Latin America Research Project World Cultures 2010.

Latin America Research Project

World Cultures2010

Informative Research

• Aims to inform or explain what you found regarding a single topic– Therefore, the thesis=the focus of the

paper• narrows the scope of the topic • NO ARGUMENT

The Rubric

• FOCUS– Does your paper have one focal point?

(thesis)– Are all ideas connected to that point?– Does the paper progress with each idea

building on the last (rather than a series of separate examples)?

• CONTENT– Do you have enough research to

inform?– Do you explain that research in regard to

your thesis?

The Rubric

• ORGANIZATION broad introduction

informative thesis

subtopic 1: support, citation, explanation

subtopic 2: support, citation, explanation

subtopic 3: support, citation, explanation

restated informative thesis

broadening conclusion

Progressive, developing hooks

Progressive, developing hooks

The Rubric

• CONVENTIONS– Spelling– Grammar– Punctuation– Style

• MLA DOCUMENTATION– Are all of your sources cited correctly in

text?– Is your Works Cited correct?– Do you correctly punctuate quotations?– Do you paraphrase adequately?

MLA Documentation

• Refer to the works of others in your text (quotation and paraphrase) with parenthetical citation:

Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals" (Burke 3).

• In-text parenthetical citation corresponds with an entry on Works Cited page

Burke, Kenneth. Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method. Berkeley: U of California P, 1966.

Plagiarism

• “copy and paste,” word-for-word theft• Inadequate paraphrase (adequate =

significant changes in syntax and diction)

• Failure to identify source of quotation or paraphrased idea

• Parenthetical citation without accompanying works cited reference

• Works Cited reference without accompanying parenthetical citation

Quotation vs. Paraphrase

• Direct copy of the text

• Word-for-word restatement

• Uses quotation marks

• Uses parenthetical citation

• Summary restatement of the text

• SIGNIFICANT changes to syntax and diction

• No quotation marks

• Uses parenthetical citation

Syntax and Diction

• Structure– Of the sentence– Of the clauses– Of the phrases

• Word choice

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES means there should be few – but preferably no – repetitions of

words or structure

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES means there should be few – but preferably no – repetitions of

words or structure

Quotation Paraphrase

“Admissions officers see themselves as being responsible

to their school as a whole. They are

building a freshman class,

which must become a

successful part of the college or university at

large.”

The job of the admissions officer

is to select students for the freshman class

who will contribute to the overall success of the

college or university.

Parenthetical citation

When in doubt, USE IT!

Opening tags

• Distinguish the beginning of a paraphrase from your own thoughts with an opening tag that contains the author’s name or title of the work:

These economic hardships aren’t always so difficult to overcome, however. Stevens claims that though the economic issues Peruvians are facing are creating dire living conditions, solving them will take little more than cooperation between social agencies and the government.

Parenthetical citation

• Usually contains (Jones 54).– Author’s last name– Page number for that information

• No page number? (electronic sources)– Author’s last name only

• No author?– Title of the work (full the first time)–Underline or use Quotation Marks as

appropriate