Research Paper Guidelines

Schuylkill Valley’s Research Schuylkill Valley’s Research Paper GuidelinesPaper Guidelines

Schuylkill Valley’s Research Schuylkill Valley’s Research Paper GuidelinesPaper Guidelines

Figure It Out!Consult either:

The MLA 7th Edition

OWL at Purdue website: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Consult an SV English teacher (with SPECIFIC questions!)

Length/Source Requirements

All papers must be a minimum five FULL pages in length, not including the Works Cited

A minimum of five sources must be used. The Works Cited should include print as well as on-line sources.

Margins

ALL margins should be 1”.

Paragraphs should be indented 1/2” (5 spaces).

Longer quotations (four lines and longer) should be indented 1” (10 spaces) from the left margin only.

Text

12-point Times New Roman

Spacing

EVERYTHING IS DOUBLE-SPACED, including the Works Cited.

The Header

The header should appear within the top 1” margin.

Every page should have a running header: last name and page number: Smith 3

Notice the space between the name and the page number!

The First Page

The first page of the paper IS the title page. Do NOT include a separate title page.

First Page Example

Your name

Instructor’s Name

Graduation Project Research Paper

8 October 2010

Title

Begin your paragraph one double-spaced line below the title. The

paragraph should begin with a 5-space indent. Do not justify the right

margin.

Name 11”

1”NOTICE: EVERYTHING isdouble-spaced!

cite: 1. make reference to: His name was mentioned in connection with the

invention; 2. commend: He was cited for his outstanding achievements;

3. refer to: He referenced his colleagues' work; 4. repeat a passage from: He quoted the Bible to her; 5. refer to for illustration or proof: He said he could quote several instances of this behavior.

The Works Cited Page

If you cite a source, it MUST appear on your Works Cited page.

Likewise, if you list a source on your Works Cited page, then it MUST be in your paper.

Works Cited

Besthoff, Len. “Cell Phone Use Increases Risk of Accidents, but Users Willing to

Take the Risk.” WRAL Online. Web. 11 Nov. 1999. 12 Jan. 2001.

Farmers Insurance Group. “New Survey Shows Drivers Have Had ‘Close Calls’ with

Cell Phone Users.” Farmers Insurance Group. Web. 8 May 2000. 12 Jan. 2001.

Layton, Lyndsey. “Legislators Aiming to Disconnect Motorists.” Washington Post. 10

Dec. 2000: C1+.

Stockwell, Jamie. “Phone Use Faulted in Collision.” Washington Post 6 Dec. 2000.

B1+.

Sundeen, Matt. “Cell Phones and Highway Safety: 2000 State Legislative Update.”

National Conference of State Legislatures. Web. Dec. 2000. 9 pp. 27 Feb. 2001.

Works Cited

MLA no longer requires an on-line entry to include the URL address unless confusion arises over two or more sources (i.e., the sources share the same title).

Listing the URL

Aristotle. Poetics. Trans. S. Barnes. Internet Classics. Boston College, 18 Nov.

2001. Web. 3 Nov. 2008. ‹http://bc.litdept.edu/›

Aristotle. Poetics. Trans. S. H. Butcher. The Internet Classics

Archive. Web Atomic and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 13 Sept. 2007.

Web. 4 Nov. 2008. ‹http://classics.mit.edu/›.

Parenthetical Doc./Citations

The research paper MUST include direct quotations and paraphrases, elements that support YOUR writing.

When using citations, avoid the following:

ending a majority of paragraphs with citations

following one citation with another

cutting and pasting

Parenthetical Doc./Citations

When paraphrasing (changing material you read into your own words), you MUST identify where you acquired that information.

Do NOT cite common knowledge material (material found in encyclopedias and dictionaries).

Common Errors

Poor sentence structure: agreement problems and use of the word “you”

Poor attention to details

Incorrect format & punctuation for citations/Works Cited

Spacing

Sentence Agreement

Everyone on the research trip was a leader in their own particular field.

Sentence Agreement

Everyone on the research trip was a leader in their own particular field.

Singular

plural

Sentence Agreement

Several on board has his or her own special assignments.

Sentence Agreement

Several on board has his or her own special assignments.

plural

singular

Sentence Agreement

Each of the students in the class had their own rooms in the dorms.

Sentence Agreement

Each of the students in the class had their own rooms in the dorms.

Singular

plural

Very Serious ErrorsLess than five sources (or using weak sources: Wikipedia, Ask.com, encyclopedias)

Less than five pages

“How-to” paper

Plagiarism = 0

Late submissions

Do NOT:ask other teachers to proofread or revise your papers.

turn in your paper in a binder or plastic cover.

email your paper to a teacher.

turn in your paper unstapled.

simply place your paper on a teacher’s desk.

over-use the word “you” in sentences.

If you choose to submit a paper on October 7th, your paper must fulfill all of the requirements. It should not be considered a first draft.

A research paper is not a string of quotes linked together with brief text by you. YOU write the paper and support your main points with expert testimony.