preview

How to Write a Research Paper

Better Essays
Writing the Research Paper Handbook and Style Guide English teachers from both Cranston High School East and Cranston High School West prepared this booklet for students learning the fundamentals of research paper writing. Much of the material was gleaned from sources listed on the acknowledgements page. The information chosen is considered suitable to fulfill the instructional needs of the teachers and to facilitate practical use by the students. 1. Topic Selection Topic selection will vary with the teacher or the course. If you are given a choice of topic, consider the following questions before choosing: a. Is the subject you are considering significant/relevant to the assignment? b. Does the subject interest you?…show more content…
Thesis: Solving our environmental problems is more difficult than many environmentalists believe. A thesis statement is the main idea, not the title. It must be a complete sentence that explains in some detail about what you expect to write. Title: Social Security and Old Age Thesis: Continuing changes in the Social Security System make it almost impossible to plan intelligently for one 's retirement. A thesis statement is narrow, rather than broad, so that 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 Narrow: The primary problem of the American steel industry is the lack of funds to renovate outdated plants and equipment. 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 language. 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
Get Access