APA Basics Workshop: Research Writing

First Step to Writing Research Papers

Have a general idea of what your research paper will be about.

-Are you arguing/persuading? Are you informing. Are you doing both?Begin research in the library and on

databases.Keep track of all sources.

Next…

• Begin a working bibliography to keep track of all sources.

• Outline ideas. • Begin first draft.--Introduction with thesis—this comes from you. --Topic sentences and main ideas for each body paragraph come from you.

Integrating Sources Without Plagiarizing

Why include outside sources? -They support your argument.-They provide background information.-They explain terms and concepts. -They support your claims.-They lend authority and credibility to your argument.

from Diana Hacker’s Bedford Handbook

Integrating Sources: In-text Citations

When integrating research, you must cite your sources in the text of your paper and on your reference page.

In-text citations

Why do we use them? 1. To give credit to the author. 2. Readers can access the original source if they’re

interested. 3. Readers can see where your ideas leave off and

another source’s ideas begin.

Smoothly Integrate Sources

Use signal phrases and transitions: (in fact, indeed, additionally, however, etc.).

If necessary, explain the significance of the source. – How does it relate to your argument? – Briefly discuss the relevance of the source.

Incorporating Research: Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Summarizing--for longer sources--to restate the meaning the author is trying to convey--must give credit to the sourceParaphrasing--short sections of sources--about the same number of words --your own words and own structure—not mixed with author’s wordsDirectly Quoting--use sparingly --word for word --quotation marks or block quotes

From Diana Hacker’s Bedford Handbook

When paraphrasing and summarizing…

• Don’t look at the source! • Include signal phrases when needed.• Cite in-text.• Cite on Reference Page.

Paraphrasing Examples

“The attitudes that any person, especially an author, takes toward the world may change with the passing from adolescence to adulthood to old age. So also may the author’s means of expressing attitudes and judgments” (Arp & Johnson, 2010, p. 9).

Is the following example correctly paraphrased? The outlooks that any person, especially authors, have change with passing from youths to adults to elderly. The author’s means of expressing attitudes and judgments change, too.

When you paraphrase…

Do not simply change a few words here and there. Change the structure and wording. Use roughly the same number of words to express the

same meaning as the source, but they must be your own words.

Do not borrow the language from the source unless it’s really necessary. If you do, put quotation marks around the borrowed words.

Paraphrasing Continued…

“The attitudes that any person, especially an author, takes toward the world may change with the passing from adolescence to adulthood to old age. So also may the author’s means of expressing attitudes and judgments” (Arp and Johnson 9).

Correct Paraphrase:As authors age and enter each stage of life, their perspectives on the world change. Not only do their perspectives change, but also the way in which they express and absorb these outlooks change (Arp & Johnson, 2010, p. 9).

Summarizing

Read the entire source.Focus on paragraphs or passages you’d like to

summarize if you’re not summarizing the entire source.

Re-read the passages you want to summarize.Put the source away.In a few sentences, write a summary of the

main ideas.