Reaseach of Quentin Tarantino
Reaseach of Quentin Tarantino
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TIPS & ADVICE | THIS IS MANI
HOW I GOT 44 IB POINTS (straight 7s!) |
TIPS & ADVICE | THIS IS MANI
How to write a research paper
A research paper is any kind of academic writing based on original research which features
analysis and interpretation from the author — and it can be a bit overwhelming to begin with!
That’s why we created a step-by-step guide on how to write a research paper, where we take you
through the academic writing process one manageable piece at a time.
Table of contents
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Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your
professor.
Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting and submission
method.
Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as
you’re writing.
At this stage, consider:
Timeframe: be realistic, and plan for time to research, write and edit.
Word limit: work with a precise or specific topic to avoid trying to cover too much
information.
Purpose: Each purpose comes with different requirements. For example, are you aiming
to inform people of something, persuade them to think differently, or encourage them
to take a certain course of action?
A master’s thesis is usually written for an expert audience, though you may wish to make it
accessible to a broader audience. If you are writing an undergraduate paper, you can assume your
audience is somewhere between generalist and expert.
Generalis Avoid technical terms or, if you must use them, include definitions
t Avoid excessive, complex detail
Use shorter, simpler sentences and shorter, simpler words
Use slow and simple explanation to make your argument; show your logic
Be informative
Use examples to clarify key points
Expert Do not over-explain — e.g. common technical terms and obvious background
Carefully justify your claims
Show nuance in your arguments
Exhibit command of the literature — experts will notice things you fail to mention
You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or
three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.
You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections
of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics to examine.
Once you have a main subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that:
Interests you
Is original
Meets the criteria of your assignment
Is possible to research
Remember that the idea is to be both original and specific. A paper following the chronology of
World War II would not be original or specific enough. A paper on the experience of Danish
citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be
original enough — that is where the next step comes into play.
Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of
view, to avoid confirmation bias.
In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you.
These are more commonly used in a thesis or dissertation rather than an essay. To write research
questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”
In addition, this stage will help you determine whether there is a possible flaw in your argument.
If you find there is a flaw, you can adjust your argument or topic at this stage.
Most researchers do not conduct a great deal of research at this point — it is only to ensure the
paper is on track and to get a sense of the literature.
The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly
summarize your argument in a sentence or two; make a claim that requires further evidence or
analysis; and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.
You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve
as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop
this central claim.
6. Create a research paper outline
A research paper outline works as an effective guide to use during the writing process. It is
essentially a list of the key topics, arguments and evidence you will include, divided into sections
with headings so the paper is planned before you begin writing.
A research paper outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it is worth
dedicating the time to create one.
7. Paragraph structure
Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single
claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.
Here is what a paragraph should look like. Hover over the sentences to learn more.
Example paragraph
George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on
thought about the relationship between politics and language.This impact is particularly obvious
in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay.For example,
consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of
Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-
rights leader,” “diversity,” and more).Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political
language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of
his day.Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.
You do not need to start your paper at the introduction. Start writing where it feels most natural
for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with
the easiest part. If you created a research paper outline, use it as a map while you work.
Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written, move it
to a different document, but do not lose it completely as you never know if it might come in
useful later.
After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about and why it is
worth reading.
What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background and define key items
such as terms, theories and historical details. If you are writing a longer essay with a literature
review, you should give a sense of how your point fits with the extant research.
Why? This is the most important, but also most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide
brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What
important issues does your essay help define or answer?
How? The reader needs to know how the paper will proceed. Therefore, the introduction should
include a “map” of what will be discussed or briefly present all the key elements of the paper in
chronological order.
After completing the first draft, condense the paragraphs into only topic sentences and read them
one at a time. Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs
discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Check for
smooth transitions between paragraphs.
Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis
statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how the
paper has settled the issues raised in the introduction. Recap the what, why and how, and try to
show how the key ideas mentioned in the introduction look now that your point is established.
You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper
offers to future students of the topic and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but
cannot or does not try to answer.
You should not:
1. Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly,
that your paper still answers the assignment.
2. Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping
your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot
substantiate them further.
3. Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and
whether your ideas could be better organized.
4. If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out
or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you
during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.
13. The revision process
The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the
necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible.
Global concerns
Purpose: confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment
sheet.
Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.
Scribbr can help with this stage of your paper, with our award-winning proofreading, clarity
check and structure check services.
Fine-grained details
Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:
Next, think about sentence structure, grammatical errors and formatting. Check that you have
correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look
for typos, cut unnecessary words and check for consistency in aspects such as heading
formatting and spellings.
Here are some tips to make sure you do not miss anything:
Read the paper aloud, which will force you to slow down and look more closely at each
word.
Change fonts, as it helps to spot mistakes by making the text less familiar.
Edit a printed copy. Follow each word with a pen or pencil.
Have someone else read through and make notes.
Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of
the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading or
create an APA title page.
Checklist
Writing a research paper
0 / 15
I’ve followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.
I’ve followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers added, identifying information
included, spacing is right, font is uniform, etc.).
At the end of the paper I have a carefully formatted reference list, which conforms to the
appropriate style manual’s guidelines (e.g. APA Style).
I have provided an appropriately formatted in-text citation for every piece of information
from another source.
I’ve addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.
I have an interesting introduction, giving a sense of what my topic is, why it’s important,
and how I will discuss it.
All of the key sub-arguments or claims are briefly pointed out or outlined in the
introduction.
Near the beginning of each paragraph, I’ve used a good topic sentence.
Every paragraph is unified to convey one specific idea.
The relationship between each paragraph and the preceding paragraph or section is made
clear by a good transition, in or before the topic sentence.
The relationship between each paragraph and the thesis of the paper is clear.
No paragraph i