Nancy L. Joseph, Oakland University

Published December, 1998 by Prentice Hall Humanities/Social Science

Copyright 1999, 162 pp.
Paper
ISBN 0-13-633058-4

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    Research Writing-English

For writing courses that require research. This book is a practical, easy-to-use guide to research writing that provides step-by-step directions and specific examples. Its interdisciplinary focus allows it to be used for almost any research writing. Further, this text strikes a balance between traditional research strategies and sources and now, online sources.




Provides a practical and comprehensive guide to efficient research writing strategies including a thorough discussion of the research writing process.
Provides hands-on pointers for locating, evaluating, and incorporating material from electronic sources.
Emphasizes the Modern Language Association (MLA) documentation style for traditional and on-line sources.
Includes a thorough explanation of the American Psychological Association (APA) documentation style as well as a sample research report documented in APA style.
Presents the basics of good writing and gives tips on improving writing, thinking, and researching skills needed for academic as well as career success.

1. The Realities of Research Writing.

Some Background Information.

An Inquiry Process.

Analyzing Your Style.

Seeking Clarification or Expecting Too Much Help?

Reviewing the Steps in Research Writing.

2. Getting Started.

Understanding the Assignment.

Research Writing and Argumentation.

Audience Analysis.

Selecting a Topic.

Using a College Library.

Using Library Sources to Select a Topic.

Doing Some Exploratory Reading.

Focusing the Topic and Clustering Ideas.

Using Electronic Sources to Narrow a Topic.

Selecting Sources.

Evaluating Your Sources.

Evaluating Online Sources.

Evaluating a Sample Online Source.

Authorship of Online Sources.

Limitations of Online Research.

Conducting Field Research.

Constructing a Working Bibliography.

3. Organizational Strategies.

Reviewing Your Sources.

Using a Research Journal.

Notetaking.

Sample Note Cards.

Thinking about the Material.

Prewriting Exercise to Focus a Topic.

Writing with a Thesis.

Planning Checklist.

4. Writing Strategies.

Developing Supporting Paragraphs.

Using Counterargument and Direct Quotation.

Preparing an Outline.

Writing a First Draft.

5. Working with Sources.

Locating Source Material to Support the Thesis.

Using Sources for a Research Paper.

Documentation Styles.

Acknowledging Sources.

Common Knowledge (General Knowledge).

Plagiarism and Research Ethics.

Using Electronic Sources Appropriately.

Techniques for Using Source Material.

6. Documenting Sources in MLA Style.

Acknowledging Sources.

Preparing the Citation (Parenthetical Reference).

Linking Several Sentences Based on One Source.

Using Indirect (Secondary) Sources.

Using Different Sources within the Same Paragraph.

Placing the Citation.

Problems in Documenting Sources.

7. Preparing an MLA Works Cited List.

Capitalization of Titles.

Works Cited Entries for Print Sources.

Weekly or Biweekly Publication or Magazine.

Documentation of Electronic Sources.

Works Cited for Online Sources.

Works Cited Entries for Nonprint Sources.

8. Improving Your Style.

Developing an Effective Introduction.

Unity and Coherence.

Transitional Terms.

Guidelines for Incorporating Source Material.

9. Revising Your Writing.

The Essentials of Revision.

Revising Your First Draft.

Revision the Wording of Your Paper.

Guidelines for Efficient Proofreading.

Format of a Research Paper.

10. Mechanics in Writing with Sources.

Brackets.

Capitalization in Quoted Material.

Colon.

Content Endnotes or Explanatory Notes.

Ellipsis.

Extended Quotation.

Single Quotation Marks.

11. Sample Student Papers.

Time for Change: The Need for Year-Round School.

The Threat of Affirmative Action.

12. APA Documentation Style.

Using APA Documentation.

Format for Parenthetical Citations.

Format for Reference List.

Sample Research Essay Paper: Pain Management for Cancer Patients.

Appendix A. Reference Sources.
Appendix B. Topics to Explore.
Index.

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