WRITING
THE

RESEARCH
PAPER





by
Susan Frankel
Professor of English
With Nina McHale
Reference/Digital Resources Librarian
Howard Community College






August 2002
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS


The Essence of the Research Paper……………………………………… 2
Definitions…………………………………………………………………….. 3
Where to Go for Help…………………………………………………….. 6
Using the HCC Library………………………………………………….. 8
Conducting Research on the Internet ……………………………….. 15
Steps in Writing the Paper……………………………………………… 20
Documentation…………………………………………………………... 24
American Psychological Association (APA) Style……………………... 25
Sample Reference Page…………………………………………………. 35
Modern Language Association (MLA) Style…………………………... 36
Sample Works Cited Page………………………………………………. 45
Quotations………………………………………………………………... 46
Plagiarism………………………………………………………………... 48
Format of the Finished Paper…………………………………………... 49
2
The Essence of the Research Paper

THIS PAGE IS IMPORTANT; DON’T SKIP IT!!!
Writing a research paper is a complex task. This guidebook is designed to
help you with the process and answer your questions. It addresses common
student concerns and the mechanics of writing the paper. If you follow the
process and adhere to the correct documentation style and the instructor’s
directions, you should end up with a mechanically correct research paper or
documented essay. However, that does not assure a quality document or a high
grade. An effective research paper also smoothly integrates the research
findings into unified, coherent paragraphs. Like all other well written documents,
the research paper is clearly and logically organized. The writing is focused, and
smooth transitions link ideas and paragraphs. Grammar, punctuation, usage,
and spelling are accurate. The paper is written formally in the third person and
appears professional.

The key to an effective research paper is integrating the research into the
body of the paper. This is also the most difficult part of writing the paper. The
research should support and lend credence to your conclusions, but it should not
dominate the paper. Much of the writing should be your own ideas that are
supported by research. Transitional words and phrases should be used to
connect your thoughts to the references. If that’s not done, the writing will be
stilted and contrived; the paper will be choppy, and coherence will be lost.
Remember that the research paper is like all other formal essays, and all of the
rules of good writing apply. The paper should have an introduction, a body and a
conclusion, and it should be focused and fully developed.

Be careful to plan your time wisely. Many students spend so much time
gathering their research and completing note cards that they run out of time at
the end. The result is that the final paper is not their best effort. Before you
begin the process, set up a time line for completion of each step, and stick to it.
You need ample time to write, revise and proofread your paper. It’s easy to get
caught up in the research, but you’ll be evaluated on the finished product, so be
sure to allow plenty of time to create a quality document. Before you hand it in,
proofread the paper carefully, check the documentation for accuracy, be sure
that you have adhered to all directions, and finally make certain that the paper
looks professional.
3
Definitions


APA FORMAT
APA refers to the American Psychological Association format for
documentation. Typically, APA style is used for social science,
biological science and nursing research papers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY CARD
A bibliography card contains the information needed when writing
the Reference or Works Cited page. Use a different bibliography
card for each reference source OR keep the information in a file on
your computer.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
The last page of your research paper or documented essay will list
all of the sources you used to write your paper. Each source must
contain bibliographic information including: author, title, publication
information.

CITATION
Each entry on the Works Cited or Reference page is called a
citation, and it contains the bibliographic information needed for a
reader to find the source information.

DOCUMENTED ESSAY
A documented essay clearly expresses a point of view that is
supported with sound reasoning and is similar to a persuasive
essay. However, the documented essay is supported not only by
the author’s opinion but also by research. The documented essay
uses references to give credence and power to arguments.

JOURNAL
Journals are periodicals written by and for professionals in specific
fields.

MLA FORMAT
MLA refers to the Modern Language Association format for
documentation. Typically, MLA style is used for language and
literature research papers.

NOTE CARD
A note card contains information gathered from research to be
incorporated in the research paper. A separate note card should
be used for each piece of information.

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PARAPHRASE
One kind of citation to use is the paraphrase. When you
paraphrase, you express another person’s ideas in your own
words. A paraphrase includes all of the information from the
original source, but the wording is your own. All paraphrases must
be documented with a parenthetical citation, and the source must
be listed on the Works Cited or Reference Page of the paper.

PARENTHETICAL CITATION
Parenthetical citation is used to identify reference information in the
paper. It is a brief notation placed at the end of the last sentence of
each reference. It contains information needed to identify the
source.

PERIODICAL
Periodicals are publications that are printed at regular intervals,
such as journals, magazines, newspapers, and newsletters.

PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism occurs when other people’s words or ideas are used
without giving credit to the source.

PRIMARY SOURCES
Primary sources are the original source of information. They
include original writings of an author, autobiographies, speeches,
and laboratory experiments.

QUOTATION
A quotation is incorporating the exact wording of an author in your
writing. Quotations should be used sparingly in your paper, and
they must always be cited.

REFERENCE PAGE
The reference page used with the APA format lists all of the
sources used in compiling the paper. Each source must be fully
documented with complete bibliographic information.

RESEARCH PAPER
A research paper involves surveying the literature to become
familiar with what is known about a topic and then adding reasoned
ideas to that bank of knowledge. In writing the research paper, the
writer must accurately reflect an understanding of the topic based
on what has already been written. Then, the writer’s own
perspective is added based on what was learned through a
thorough investigation of the topic.

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SECONDARY SOURCES
Secondary sources contain information about the primary source.
They include newspapers, periodicals and journal articles written
about a topic. Also, biographies, critiques and analyses are
examples of secondary sources.

SUMMARY
Summary is one kind of citation used in research papers. The
summary captures the most important ideas from the original
source. It is written entirely in your own words and is shorter than
the original material. All summaries must be documented with a
parenthetical citation, and the source must be listed on the Works
Cited or Reference Page of the paper.

THESIS
The thesis is the statement in the research paper or documented
essay that presents the topic, point of view and any major
conclusions arrived at through research. The thesis should appear
in the first paragraph of the paper. The rest of the paper explains,
argues and proves the thesis.

WORKS CITED PAGE
The Works Cited page used with the MLA format shows all of the
sources used in compiling the paper. Each source is fully
documented with complete bibliographic information.
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Where To Go For Help

COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Always start with your course instructor. The teacher understands
the assignment and knows the requirements, so he/she is the
ultimate resource for answering questions. If you are interested in
a good grade, do not guess about requirements; go to the source
and ask. Instructors are anxious to help; they want you to do well.

LIBRARIANS
Librarians love a challenge. Whenever you have problems finding
a source, locating necessary information, or using the equipment,
ask the librarians; that’s why they’re there. Either stop by the
library or call 410-772-4921 for help with your research paper.
Alternatively, you can email the librarians at
http://libmain.howardcc.edu.

WRITE ROOM
The Write Room is located in the Learning Assistance Center,
which is in the library. You may drop-in or schedule an
appointment to talk with a writing instructor about your research
paper. Bring your assignment sheet, your outline, your paper and
your questions with you. The tutors can answer questions and give
suggestions about organization, format, development, and
grammar. They can also help with the documentation. They are
anxious to help, but they will not proofread the paper for you. Take
advantage of the Write Room for help with your writing.

OPEN COMPUTER CENTER
Research papers must be typed, and using a word processor is by
far the best way to produce a quality paper because you can revise
endlessly with little effort. Many computers are available for
student use in the Open Computer Center, Room L180. The
computers are already loaded with word processing software, and
all computers in the school use the same word processing program.
You do not have to schedule an appointment, but sometimes the
room fills up. Bring your HCC identification card with you.

OPEN ENGLISH LAB
If you are writing a documented essay or research paper for your
English class, drop into any open lab hour to receive assistance
with your paper. The open lab is staffed by writing instructors who
are familiar with the assignments and are excellent resources for
help. No appointment is necessary, but sometimes the lab gets
busy. The open English lab is only for students enrolled in English
courses at HCC.
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STYLE BOOKS
If you are using the MLA style and have a question about
documentation format, consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers. If you are using the APA style in your paper,
consult Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Both books are on shelved in the Ready Reference
section of the library located behind the Research Assistance desk.
Copies are also available in the HCC bookstore.

ONLINE HELP
Lots of help is available online. Consult the following websites for
assistance:

Howard Community College Librarians
http://libmain.howardcc.edu

Howard Community College Online Writing Lab
http://www.howardcc.edu

Purdue University Online Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu

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Using the HCC Library


The HCC Library is located on the second floor of the Library Building in the
Campus Quad. The Library houses over 40,000 books and 30 computer
workstations for researching online. Regardless of your topic, you’ll find
resources there that will help you in your research. The Library’s home page,
which is a valuable source of information and a handy research tool, is located at
http://libmain.howardcc.edu.


Library Hours for Regular Fall and Spring Semesters

Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Summer and Intersession hours are posted outside the Library entrances and on
the Library’s home page at http://libmain.howardcc.edu.


Library Phone Numbers

Check Out Desk: 410-772-4922
Research Assistance Desk: 410-772-4921


Getting Started with your Research
As you begin to research a subject, it’s important to consult a number of different
kinds resources for information to make sure that you’re getting a complete
picture of your topic. For this reason, the Library provides you with books,
newspapers, magazines, professional journals, and more. The Library’s home
page (see above for URL) provides Internet access to most of these resources.
You don’t even have to be in the Library any more to start your research!
Following are a few pointers about books, newspapers, magazines, and journals
that may help you while you research.

Books
Books, as you might guess, are in-depth studies that focus on a single or a few
related topics. They do take some time to make it from the author to the
publisher to the Library’s shelves. Use the Library’s online Catalog, which is an
inventory of all of the items on our shelves, is the best way to find books about
your topic. If you know the title of a book about your subject, or the name of an
expert who may have written a book about it, try searching by title or author. If
you’ve only got a general idea about a topic that you’ve chosen or been
9
assigned, try a keyword search using terms that describe your topic. You’ll get a
list of books on that topic, including short descriptions and a call number for each
book. Simply jot down the call number, author, and title for each book that you’d
like to find.

Before you head to the stacks to find your books, always double-check the
location of each book first. Books are usually in one of two places: the Main
Stacks or the Reference section. Reference books, such as encyclopedias and
dictionaries, must be used in the Library, but books in the Main Stacks may be
checked out. In the Catalog, you can tell whether an item is a Reference book by
the call number, which will begin with “REF.” If you look in the Main Stacks for a
Reference book, you won’t find it. Also, if someone has already checked out an
item, or if it’s lost, this will be indicated in the “location” information for each book.

For some searching tips, see “Databases: Searching Tips” below. The Catalog
works in much the same way that the Databases do.


The call numbers that you will copy from the Catalog are part of the Library of
Congress Classification scheme that is used by most college and university
libraries. Like the Dewey Decimal System’s call numbers, the Library of
Congress call numbers indicate where you will find a book on the shelf. Also,
books about the same or similar topics can be found in a given area. The Library
of Congress call numbers start with letters that stand for different fields of study,
such as:

B Philosophy, Psychology, & Religion
D History
E,F American History
H Social Sciences
P Language & Literature
Q Science
R Medicine

(See a Library staff member for a complete list of the subject categories.)

Books in both the Reference Section and the Main Stacks area are organized, A-
Z, according to this scheme. For example, if your topic is history, you may want
to begin your research by browsing the section of “D” call numbers in both the
Reference and the Main Stacks. This is often helpful if you have not yet chosen
a topic. Index cards on the ends of the bookshelves themselves will show you
what section of the call numbers you’re in. If you find a book that piques your
interest, you may then go to the online Catalog and search for other books like it.