discussion

WHAT IS RESEARCH? Research is something that you do every day. It’s asking your grandmother a question about her childhood; it’s reading the manual for your new iPhone; it’s searching on Amazon for a new Camelback bottle; and it’s YouTubing the latest viral video. WHAT IS IT NOT?

• Telling your own story

• Creating false information

• Responding with only opinions, beliefs, or assumptions WHY DO RESEARCH? We research to learn, but we also research to back up our own beliefs, ideas, opinions, and assumptions. EFFECTIVE RESEARCH IN WRITING FOR BEGINNERS

• In writing, evidence and research are incorporated to better illustrate our ideas to the reader (to “show not tell”).

• In writing, research is incorporated to prove that we understand the “conversation” around the topic on which we are writing.

• In writing, research is incorporated to prove that smart people agree with you; it makes you look good!

• In a paper that incorporates research or evidence, you should think of it as a 2:3 ratio; 2/3 of the information in the essay should be your own ideas, words, and analysis. 1/3 of the essay should be information from other sources that helps you to prove your main point (see how “The Oreo Cookie Method” below supports this ratio within a paragraph).

• Remember that if you are writing the paper, then, you ARE the expert. You shouldn’t choose a topic in which you’ll have to do research to even know where to begin. Choose topics about which you have something to say!

• Notecards are not an essential part of the research process. See “Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism” to learn more about strategies for organizing and cataloging your research.

• The "I can't find anything" excuse is not valid. Research is not just books in a library; it’s interview, observation, attention to media, and active learning.

EFFECTIVE RESEARCH IN WRITING FOR UNIVERSITY-LEVEL STUDENTS

• Research questions: every “researched” essay should answer a question that you have posed. Most often, the thesis is the answer to the question.

• If there is no article, website, or book that discusses your exact essay topic/research question, that’s a good thing! There is less of a reason for you to complete the project if there is already an article or book that poses and definitively answers your research question.

• A research question may not have a definitive "answer." You may attempt to "draw multiple conclusions" rather than "answer the question.”

• If you are well-read and constantly strive to stay informed beyond your classroom assignments, research becomes a much less daunting task. You will better know where to look to support your arguments.

INCORPORATING RESEARCH

Quoting (using a source’s words and structure exactly as it appears) is the most obvious way to use a source for support, but quotes are not the only way you can integrate your research into your paper. Other methods include paraphrasing and summarizing, which are putting a source’s information into your own words.

When you reference someone else’s idea, either through paraphrasing, summarizing or quoting, you are required to follow TWO steps:

• Give the author’s name (or the title of the work) and the page number of the work in a parenthetical citation.

• Provide full citation information, in the appropriate format, for the source in your Works Cited.

The Oreo Cookie Method

It is important to “lead in” or introduce your quote and “follow up” or conclude your quote with your own writing, what many call The Oreo Cookie Method. Think of your words as the cookie and the quote as the cream filling. Your words should always surround quotes to provide proper contextualization and explanation or analysis of the

research you are incorporating. Just “plopping” quotes into your essay will confuse readers; you must show them how the research connects to your argument.

• Binge drinking is still a problem among teenagers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that “[t]eenagers and young adults drink alcoholic beverages at about the same rates they did 5 years ago,” which, in turn creates many of the same problems and dangers that all substance abuse causes.

Correctly incorporating research will prevent you from misleading your reader and provide the necessary context your reader needs to follow your argument with ease.

RELIABLE SOURCES The CRAAP Test1

• Currency: How timely is the information? Information that you include as sources in your essay should be current to your topic. When was the information published or posted? Has something been written more recently that might have more value to your audience? Check to see if your resources have been updated (i.e. new editions of the book) or if the website address (URL) still works.

• Relevance: Is this information important to your topic? Resources should address your topic and your audience as specifically as possible. Information should be directed to the appropriate level of your topic and should be compared to other information of the same type to determine its weight. Some very specific or current topics may seem to exclude traditional sources; however, with web resources, most everything can be researched for contemporary information that is relevant to the topic.

• Authority: Who has published/posted this information? This credential is most often the true test of a valid source. Is the author, editor, webmaster qualified to present the information you’ve found? What are his or her qualifications? Complete a web search for the author’s name to see whether or not he/she is a valuable asset to your writing. Remember that the word “former” before a job title can be a red flag! The source of the information can also lend authority. Look at the publisher’s information for books, pamphlets, or journals. Also, internet websites that end in .gov or .org can typically be trusted. Double-check information found on .edu, .com, or .net sites.

• Accuracy: Is this information correct, reliable, and truthful? Look for other evidence to support your resources. Has the information been confirmed in other trustworthy sources? Tone and language can also indicate whether or source is free of bias or tinged with emotion. Depending on your topic, you may want to use sources that are not objective, but they should still be reputable, and you should be aware of their leanings. The final consideration for accurate sources is in their appearance. Does the source look reputable? Is it free of typos, misspellings, and grammar errors?

• Purpose: Why is this information accessible to you? Consider the motivation behind your source. Do the creators of this resource have a commercial interest? a political interest? Is its purpose to persuade or to entertain? Studies paid for by corporate sponsorship typically are published only if they support the correct outcome. Be sure that the source isn’t presented in your essay as fact if it is propaganda or opinion-based.

1 Adapted from Meriam Library. Evaluating Information: Applying the CRAAP Test. Chico: California State University, 24 Aug. 2004. Print.

PLAGIARISM Though definitions of plagiarism may vary slightly, they all contain the same basic ideas, which is the purposeful use of

someone else’s words or ideas as your own without acknowledgment. Below is a list of common definitions of plagiarism or fraud.

• Copying or purchasing another's entire paper or part of a paper and claiming it as your own.

• Copying information from any source, including websites, and presenting that information as your own.

• Copying information from a source word for word without putting quotes around those words—whether or not the source is cited directly in the paper or in the Works Cited.

• Copying or paraphrasing information from a source but changing the words around without providing an in-text citation—whether or not the source is cited in the Works Cited.

• Copying information correctly with quotation marks, including a proper in-text citation, but no citation in the Works Cited.

• Copying a peer, parent, tutor, or former teacher’s paper topic, point, or wording. • Turning in a paper used in another class or context without first seeking permission from all instructors or

supervisors involved.

• Citing incorrectly.

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism 1. Only turn in your own work. A paper that is weak, a late paper (if accepted by the instructor), or a zero on the

assignment is better than the consequences of plagiarism. 2. Give yourself sufficient time to write the paper. 3. Learn to properly document your sources. If you are unclear about citing sources, consult your instructor, your textbook, a

tutor, or a research librarian. If you do not take the initiative to ensure that your source material is documented correctly, you have intentionally plagiarized.

4. Take careful notes as you research. a. Make photocopies of your sources, and write down all of the bibliographic information, including the URL and date

of access if researching online. b. If you take notes instead of make photocopies, write down the information in direct quotes and give the necessary

information, such as page numbers, as well as the bibliographic information. c. Save paraphrasing and summarizing for the actual writing process. Do not paraphrase or summarize in the note-

taking stage of research; otherwise, you may inadvertently plagiarize later on. 5. Keep your Works Cited/Bibliography page in the same file as your essay (use “Insert” and “Page Break”). This ensures

that you will print the entire document with the Works Cited to turn in for grading.