic is an important step of the research process. If you are interested in pursuing a topic which

is unfamiliar to you, reading an encyclopedia or a general article about the subject can allow you to articulate your topic idea and assist in pointing out areas for further research.

• Sources to consult for background information include:• Encyclopedias• Encyclopedias are available in both general and subject specific formats. If you are just beginning your research and need general

background information, sources like the Encyclopedia Britannica or the Encyclopedia Americana can be good starting points. Subject specific encyclopedias can give you background information about a particular discipline or subject area. Examples of subject specific encyclopedias include The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology and the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. There are many encyclopedias available covering different subject areas. If you are having trouble finding an encyclopedia to use for background information in your research, be sure to Ask a Librarian.

• General news articles• News articles in a newspaper or general magazine can give you a starting point for your research. Article databases that you can use to

find general articles include Readers' Guide, and  InfoTrac. Please see the databases listed under General Interest Databases on the Article Database page for more information.

• Bibliographies• Experts in a particular field will sometimes compile lists of useful resources for people pursuing research. Many bibliographies on a variety

of topics are published in book form and are available at the Illinois library. The home pages for some UIUC departmental libraries may also provide information about bibliographies for their particular subject. For more information, please see the Class Materials by Course page.

• Quick tip: • To search the library catalog for bibliographies, do a keyword subject search by typing the word bibliography and words that describe the

topic of your research. For example, if you are researching a paper on global warming, you could run a search for 'bibliography global warming' to see what resources are available. For more information, please visit Top Ten Tips for Tackling Tricky Database Queries.

• http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/basics/researchprocess.html

Research Articles• Finding Articles• Searching for sources• Identify important concepts in your topic. • Once you have articulated your topic, try to pick out important concepts or keywords which you can use when you search for articles. • Example: How will global warming affect developing countries?• Identify the subject area. • For the global warming and developing countries topic there are a couple subject areas to consider when trying to choose a database or index. The

issue of global warming could be described as environmental or scientific. The fact that the issue of developing countries is also a factor means that the subject area also involves international issues.

• Consider how recent or historical your search is. • Since global warming is a recent concern, finding the most current articles would be useful.• Choose the appropriate article database or index • Look at the Article Database Page (Online Research Resources) and match the subject areas of your topic with the subject areas of the different article

databases that are available for you to search. • Example: For the Global Warming topic, you can look at the Life Sciences & Medicine database subject area and see that there is an Environmental

Sciences and Pollution Management database that deals with environmental issues. By looking at the Social Sciences, Business, & Education database subject area, you can also see that the PAIS Archive (Public Affairs Information Service) database might have articles dealing with developing countries. Searching both of these databases for articles relating to your topic would be a good place to start your research.

• Run the search • Think about the important concepts and subject area of your topic. Choose keywords that you can use to search the databases. • Example: In the topic "How will global warming affect developing countries?" the important concepts are global warming and developing countries. One

way to make sure that your search for articles is effective is to think of synonyms or additional words to describe your topic.• global warming: greenhouse effect, climate change

developing countries: developing nations, underdeveloped countries, third world• Most article databases allow you to build your searches by combining similar concepts with the word OR. This will result in a broader search. • For example: global warming OR greenhouse effect OR climate change will find any article that has any of the three concepts in it. You can combine

dissimilar concepts to create a focused search.• Example: The search "global warming AND developing countries" will find any article that has both concepts in it. For example, the search "(global

warming OR greenhouse effect) AND developing countries" will find any article that has either global warming or greenhouse effect as terms and the term developing countries. 

Evaluation• Evaluate your results• Look at the number of article citations you were able to retrieve. If

you retrieved more articles than you expected and they don't seem to be relevant to your topic, you may need to add another concept or keyword to your search statement in order to narrow your search. If you retrieved fewer articles than you expected, perhaps your search statement was too narrow. You might want to take some keywords out of your search statement to create a broader search which will retrieve more articles.

• Look at the abstract or subject headings of the article citations you have retrieved to determine if they are relevant to your research.

• If you want more information about how to search article databases, workshops are offered every semester.

• If you are having any trouble searching the article databases, check out tips on locating articles or be sure to Ask a Librarian for help.

• http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/basics/researchprocess.html

Run-On Sentences• A RUN-ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a "fused sentence") has at least two parts, either one of which can

stand by itself (in other words, two independent clauses), but the two parts have been smooshed together instead of being properly connected. Review, also, the section which describes Things That Can Happen Between Two Independent Clauses.

• It is important to realize that the length of a sentence really has nothing to do with whether a sentence is a run-on or not; being a run-on is a structural flaw that can plague even a very short sentence:

• The sun is high, put on some sunblock. An extremely long sentence, on the other hand, might be a "run-off-at-the-mouth" sentence, but it can be otherwise sound, structurally. Click here to see a 239-word sentence that is a perfectly fine sentence (structurally)

• When two independent clauses are connected by only a comma, they constitute a run-on sentence that is called a comma-splice. The example just above (about the sunscreen) is a comma-splice. When you use a comma to connect two independent clauses, it must be accompanied by a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so).

• The sun is high, so put on some sunscreen. Run-on sentences happen typically under the following circumstances*:

• When an independent clause gives an order or directive based on what was said in the prior independent clause: This next chapter has a lot of difficult information in it, you should start studying right away.(We could put a period where that comma is and start a new sentence. A semicolon might also work there.)

• When two independent clauses are connected by a transitional expression (conjunctive adverb) such as however, moreover, nevertheless. Mr. Nguyen has sent his four children to ivy-league colleges, however, he has sacrificed his health working day and night in that dusty bakery.(Again, where that first comma appears, we could have used either a period — and started a new sentence — or a semicolon.)

• When the second of two independent clauses contains a pronoun that connects it to the first independent clause.

• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/runons.htm

Building a Paragraph

• How do I organize a paragraph?• There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization

you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with brief examples.

• Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. (See an example.)

• Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. (See an example.)

• Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third. (See an example.)

• Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. (See an example.)

• Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples prove your point. (See the detailed example in the next section of this handout.)

• http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/paragraphs.html

Building a Paragraphcont.

• 5-step process to paragraph development• Let's walk through a 5-step process to building a paragraph. Each step of the process will include

an explanation of the step and a bit of "model" text to illustrate how the step works. Our finished model paragraph will be about slave spirituals, the original songs that African Americans created during slavery. The model paragraph uses illustration (giving examples) to prove its point.

• Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence• Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the

paragraph's development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph's controlling idea. Here is the controlling idea for our "model paragraph," expressed in a topic sentence:

• Model controlling idea and topic sentence— Slave spirituals often had hidden double meanings.

• Step 2. Explain the controlling idea • Paragraph development continues with an expression of the rationale or the explanation that the

writer gives for how the reader should interpret the information presented in the idea statement or topic sentence of the paragraph. The writer explains his/her thinking about the main topic, idea, or focus of the paragraph. Here's the sentence that would follow the controlling idea about slave spirituals:

• Model explanation—On one level, spirituals referenced heaven, Jesus, and the soul; but on another level, the songs spoke about slave resistance.

Building a ParagraphContinued

• Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)• Paragraph development progresses with the expression of some type of support or evidence for the idea and the

explanation that came before it. The example serves as a sign or representation of the relationship established in the idea and explanation portions of the paragraph. Here are two examples that we could use to illustrate the double meanings in slave spirituals:

• Model example A— For example, according to Frederick Douglass, the song "O Canaan, Sweet Canaan" spoke of slaves' longing for heaven, but it also expressed their desire to escape to the North. Careful listeners heard this second meaning in the following lyrics: "I don't expect to stay / Much longer here. / Run to Jesus, shun the danger. / I don't expect to stay."

• Model example B— Slaves even used songs like "Steal Away to Jesus (at midnight)" to announce to other slaves the time and place of secret, forbidden meetings.

• Step 4. Explain the example(s)• The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic

sentence and rationale that were stated at the beginning of the paragraph. This explanation shows readers why you chose to use this/or these particular examples as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

• Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence. Look at these explanations for the two examples in the slave spirituals paragraph:

• Model explanation for example A— When slaves sang this song, they could have been speaking of their departure from this life and their arrival in heaven; however, they also could have been describing their plans to leave the South and run, not to Jesus, but to the North.

• Model explanation for example B—[The relationship between example B and the main idea of the paragraph's controlling idea is clear enough without adding another sentence to explain it.]

Building a Paragraph Continued

• Step 5. Complete the paragraph's idea or transition into the next paragraph

• The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph and reminding the reader of the relevance of the information in this paragraph to the main or controlling idea of the paper. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information that you just discussed in the paragraph. You might feel more comfortable, however, simply transitioning your reader to the next development in the next paragraph. Here's an example of a sentence that completes the slave spirituals paragraph:

• Model sentence for completing a paragraph— What whites heard as merely spiritual songs, slaves discerned as detailed messages. The hidden meanings in spirituals allowed slaves to sing what they could not say.

• Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph.

Paper Format and Structure

• Here are some generic suggestions for formatting your paper, attempted answers to the inevitable question: "What's this paper supposed to look like?" But remember, if you have any doubts or questions, ask your instructor!

• Word-processing is not just a good thing, a clever technological device to make your writing look good; it makes the composing and editing processes much easier and (some people claim) even fun; it is technology that you ignore to your peril!

• Double-space all typing in all documents. A serif typing font should be used, something like Times, Times Roman, or Times New Roman in a 12-point font size. Don't use anything fancy and avoid the non-serif fonts (except for headlines, if you have any), as they can become difficult to read after a while; cursive scripts are forbidden. Never mix font styles.

Use one-inch margins (or a bit more, never less), all the way around the edge of your text. Do not use justified margins (even right margins), even though your word-processor makes that look really nifty. Justified margins tend to create some word-divisions and spacing that are not appropriate.

Use plain black printing off a good laser or bubble-jet printer. Dot-matrix printing is acceptable if the copy is strong and dark; otherwise, bring your floppy disc into a computer lab where you can print your paper using a better printer. Use plain, white, 20-lb., 8 1/2- by 11-inch paper. If you use tractor-fed paper, use only laser-cut paper and carefully remove the fringes. (But it is definitely time for a new printer!)

• Spacing: With modern word-processors, it is a good idea to get into the habit of using only one space after a period, question mark, semicolon, colon, etc. Word-processors will allow for the appropriate spacing. A double-space can actually do weird things, especially if your margin is justified (which is probably not a good idea). If you have any questions about this, ask your instructor (some of whom learned to space their typing on ancient typewriters and still use double-spacing after periods).

• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/format.htm

Formatting Your Paper Cont.

• Spacing around quotation marks and parentheses can raise questions. Click HERE for help with quotation marks; click HERE for help with parentheses. The most important rule you must remember about quotation marks is that in the United States, periods and commas go inside quotation marks regardless of logic. (When marking papers written by students who have grown up in areas influenced by British education, instructors would be kind to remember that this is not the rule outside the United States.)

• Titles can be important. If you can't think of a good title, it might mean that your paper has no real focus. Capitalize the first, last, and important words of your title. A title can end in a question mark or exclamation mark, but it cannot end in a period. (This is different from usage in other languages.) You might use quotation marks in a title if it refers to someone else's title (of a poem, say), but do not put quotation marks around your own title (e.g., Robert Frost's "Design" could be your title, but not "Robert Frost's 'Design'.").

A title page is probably unnecessary, but you should ask your instructor about that. Fancy graphics or bold or italic printing on your title page, if you use one, is not necessary and probably should be avoided.

• Place your name, date, and course number at the top of the first page. Your instructor may ask you to put your name on each sheet of paper.

• Never use the back of a sheet of paper; staple additional sheets at the upper left-hand corner. This professor's prejudice dictates that students not use plastic binders; they're cumbersome and a waste of money. What your instructors usually want is a nice, flat stack of papers they can cram into an attache case or backpack, and those plastic folders just get in the way when it's time to grade the papers.

• Depending on your instructor and the level at which you are writing, evidence of careful re-reading and editing here and there (a last-minute correction done neatly with pen) is permissible; sloppiness is not. Last-minute corrections can be accomplished on a word-processor, and your paper ought to be nearly perfect when you hand it in.

• CAUTION: Do not wait until the very last minute to print out your paper! Evil, fun-loving gremlins reside in every printer ever made, just waiting to detect a last-minute paper so they can jam up, eat paper, create havoc, and make your life miserable. Your instructor has filed the excuse of the demonic printer along with the plague that strikes down millions of grandmothers (sometimes grandmothers who died the previous semester) near the end of every term.

Organization• I. Introduction • The job of your introduction is to give the reader the information s/he will need to understand your

thesis. You should think about the introduction as a funnel or a water slide -- once the reader begins reading it s/he should be pulled into the thesis.

• A. Thesis Statement• A thesis statement should be comprised of the argument you are making in your paper. It tells the

reader what you are asserting. The thesis can be stated in either one sentence or expressed through a few sentences. However, you should make sure that your thesis statement is in your introductory paragraph (don't keep your reader guessing!).

• B. Preview of your argument• Following the statement of your argument, you should touch upon the evidence you will use to

support your thesis. These points map out all you plan to argue during the rest of your paper. This is not the place to explain your evidence. That will be done in the body of the paper.

• C. Alluding to the Conclusion• Your introduction should give you a jumping off point for your conclusion. Your conclusion may

go a little above and beyond the basic argument you've made. For example, the conclusion may address some implications, effects and consequences of the thesis statement. You want to mention these briefly but save the explanation and elaboration for the body of the paper and the conclusion.

• http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/organize.html

Organization Cont.• II. Body • There are a variety of ways to structure the body of your paper. The

following suggestions are intended to be a guide, not an unyielding blueprint.

• A. Points of argument.• A basic means of laying out an argument is to follow the structure you have

set up in the introduction. For example, you want to elaborate, explain or defend each point of evidence that you've mentioned, in the order they were mentioned, in the introduction. If they are related, specify as to how. Most importantly, demonstrate how each point supports your thesis.

• B. Dealing with criticisms/alternative arguments.• If there are criticisms of or weaknesses in your argument, be sure you

address them. You should note criticisms or alternative explanations and discuss them in relation to your points of argument to illustrate why the reader should accept your argument instead of an alternative one.

• http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/organize.html

Organization Cont.

• III. Conclusion • Restate the argument/thesis. Usually, this entails

reiterating the points you have already made but in a very concise fashion. The conclusion summarizes your argument and ties the paper together. A good conclusion can also include any other ideas you have drawn from your experience in formulating the argument. You may speculate as to how your argument might hold up in different circumstances or discuss some implications of your argument for a broader topic. Your conclusion should not contradict your thesis and should not contain any real surprises.

APA Style• General Format• Summary: APA (American Psychological Association) is most commonly used to cite

sources within the social sciences. This resource, revised according to the 6th edition of the APA manual, offers examples for the general format of APA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page. Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in APA.

• Contributors:Jodi Wagner, Elena Lawrick, Elizabeth Angeli, Kristen Moore, Michael Anderson, Lars Soderlund, Allen BrizeeLast Edited: 2010-01-11 02:02:04

• General APA Guidelines• Your essay should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11") with

1" margins on all sides. You should use 10-12 pt. Times New Roman font or a similar font.

• Include a page header at the top of every page. To create a page header, insert page numbers flush right. Then type "TITLE OF YOUR PAPER" in the header flush left.

• Major Paper Sections• Your essay should include four major sections: the Title Page, Abstract, Main

Body, and References.• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

APA Style Cont.• Title Page• The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author's name, and the institutional

affiliation. Include the page header (described above) flush left with the page number flush right at the top of the page. Please note that on the title page, your page header should look like this:

• Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER• Pages after the title page should have a running head that looks like this:• TITLE OF YOUR PAPER• After consulting with publication specialists at the APA, OWL staff learned that the APA 6th

edition sample papers have incorrect examples of Running heads on pages after the title page. This link will take to you the APA site where you can find a complete list of all the errors in the APA's 6th edition style guide.

• Type your title in upper and lowercase letters centered in the upper half of the page. APA recommends that your title be no more than 12 words in length and that it should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose. Your title may take up one or two lines. All text on the title page, and throughout your paper, should be double-spaced.

• Beneath the title, type the author's name: first name, middle initial(s), and last name. Do not use titles (Dr.) or degrees (Ph.D.).

• Beneath the author's name, type the institutional affiliation, which should indicate the location where the author(s) conducted the research.

APA Style Cont.• Abstract• Begin a new page. Your abstract page should already include the

page header (described above). On the first line of the abstract page, center the word “Abstract” (no bold, formatting, italics, underlining, or quotation marks).

• Beginning with the next line, write a concise summary of the key points of your research. (Do not indent.) Your abstract should contain at least your research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. You may also include possible implications of your research and future work you see connected with your findings. Your abstract should be a single paragraph double-spaced. Your abstract should be between 150 and 250 words.

• You may also want to list keywords from your paper in your abstract. To do this, center the text and type Keywords: (italicized) and then list your keywords. Listing your keywords will help researchers find your work in databases.

MLA Style• MLA Formatting and Style Guide• Summary: MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources

within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.) and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page. Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in MLA.

• Contributors:Tony Russell, Allen BrizeeLast Edited: 2010-02-23 09:42:52

• General Format• MLA style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. MLA style

also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages.

• Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material by other writers.

• If you are asked to use MLA format, be sure to consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition). Publishing scholars and graduate students should also consult the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd edition). The MLA Handbook is available in most writing centers and reference libraries; it is also widely available in bookstores, libraries, and at the MLA web site. See the Additional Resources section of this handout for a list of helpful books and sites about using MLA style.

• Paper Format• The preparation of papers and manuscripts in MLA style is covered in chapter four of the MLA Handbook, and

chapter four of the MLA Style Manual. Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style.

• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

MLA Style Cont.• General Guidelines• Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper. • Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever

font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are recognizable one from another. The font size should be 12 pt.

• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise instructed by your instructor).

• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. • Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you

use the Tab key as opposed to pushing the Space Bar five times. • Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half

inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor may ask that you omit the number on your first page. Always follow your instructor's guidelines.)

• Use italics throughout your essay for the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, providing emphasis.

• If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page. Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

MLA Style Cont.• Formatting the First Page of Your Paper• Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested. • In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your

instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.

• Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.

• Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"

• Double space between the title and the first line of the text. • Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name,

followed by a space with a page number; number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor or other readers may ask that you omit last name/page number header on your first page. Always follow instructor guidelines.)

OPEN FORUM

• OK everyone….its Question and Answer time. If you have any questions concerning anything that I am looking for in the paper or any specific questions that you would like to ask now is the time to do it so…..

SPEAK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wrapping it Up

• Choosing a topic• Run on sentences• Run on paragraphs and paragraph

structure• Paper formatting• Organization and structure of Paper• APA and MLA Styles• Open Forum: Question and Answer