Teaching the process of writing a research paper Ohio TESOL, Columbus, Nov. 15, 2013 Janie Rees-Miller, Director of ESL, Marietta College, Leanne Price, Instructor of ESL, Marietta College Assignment in upper intermediate level reading/writing course that is prerequisite for required freshman composition course Research paper assignment: 1000-1500 word paper about a well-known American and the values the person exemplifies Most examples below from in-house materials: Rees-Miller, Janie. 2008. Bridge Reading and Writing Workbook. Marietta, OH: Marietta College. 1. Example of vocabulary for values (total of 25 values in list) Noun Noun for person Verb Adjective 1. individualism individual --- individualistic individual 2. freedom be free free 3. self-reliance --- rely on oneself self-reliant 4. equality --- be equal equal 5. competition competitor compete (with ) competitive 6. material wealth --- --- wealthy 2. Examples of topics: people involved in the frontier; government/ politics; business; science and technology; arts and entertainment (usually 30-40 people on list) Annie Oakley Woodrow Wilson Leland Stanford Ray Kroc Ted Turner Steve Jobs Neil Armstrong Jackie Robinson Muhammad Ali Michael Jackson F. Scott Fitzgerald I.M. Pei 3. Example of part of a scaffolded bibliography exercise: Book by one or more authors What is the author s last name? What is the author s first name? What is the title of the book? What is the city of publication? What is the publisher of the book? What is the date of publication? Now write the bibliography entry in this order and format: Author s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City: Publisher, date. 4. Sample reference works from the list given to students at the library: AE5.W55 2000 World Book Encyclopedia CT100.C8 Current Biography CT213.A68 American National Biography CT3260 N57 Notable American Women E169.1.S764 2000 St James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture E176.1.P918 2002 Graff (ed) The Presidents E185.96 A446 2004 Gates African-American Lives F591 N46 1998 Lamar New Encyclopedia of the American West GE55.B43 2000 Becher American Environmental Leaders GV697.A1 S42 2002 Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives: Sports Figures HD38.25 U6 B8 1999 Dow (ed.) Business Leader Profiles for Students
5. Bibliography feedback sheet: Problems that need to be corrected: At least 3 sources are needed. At least two print sources are needed. Put the entries into alphabetical order according to the first word in the entry. Use hanging indent. Provide complete publication information, as shown on pp. 82-85 of the Workbook. Put information in correct order as shown on pp. 82-85 of the Workbook. Use correct punctuation as shown on pp. 82-85 of the Workbook. Do not number the sources. Capitalize the first word, last word, and every important word of the title. Do not use capital letters in the middle of a word. Italicize title of book, encyclopedia, or magazine. Put quotation marks around the title of an article or chapter. 6. Partial note-taking exercise on An Wang: Notes on An Wang Source: Fabric of a Nation: Stories of American Immigration Famous Immigrants. Accessed at www.newsobserver.com//immigration/famous.html Childhood: situation in China: family: schooling: (where) _ (details) liked: Young adulthood: WWII: after WWII: (1) (2) Business: beginning: reasons for success: evidence of success: 7. Paraphrase and plagiarism exercise: Source material: In 1791, the territory of the United States extended from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Mississippi River in the west. However, much of the land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River was still frontier. The first track across the Appalachians had been opened by Daniel Boone in 1775, but it was not until the end of the Revolutionary War that settlers began to pour across the Appalachians to settle new lands along the Ohio River. Source: Rees-Miller, Janie. Bridge Reading and Writing Workbook. Marietta, OH: Marietta College, 2008, p. 54. Notes: (Write your source at the top and the page number on the side.) [Lines for students to write on...] Now write a paraphrase of the information. Do not use quotations. Use your own words and sentence structures! Remember to cite your source. (Write the author s last name and page in parentheses.) [Lines for students to write on...]
8. Feedback sheet for notes: Notes completed from two sources Sufficient amount of information from sources Notes in outline form Notes not written in sentences and paragraphs Spacing and indenting of notes shows main points vs. details Source written at the top of the page Page numbers written in margin Quotation marks used where needed 9. Grammar: Partial exercise on time expressions 1. The prestige of business was at an all-time high. Then, the stock market crashed in 1929. (Use before) 2. Industrial production fell. At the same time, new investment declined. (Use while) 3. One fourth of the US population was unemployed. The year 1932 came. (Use by) 4. The economy did not recover. Business lost some of its prestige. (Use when) 5. The Depression took place in the 1930 s. The unemployment rate was above 15% in the 1930 s. (Use during) 10. Grammar: Partial exercise on relative clauses (Wh- word as object of preposition) 2. In Washington, FDR s love of social life conflicted with the feelings of his wife. Social events were an ordeal for his wife. 3. Roosevelt was stricken with polio in 1921. After 1921, he spent years trying to recover the use of his legs. 4. *President Roosevelt led the United States through two crises. The two crises were the Great Depression and World War II. 5. *In the 1930 s, the US was suffering from the Great Depression. It did not fully recover from the Depression until World War II. 11. Skeletal outline of paper: Introduction: person s name (3-5 sentences) why the person is important thesis sentence telling values Body: I. background information II. value # 1 + relevant details to support III. value # 2 + relevant details to support IV. value # 3 + relevant details to support Conclusion: summary of why this person is important (3-5 sentences) values this person exemplifies 12. Example of partial notes labeled according to main points (abbreviated with initials) Source: Black 294 B 1 st Lady I @ 1 st, had to find her own role held press conferences for women reporters E to introduce, explain political process for US women E urged gov t to hire women, Afr-Amers for govt jobs 295 C focused nat l att n on problems of poor ppl suggested work projects, education, training for unemployed women & youth
13. Skeletal outline for value: II. Value # 1 A. Childhood and youth 1. Detail from childhood More or fewer details can be 2. Detail from youth used depending on the B. Young adulthood information in your notes. 1. Detail from young adulthood 2. Detail from young adulthood C. Mature adulthood 1. Detail from mature adulthood 2. Detail from mature adulthood 14. Partial outline on compassion of Eleanor Roosevelt C. First Lady 1. Interested in humanitarian issues: a. welfare of children, youth ( Roosevelt, (Anna) Eleanor b. living conditions in slums 172) c. appreciation by ppl of her compassion 2. Pushed for solutions to poverty (Ripley) a. interested in work projects, education, training for jobless youth, women (Black 295) 3. WW II: travel to see soldiers, raise morale ( Roosevelt, (Anna) Eleanor 172) D. Widow: 1. Work w/ UN a. UN committee dealing w/ war refugees (Beasley 219-220) 2. Death: revered by millions as the embodiment of humanitarianism (Beasley 1). 15. Feedback sheet for outline Format: Outline is written in key words and phrases, not sentences and paragraphs Spacing of outline distinguishes main points from details Use of sources: Citations are in the outline Page numbers are supplied in citations Citation begins with author s last name or Title of Article Quotation marks are used where needed Content: Main points are background + values Order of main points is logical Order of subpoints and details is logical Sufficient information is included Specific details are relevant to main point they support
16. Example introductory paragraph with notes: Eleanor Roosevelt was the longest-serving First Lady in American history, holding that unofficial office for twelve years ( These First Ladies 2d). However, her fame derived not only from the fact that she was the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but also from her own beliefs and actions. In her honor, President Bill Clinton declared October 11, 2000 to be Eleanor Roosevelt Day, citing her singular integrity and clear moral vision (Clinton). Eleanor Roosevelt was able to achieve such recognition because of the values that motivated her life and achievements independence, compassion, and equality. who she was why she was important thesis statement 17. Example paragraph written from outline on compassion (transitions, topic sentence, concluding sentence, and key words relating to the value all marked) As First Lady, she was well-known for her compassion for the underprivileged. She took an interest in humanitarian issues such as the welfare of children and youth and the living conditions in slums. On her travels, she became known for her compassion for the disadvantaged ( Roosevelt, (Anna) Eleanor 172). She not only sympathized with the poor but sought government solutions for poverty (Ripley). For example, she urged the government to provide work projects, education, and job training for unemployed youth and women (Black 295). Her compassion extended beyond US borders in World War II, when she traveled around the world to visit wounded soldiers and raise morale ( Roosevelt, (Anna) Eleanor 172). After her husband had died and the war had ended, her compassionate understanding of the suffering of others was a significant asset in her work on the UN committee dealing with war refugees (Beasley 219-220). Given her life of compassion and service, it is not surprising that at the time of her death, Eleanor Roosevelt was revered by millions as the embodiment of humanitarianism (Beasley 1). 18. Feedback sheet on rough draft Organization Introduction is appropriate length Introduction contains thesis statement Thesis statement mentions values Paragraphs in body have topic sentences Concluding sentences for paragraphs where they are needed Conclusion of paper summarizes values Content Main points are values Values are sufficiently developed Order of information is logical Sufficient information, especially from person s mature life Examples are clearly related to main point Use of sources (** Not doing this can result in F for the paper!!!!) 3 sources, including 2 print sources Sources are cited in paper for all information ** Quotation marks where needed ** Citations in correct format Page numbers in citations List of sources at end List of sources in correct format Same sources are in list of sources and citations in paper X Fix language errors (Everyone needs to do this!)
19. Checklist for final draft Organization Clearly addresses topic Is your paper organized around the values the person exemplifies? Clear thesis Do you have a clear thesis statement at the end of the introduction? Does the thesis statement specify the values your person exemplifies? Clear topic sentences Does each paragraph in the body have a topic sentence as the first or second sentence of the paragraph? For each paragraph that deals with values, does the topic sentence mention the value? Unified paragraphs Within each paragraph, have you repeated key words or synonyms of the main point? Do you have concluding sentences to tie the details together and restate the main point? Content Sufficient information Do you have enough details to support each main point? Do you have enough details from the mature years of your person s life? Relevant information Have you explained how the details show the main point? If you are using a quotation, have you introduced the context of the quotation and interpreted the quotation according to the main point of the paragraph? Use of sources Have you cited the source for each piece of information in your paper, even if it is in your own words??? If you have not done so, then you have plagiarized, and your paper will receive an F. Sufficient number of sources Have you cited at least three sources? Do you have at least two print sources? Citations in correct format Have you cited the author s last name and page number in parentheses? When you do not have an author, have you put quotation marks around the title of the article, chapter, or web page? Have you cited the specific page number accurately for all print sources? Correct use of paraphrase, quotation In paraphrases, are the words and sentence structure your own? (Just changing one or two words but keeping the same sentence structure as the source is plagiarism.) Have you used quotation marks for phrases and sentences that are the same as your source? Sources page in correct format Do you have the list of sources at the end of the paper? Have you followed the correct format for each bibliographical entry (according to the MLA conventions)? Have you used italics for book and magazine titles and quotation marks for article titles? Are your sources in alphabetical order according to the first word of the bibliographical entry? Have you used hanging indent? Language Few grammatical errors Have you used past tense for events that happened in the past? Have you used correct punctuation to separate sentences and clauses? Have you used correct word forms? Variety of sentence structure Have you used some of the structures you have learned in class, such as relative clauses and appropriate time expressions? Correct, sophisticated vocabulary Have you used the correct words, not just words you have gotten out of your translator?? Have you used words that we have learned in class instead of just relying on the most common words that you learned in middle school?