Some research paper specifics The final draft of your research paper must

include all of the following criteria: Typed double-spaced with 1” margins all the way around,

size 12 font. Length needs to be 3-5 pages including the works cited

page. No title page. Must include 4-6 sources in your research paper. Make

sure they are valid sources, or else you will be researching further and rewriting your information.

What is the purpose of the introductory paragraph? Get the reader’s attention and introduce the

topic Set tone for the rest of the essay and make a

contract with the reader - what will be covered in this piece?

Briefly state your position and provide reasoning

The Parts of the Introductory Paragraph The Hook - Designed to grab attention

immediately and give some indication about the essay’s topic

The Transition - Moves the reader from the hook to the driving force of the essay….

The Thesis - Makes the contract with the reader about what will be discussed without a blatant announcement.

Types of Hooks

1. Personal examples

2. Quotations

3. Facts or statistics

4. Rhetorical questions

5. Current events

6. Contrast to the thesis statement

Personal Examples

Provides strong, dramatic incidents to use. Honesty in expressing thoughts and feelings will ring true with the reader. While you can make up the personal experience, be careful that it sounds credible.

Personal observation - different from a personal example, an observation is something you saw happening.

On Friday, February 19, 2011, life changed for an eighteen-year-old young man. He became very ill from a bacterial infection. His body could not fight the infection. Why? After a week of tests and examinations by several specialists, the diagnosis was made. He had leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow. I am that young man. When a person finds out that he has cancer, just as I did, his whole world changes. A cancer patient is affected physically, psychologically, and socially by the impact of cancer.

Example 1

One morning a young mother had her seven-month old son in his stroller under the peach tree near the family pool. She walked to the kitchen to get a knife so she could peel the peach for him. Ten seconds later, she found him facedown with the stroller at the bottom of the pool. She immediately pulled him out and administered CPR to her son. If she had been gone any longer, he might have been one of the statistics that plague our country every year. These child drownings could be greatly reduced if parents never left their children unattended around water, if pools were properly fenced, and if other safety devices were installed in or by the pool.

Example 2

Using Quotations

Content of quote should be: Dramatic Emotionally appealing Surprising Humorous

Quote does not have to be from a famous person

Must be relevant to thesis statement

Example 1

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven” (255). This thought by John Milton was recorded over four hundred years ago, but it is still timely for us today. He seems to be saying that we are the ones to control our lives. We can be miserable when things are going well, just as we can be happy when things are going wrong. With this thought in mind, we can control the way we face life through our attitude, our determination, and our ability.

Example 2 “I am stupid. I am never going back to school.” These are

the words spoken by a learning disabled child when he was in first grade. He cried as he slowly walked to his bedroom, shredding his schoolwork into small pieces. This was the first of many times when he and his parents would feel frustrated because there was nothing that they could do. Parents of children with learning disabilities have often felt unprepared to help their children with their handicaps and frustrated with attempts to seek the proper placement of them in the public-school system. The experience of school can be overwhelming for children who have trouble learning. The learning disabled student in the public educational system must deal with academic, social, and emotional problems.

Using Facts or Statistics Must be startling or unusual Must be from a credible source Use journal as a place to

record both quotes and facts or statistics that might work for an introduction

“Just the facts, please.”

Example 1

In the desert regions of Arizona, solar homes date back to the pre-Columbian Indians. These people carefully designed their homes in the recesses of south-facing cliffs to receive the warmth of the winter sun. In the summer, shade was provided by overhanging cliffs. Today, solar homes are becoming popular across the country. These solar homes, as then, must be carefully designed to use the sun efficiently in the orientation, the exterior, and the interior.

Example 2

According to an article in Family Safety & First Aid, published by Berkley Books, “… every 45 seconds a fire breaks out in an American home – 700,000 residences aflame each year. And 16 times a day somebody dies in one of these burning homes” (45). These statistics are frightening and should not be taken lightly. The best way to deal with the possibility of loss from fire is to plan ahead before it happens. Otherwise, it is too late. In order not to become one of these statistics, Americans need to equip their homes with safety devices, set and adhere to safety rules, and practice a family escape plan in order to protect their families.

Using Current Events

Must be recent Must be important Should be made public

by newspapers, television, or radio

Example

This morning’s news reported that a young girl, age 5, was abducted from her classroom. As a frantic search ensued, people across the Philadelphia area were shocked to find that the kidnapper walked right into the child’s classroom and demanded that the young kindergartner leave with the woman. The child managed to escape and was found, but she had been attacked by her captors. Obviously, safety procedures broke down and this poor child paid the price. In order to assure the safety of all children, schools across the country must review safety procedures, tighten safety protocols where necessary, and assure all staff members are properly trained.

Using Contrast to the Thesis Statement In direct contrast to the

thesis statement It’s fun to prove an

expert wrong

Example Since the middle 1940s, the female Cannabis sativa

plant, commonly known as marijuana, has been classified by the United States government as a Schedule I drug. This classification recognizes marijuana as a dangerous narcotic, similar in potency to heroin and possessing no redeeming medicinal qualities. Research in the last few years, however, has brought many new discoveries in medicine relating to the possible uses of marijuana to treat many different illnesses. Marijuana has been found to be effective in treating glaucoma, cancer, and phantom limb pain suffered by paraplegics and amputees.

Classwork and Homework For Tuesday: using the provided outline and

instructions you’ve received, compose the introductory paragraph for your research paper with a robust hook and smooth transition into a clearly defined thesis statement.

I will be conferencing with students throughout the week, and each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me.

Do This NOWAccording to an article in Family Safety & First Aid,

published by Berkley Books, “… every 45 seconds a fire breaks out in an American home – 700,000 residences aflame each year. And 16 times a day somebody dies in one of these burning homes” (45). These statistics are frightening and should not be taken lightly. The best way to deal with the possibility of loss from fire is to plan ahead before it happens. Otherwise, it is too late. In order not to become one of these statistics, Americans need to equip their homes with safety devices, set and adhere to safety rules, and practice a family escape plan in order to protect their families.

What kind of hook is being used?Is it effective? Why or why not?

Is there a smooth transition to the thesis?How strong is the thesis?

Components of a Body Paragraph Topic Sentence

MUST support the thesis statement States the main idea of the paragraph

Concrete Detail A piece of collected information from one of your 4-6

sources States a HARD fact (uses statistical data OR quoted,

summarized, or paraphrased information) Commentary Sentences

Approximately two sentences (per concrete detail) Explains the relation between the concrete detail and

the thesis Transition sentence

Completes paragraph while previewing the topic of the next paragraph

Connects the previous paragraph to the next one

Sample Body Paragraph - simple[Topic sentence]. [Concrete detail #1]. [Commentary 1].

[Commentary 2]. [Transition sentence].

Removing vending machines from schools would help lower childhood obesity percentages. “Schools that have removed vending machines containing junk food have seen a 9% increase in extra-curricular activities and a 15% decrease in clinic visits” (“Fat Kids”). Based on the information above, schools that remove vending machines can expect to see their student populations increase their activity. Educators serious about seeing children make better food choices during the school day will also see a decrease in visits to the clinic. Removing vending machines that sell unhealthy foods is one of several decisions schools can make to help students; they can also require more physical education courses.

Sample Body Paragraph - complex[Topic sentence]. [Concrete detail #1]. [Commentary 1].

[Commentary 2]. [Concrete detail #2]. [Commentary 1]. [Commentary 2].[Transition sentence].

Removing vending machines from schools would help lower childhood obesity percentages. “Schools that have removed vending machines containing junk food have seen a 9% increase in extra-curricular activities and a 15% decrease in clinic visits” (“Fat Kids”). Based on the information above, schools that remove vending machines can expect to see their student populations increase their activity. Educators serious about seeing children make better food choices during the school day will also see a decrease in visits to the clinic. Overweight students are six times more likely to make repeat visits to the clinic throughout the school year (McBain 4). Encouraging students to make healthy eating decisions will directly affect their health. The unhealthy foods some vending machines contain provide no nutrition or protection against average injuries. Removing vending machines that sell unhealthy foods is one of several decisions schools can make to help students; they can also require more physical education courses.

Is this Written in Stone?

NO! There are dozens of ways to construct a well written

research paper paragraph! When you craft the 1st rough draft of your research

paper, use these formulas to construct body paragraphs

During your 2nd and 3rd rough drafts, begin adjusting or experimenting with new sentence patterns and paragraph structures (this will help you boost your STYLE score).

Classwork and Homework For Wednesday: using the provided outline,

your introductory paragraph, and instructions you’ve received, compose the first body paragraph(s) for your research paper with a a topic sentence, concrete detail(s), commentary sentences, and a transition sentence.

Starting today, I will be conferencing with students one at a time; remember that each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me.

Do this NOWRead the following body paragraph and identify each type of

sentence listed below.

Transition sentence

Topic Sentence

Upon a further examination of The Joy Luck Club, the mother's constant pressure on the daughter was beginning to wear on her. Jing-mei's mother would consistently give her daughter tests and the expectations to succeed were high. As the daughter states right after she failed to perform well at the climatic piano recital, “After seeing my mother’s disappointed face once again, something inside me began to die. I hated the tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations” (Tan 152). After seeing the dissatisfaction from her mother’s face, the tests and hopes for success, began to eat away at her. It began to tear at the daughter’s emotional state. The consistent disappointment pushed the daughter to the point where she would not become someone she is not. In addition to the pressure from her mother, Jing-mei also faced tribulation working at the family restaurant.

Concrete Detail

CommentarySentences

In-Text Citation

An In-Text Citation is used to give credit for a direct quote, summary, or paraphrasing of someone else’s words in your essay. In-Text Citations always refer to a source that is referenced in your Works Cited page. For Example:

One author claims that “no one is concerned with this issue, you dork” (Jones 45).

In the body of your paper

Leroy predicted in 1998 that eBay would become the most lucrative Internet business, surpassing most businesses even during tough economic times (45).

Or Founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar, Jeff Skoll

and Meg Whitman, eBay has become the most lucrative Internet business (Leroy 45).

In your works cited pageLeroy, Jonathan G. eBay: Stunning Success. New

York: Dover Publishing, 2001.

A book with two or more authorsAccording to Franklin and Moss, “Approximately a half-million African Americans saw service overseas during World War II” (440).

A significant number of African Americans served in World War II (Franklin and Moss 440).

In your works cited pageFranklin, John Hope and Alfred A. Moss.

From Slavery to Freedom. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994.

TIP: When there are two authors, cite both of them. Three or more, use et al. Write the first name and et al. follows.

No Author associated with the magazine articleThe American Academy of Dermatology suggests using a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has a SPF of at least 15 (“Shining the Light on Sunscreen” 21). The higher the number, the more your skin will be protected.

In your works cited page“Shining the Light on Sunscreen.” A Brighter Society. 5 Dec. 1998:21.

TIP: When the author is unknown, use the title of the book, article or

organization. If the title is long, you can always shorten it.

Using the entire webpage, not just a documentThe Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged is a National Historic Landmark. Today, it is owned and operated by the AME Zion Church (“Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged”). 

In your works cited page"Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged." NRHP Travel Itinerary. 1998. National Park Service. 13 Dec 2008 <http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/pwwmh/ny 13.htm>.

TIP: If no author is available, then use the title of the webpage in quotes.

Remember the importance of Transitions

Transitions are like gears in a car, they help you shift from one paragraph to the next.

Here is a list of common transition words to incorporate into your transition sentences: And, in addition to, furthermore, moreover, besides, than, too, also, both-and, another, equally important, first, second, etc.

When transitioning from one paragraph to the next read the last sentence of paragraph 1, add your transition, and connect it to the

topic sentence in paragraph 2. EXAMPLE: Paragraph 1: The football incident is important in the story

because it demonstrates the major conflict between Lucy and Charlie Brown.

Transition: Like the conflict about the football, another literary device that is important in Peanut’s cartoon is the refrain of “Good Grief.”

Paragraph 2: One of the famous lines uttered by Charlie Brown is the phrase “Good Grief.” Whenever he is frustrated or feels he is cheated in life he utters “Good Grief.”

Classwork and Homework For Thursday: using the provided outline, your

introductory paragraph and first body paragraph, and instructions you’ve received, compose the next body paragraph(s) for your research paper including a topic sentence, concrete detail(s), commentary sentences, and a transition sentence.

I will continue to conference with students one at a time today; remember that each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me.

Do this NOWRead the following body paragraph and identify each type of

sentence listed below.

Transition sentence

Topic Sentence

Before Macduff’s son is murdered, he proves himself to be an intelligent child through his understanding of worldly concepts. When his mother tells him that his father is dead—though his father has only gone to England—the child knows his mother is lying.  Confident that his mother would weep over his father’s death, the child says to her, “If you would not, it were a good sign that I should quickly have a new father” (IV.ii.66-68). Macduff’s son knows that if a woman does not cry when her husband dies, she likely has another man waiting for her. In the same discussion, Macduff’s son says that all the liars and swearers in the world will never be hanged because there are “liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men and hang them” (IV.ii.61-63).  The son clearly understands the corruption in the world and in human nature that men are imperfect, thus proving his intelligence. Likewise, Lady Macduff reveals her intelligence to Macbeth, dooming her as well.

Concrete Detail

CommentarySentences

Classwork and Homework For Friday: using the provided outline, your

introductory paragraph, your first two body paragraphs, and instructions you’ve received, compose the next body paragraph(s) for your research paper including a topic sentence, concrete detail(s), commentary sentences, and a transition sentence.

I will continue to conference with students one at a time today; remember that each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me.

Do This NOWInterpret the following image.

Classwork and Homework For Monday: using the provided outline, your

introductory paragraph, your first three body paragraphs, and instructions you’ve received, compose the final body paragraph(s) for your research paper including a topic sentence, concrete detail(s), commentary sentences, and a transition sentence.

I will continue to conference with students one at a time today; remember that each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me.

Since the conclusion paragraph is the last part of the essay, writers must synthesize their arguments and bring it all home to to leave a memorable impression on the reader.

Point to the Future

The first sentence of the conclusion paragraph can point to the future in a way that relates to the topic.

Describing a future scenario that relates to the essay's topic can be an intriguing way to introduce the final paragraph.

For example, to conclude a persuasive essay on why students should not be required to wear uniforms, the concluding paragraph can start by pointing to the future:

In conclusion, a school with uniforms offers a bland environment that squashes a student’s individuality.

Suggest a Future Action

The second sentence of the conclusion paragraph can suggest a future action that needs to be taken by the writer or the reader.

For example:As a stakeholder in this school, you should seek to preserve the

individual spirit of students and vote “no” on school uniforms.

This call to action is an especially effective technique if students are writing a persuasive essay because students want to rally their readers to promote change.

Relate to the Thesis The third and fourth sentences can relate to the

thesis statement.

Use a restatement of the thesis to serve a specific purpose. You can make a deeper observation about life, human nature, community or society.

Delve into the deeper meaning of their thesis and offer insight to readers rather than mere repetition of ideas.

Example: With standardized testing being the driving force in education, students are expected to fit into some “one size fits all” mold. Uniforms would only further cause students to lose yet another means of personal expression.

Express Opinions on the Topic Although it may be inappropriate to express personal opinions

in the body of certain types of essays, the last sentence or two of the conclusion can be an effective location for student commentary on the topic.

You may want to make a more general observation about how the topic applies to society or the world. Ending an essay with a unique thought can leave a lasting impression in the reader's mind.

Example: Students face so many challenges in education with less time to relax and be themselves. Expecting them to walk around like clones in uniforms will only cause students to be even less excited about going to school.

Example Conclusion Paragraph: In conclusion, a school with uniforms offers a bland environment

that squashes a student’s individuality. As a stakeholder in this school, you should seek to preserve the individual spirit of students and vote “no” on school uniforms. With standardized testing being the driving force in education, students are expected to fit into some “one size fits all” mold. Uniforms would only further cause students to lose yet another means of personal expression. Students face so many challenges in education with less time to relax and be themselves. Expecting them to walk around like clones in uniforms will only cause students to be even less excited about going to school.

Concluding Paragraphs

Of course, this is just a guideline for composing your concluding paragraph. These

are minimum expectations, but you are welcome to use any strategy that you find most

effective.

Classwork and Homework For Tuesday: using the provided outline, your

introductory paragraph, your body paragraphs, and instructions you’ve received, compose the concluding paragraph for your research paper including, at a minimum, a point to the future, a call to action, a restatement of the thesis, and a concluding commentary.

I will continue to conference with students one at a time today; remember that each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me when I’m available.

Do this NOW: correct the red sentence.

Their going over to there Illuminati party because Tupac is going to be they’re.

Their is the third person plural pronoun. It indicates a possession or relationship.

Ex. Their dog was in the backyard. They’re is the contraction of “they” and “are.”Ex. They’re going to the amusement park on Friday. There is a pronoun when it refers to a specific

location, an adverb when it’s used before a verb.Ex. Stack the books there. There will be cake at the party.

They’re going over to their Illuminati party because Tupac is going to be there.

General Rules for Works Cited Pages in MLA Format Double space everything on a Works Cited

page. Center the title Works Cited (no bold, italics,

or underlining) and place it at the top of the page.

Use a “hanging indent” after the first line of each entry.

Bergen Community College © 2005 48

General Rules for Works Cited Entries The author is usually first in a Works Cited entry,

followed by the source’s title(s) and publication information.

Place the titles of smaller works (articles, short stories, book chapters, poems, songs) in quotation marks.

Italicize the titles of larger works (books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and films).

Capitalize the first letter of each word in titles (except articles, short prepositions, or conjunctions).

OK: so what does it look like?

“Hanging”

Indent

CenteredTitle

Everything is double-

spaced, and there are no line spaces

between entries.

Bergen Community College © 2005 50

More Rules for a Works Cited Page

Include publication medium (Print or Web) in each citation.

All Web sources need two dates: the date that the Web page was last updated and the date the information was accessed from the Internet.

Works Cited Entry for a Book

The ideal context for identity

formation is “a supportive and

respectful family” (Levine 169).

Works Cited

Levine, Madeleine, Ph.D. See No Evil: A Guide to Protecting Our Children

from Media Violence. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998. Print.

In-text Citation

Works Cited Entry

Wow! Look at the connection!

Works Cited Entry for a Periodical

A graphic example is the series of school shootings that have occurred in recent

years—the most recent occurred on March 21, 2005, at Red Lake High School on

an Indian reservation in Minnesota, where a seventeen-year-old male, who had just

killed his grandparents, shot and killed five students, a teacher and a security guard,

wounded many others and then turned the gun on himself (Wilgoren A-1).

Works Cited

Wilgoren, Jodi. “Shooting Rampage by Student Leaves 10 Dead on

Reservation.” New York Times 22 Mar. 2005, sec. 1: A-1+. Print.

In-text Citation

Works Cited Entry

Works Cited Entry for a Web Site

Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Johnson spent seventeen years

recording the viewing habits of children in 707 families in Upstate New

York and found that the ones “who watched one to three hours of television

each day . . . were 60% more likely to be involved in assaults and fights as

those who watched less TV” (“Research”).

Works Cited

“Research on the Effects of Media Violence.” Media Awareness Network.

2005. Web. 12 Mar. 2005

In-text Citation

Works Cited Entry

Classwork and Homework For Wednesday: Rough Draft due! I will continue to conference with students one

at a time today; remember that each step of this research paper is a grade.

If you have any questions, come see me when I’m available.