30 Steps to a Research Paper

30 Steps to a Research Paper

Initial Draft – Subject to change

Week	Step	Discussion Topic	Assignment due
Week 1		Understanding the thesis-driven paper
		Identify possible subjects
		Read general sources
		Narrow the subject
		Select your topic
		Form leading research questions
Week 2		Formulate working thesis	General Topic; Leading Questions
		Make research plan
		Write proposal
		Brainstorm/Cluster/Free-write
Week 3		Find sources (print & electronic)	Thesis Statement; Proposal & Research plan
		Evaluate sources
		Prepare working bibliography
Week 4		Research & take notes	Initial list of sources
		Paraphrase, summarize, quote sources
		Organize information
		Make a running/ informal outline
Week 5		Develop detailed outline	Note card check; Informal outline
		Write first draft #1
Week 6		Prepare works cited in MLA style	Note card check; Detailed outline
		First draft of presentation plan
Week 7		Peer edit	Rough Draft #1
Week 8		Revise rough draft #1	Works Cited draft #1; Peer Edit
Week 9		Finalize presentation plans	Initial Presentation plan
		Prepare visuals for presentation
Week 10		Rough Draft #2	Final presentation plan;
Week 11		Finalize works cited page	Rough Draft #2
Week 12 - 13		Proofread	Works cited draft #2 (Week 12)
Week 14 – 15		Presentation	Presentations, Final Draft
		Final Draft

New Syllabus for Fall, 2012

Writing 3 Syllabus

Semester 1

Tammy Prichard (tamprichard@gmail.com)

Class Blogsite:  www.chatwriting3.blogspot.com

Resources:

·        I will have available handbooks to loan to the students to use for this class.

·        Book Suggestions:

–         A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. (Kate L. Turabian)

–         MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. (Joseph Gibaldi)

–         Harbrace College Handbook. (John C. Hodges)

–         The Little, Brown Handbook. (H. Ramsey Fowler)

–         Writers Inc:  Write for College.  (Sebranek, Meyer, & Kemper)

·        various handouts and worksheets

Objectives:

            College-bound students benefit from writing at least one long research paper.  This class will guide students through the process of researching, drafting, revising and finalizing a 15 – 25 page paper.  (The length will be determined in collaboration with the students and parents and according to skill and experience.)  Along with a written paper, the student will prepare a presentation for the class.  This can include a PowerPoint presentation, a demonstration, or a speech.

            Also included in this class is a review of common problems in grammar, especially those difficult areas that often appear on college entrance exams.

Initial Draft – Subject to change

Week	Research Paper	SAT Grammar Review
1	Introduction	Sentence Fragments
2	General Topic; Leading Questions	Run-on Sentences
3	Thesis Statement; Proposal & Research plan	Subject-Verb Agreement
4	Initial list of sources	Pronoun-Verb Agreement Pronoun- Antecedent Agreement
5	Note card check; Informal outline	The Nominative Case
6	Note card check; Detailed outline	The Possessive Case The Objective Case
7	Rough Draft #1	Unclear Placement of Modifiers
8	Works Cited draft #1; Peer Edit	Dangling Modifiers
9	Initial Presentation plan	Words often Misused or Confused
10	Final presentation plan;	More Words Misused or Confused
11	Rough Draft #2	The Comma Errors
12		Common Prefixes
13	Works cited draft #2 (Week 12)	Common Suffixes
14	Presentations, Final Draft
15	Presentations, Final Draft