*FRESHMEN: Freshmen are still required to send their annotated bibliography to Addie. If you have not done so, please complete your annotations today and send immediately. This week you will continue your work with the annotated bibliography by adding an introduction and conclusion. These new extensions are due Friday, October 21, 2016.
*NON-FRESHMEN: All IDEAS Block students (except freshmen this semester) are required to write a formal research paper. If you wish to construct an essay other than a research paper, you must setup an appointment with
Addie for approval. Even if you have not gotten approval, you can begin the planning process today.
Define synthesis. As a do now, consider sketching the definition of the word "synthesis" and discussing patterns. How can you take the pieces of knowledge, argument, and perspective that you gained through research and synthesize it for a thesis? Try printing out your annotated bibliography and cutting it into pieces, categorizing, connecting, asking yourself "So what?" ...synthesizing.
The Formal Writing Component | Research Paper
Many think a research paper is merely an essay in which they define a topic. For example, they might research Web2.0 tools such as blogs then proceed to define what a blog is, who invented the blog, who uses a blog and why. This is true, but only in part. The main function or purpose of the research paper is to first analyze the topic (define Web2.0 tools and describe how they impact society) and second construct an argument in regards to the topic (Web2.0 tools turn the average writer into a true scholar with publication of writing).
There are four main elements to a research paper.
- Introduction
- Definition: The definition paragraph introduces your audience to your interpretation of the topic. This paragraph will answer the majority of the closed questions you researched, but it also needs to include your personal understanding of the topic. For example, while there is a specific definition of empathy, how we demonstrate empathy as individuals varies greatly, which is open to interpretation.
- Argument: This is the portion of your essay in which you will synthesize your argument using academic research. Remember that an innovative argument not only recognizes the conversations about the topic via academic research, but also adds to the conversation by offering new insight not yet considered.
- Conclusion: Restate thesis. Restate argument. Restate purpose. Sounds simple. It is not. Remember that restate actually means that you have already provided your readers with this information once. While it is important to do so again to remind them of what your paper was about, you are actually doing so in a new way, not in fact restating. Restating is redundant and boring to your readers.
Begin the planning stage of your essay by creating a visual outline. This can be done in several ways.
The Traditional Method: Effective for those students who like to organize their ideas using a strict structure. (Dan’s favorite)
The Doodle Method: Effective for those students who like to use images, symbols, text (doodles!) to assemble their ideas. Notice in this Pinterest example, the argument of the essay is in large letters at the bottom: “We use stories to make sense of and predict our lives.” (Addie’s favorite)
Sticky Notes: Effective for those students who like to move, manipulate, re-organize their ideas. (Beckah’s favorite)
Share Out: What is the argument?
