Steps to Complete a Research Project

Step 1 Make a list of important due dates

Thesis Statement and Rough Draft- Monday 10/29

Final Project Due- Friday 11/30

Step 2

Picking a Topic

• Pick a topic that you have a high interest in, and one that you

can realistically find information.

• Do some general research first to learn about your topic before

starting your main research.

• If you are choosing between several topics make a list of topics

that you are interested and do some general research on each to

decide which you will do.

• Narrow your topic down. If your topic is too broad your research

will become unfocused, and general.

• But be careful not to narrow your topic too much. If you do it

will become hard to find enough information.

Example:

Revolutionary War------------------Too broad- put your topic on a diet

Revolutionary War Generals------Still too broad

George Washington------------------Narrow

George Washington’s teeth------- Too narrow

Step 3

Research your topic

• Start with secondary sources, and after you

build up enough information then move

onto primary sources.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A single sentence that states what your topic is and

controls the content of your research project. Keeps

you focused.

• You may have to do some beginning research before

writing your thesis statement.

• You can make a standard thesis statement, or use a use

the 3 point thesis statement.

The Battle of Midway proved to be the major turning point battle in the

Pacific, and ultimately led to the United States defeating the Japanese

during WWII. OR

The Battle of Midway proved to be the decisive turning point battle in

the Pacific during WWII by showing the United States’ superiority in

tactical strategy, naval intelligence, and use of aircraft during a naval

battle.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is an assertion, not a

statement of fact or an observation.

• Fact or observation: People use many

lawn chemicals.

• Thesis: People are poisoning the

environment, water table, and themselves

with chemicals merely to keep their lawns

clean.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis takes a stand rather than announcing a subject.

• Announcement: The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving our environmental problems.

• Thesis: Solving our environmental problems is more difficult than many environmentalists, politicians and the public believe.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis is the main idea, not the title. It

must be a complete sentence that explains in

some detail what you expect to write.

• Title: Social Security and Old Age.

• Thesis: Continuing changes in the Social

Security System makes it almost impossible

to plan intelligently for one's retirement.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is narrow, rather than broad. If the thesis statement is sufficiently narrow, it can be fully supported.

• Broad: The American steel industry has many problems.

• Narrow: The primary problem of the American steel industry is the lack of funds to renovate outdated plants and equipment.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is specific rather than vague or general.

• Vague: Hemingway's war stories are very good.

• Specific: Hemingway's stories helped create a new prose style by employing extensive dialogue, shorter sentences, and strong Anglo-Saxon words.

Step 4

Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement has one main point rather than several main points. More than one point may be too difficult for the reader to understand and the writer to support.

• More than one main point: Stephen Hawking's physical disability has not prevented him from becoming a world-renowned physicist, and his book is the subject of a movie.

• One Main point: Stephen Hawking's physical disability has not prevented him from becoming a world renowned physicist.

Step 5

Make a Rough Draft of your project

Thesis Statement

Notes Rough Draft

Artifacts

Step 5

Make a Rough Draft of your project

Each type project will have a different type of rough

Draft. Look over the specific directions for your

category of NHD project, and follow that while you

make your rough draft.

Thesis Statement and Rough Draft Due-

Monday Oct. 29 (you will have to work outside of

class on this)

If you are working in a group I only need one turned

in to be checked.

Step 5

Rough Draft of your project

Research Paper- Outline at a minimum- you may write

out a complete a rough draft if you have time.

Title

Thesis

A

________________

B

_________________

Step 5

Rough Draft of your project Exhibit Board- Sketch of your board layout and design.

You should know the placement of visual/ artifacts and

what will be written in the captions. If you have any audio/

visual components you should be able to explain what they

are.

Step 5

Rough Draft of your project Webpage- Give a layout of each page of your website.

It should include visual images and text outline (or written

out) that will be used on the Webpage. If you are going to use

music or audio include what they will be and where they will

be played from on the webpage.

Step 5

Rough Draft of your project Documentary- You must complete a storyboard (or a script)

which show what images you will use and what will be said

with each picture/ visual. Think about music that can be

used in the documentary.

Step 5

Rough Draft of your project Drama Performance- Write a script for your drama

performance. Make a list of costumes, sets and

props that you will need.

Step 6

Make the Project

• Make a list of what materials you will

need to complete the project, and then set

aside time to work on the final project.

Use your rough draft to guide you.

Step 7

Write your bibliography

• Use your source cards. Make sure each

source is written in the correct format,

and then place your sources in

alphabetical order

Bibliography Example

• Curtin, Philip, et al., African History. Boston: Little, 1991.

• Davis, Flora. Eloquent Animals: A Study in Animal Communication. New York: Coward, 1988.

• Fisher, Roger, and William Ury. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Boston: Houghton, 1991.

• Maryland commission for Women. How to translate Volunteer Skills into Employment Credentials. Baltimore: MD Commission for Women, 1993.

• The Times Atlas of the World. 5th ed. New York: New York Times, 1994.

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Primary Source

• First-hand account of information. Information that comes directly from the historical topic that you are researching. Can be difficult to find, but are considered a more believable source.

• Examples: Artifacts, Interview with a person actually involved with the historical event. Autobiography, diary, personal letters, actual photographs, magazines (sometimes), newspapers (sometimes).

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Secondary Source

• Second-hand information. Information that is interpreted by someone else. These sources are easier to find, but are not considered as valuable as primary sources.

• Examples: textbook, encyclopedia, biography, Internet, paintings, newspapers, magazines, general reference books.

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Source and Note Cards

• One of the most important tools that you will use in

historical research is source cards and note cards.

• Not only is it important to write down what you found

when doing historical research, but where you found it.

• The following slides show one way to keep track of your

research using source and note cards. Read Write Gold,

keeping a notebook, or typing them on the computer are

other ways. Ultimately, it is your choice how you want to

keep track of your information.

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Source Card

•This card is used to write down

bibliographic information about the source.

It helps you to remember where you found

your information. The bibliographic

information will vary according to the type

of source.

Kent, Raymond. K. “Lightbulb”. Encyclopedia

Americana. Vol. L. 1992.

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Source Card As you research your topic, make a separate source card for

each book or other source that you use. Below is the most

common information that you need to put on a source card.

However, check your MLA guide in your directions packet to

make sure you have the correct bibliographic information for

the type of source you are using.

1) author

2) title

3) publisher and city/country published in

4) copyright date

5) pages where information was found( only if written material)

6) volume - Only use this for magazines and encyclopedias

7) internet address- Only write this if you are using the internet

8) internet search engine used (ex. Yahoo, Altavista)- Only write this if you

are using the internet

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Commonly Asked Questions

• How many sources do I need when doing a

research project?

• That depends on the directions given to you

by your teacher. However, a good rule to

follow is the more sources the better.

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Note Card

•This card is used to write down

facts, data or other information

you have found about your topic.

Thomas A. Edison invented light bulb in the year

1879.

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Commonly Asked Questions

• How many facts do I write down per note

card.

• It depends on personal preference. I usually

do not write down more than 3 facts per

card. I only write facts on one side of the

card.

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Keeping your research organized

•Number your source cards starting with number

1 for the first source that you use. Then number

accordingly thereafter.

•Write the number in the upper right corner of

your card.

•As you write note cards for that source, write the

number of that source in the upper right hand

corner to help you keep track of where you found

the information. Add letters (starting with “a”)

after the number. This will help to keep your note

cards in the proper order.

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Example

1

First source card

bibliographic info.

1a

Note card from first

source

1b

Another note card from

the first source

2

Source card from second

source

2a

Note card from second

source

2b

Another note card from

second source

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Check the credibility of a source

What is credibility? -

• How believable is the information.

• Can you trust that the information is

accurate and truthful.

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Identifying Fact from Opinion

Fact- Information that can be proven, and supported by documentation and evidence.

Opinion- Someone’s belief. Information that can’t necessarily be backed up with actual proof or evidence.

Bias- A strong point of view. A strong belief or opinion that a person holds on to even if there is no facts or evidence to support what they are saying.

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Four ways to check credibility

1. What type of source is it?

Is the source primary or secondary. Primary is viewed as a more credible source. If it is a secondary source has it been professionally published?

All secondary sources have their origin with some primary source(s)

*** Be careful of the Internet, many things that are posted on the web may not be professionally published, and could be inaccurate.

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Four ways to check credibility

2. What are the author’s credentials?

Ask yourself what makes this person who

created the source an expert.

- Level of education

- Personal experiences

- Number of years they have studied the topic.

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Four ways to check credibility

3. Does the author have a bias?

How to check for bias.

- Does the author have a balanced point of view?

***Do they look and consider different sides of an issue (topic) before arriving at their conclusion.

- Why are they making this information available?

- Does the author have a personal reason for feeling the way they do? Look at their background.

- Are they name-calling?-

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Point of View

• When doing historical research it is important to consider the point of view of the person giving the information.

• By finding different points of view it will help you later when it comes time for you to make your research project and have to give your point of view.

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Four ways to check credibility

4. Can you find other sources that corroborate

the facts and information found in the source?

- Find more than one source that says the same

thing.

- The more sources that say the same information,

the more likely that information is accurate.