Typing and Composing Your Research Paper

Available online atwww.baltimorecityschools.org/341

PART ONE

Setting Up Your Paper on the Computer

Font

12

Formatting Basics

• Double space throughout paper, with no extra spaces between paragraphs.

• Do not right justify. Left justify.

• Top, bottom, and side margins should be one inch. Better yet, just use the default margins.

• Indent the first word of each paragraph by ½ inch or 5 spaces. Press the TAB key once.

• Do not use a title page for the research paper: instead simply type your name, instructor’s name, course number, and date. This should be flush with the left margin.

• Center the title of the paper. Do not underline the title, or put in “quotation marks,” or set in ALL CAPITALS.

• Number all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, right the top and flush with right margin. Type your last name before the page number, and do not use “p.” before the number.

Works Cited • MLA style requires that the list of Works Cited start on a new

page at the end of your paper. Formatting rules include:• Continue page numbering from the body of your paper.• Center the title “Works Cited,” one inch from the top.• Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name. If no author,

alphabetize by the title (ignore A, An,The).• Use a hanging indent. Highlight one citation at a time to

create hanging idents.

Josephson 5Works Cited

Letemendia, V. C. “Revolution on Animal Farm: Orwell's Neglected Commentary.”

Journal of Modern Literature 18.1 (1992): 127-37. JSTOR . Web. 6 July 2009.

Levine, June Perry. “Passage to the Odeon: Too Lean.” Literature Film Quarterly

14.3 (1986): 139-50. Print.

Steele, Timothy. The Color Wheel: Poems. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1994. Print.

Reminder: Citation Formats

Book with one author:Steele, Timothy. The Color Wheel: Poems.

Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1994.

Website:“Scott Joplin.” 2014. 30 May 2014.

<http://www.scottjoplin.org/biography/>

PART TWO

Ordering and Composing Your Facts Into Paragraphs

Step One

Spread out all your Cornell note sheets. You should have different sheet of notes for each source that you used.

Step Two

Read all of the questions on all the sheets. Think about what comes first in your report, what comes second, and so forth.

Step Three

On your Cornell note sheets, number the questions in the order that you will answer them as you write your paragraphs.

4

12

3

5

6

7

8

Step FourIf the same or similar question appears on more

than one Cornell note sheet, give that question the same number as when your first came across it.

4

12

3

5

6

7

8

24

6

Step Five

Write an introductory paragraph. Tell the read what your main topic is. Mention a few of the questions you will answer in your research paper.

Example:

Many people have questions about lions. In this paper, you will learn what lions eat. You will learn how lions protect themselves. You will learn many fascinating facts about lions.

Step Six

Look at all your notes for question #1. Start a new paragraph. In the first sentence of the paragraph, give the reader a clue what the paragraph is about.

Example: Lions eat a variety of foods.

Step Seven

Finish out the paragraph with lots of details from your notes on question #1.

Example:

Lions eat a variety of foods. Baby elephants, giraffes, hippopotamus and Cape buffalo are some of the larger animals that are hunted in different areas depending on where the lions are located. They also have been known to attack and kill hyenas, cheetahs, wild dogs and leopards.

Step Eight

Look at all your notes for question #2. Start a new paragraph. In the first sentence of the paragraph, give the reader a clue what the paragraph is about.

Example: Lions have many ways to protect themselves.

Step Nine

Finish out the paragraph with lots of details from your notes on question #2.

Example:

Lions have many ways to protect themselves. A lion protects itself with its claws and fangs. Also, the beautiful thick mane around a lion's neck, helps protect it from the claws of other animals during a fight or attack. Lions also have a very keen sense of smell that will sometimes alert them when danger is near.

Step Ten

• Start a new paragraph for question #3. In the first sentence of the paragraph, give the reader a clue what the paragraph is about. Then look at your notes for question #3. Write lots of details to fully explain question #3.

• Do the same for all your questions. Keep going until you have written about all your questions.

LAST STEP

Write a concluding paragraph which reminds the reader of the questions that have just been answered.

Example:Lions are fascinating animals. They eat all sorts of things. They have many things built into their bodies that help them defend themselves. Lions are truly the king of beasts.

AFTER THAT…

• Get someone to help you with spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Be professional—all the way!