1 Basic Information about the Research Paper

1 a Hatred of the research paper

1 b Definition of the research paper

1 c Format of the research paper

1 d Reasons for the research paper

1 e The report paper and the thesis paper

1 f Drafts of the research paper

1g Writing the research paper：Steps and schedule

2 Choosing a Topic

2a How to choose a topic

2b Topics to avoid

2b-1 Topics that are too big

2b-2 Topics based on a single source

2b-3 Topics that are too technical

2b-4 Topics that are trivial

2b-5 Topics that are too hot

2c Narrowing the topic

3 The Library

3a Layout of the library

3a-1 The computer

3a-2 Online full-text databases

3a-3 Microform indexes

3a-4 Stacks

3a-5 Reserve room or shelf

3a-6 Main desk

3a-7 Reserve desk

3a-8 Audiovisual room

3a-9 Microform room

3a-10 Newspaper racks

3a-11 Computer room

3a-12 Carrels

3b Organization of the library collections

3b-1 The Dewey Decimal System

3b-2 The Cutter-Sanborn Author Marks

3b-3 The Library of Congress Classification System

3b-4 Classification of periodicals

3b-5 Classification of nonbooks

4 Using the Computer in Your Research

4a Computers and the research paper

4b The Internet

4b-1 The World Wide Web

4c Online resources

4c-1 Databases

4c-2 Electronic journals

4c-3 Online public-access catalogs（OPACs）

4c-4 Blogs and social networks

4d Researching with search engines

4d-1 Finding a search engine

4e Usenet，Listserv，telnet，and gopher

4f Evaluating Internet sources

4f-1 Where was the information found？

4f-2 Who wrote it？

4f-3 Who publishes it？

4f-4 What are the writer’s sources？

4f-5 What tone does the writer use？

4f-6 What do the writer’s contemporaries have to say？

4f-7 What is the writer’s motive？

4f-8 What is the context of the writer’s opinion？

4g Running a search

4h Useful Internet sites

5 Doing the Research

5a What information to look for

5a-1 Single-fact information

5a-2 General information

5a-3 In-depth information

5b Where to look for information

5b-1 General indexes

5b-2 Specialized indexes

5b-3 Using interviews and surveys

5b-4 Corresponding by e-mail

5b-5 Attending lectures，concerts，or art exhibits

5c Assembling a working bibliography

5d Selecting your sources：Skimming

5d-1 Primary and secondary sources

5d-2 Evaluating sources

5e Note-taking

5e-1 Using the computer to take notes

5e-2 Using a copy machine to take notes

5e-3 Kinds of notes

a.The summary

b.The paraphrase

c.The quotation

d.The personal comment

5f Plagiarism and how to avoid it

6 The Thesis and the Outline

6a The thesis：Definition and function

6a-1 Formulating the thesis

6a-2 Rules for wording the thesis

6a-3 Placing the thesis

6a-4 Choosing a title

6b The outline

6b-1 Visual conventions of the outline

6b-2 Equal ranking in outline entries

6b-3 Parallelism in outline entries

6b-4 Types of outlines

a.The topic outline

b.The sentence outline

c.The paragraph outline

d.Decimal outline notation

6c Choosing an outline form

7 Transforming the Notes into a Rough Draft

7a Preparing to write the rough draft：A checklist

7b Writer’s block

7c Writing with a computer

7c-1 Overdoing it

7c-2 Using a spell-checker

7d Using your notes in the paper

7d-1 Summaries and paraphrases

7d-2 Direct and indirect quotations

7d-3 Using brief direct quotations

7d-4 Using long quotations

7d-5 Using quotations from poetry

7d-6 Using a quotation within another quotation

7d-7 Punctuating quotations

7d-8 Handling interpolations in quoted material

7d-9 Using the ellipsis

7d-10 Overusing quotations

7d-11 Personal commentary

7e How to use quotations to explore and discover

7f Writing with unity，coherence，and emphasis

7f-1 Unity

7f-2 Coherence

7f-3 Emphasis

7g Using the proper tense

7h Using graphics in your research paper

7i Writing the abstract

8 Revising Your Rough Draft

8a Principles of revision

8a-1 Rereading your writing

8a-2 Revising the paper from biggest to smallest elements

8b Revising the opening paragraph

8b-1 Revising the introduction

a.Use a quotation

b.Ask a question

c.Present an illustration

8b-2 Check that your paragraphs follow the sequence of topics in the thesis

8b-3 Revising the body paragraphs

8b-4 Check paragraph transitions

8c Revising sentences for variety and style

8c-1 Revise sentences to use the active voice

8c-2 Revise to use an appropriate point of view

8c-3 Revise sexist language

8d Revising words：Diction

8d-1 Revise diction for accuracy and exactness

8d-2 Revise the overuse of phrases for subjects instead of single nouns

8d-3 Revise redundant expressions

8d-4 Revise meaningless words and phrases

8d-5 Revise snobbish diction

8e Rules for Writers.Not.

9 The MLA System of Documentation

9a Parenthetical documentation：Author-work（MLA）

9a-1 What to document

9a-2 Guidelines for in-text citations

9b Format for “Works Cited”（MLA）

9b-1 General order in references to books

a.Author

b.Title

c.Name of editor，compiler，or translator

d.Edition（other than first）

e.Series name and number

f.Volume number

g.Publication facts

h.Page numbers

i.Medium of publication

9b-2 Sample references to books

a.Book by a single author

b.Book by two or more authors

c.Book by a corporate author

d.Book by an anonymous or pseudonymous author

e.Work in several volumes or parts

f.Work within a collection of pieces，all by the same author

g.Collections：Anthologies，casebooks，and readers

h.Double reference—a quotation within a cited work

i.Reference works

j.Work in a series

k.Reprint

l.Edition

m.Edited work

n.Book published in a foreign country

o.Introduction，preface，foreword，or afterword

p.Translation

q.Book of illustrations

r.Foreign title

9b-3 General order in references to periodicals

a.Author

b.Title of the article

c.Publication information

d.Pages

e.Medium of publication

9b-4 Sample references to periodicals

a.Anonymous author

b.Single author

c.More than one author

d.Journal with continuous or separate pagination

e.Monthly magazine

f.Weekly magazine

g.Newspaper

h.Editorial

i.Letter to the editor

j.Critical review

k.Published interview

l.Published address or lecture

9b-5 References to electronic sources

9b-6 General order in references to electronic sources

9b-7 Sample references to electronic sources

a.Abstract online or on CD-ROM

b.CD-ROM

c.Computer program

d.Corporate website

e.E-mail

f.FTP source

g.Gopher

h.Government website

i.Electronic mailing list

j.MOOs and MUDs（synchronous communication）

k.Online book

l.Online database

m.Online dictionary

n.Online encyclopedia

o.Online magazine article—author listed

p.Online magazine article—no author listed

q.Telnet

r.Usenet

s.Website—author listed

t.Website—no author listed

9b-8 Sample references to nonprint materials

a.Address or lecture

b.Artwork

c.Film，videotape，or DVD

d.Interview

e.Musical composition

f.Radio or television program

g.Sound recording（compact disc or tape）

h.Performance

9b-9 Sample references to special items

a.Artwork，published

b.The Bible and other sacred writings

c.Classical works in general

d.Dissertation

e.Footnote or endnote citation

f.Manuscript or typescript

g.Pamphlet or brochure

h.Personal letter

i.Plays

j.Poems

k.Public documents

l.Quotation used as a source

m.Report

n.Table，graph，chart，map，or other illustration

9c Content notes

9c-1 Content note explaining a term

9c-2 Content note expanding on an idea

9c-3 Content note referring the reader to another source

9c-4 Content note explaining procedures

9c-5 Content note acknowledging help

9c-6 Content note consolidating references

9d Finished form of the MLA paper

9d-1 Appearance

9d-2 Title page

9d-3 Abstract

9d-4 Pagination and headings

9d-5 Spacing of text

9d-6 Font

9d-7 Illustrations，tables，and other graphics

a.Tables

b.Other illustrative materials

9d-8 Use of numbers

9d-9 Bibliography（titled “Works Cited”）

9e Peer review checklist

9f Submitting your paper electronically

10 The APA System of Documentation

10a Parenthetical documentation：Author-date（APA）

10a-1 Examples of APA in-text citations to books

a.One work by a single author

b.Subsequent references

c.One work by two authors

d.One work by three to five authors

e.Work by six or more authors

f.Corporate author

g.Works by an anonymous author or no author

h.Authors with the same surname

i.Two or more works in the same parentheses

j.References to specific parts of a source

k.Personal communications

l.Citation as part of a parenthetical comment

10a-2 Avoiding clutter in the text

10b Format for“ References”（APA）

10b-1 General order for books in “References”

10b-2 Sample references to books

a.Book by a single author

b.Book by two or more authors

c.Edited book

d.Translated book

e.Book in a foreign language

f.Revised edition of a book

g.Book by a corporate author

h.Multivolume book

i.Unpublished manuscript

10b-3 General order for periodicals in “References”

10b-4 Sample references to periodicals

a.Journal article，one author

b.Journal article，up to six authors

c.Journal article，paginated anew in each issue

d.Journal with continuous pagination throughout the annual volume

e.Magazine article，magazine issued monthly

f.Magazine article，magazine issued on a specific day

g.Newspaper article

h.Editorial

i.Letter to the editor

j.Review

10b-5 Sample references to electronic sources

a.Abstract online

b.CD-ROM

c.Computer program

d.Corporate website

e.E-mail

f.FTP source

g.Gopher

h.Government website

i.Electronic mailing list（Listserv）

j.MOOs and MUDs（synchronous communication）

k.Online book

l.Online database

m.Online dictionary

n.Online encyclopedia

o.Online magazine article—author listed

p.Online magazine article—no author listed

q.Telnet

r.Usenet

s.Website—author listed

t.Website—no author listed

u.Message posted to a group

10b-6 Sample references to nonprint materials

a.Motion picture

b.Audio recording（cassette，record，tape，compact disc）

10b-7 Sample references to special items

a.Government documents

b.Legal references

c.A report

10c Writing the abstract

10d Finished form of the paper

10d-1 Two kinds of APA papers：The theoretical and the empirical

10d-2 Appearance of the final copy

a.Outline

b.Title page

c.Abstract

d.Text

e.Content notes and endnotes

f.Illustrations：Tables and figures

g.Use of numbers

h.Using the right tense

i.Bibliography（titled “References”）

10e Peer review checklist

10f Submitting your paper electronically

11 The Traditional System of Documentation（CMS）

11a Footnotes and endnotes

11a-1 Formatting of notes

11a-2 Rules for numbering the notes

11a-3 Sample footnote references to books

a.Single author

b.More than one author

c.Work in several volumes or parts

d.Collections：Anthologies，casebooks，and readers

e.Double reference—a quotation within a cited work

f.Edition

g.Translation

11a-4 Sample footnotes for periodicals

a.Anonymous author

b.Single author

c.More than one author

d.Journal with continuous pagination in the annual volume

e.Journal with separate pagination for each issue

f.Monthly magazine

g.Weekly magazine

h.Newspaper

i.Editorial

j.Letter to the editor

11b Subsequent references in footnotes and endnotes

11c Electronic sources

11d Finished form of the paper

11d-1 Abstract

11d-2 Pagination and text format

11d-3 Content or reference notes

11d-4 Illustrations：Tables and figures

a.Tables

b.Other illustrative materials

11d-5 Use of numbers

11d-6 Bibliography

11e Peer review checklist

11f Submitting your paper electronically

12 Sample Student Papers

12a Paper using author-work documentation（MLA）

12b Paper using author-date documentation（APA）

12c Paper using footnote documentation（CMS）

APPENDICES

A Mechanics

A1 Numbers and dates

A1-a Percentages and amounts of money

A1-b Inclusive numbers

A1-c Roman numerals

A1-d Dates

A2 Titles

A2-a Titles in italic

A2-b Titles in quotation marks

A2-c Titles within titles

A2-d Frequent references to a title

A3 Italic and underlining

A4 Names of people

A5 Hyphenating words

A6 Spaces and punctuation marks

A7 Foreign-language words

A8 Abbreviations

A8-a Commonly used abbreviations

A8-b The Bible

A8-c Shakespeare

A8-d Days and months

A8-e States and U.S.territories

A8-f Publishers’ names

A8-g Abbreviations

A9 Spelling

B General and Specialized References，an Annotated List

B1 A list of general references

B1-a Sources that list books

B1-b Sources that list periodicals and newspapers

B1-c Sources about general knowledge

B1-d Encyclopedias

B1-e Sources about words：Dictionaries

B1-f Works about places

B1-g Works about people

B1-h Resources about government publications

B1-i Sources about nonbooks（nonprint materials）

B2 A list of specialized references

B2-a Art

B2-b Business and economics

B2-c Dance

B2-d Ecology

B2-e Education

B2-f Ethnic studies

B2-g High technology

B2-h History

B2-i Literature

B2-j Music

B2-k Mythology，classics，and folklore

B2-l Philosophy

B2-m Psychology

B2-n Religion

B2-o Science

B2-p Social sciences

B2-q Women’s studies

Credits

Index