Steps For Writing A Paper

Steps in Writing Your Paper

1. Brainstorm for a topic. Select an interesting subject about which you are personally curious or have strong feelings.

2. Limit your topic. Open a file in MS Word entitled Questions. Jot down guide questions about your topic. What do you want to learn about this subject? Shorten each question to a word or phrase that could be used as an outline topic. For Example: a question such as "what was the Tet Offensive" could be shortened to "Tet" You should have 10 to 15 guide questions. Make a folder in your Soph Comp folder named "Research Paper." Save your "Questions" file in this folder.

3. Locate information in the library and on the Internet. Make photocopies of all material from SIRS, magazines, books, etc. Print out articles you get from INFOTRAC. Make a photocopy of the title page and publication information from all sources. Save bibliographical information on all web sites. Save web pages or selections from web pages to separate files in you Research Paper Folder.

4. In your "Research Paper" folder open a new file named Sources. Type in all of the necessary information from each source. (See sample Source page).

5. Read your sources, highlighting the information you want to use in your report. In pages saved in Word, click View - Toolbars - Reviewing and you will be able to highlight and insert comments.

6. Make a new file in your "Research Paper" folder for each of your questions and take notes for your paper on the appropriate page. Take notes in the form of a direct quotation, paraphrase or summary. (See examples in Note Taking). NOTE: Only use direct quotations for statistics, quotations from famous people or acknowledged experts, or wording so unique that you want to use it in your paper. No more than 20 percent of your paper should be direct quotations.

7. At the end of each note in your file, put parenthetical information that you will need in your report. Example: "Pigs are people too" (Schulze 24).

8. When you have finished taking all of your notes, use a graphic organizer (I recommend Inspiration) to arrange your information for your report.

9. When you have organized your material, type out a working outline on your Questions page. If you used Inspiration, you can click to the outline view and copy it.

10. Now looking over all of your research and your outline, develop a thesis statement for your paper. Save this on your Questions page along with your outline.

11. Write the introduction. Show me your introduction before you proceed with your paper. You may email it to me as an attachment.

12. Write the body of your paper, inserting your notes, complete with parenthetical notation, where you want to use them. Show me your rough draft after you have completed two pages. Then finish the body.

13. Write the conclusion.

14. Let your paper rest for a day while you complete the Title page, the Thesis Statement and Outline Page and the Works Cited Page (these are already done for you - except the Title page - in your Questions file and your Sources page. It is a simple matter of rearranging and adding headings.

15. Look over your paper and revise. Have your writing group read your paper and give you suggestions for revision. Revise, and edit.