7 Steps To Completing A Research Project

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7 Steps To Completing A Research Project
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Step 1Make a list of important due dates
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Step 2 Picking a Topic

• Pick a topic that you have a high interest in,
  and one that you can realistically find
  information
• Do some general research first to learn about
  your topic before starting your main research
• If you are choosing between several topics make a
  list of topics that you are interested and do
  some general research on each to decide which you
  will do your project
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Step 2Picking a Topic

• Narrow down your topic
• Big Idea to a Small Idea
• (Broad) to (Narrow)
• World War II Atomic Bomb
• (Too Broad) (Too Narrow)

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Step 2 Picking a Topic

• Narrow your topic down. If your topic is too
  broad your research will become unfocused, and
  general.
• But be careful not to narrow your topic too much.
  If you do it will become hard to find enough
  information
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• Example
• Revolutionary War------------------Too broad
• Revolutionary War Generals------Still too broad
• George Washington------------------Narrow
• George Washingtons teeth------- Too narrow

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A single sentence that states what your topic is
  and controls the content of your research
  project. Keeps you focused.
• You may have to do some beginning research before
  writing your thesis statement

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is an assertion, not a
  statement of fact or an observation.
• Fact or observation People use many lawn
  chemicals.
• Thesis People are poisoning the environment with
  chemicals merely to keep their lawns clean.

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis takes a stand rather than announcing a
  subject.
• Announcement The thesis of this paper is the
  difficulty of solving our environmental problems.
• Thesis Solving our environmental problems is
  more difficult than many environmentalists
  believe.

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis is the main idea, not the title. It must
  be a complete sentence that explains in some
  detail what you expect to write.
• Title Social Security and Old Age.
• Thesis Continuing changes in the Social Security
  System makes it almost impossible to plan
  intelligently for one's retirement.

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is narrow, rather than broad.
  If the thesis statement is sufficiently narrow,
  it can be fully supported.
• Broad The American steel industry has many
  problems.
• Narrow The primary problem if the American steel
  industry is the lack of funds to renovate
  outdated plants and equipment.

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is specific rather than vague
  or general.
• Vague Hemingway's war stories are very good.
• Specific Hemingway's stories helped create a new
  prose style by employing extensive dialogue,
  shorter sentences, and strong Anglo-Saxon words.

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Step 3Create a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement has one main point rather
  than several main points. More than one point may
  be too difficult for the reader to understand and
  the writer to support.
• More than one main point Stephen Hawking's
  physical disability has not prevented him from
  becoming a world-renowned physicist, and his book
  is the subject of a movie.
• One Main point Stephen Hawking's physical
  disability has not prevented him from becoming a
  world renowned physicist.

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Step 4 Research your topic

• Start with secondary sources, and after you
  build up enough information then move onto
  primary sources.

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Step 5 Make a Rough Draft of your project

• Thesis Statement
• Notes Rough Draft
• Artifacts

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Step 6 Make the Project

• Make a list of what materials you will need to
  complete the project, and then set aside time to
  work on the final project. Use your rough draft
  to guide you.

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Step 7 Write your bibliography

• Use your source cards. Make sure each source is
  written in the correct format, and then place
  your sources in alphabetical order

ABC
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Bibliography Example

• Curtin, Philip, et al.,  African History.
   Boston  Little, 1991.
• Davis, Flora.  Eloquent Animals A Study in
  Animal Communication.  New York Coward, 1988.
• Fisher, Roger, and William Ury.  Getting to Yes
  Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Boston 
  Houghton, 1991.
• Maryland commission for Women.  How to translate
  Volunteer Skills into Employment Credentials.  
      Baltimore  MD Commission for Women, 1993.
• The Times Atlas of the World.  5th ed.  New
  York  New York Times, 1994.