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Ms. Hayes’
9th Grade Research Paper
Packet
My Name:
____________________________
My Paper Topic:
____________________________________
(If found, please return this to Ms. Hayes – Room 502)
Hayes 2
Table of Contents
Ms. Hayes’ Research Paper Information – pg. 3
MLA Formatting Guide – pg. 4
MLA Guide for Parenthetical Citations – pg. 6
Researching Your Topic – pg. 9
Thesis Statement Generator – pg. 10
“Assistance for Writing Your Research Paper Outline” Handout – pg. 11
Writing an Outline – pg. 13
Creating Your Electronic Source Cards – pg. 14
Writing Good Paragraphs/Writing Good Sentences – pg. 15
Transition Words – pg. 16
MLA Guide for Creating Your Works Cited Page – pg. 18
MLA Style Format for Citing Sources – pg. 19
“Things” I Should Never See in Your Research Paper – pg. 22
Rough Draft – Peer Edit Sheet – pg. 23
Grading Rubric – pg. 24
Hayes 3
Ms. Hayes’ 9th
grade Research Paper Information
What I Will Need:
Research Paper Packet (I will provide you with this.)
Manila Envelope (They sell these in the library.)
Highlighter
Flash Drive/Jump Drive to save your information and paper on
What I Will Do:
At least Three (3) Electronic Source Card Pages
o One internet source (“Wikipedia” or “About.com” or other sites like those are NOT acceptable!)
o One book source
o One database source (You CANNOT use a search engine (i.e. Google or Yahoo) for this source!)
Research Paper Outline
Rough Draft
Works Cited Page
Final/Complete Draft (at least 5 paragraph) Research Paper
When I’ll Turn It In:
Three Electronic Source Cards – Due April 3rd
Research Paper Outline – Due April 4th
Rough Draft – Due April 11th
Works Cited Page – Due April 11th
Final/Complete Research Paper (with Works Cited Page) – Due April 13th
(NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!)
This Is How I Will Do It:
Prewriting: Selecting & Researching Your Topic
o You will pick a topic and research for your writing.
o You will find your sources and create your electronic source cards.
o You will collect research and keep track of it on your electronic source card pages.
Prewriting: Outlining Your Paper
o You will create an outline for your research paper.
o This will help you know what you are going to write about in each paragraph.
Drafting: Writing/Typing the Rough Draft of your Paper
o Using the research you have found, you will write and type the rough draft version of your research paper.
Citing Your Works: Writing your Works Cited Page
o You will create a Works Cited Page to show your reader where you found the information/research that you
included in your paper.
Revising & Editing: Making corrections to Rough Draft
o You will make the necessary revisions and corrections to your paper and re-type it. (When you finish this process,
your paper should be ready to turn in for grading.)
Submitting: Turn in the final/complete version of your paper
o You will turn in your completed and typed five paragraph research paper on April 13th
.
***Remember the following: Research Papers take time…Bring your work (AND YOUR PACKET) to class every single
day…Deadlines are always closer than they appear…You will have to do a lot of work on your own…Don’t freak out about this…If
you do what I ask and ask for help when you are confused, you’ll be fine! ***
Hayes 4
MLA Formatting Guide
Please Visit The Purdue Online Writing Lab For more information
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
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.
Contributors:Tony Russell, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli, Russell Keck Last Edited: 2012-01-31 01:51:34
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.
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
Paper should be written in Times New Roman font.
The font size should be 12 pt.
Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.
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.
Your heading should be typed – DO NOT USE HEADER OR FOOTER FOR THIS.
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. Omit the page
number from the first page.
Hayes 5
Use italics throughout your essay for the titles of longer works ONLY.
Formatting the First Page of Your Paper
Do not make a title page for your paper.
For your heading (Do not use a “header” for this) type 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.
o Example:
John Smith
Ms. Hayes
English 9
13 April 2012
For your title, hit enter ONCE after you finish the date on your paper. 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"
Hit enter ONCE after your title and begin the first line of your introductory paragraph.
Creating your page numbers with last name:
o Do this once you have typed at least TWO pages of your paper! Your page number
and last name will NOT show up on the first page of your paper.
o Click the “Insert” Tab
o Click the “Page Number” Icon
o Chose the “Top of Page” option
o Select “Plain Number 3”
o Then check the box labeled “Different First Page” (This will start your numbers and
last name on the second page and keep you from have the page number on your
first page.)
o Then move your cursor to the left (in front of) your page number (You should only
see the number two at this point.)
o Type your last name. Make sure you leave ONE space between your last name and
the page number.
o Change the font of the last name and page number to 12pt Times New Roman font.
You do this by highlighting the text and number with your cursor. Then click on the
“Home” tab and select to change your font and size.
o Click somewhere else on your paper to exit out of the header for your page number
and last name.
o It should look like the example that is at the top right hand corner of this page.
Hayes 6
MLA Guide for PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS
This information can be found at http://www.studyguide.org/MLA_format_parenthetical_citations.htm
General Rules for Parenthetical Citations:
USING AUTHOR NAME
The author of a source is always mentioned either in your text or in the parenthetical citation--unless no author is provided.
Author's name mentioned in text
Use the author's name in a single sentence to introduce the material. Then, cite the page number(s) in parentheses.
Example
Pope was clear to point out that, although many of his ideas were idealistic, Rousseau held ambivalent feelings toward women (138).
Author's name not mentioned in text
When you do not include the author's name in the text, place the author's last name in the parenthetical citation before the page number(s). There is no punctuation between the author's name and the page number(s).
Example
During World War I, British and American women could, for the first time, earn first-class pay for first-class work (Gilbert 236-7).
More than one work by the same author(s)
If you use more than one work from a single author, when you refer to either of the sources, give the author's last name, an abbreviated title of the work, and the relevant page number(s). A comma separates the author's last name and the title; however, there is no punctuation between the title and the page number(s).
Example
When calculating the number of homeless animals in the United States, the author comically stated that "Maybe man would not overrun the planet, but his pet poodles and Siamese cats might" (Westin, Pethood 6). She then further stated that there are fifty million homeless animals in the country (Westin, "Planning" 10).
Note: If you mention the author's last name in the sentence, you do not need to include the author's last name in parentheses.
Two authors with the same last name
If you use sources by authors with the same last name, always include the author's first and last name in the sentence or in the parenthetical citation.
Example
Children will learn to write if they are given the freedom to choose their own subjects, Allison Faye argues, citing the city school council study of the early 1970s (42-51); however, Robert Faye believes that children will learn how to write regardless of their school subjects (102-115).
Two or three authors in a single source
If a source is written by two or three authors, place all of the authors' last names in the single sentence or in the parenthetical citation.
Example
Richards, Jones, and Moore maintain that college students who actively participate in extracurricular activities achieve greater academic excellence because they learn how to manage their time more effectively (185).
or
The authors maintain that college students who actively participate in extracurricular activities achieve greater academic excellence because they learn how to manage their time more effectively (Richards, Jones, and Moore 185).
Hayes 7
Four or more authors in a single source
If a source is written by four or more authors, use the first author's last name followed by "et al." (Latin for "and others") either in
the single sentence or in the parenthetical citation. You can also name all of the authors in the single sentence or in the parenthetical citation.
Example
Chazon et al. argued that ethnic groups are culturally based social organizations in which members have multiple identities (105-6).
or
The authors argued that ethnic groups are culturally based social organizations in which members have multiple identities (Chazon, Riley, Jacobs, and Rutherford 105-6).
SPECIAL CASES:
No author identified in a source
If you use a source that does not supply an author's name, substitute, by using the title or an abbreviated title, for the author's name in the sentence or in the parenthetical citation. In the citation, do not forget to include the page number(s) unless the source is one page or less in length. Be sure to italicize the title if the source is a book, and if the source is an article, place quotation marks around the title.
Example
Goddess religions are thought to have originated somewhere between 25,000 and 7,000 BCE (When God Was a Woman).
Indirect quotations
If you are citing an author who was quoted by another author, include both names. First, give the name of the author whose words you are citing, followed by "qtd. in." Then, give the name of the author of the source you used. If you include the author whose words you are quoting in your text, you do not need to include the author's name again in your citation.
Example
In last month's issue of Rolling Stone, Lenny Cravitz admitted that Jimmy Hendrix was an "extraordinary man" (qtd. in Riverwell 220).
Note: Whenever you can, try to take material from the original source and not from a secondhand one. Your credibility as a writer could suffer if you depend too heavily on secondhand sources.
Citing more than one work in single parenthetical reference
If you need to acknowledge two or more works in a single reference, cite each source as you normally would, but use semicolons to separate the reference.
Example
Several critics have noted that Butler is unique in being a female African American writer who has excelled in the science fiction genre (Crossley xii; Salvaggio).
The Bible
If you are citing the Bible for any reason, you will need to acknowledge the title of the Bible, the book, and the verse. Keep in mind that some people do not believe the Bible to be a credible source. Be careful when using this – don’t make it your only source of validation for the point you are making.
Example
Unfortunately, the president could not recall the truism that "Wisdom is a fountain to one who has it, but folly is the punishment of fools" (New Oxford Annotated Bible, Prov. 20-22).
Hayes 8 ELECTRONIC CITATIONS:
In-Text (Parenthetical) Citations
Because Internet sources typically have no page or paragraph numbers, and Web sites in particular are often anonymous, people are often confused about how to refer to these sources within their papers. The answer is to cite the author's name whenever possible and use the source's title otherwise (or a shortened version of the title). If no page or paragraph number is provided in the document (NOT on your printer), leave that portion of the citation blank. Keep in mind that the primary purpose of an in-text citation is simply to point readers to the correct entry on the Works Cited Page.
Example
Despite the many challenges she has faced on the Internet, the author still enjoys the "magic" of the MOO (Dibbell).
If the electronic document does not have an author, use the title.
Example
Each of the teletubbies has his/her own language acquisition level, and, because of this, a child can identify and progress to the next language level when the child feels comfortable ("The Inside Story").
Note: Do not cite page numbers from printouts because pagination may vary in different printouts.
REMINDERS
_ Make parenthetical citations brief and accurate.
_ To avoid long parenthetical citations, place reference information, such as the author's name, in your sentence.
_ Place a citation as close to the relevant material as possible without disrupting the sentence.
_ Use one citation at the end of a long section of material that comes from one source and the same page(s)--do not cite at the end of each sentence in this case.
_ Parenthetical citations always go outside of a quotation and always before a punctuation mark, such as a period.
EXCEPTIONS:
1. If a quotation of over three lines, double indent the quotation, use no quotation marks, and place the parenthetical citation after the punctuation mark. Do not include a period after the parenthetical citation.
2. If a quotation ends with a question mark (?) or an exclamation point (!), include the given punctuation followed by a closing quotation, then insert your parenthetical citation, and insert a period after your parenthetical citation.
_ Place the parenthetical citations in your essay as your write. Do not wait until the essay is finished.
Hayes 9 Name___________________________________
Topic___________________________________
Researching Your Topic
Answer each of the questions below about your topic. In the blank space, create your own question about your topic and
answer it.
WHO *are the major figures in your mystery?
*was the lead suspect in the case?
WHAT
*is the major mystery surrounding your topic?
*are three major clues that could lead to solving the mystery?
WHEN
*did the events occur?
*was the mystery solved (if solved)?
WHERE
*should people go to find more information?
*did the major events occur?
WHY
*is there still mystery surrounding the event?
HOW
*do you plan to prove your theory?
Hayes 10 Name: ______________________________________ Thesis Statement Generator
State the mystery State your belief of what
happened (without using a
personal pronoun)
….because Give 3 reasons that support
your belief
Name: ______________________________________ Thesis Statement Generator
State the mystery State your belief of what
happened (without using a
personal pronoun)
….because Give 3 reasons that support
your belief
Hayes 11 Name:
Assistance for Writing Your Research Paper Outline
Answer the following questions in the blank provided. You will use the answers to create an outline and a rough draft of your paper.
I. INTRODUCTION Identify Paper Topic & Thesis:
a. Give a startling fact about your
mystery.
b. Use an appropriate quotation (or
paraphrased piece of info about
the summary of your unsolved
mystery.
c. Give some background
information on your mystery.
d. Write your thesis statement here.
(State the mystery, State your answer to
what you believed happened, explain
why, give three reasons why you believe
that.)
II. BODY PARAGRAPH 1 Main Idea of Body Paragraph #1:
a. List the first reason behind your
answer to your topic question
(Think reason #1 from thesis
statement.)
b. Expand on the above reason.
c. Put a quote summary or
paraphrased statement here that
supports your first reason. Don’t
forget about your parenthetical
citation!
d. Expand on how this above
quote/paraphrased statement
works towards answering your
question.
e. Expand more on how this above
quote/paraphrased statement
works towards answering your
question. You may want to
include more research here if
needed.
f. Now relate all of the information
back towards your thesis
statement. This is your
concluding sentence.
III. BODY PARAGRAPH 2 Main Idea of Body Paragraph #2:
a. List the second reason behind
your answer to your topic
question (Think reason #2 from
thesis statement.)
b. Expand on the above reason.
c. Put a quote summary or
paraphrased statement here that
supports your first reason. Don’t
Hayes 12
forget about your parenthetical
citation!
d. Expand on how this above
quote/paraphrased statement
works towards answering your
question.
e. Expand more on how this above
quote/paraphrased statement
works towards answering your
question. You may want to
include more research here if
needed.
f. Now relate all of the information
back towards your thesis
statement. This is your
concluding sentence.
IV. BODY PARAGRAPH 3 Main Idea of Body Paragraph #3:
a. List the third reason behind your
answer to your topic question
(Think reason #3 from thesis
statement.)
b. Expand on the above reason.
c. Put a quote summary or
paraphrased statement here that
supports your first reason. Don’t
forget about your parenthetical
citation!
d. Expand on how this above
quote/paraphrased statement
works towards answering your
question.
e. Expand more on how this above
quote/paraphrased statement
works towards answering your
question. You may want to
include more research here if
needed.
f. Now relate all of the information
back towards your thesis
statement. This is your
conclusion sentence.
V. CONCLUSION Summarize Paper & Restate Your Proven Thesis:
a. What is the main idea of body
paragraph 1?
b. What is the main idea of body
paragraph 2?
c. What is the main idea of body
paragraph 3?
d. Restate your thesis.
e. Explain how to your thesis has
now been proven and how you
have answered your topic
question based on your research.
Hayes 13
Writing an Outline
The point of writing an outline for your research paper is to organize your thoughts for the writing process. By creating
an outline, you have already established the basic structure of your paper and ultimately know that main points that you
are going to cover in every paragraph of your paper. After you have completed the outline for your paper, the drafting
process will be much easier because you really already know what you are going to say and the research you are going
to use.
Follow the steps below to write a complete outline for your research paper:
1. Use the “Assistance for Writing Your Research Paper Outline” handout that you completed.
2. Open a blank Microsoft Word document.
3. Make sure your margins are set to 1” and your document is double-spaced.
4. Type in 12pt, Times New Roman font.
5. Follow the example I have given you below and your own information that you provided on your “Assistance for
Writing your Research Paper Outline” and begin to format and write your formal outline for your paper. I have
started the beginning of the outline for you. Your job is to create your own and continue it through all
paragraphs included in your paper.
6. Please remember that in your outline, you are NOT just typing the information that I provided for you on the
handout. You are typing WHAT YOU FILLED IN EACH BLANK too. Use your words and research for the outline –
not just my words and what I typed.
Example Outline:
Name
Teacher’s Name (Hayes)
English 9
Date (Day Month Year)
Title of Paper
I. Introduction
a. Startling or interesting fact
i. Type your startling fact here.
b. Appropriate quotation
i. Type your quotation here.
c. Background Information
i. Type background info here.
ii. Type background info here.
d. Thesis Statement
i. Type your thesis statement here.
II. Body Paragraph 1
a. First reason behind your answer to topic question
i. Type reason here.
Hayes 14
Creating your Electronic Source Cards
In writing a research paper, you have to keep all of your research organized. In order to do this, you will need a
way to keep track of the information you find to support your topic and the place in which you found this information.
This is why you need your electronic source cards. Below you will find directions to correctly using your electronic source
cards.
You are expected to have at least three sources in your paper, which means you must have at least three
complete electronic source cards. You most likely will complete more than this because you will have more than three
pieces of research. However, I will be checking to see that you have at least three sources – one from a book, one from
a database, and one from a website.
Directions for Completing your Electronic Source Cards:
1. Open the “Note Card Template” from my folder (J. Hayes) from the student-share drive.
2. SAVE THE TEMPLATE TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL STUDENT DRIVE!!! Do NOT save your changes and sources to
my template card in my file (J. Hayes on the student-share drive), or that will change the template for ALL of
my classes.
3. Follow the prompts on the electronic note-card template to complete the desired information for your source.
4. Make sure that you save each source/electronic note card separately and under different names. For example,
you may save them as “Electronic Note Card #1,” and then “Electronic Note Card #2,” and etc.
5. You must have FIVE valuable pieces of research information on each one of your electronic source cards.
Remember this when completing each one of your note cards.
6. It would also be a good idea to save your work on your flash drive – you don’t want to ONLY depend on the
school drive to access info for your paper. You cannot access that drive at home if you need to work on your
paper when you are not at school. Always save your work on your flash drive and make sure that you keep up
with it.
Hayes 15
Writing Good Paragraphs
Introductory Paragraph
Your Goals:
Grab the reader’s attention
Introduce your topic
State your argument
State your thesis statement
Body Paragraphs
Your Goals:
Transition your reader into your first piece of evidence/reason from your thesis statement
Provide support for your first reason – use quotes & factual pieces of information
Show your research and how it supports each reason
Give a conclusion that relates all evidence back to your topic
Closing Paragraph
Your Goals:
Restate the main ideas from each one of your body paragraphs
Restate your thesis statement
Show that you have proven your point/thesis
Writing Good Sentences
Common Mistakes I See in Your Writing That You Need to Avoid
Incomplete Sentences/Fragments
o Make sure your sentence has a subject!
Incorrect Usage of Commas or Semi-Colons
o Watch how you use your commas in a series.
o Make sure you place a comma before a conjunction if you are combining two complete sentences.
o You can combine two complete sentences with a semi-colon.
Spelling Errors
o If you do not know how to spell it, LOOK IT UP!
Ending a Sentence with a Preposition
o You cannot end a sentence in a preposition.
Capitalization Errors
o The first letter in a sentence should always be capitalized. Proper nouns should also be capitalized.
Run-on Sentences
o Separate the sentence with a period or follow your comma rules.
Errors in Punctuation
o PLEASE PUNCTUATE THE END OF YOUR SENTENCES CORRECTLY!
Hayes 16
Transition Words
In addition to the use of pronouns and the repetition of key words, the choice of an appropriate connective often provides a useful
clue to the relationship of ideas. These transitional words and expressions can be conveniently grouped according to the kind of
relations they express.
Transitions which can be use to SHOW LOCATION:
Above Among Beneath In front of On top of
Across Around Beside Inside Outside
Against Away from Between Into Over
Along Back of Beyond Near Throughout
Alongside Behind By Off To the right (or left) of
Amid Below Down Onto Under
Here Opposite to Adjacent to On the opposite side
Transitions which can be used to SHOW TIME:
About Now In the past Consequently After a few days
After First Until Soon Then
At Second Meanwhile Later Next
Before Third Today Afterward As soon as
During Prior to Tomorrow Immediately When
In the meantime Till Yesterday Finally Next week
Thereafter Presently At length At once Eventually
Transitions which can be used to COMPARE TWO THINGS:
In the same way Likewise As
Also Like Similarly
In like manner For instance For example
In addition Furthermore Too
Transitions which can be used to CONTRAST THINGS (show differences):
But Even though In contrast On the contrary
Still Even so Instead However
Or In spite of Otherwise Counter to
As if Nevertheless As opposed
Even if Although At the same time
Yet Conversely On the other hand
Transitions which can be used to EMPHASIZE A POINT:
Again In any event As has been noted That is To illustrate
To repeat Indeed In other words For this reason
To be sure In fact Truly To emphasize
Hayes 17 Transitions which can be used to CONCLUDE OR SUMMARIZE:
Finally Thus To sum up In short In conclusion
Accordingly Consequently On the whole In summary In brief
All in all Due to Therefore As a result
Transitions which can be used to ADD INFORMATION:
Again And Next Furthermore
Also Besides Likewise Equally important
Finally Additionally Moreover Together with
As well In addition For example Along with
Further Another For instance Even more important
Too First Second In the second place
Transitions which can be used to CLARIFY:
That is To clarify Put another way For this purpose
For example For instance Stated differently In other words
Of course the connectives listed above and others like them can help the reader only when they are appropriately used. Transitional
devices are like road signs – one that points in the wrong direction is worse than no sign at all. Make sure you are using them
correctly for the point you are trying to make.
Hayes 18
MLA Guide for Creating Your Works Cited Page
Things to Know:
The Works Cited page includes ALL of the sources you have cited in your paper.
The Works Cited page is the very last page of your paper.
It follows the same MLA formatting as the rest of your paper (i.e. page numbers, font, double spaced, margins, etc).
The title to your Works Cited Page should be 1” from the top of the page and should be centered. It should say “Works
Cited.” Please see the example below.
You will press enter ONCE after typing “Works Cited” and begin your sources.
All sources are listed in alphabetical order (typically by the authors last name or the title if that is not made available to you)
– not in the order that they appear in your paper.
You will indent ONLY THE LINES AFTER THE FIRST LINE of each source entry on your page. Please see the example below.
To indent the second or third lines of an entry, follow the instructions below.
1. With your cursor, highlight the text that carries over past the first line.
2. Make sure that you can see the page ruler by clicking on the top right hand corner of your screen. It’s a little
white box right above the bar that scrolls up and down the right side of your document.
3. Once the “ruler” is showing, you will see two blue triangles sitting on top of each other (connected by their
points) on the left side of the ruler.
4. Click on ONLY THE BOTTOM TRIANGLE and drag it over to the tick mark that is half-way to the number 1 on
the ruler. This should indent only the lines that you have highlighted. If you do this after the very first entry
that runs longer than one line, it will automatically do that for all future entries that you type (that run longer
than one line).
Make sure each entry on your Works Cited page follows the specific guidelines given to you for each source. Use your “MLA
Style (Format) for Citing Sources” handout for assistance on how to write each source on your Works Cited page.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Works Cited
"Business Coalition for Climate Action Doubles." Environmental Defense. Environmental Defense
Organization, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2007.
Clinton, Bill. Interview. New York Times on the Web. New York Times, May 2007.Web. 25 May 2007.
Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." New York Times on the Web. n.p., 22 May 2007.
Web. 25 May 2007.
Hayes 19
MLA Style (Format) for Citing Sources
Book by a Single Author
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of
Publication. Medium of Publication.
Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York:
Penguin, 1987. Print.
Book by Two Authors
Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication:
Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.
Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allen Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Boston:
Allyn, 2000. Print.
Book by More than Three Authors
Last Name, First Name, et al. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of
Publication. Medium of Publication.
Block, Holly, et al. Art Cuba: The New Generation. New York: Abrams, 2001. Print.
Book with an Editor (no author)
Last Name, First Name, ed. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of
Publication. Medium of Publication.
Hallam, Linda, ed. Garden Style: Decorating Ideas for Indoor and Out. Des Moines,
Iowa: Meredith Corp., 1999. Print.
Hayes 20 Article in a Magazine
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: Pages.
Medium of Publication.
Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20 Nov. 2000: 70-71. Print.
Article in a Newspaper
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper Day Month Year: Pages.
Medium of Publication.
Pogue, David. “When Laptops go Light.” New York Times 26 Mar. 2009: B1+. Print.
Article in an Encyclopedia
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Encyclopedia. Year ed. Medium of
Publication.
Ainsley, David G. “Penguin.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 2007 ed. Print.
Article in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Work." Title of Anthology, Reference, or Collection.
Ed. Editor's Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Medium of Publication.
Horton, Hayward Derrick. “The Effects of Occupational Discrimination.” Reference
Library of Black America, Vol. III. Ed. L. Mpho Mabunda. Detroit. MI: Gale Research
Inc., 1997. Print.
An entire Web Site
Editor, Author, or Compiler Name (if available). Name of Web Site. Name of
Institution/Organization affiliated with the Site (Sponsor or Publisher), Date of
Resource Creation/Revision (Day Month Year). Medium of Publication. Date of
Access (Day Month Year).
Hayes 21 Poland, Dave. “The Hot Button.” Roughcut. Turner Network Television, 26 Oct. 1998.
Web. 28 Oct. 1998.
The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U,
2008. Web. 23 April 2008.
An Article on a Web Page (in a Web Magazine)
Editor, Author, or Compiler Name. “Title of Article.” Name of Web Site. Name of
Institution/Organization affiliated with the Site (Sponsor or Publisher), Date of
Resource Creation/Revision (Day Month Year). Medium of Publication. Date of
Access (Day Month Year).
Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who
Make Websites. A List Apart Mag., 16 Aug. 2002. Web. 4 May 2009.
A Page on a Web Site
Editor, Author, or Compiler Name. “Title of Page.” Name of Web Site. Name of
Institution/Organization affiliated with the Site (Sponsor or Publisher), Date of
Resource Creation/ Revision (Day Month Year). Medium of Publication. Date of
Access (Day Month Year).
"How to Make Vegetarian Chili.” eHow.com. eHow, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2009.
Note: Remember to use n.p. if no publisher name is available and n.d. if no publishing date is given.
Hayes 22
“Things” I Should NEVER See in Your RESEARCH Paper
Your Opinion!
o A formal research paper is about the RESEARCH! It is NEVER about your opinion; therefore, I should
never read statements like, “I think” or “I feel” or “I believe.”
Personal Pronouns
o Again, the research paper is about the RESEARCH. It is not about you or what you think. It is also not a
“letter” to your reader. The only time you can ever have a personal pronoun in your paper is if you are
using it in a direct quotation. Therefore, words like “I, me, you, us, we” should never appear in
sentences that you create.
Addressing the Reader of Your Paper
o This paper is not a letter to your reader. You should never have statements like “I am writing to tell you
about….” or “In this paper you are going to read about….” or “How would you feel if….”
Contractions
o In a formal paper, you do not use contractions (i.e. can’t, won’t, don’t, shouldn’t, haven’t, etc).
“Things” that Have Nothing to do with Your Topic
o Do not include random quotes, facts, thoughts, etc. that have nothing to do with the topic and the thesis
of your paper. Make sure that you are always striving to support your thesis statement with everything
that your write.
Errors in Grammar
o Obviously perfection is often impossible to obtain; however, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for it
when writing. Please do the best you can to keep your paper free from spelling errors, incomplete or
run-on sentences, errors in capitalization or punctuation, etc. Pay attention to what you are writing and
PROOFREAD!!!
Plagiarism
o Plagiarizing is where you take something that someone else wrote or said and you write it in your paper
as if you were the person that originally thought or said that statement. Always give credit where credit
is due! It is perfectly ok to paraphrase research that you find that is something someone else said – in
fact that is what you SHOULD do. However, when you do that, make sure that you give credit to the
person or source from which you got your information. A plagiarized paper = a ZERO!
Creative Fonts or Formatting
o MLA has a very strict format. Do not change to creative fonts or size fonts in your paper.
Everything is written in 12pt, Times New Roman font. The only time that something should be
italicized is because it is the title of a work an italicizing is the necessary punctuation for that title.
Nothing should ever be typed in bold font. Your entire paper should double-spaced throughout the
entire work.
Hayes 23 Rough Draft – Peer Edit Sheet
Name of Author: _________________________________________________________
Name of Evaluator: _______________________________________________________
Format – Times New Roman Font, 12pt, Double-spaced, 1” Margins?
Heading Correct? (student name, teacher’s name, name of class, date -written day month year Ex: 13 April 2011).
Last Name & Page # at top right on all pages (except the first page)?
Does the introduction give you an idea of what the paper is about without going to into great detail?
Thesis Statement – Can you identify it? Is it in the correct location? Is it parallel? Does it state their answer to their
questions and give three reasons why that is the answer?
1st Body Paragraph – does this identify and explain the writer’s 1
st reason to support their belief?
Are there citations in this paragraph? Is the period on the outside of the parenthesis?
2nd
Body Paragraph – does this identify and explain the writer’s 2nd reason to support their belief?
Are there citations in this paragraph? Is the period on the outside of the parenthesis?
3rd
Body Paragraph – does this identify and explain the writer’s 3rd reason to support their belief?
Are there citations in this paragraph? Is the period on the outside of the parenthesis?
Conclusion – Can you identify the re-worded thesis? Is it in the correct place?
Mechanics & Grammar – check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, run-ons, etc.
Were contractions used?
Were personal pronouns used?
Was this paper easy to understand?
Works Cited Page – are there at least 3 sources?
Is the author’s last name & page # at the top?
Are their indentions placed correctly?
What was especially good about this paper?
What suggestions do you have that would make this paper better?
Hayes 24 Name _____________________________ Period ______________ Grade: _________________ / 150pts.
9th
Grade English - Ms. Hayes - Writing Assignment: The Research Paper
Evaluation Scale: Column 1 = Not at all Column 2 = To some extent Column 3 = Successfully
Introduction/ Thesis Statement
The introduction has an interesting beginning/ attention grabber. 3 6 10
The introduction clearly states the thesis statement. 5 10 15
Support and Elaboration
The writer clearly and thoroughly elaborates on the controlling
idea and other general statements with facts, examples, quotations,
and other kinds of evidence. 5 10 15
Organization
The research paper is clearly and logically organized. 5 10 15
Conclusion
The writer ends the paper by clearly refocusing on the
controlling idea. 3 6 10
The paper ends in a satisfying, “feels finished” way. 3 6 10
Sources
The writer presents accurate information from at least three
sources and acknowledges all sources used in the paper. 5 10 15
Style/ Format
The research paper clearly follows MLA style for
documenting sources. 5 10 15
Paper is double-spaced with appropriate
margins, heading, pagination, and title;
font is 12-Times New Roman in black ink. 5 10 15
Language
The writer refrains from using personal pronouns and
contractions in this formal paper. 5 10 15
Spelling, Grammar, Usage, and Mechanic
The research paper is relatively free of any errors in spelling,
grammar, usage, and mechanics. 5 10 15
Total Points
______________________ / 150