Getting Started: Research Paper: MLA Format, Thesis Writing, Outline

Getting Started: Research
Paper
MLA Format, Thesis Writing,
Outline
Step One: Pick a Topic
•What do I like?
•What do I want to know more about?
•What will hold my interest for 1000-1200 words?
•What can I prove about my potential topic?
•Will I be able to find reliable sources?
•Will I be able to find the required sources?

Thesis Statements
A thesis sums up what the paper will tell the

reader. It is not the topic. The topic is the
subject of the paper, the thesis tells the reader
something about the topic. The thesis should be
at least one complete sentence, it must be logical,
and the writer must make a claim that he or she
can prove with the content of the paper.
Rules for Writing a Thesis Statement
•It must be a complete sentence.
• It can not be a question.
•It should be provable with facts, anecdotes, stories, etc.
•It needs to represent you and your ideas.
•Do not generalize.
•Do not use first or second person pronouns.
•Do not use clichés.
•It must answer: WHAT, WHY, OR HOW

Sample Thesis Statements
• Topic: The Battle of Gettysburg
• Thesis: The Battle of Gettysburg changed the momentum of
the Civil War. (This thesis statement is incomplete because it does not identify how
the Battle of Gettysburg changed the progression of the Civil War.)
• Topic: Mike Piazza

• *Thesis: With his leadership skills, offensive output, and work
ethic, Mike Piazza excels as the best Major League catcher in
the history of baseball. (This thesis statement is complete because it includes
why Mike Piazza excels as the best major league catcher in baseball history.)
• Topic: Basketball
• Thesis: Winning basketball games requires a solid team of
skilled athletes, not just one superstar. (This thesis statement is
incomplete. It does not include why winning basketball games require skilled athletes
rather than a superstar.)
Sample Thesis Statements (continued)
• Topic: Middle East Conflict
• Thesis: Different Muslim ideologies make Israeli-Palestinian
peace difficult. (This thesis statement is incomplete because it does not include
why the Muslim ideologies make peace in the Middle East difficult.)
• Topic: Cuban Missile Crisis

• Thesis: Kennedy’s handling of the Cuban missile crisis was
good foreign policy. (This thesis statement is incomplete because it does
not include why Kennedy’s handling of the Cuban missile crisis was an
example of good foreign policy.)
• Topic: Iran
• Thesis: Three major issues are related to the crisis in Iran. (This
thesis statement is incomplete because it does not state what the three major issues are
that relate to the crisis in Iran.)
Proving the thesis:
• What do I already know about this
subject?
• Where can I verify that information in
print?
• What do I still need to find out?
• What will I need to cover to prove my
thesis?
Working Outline
• You need 3-5 major categories.
• This will guide your research.
• You will write the categories from the
outline on your note cards.
• You may change, add, or delete
categories on the outline as your research
progresses.
Sample Process
Working (Preliminary) Outline
I. Milton Hershey
A. Childhood
TOPIC: Hershey Park B. Chocolate Factory
II. Hershey Park

A. When did it open?
B. How has it changed?
C. What’s it currently like?
III. Other parks

PRELIMINARY OR
A. Disney World
WORKING THESIS: Hershey
1. Size
Park dominates the
2. Cost
Amusement Park world.
3. Number of visitors
B. Dorney Park
1. Size
2. Cost
3. Number of visitors
IV. Why is Hershey Park better?

Final Outline
Thesis: With its fascinating history, impact on the local
community, and charitable activities, Hershey Park
Purpose: Serves as a dominates the Amusement Park world.
table of contents for your
I. Milton Hershey
paper. Use it to organize A. Childhood
your note cards as your B. Chocolate Factory
write the rough draft. 1. Its origins
2. Its success through the Depression
3. Its current success
C. Boys’ Home for orphans
Notice that the final outline 1. Why he built it
is still a topic outline, even 2. When it became The Milton Hershey School
though there is more II. The Park
A. Opening
detail. Your final outline
B. Changes since opening
should follow this exact 1. Most expensive
format, with Roman 2. Most publicized
numerals, capital letters, 3. Costs
etc. If there is no B, then a. public admission
there should not be an A. b. cost of operation
4. Safety requirements
C. Impact on the local community
*PLEASE NOTE: THIS SAMPLE OUTLINE IS NOT COMPLETE! YOURS SHOULD HAVE 3-5 MAJOR HEADINGS.
How do I give credit and avoid
plagiarizing?
• Keep track of every source for every note.
• Use quotation marks for word for word quotes.
• Change most of the original into your own words
when you paraphrase, and list the source
immediately after.
• Cite every source you use, every time you use it.
• Put citations in the paper, in parentheses or in
the text itself.
• List all publishing information at the end on a
Works Cited page.
“Main Entry: cite
2 : to quote by way of example, authority, or proof
3 a : to refer to; especially : to mention formally in
commendation or praise b : to name in a citation
4 : to bring forward or call to another's attention
especially as an example, proof, or precedent” (“cite”)
To cite a source in a paper means that the writer has

referred to a specific book, magazine, web site, or other
source of information and is using information taken from
that source in the paper (“cite”). The writer then directs
the reader’s attention to a page at the end called a Works
Cited page so that the reader knows where he or she can
find that source.
Works Cited
“cite." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2004. 4

April 2005 <http://www.merriam-webster.com>
In the novel The Lord of the Flies, William Golding shows
how even a good-natured boy can get caught up in
hunting. He says of his “good guy”, Ralph, “Ralph too was
fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown,
vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-
mastering,” (Golding 114-115).
In the novel The Lord of the Flies, William Golding shows

how even a good-natured boy can get caught up in hunting.
He says of his “good guy”, Ralph, that even he wanted to get
near Robert when they were pretending to hunt him. Even
Ralph desperately wished that he could get closer to Robert,
so he could hurt him (Golding 114-115).
Works Cited
Golding, William. The Lord of the Flies. New York:
Perigee, 1954.
Citing Internet Sources:
http://www.aarp.org/money/social_security/Articles/a2003-03-26-ssprivatization.html
Web Page Title? “Private Accounts or Carve Outs: What Do They

Mean?”
Web Site Title? Social Security
Organization that runs web site? AARP
“Private Accounts or Carve Outs: What Do They Mean?” Social Security.

2005. AARP. 4 Apr. 2005. <http://www.aarp.org/money/
social_security/Articles/a2003-03-26-ssprivatization.html>
How do we know how to set
up our paper and notes?
Who makes the rules about
writing a research paper?
MLA
• Modern Language Association
• over 30, 000 members
• sponsors programs related to English and
Foreign Language
• publishes books about resources for
languages and education of languages
• publishes a manual explaining how to
write research papers for humanities and
liberal arts classes
MLA Handbook
•Rules for taking notes
•Rules for Works Cited pages
•Rules for citations
•Rules for formatting the manuscript

The following slides are
examples of what your rough
draft should look like when it is
submitted. For more
information, check out the
links provided on the last slide.
Rufus Griswold Rufus Griswold Griswold 1
Thesis: Dogs make superior companion Mrs. Derck
animals.
English Pd. 10
I. Benefits of Pets
A. General 4 April 2005
B. Dogs
II. Popularity of Dogs
A. Most Popular Breeds Dogs as Companion Pets
B. Why Dogs are preferred
III. Background on Companion Animals Few animals have such a long
A. Various Types cohabitation history with humans as dogs do.
B. Methods of Training They frequently bring their owners happiness
IV. Why Dogs are Superior through their loyalty and unconditional love.
However, these traits, when combined with their
intelligence and trainability, make the dog stand
out as a superior companion animal.
There are many
advantages to having a pet, including physical
benefits like healthier blood pressure and less
doctor visits (“Pets: Friends for Life”).
Griswold 6
Works Cited
“Pets: Friends for Life.” Helpguide. 4 Nov.
2004. Rotary Club of Santa Monica. 25 Feb
2005. <http://www.helpguide.org/
aging/pets.htm>
Simpson, Jessica. I Like Dogs. Nashville:Blonde
Press, 2005.
Zoolander, Ben. Dogs Are Fluffy. New York,
Perfect Inc., 2005.

•This site explains how to do parenthetical citations and a Works
Cited page In MLA format.
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/mla_citation1_howto.pdf
•This site not only explains citations and the Works Cited format,
but also includes a sample MLA format paper.
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/p04_c08_o.html
•This site breaks down each step of writing a paper in MLA format.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/

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Getting Started: Research

•What do I want to know more about?

•What will hold my interest for 1000-1200 words?

•What can I prove about my potential topic?

•Will I be able to find reliable sources?

•Will I be able to find the required sources?

A thesis sums up what the paper will tell the

•It must be a complete sentence.

• It can not be a question.

•It should be provable with facts, anecdotes, stories, etc.

•It needs to represent you and your ideas.

•Do not generalize.

•Do not use first or second person pronouns.

•Do not use clichés.

•It must answer: WHAT, WHY, OR HOW

• Topic: Mike Piazza

• Topic: Cuban Missile Crisis

II. Hershey Park

III. Other parks

IV. Why is Hershey Park better?

To cite a source in a paper means that the writer has

“cite." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2004. 4

In the novel The Lord of the Flies, William Golding shows

Web Page Title? “Private Accounts or Carve Outs: What Do They

Web Site Title? Social Security

Organization that runs web site? AARP

“Private Accounts or Carve Outs: What Do They Mean?” Social Security.

•Rules for taking notes

•Rules for Works Cited pages

•Rules for citations

•Rules for formatting the manuscript

Simpson, Jessica. I Like Dogs. Nashville:Blonde

Zoolander, Ben. Dogs Are Fluffy. New York,

Perfect Inc., 2005.

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