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Created page with '{{BTH740 Index | 20113}} = How To Write a Research Essay= == Four Stages of Research == * Thesis Statement * Research * Writing * Presentation == Thesis Statement== === Requir…'
{{BTH740 Index | 20113}}
= How To Write a Research Essay=
== Four Stages of Research ==
* Thesis Statement
* Research
* Writing
* Presentation
== Thesis Statement==
=== Requirements For the Final Essay===
set by the instructor - what you need to know before starting to prepare the thesis statement
* number of sources
** primary >= 2
** secondary >= 4
** tertiary - summarize
* length 1600-2400 words
* late penalties 20%
* timeline:
** thesis statement - due October 18
** preliminary research - due November 1
** recording details - due November 8
** writing - due November 22
** publication - due November 25
=== Narrowing the Focus ===
select the topic
* sources
** encyclopedias
** textbooks
** dictionaries
** videos
* process
** jot down ideas
** discuss ideas
** circle one that are of interest
** select one from a short-list
** select another as the alternative
=== Searching for Sources ===
create working bibliography
* questions to answer
** are there sufficient sources
** is each one relevant to the focus
** are the sources diverse
** are the sources quality sources
** are there twice as many sources as required
* process
** read
*** abstracts
*** conclusions
*** reviews
** balance
*** books
*** articles
*** electronic
*** audio-visual
*** old
*** new
** list publication details accurately
=== Defining the Purpose ===
* single sentence plus keywords
* discuss the thesis
** discuss with two peers
** refine the focus
** define the scope
* pose the research question
** sufficient sources
** narrow enough topic
** avoid
*** bibliographical
*** narrative
*** descriptive
*** unfounded assumptions
** how successful not why successful
* formulate one precise sentence
* task is to answer the question <- sole purpose
* make short list of sub-tasks
* identify keywords
=== Submission ===
* thesis statement
* keywords
* bibliography
== Research ==
=== Preparatory Readings ===
purpose: rephrase the thesis statement
* develop a fuller understanding of the topic
* read some of the shorter sources
* keep the research question in mind
* rephrase your thesis
=== Record Research Data ===
purpose: create the research note record
* maintain a well-balanced variety of source materials
* question what you read and record continuously
* read the ''prioritized'' sources carefully and in detail
* analyze and select ideas and data related to your thesis
* record all relevant information as research notes
** for
** against
* review other sources for context, support and opposition
* process
** types of notes
*** direct quotations
*** personal insights
*** paraphrases
*** summarizations
** method of documentation
*** note
*** page number
*** source number
** major questions to keep in mind
*** does the note pertain to the thesis question
*** should I reconsider the focus
**** should I broaden the focus
**** should I narrow the focus further
=== Assemble and Prioritize ===
purpose: create a flowing argument
* assemble the notes into major groups
* arrange the notes within each group in order
* distinguish deductive, inductive, and abductive conclusions
=== Submission ===
* edited thesis statement
* prioritized note record
* outline of the argument
== Writing ==
=== Outline ===
purpose: organize the flow
* structure
** introduction
** body
*** arguments
** conclusion
* process
** retain results that pertain to the thesis
** create a skeleton
** use point form
=== Rough Draft ===
purpose: compose the argument in ascending order of importance/interest
* preface
** title
** abstract
** keywords
* introduction
** context
** purpose
** interpretations
** thesis statement
* body
** each point is one paragraph
* conclusion
** sum up supporting points
** no new information
** one to three paragraphs
* references
** works cited
=== Edit ===
purpose: create final draft
* check instructor's requirements
** format
** layout
** 1st person or third person
** style
*** MLA (see Purdue OWL)
**** Margins 1" all around excluding page numbers
**** Times New Roman 12 point
**** no justification, no hyphenation, double space, two spaces after a period
**** no title page for a research paper
**** sentence case your title no bold no period
**** page numbering in upper right hand corner preceded by your last name
**** secure your pages with a paper clip no plastic folders
**** citations (Author pageNumber)
**** works cited LastName, FirstName. ''Title.'' City:Publisher, Year.
**** sites cited LastName, FirstName. ''Title.'' City:Publisher, Year. <http://www.xxx.org/xxx/>. Date of Access.
**** interviews LastName, FirstName. Type of Interview. Date.
**** list works cited in alphabetical order at the end of the paper starting on a new page
*** APA (see Purdue OWL)
**** citations (Author, Year, p.PageNumber)
**** works cited LastName, FirstName. (Year). ''Title.'' City:Publisher.
*** [http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html Chicago]
**** [http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html citations and works cited]
*** CBE
**** [http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/default/files/CSE.pdf citations and works cited]
**** [http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/guides/42cbe.pdf citations and works cited]
*** ACM
**** [https://cs.senecac.on.ca/~bth740/pages/assignments/acm.pubform.doc SIG journal articles]
* expression
** argument flow
** paragraphing
*** circle the topic sentence in each
** clarify your points
** read out loud - use your auditory system - fix the jumps
== Presentation/Publication ==
* source: Parberry, Ian (2000) How to Present a Paper in Theoretical Computer Science: A Speaker's Guide for Students, Dept. Comp. Sc., Univ North Texas. Denton, Texas.
=== What to Say How to Say it ===
* communicate key ideas
** emphasize key ideas
** skip standard, obvious, or complicated
* don't get bogged down in details
** you have been thinking deeply for months
** audience has not - is the paper worth reading?
** details are out of place - leave them in the paper
* structure your talk
** break into distinct parts
* use a top-down approach
** introduction
*** informal description - impressions are important
*** define the problem
*** motivate the audience
**** explain why it is so important
*** introduce terminology
*** discuss earlier work
*** emphasize contributions of your paper
**** this may be the only points audience will remember
*** provide a road-map to the talk
** body
*** abstract the major results or contributions
*** explain the significance of the results
*** sketch a proof of the crucial results
**** gloss over the technical details
** technicalities
*** present a key result
**** give the flavour of the rest of the technical details in a short period of time
*** present it carefully
**** fill in small gaps
**** mention points that may not be in the paper itself
** conclusion
*** hindsight is clear than foresight
**** make observation that would have been confusing earlier
**** regain the attention of non-experts in the audience
*** state open problems
**** identify problems that arise from your paper
**** mention weaknesses of your paper
**** indicate that your talk is over
=== Delivery - Getting through to your Audience ===
* use repetition
** "tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them
* remind, don't assume
** if your paper assumes a standard result, state it as a reminder
* don't over-run
** conference presentations last 15 to 30 minutes with 5 minutes for questions
** if short on time, cut the technicalities section
* maintain eye contact
** spread your attention, don't concentrate on one person
* control your voice
** avoid fashion, hype, information-free utterances
* control your motion
** avoid hyperactivity
** use natural gestures
* take care of your appearance
** avoid ostentatiousness
* minimize language difficulties
* try not to get anxious
** prepare adequately beforehand
** do not pay undue attention to the reaction of the most important person in the audience - their reactions may be the result of something that is totally unrelated to your presentation
** to calm panic, pause, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths
** it is the quality of your research that matters
=== Visual and Aural Aids ===
* make legible slides
* don't put too much on a slide - remember short-term memory
* don't use too many slide- reserve 2 minutes per slide
* use colour effectively - avoid rainbows - yellow is almost invisible
* pictures and tables
** pictures are worth a thousand words
=== Question Time ===
* expect three types of questions
** genuine request for knowledge
** selfish - draws attention to the questioner - indirectly compliment them
** malicious - expect to have your ego bruised - be prepared, be polite, and avoid lengthy exchanges - offer a one-to-one discussion afterwards
== Resources ==
* General
** [http://seneca.libguides.com/research Seneca College Library Research Help]
* Writing Labs
** [http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/ U of O - Hypergrammar]
** [http://owl.english.purdue.edu Owl at Purdue University]
* Stylesheets
** [http://www.mla.org/publications/style_faq MLA Style]
** [http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/mla.html Nuts and Bolts MLA Style]
** [http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/science.html Nuts and Bolts Science Style]
** [http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/index.cfm Science Editors]
* Classification
** [http://www.acm.org/about/class/ccs98-html ACM Classification System]
= How To Write a Research Essay=
== Four Stages of Research ==
* Thesis Statement
* Research
* Writing
* Presentation
== Thesis Statement==
=== Requirements For the Final Essay===
set by the instructor - what you need to know before starting to prepare the thesis statement
* number of sources
** primary >= 2
** secondary >= 4
** tertiary - summarize
* length 1600-2400 words
* late penalties 20%
* timeline:
** thesis statement - due October 18
** preliminary research - due November 1
** recording details - due November 8
** writing - due November 22
** publication - due November 25
=== Narrowing the Focus ===
select the topic
* sources
** encyclopedias
** textbooks
** dictionaries
** videos
* process
** jot down ideas
** discuss ideas
** circle one that are of interest
** select one from a short-list
** select another as the alternative
=== Searching for Sources ===
create working bibliography
* questions to answer
** are there sufficient sources
** is each one relevant to the focus
** are the sources diverse
** are the sources quality sources
** are there twice as many sources as required
* process
** read
*** abstracts
*** conclusions
*** reviews
** balance
*** books
*** articles
*** electronic
*** audio-visual
*** old
*** new
** list publication details accurately
=== Defining the Purpose ===
* single sentence plus keywords
* discuss the thesis
** discuss with two peers
** refine the focus
** define the scope
* pose the research question
** sufficient sources
** narrow enough topic
** avoid
*** bibliographical
*** narrative
*** descriptive
*** unfounded assumptions
** how successful not why successful
* formulate one precise sentence
* task is to answer the question <- sole purpose
* make short list of sub-tasks
* identify keywords
=== Submission ===
* thesis statement
* keywords
* bibliography
== Research ==
=== Preparatory Readings ===
purpose: rephrase the thesis statement
* develop a fuller understanding of the topic
* read some of the shorter sources
* keep the research question in mind
* rephrase your thesis
=== Record Research Data ===
purpose: create the research note record
* maintain a well-balanced variety of source materials
* question what you read and record continuously
* read the ''prioritized'' sources carefully and in detail
* analyze and select ideas and data related to your thesis
* record all relevant information as research notes
** for
** against
* review other sources for context, support and opposition
* process
** types of notes
*** direct quotations
*** personal insights
*** paraphrases
*** summarizations
** method of documentation
*** note
*** page number
*** source number
** major questions to keep in mind
*** does the note pertain to the thesis question
*** should I reconsider the focus
**** should I broaden the focus
**** should I narrow the focus further
=== Assemble and Prioritize ===
purpose: create a flowing argument
* assemble the notes into major groups
* arrange the notes within each group in order
* distinguish deductive, inductive, and abductive conclusions
=== Submission ===
* edited thesis statement
* prioritized note record
* outline of the argument
== Writing ==
=== Outline ===
purpose: organize the flow
* structure
** introduction
** body
*** arguments
** conclusion
* process
** retain results that pertain to the thesis
** create a skeleton
** use point form
=== Rough Draft ===
purpose: compose the argument in ascending order of importance/interest
* preface
** title
** abstract
** keywords
* introduction
** context
** purpose
** interpretations
** thesis statement
* body
** each point is one paragraph
* conclusion
** sum up supporting points
** no new information
** one to three paragraphs
* references
** works cited
=== Edit ===
purpose: create final draft
* check instructor's requirements
** format
** layout
** 1st person or third person
** style
*** MLA (see Purdue OWL)
**** Margins 1" all around excluding page numbers
**** Times New Roman 12 point
**** no justification, no hyphenation, double space, two spaces after a period
**** no title page for a research paper
**** sentence case your title no bold no period
**** page numbering in upper right hand corner preceded by your last name
**** secure your pages with a paper clip no plastic folders
**** citations (Author pageNumber)
**** works cited LastName, FirstName. ''Title.'' City:Publisher, Year.
**** sites cited LastName, FirstName. ''Title.'' City:Publisher, Year. <http://www.xxx.org/xxx/>. Date of Access.
**** interviews LastName, FirstName. Type of Interview. Date.
**** list works cited in alphabetical order at the end of the paper starting on a new page
*** APA (see Purdue OWL)
**** citations (Author, Year, p.PageNumber)
**** works cited LastName, FirstName. (Year). ''Title.'' City:Publisher.
*** [http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html Chicago]
**** [http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html citations and works cited]
*** CBE
**** [http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/default/files/CSE.pdf citations and works cited]
**** [http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/guides/42cbe.pdf citations and works cited]
*** ACM
**** [https://cs.senecac.on.ca/~bth740/pages/assignments/acm.pubform.doc SIG journal articles]
* expression
** argument flow
** paragraphing
*** circle the topic sentence in each
** clarify your points
** read out loud - use your auditory system - fix the jumps
== Presentation/Publication ==
* source: Parberry, Ian (2000) How to Present a Paper in Theoretical Computer Science: A Speaker's Guide for Students, Dept. Comp. Sc., Univ North Texas. Denton, Texas.
=== What to Say How to Say it ===
* communicate key ideas
** emphasize key ideas
** skip standard, obvious, or complicated
* don't get bogged down in details
** you have been thinking deeply for months
** audience has not - is the paper worth reading?
** details are out of place - leave them in the paper
* structure your talk
** break into distinct parts
* use a top-down approach
** introduction
*** informal description - impressions are important
*** define the problem
*** motivate the audience
**** explain why it is so important
*** introduce terminology
*** discuss earlier work
*** emphasize contributions of your paper
**** this may be the only points audience will remember
*** provide a road-map to the talk
** body
*** abstract the major results or contributions
*** explain the significance of the results
*** sketch a proof of the crucial results
**** gloss over the technical details
** technicalities
*** present a key result
**** give the flavour of the rest of the technical details in a short period of time
*** present it carefully
**** fill in small gaps
**** mention points that may not be in the paper itself
** conclusion
*** hindsight is clear than foresight
**** make observation that would have been confusing earlier
**** regain the attention of non-experts in the audience
*** state open problems
**** identify problems that arise from your paper
**** mention weaknesses of your paper
**** indicate that your talk is over
=== Delivery - Getting through to your Audience ===
* use repetition
** "tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them
* remind, don't assume
** if your paper assumes a standard result, state it as a reminder
* don't over-run
** conference presentations last 15 to 30 minutes with 5 minutes for questions
** if short on time, cut the technicalities section
* maintain eye contact
** spread your attention, don't concentrate on one person
* control your voice
** avoid fashion, hype, information-free utterances
* control your motion
** avoid hyperactivity
** use natural gestures
* take care of your appearance
** avoid ostentatiousness
* minimize language difficulties
* try not to get anxious
** prepare adequately beforehand
** do not pay undue attention to the reaction of the most important person in the audience - their reactions may be the result of something that is totally unrelated to your presentation
** to calm panic, pause, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths
** it is the quality of your research that matters
=== Visual and Aural Aids ===
* make legible slides
* don't put too much on a slide - remember short-term memory
* don't use too many slide- reserve 2 minutes per slide
* use colour effectively - avoid rainbows - yellow is almost invisible
* pictures and tables
** pictures are worth a thousand words
=== Question Time ===
* expect three types of questions
** genuine request for knowledge
** selfish - draws attention to the questioner - indirectly compliment them
** malicious - expect to have your ego bruised - be prepared, be polite, and avoid lengthy exchanges - offer a one-to-one discussion afterwards
== Resources ==
* General
** [http://seneca.libguides.com/research Seneca College Library Research Help]
* Writing Labs
** [http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/ U of O - Hypergrammar]
** [http://owl.english.purdue.edu Owl at Purdue University]
* Stylesheets
** [http://www.mla.org/publications/style_faq MLA Style]
** [http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/mla.html Nuts and Bolts MLA Style]
** [http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/science.html Nuts and Bolts Science Style]
** [http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/index.cfm Science Editors]
* Classification
** [http://www.acm.org/about/class/ccs98-html ACM Classification System]
