Halcyon Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I am looking for a book that will introduce how to write a short research paper to a logic stage student. Ideas welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/article-index/#Research Paper There's a few entries on this on the main WTM page. Lemme go grab some links for you next.. Here's a nifty estimator for time & papers..try it http://www.library.tufts.edu/researchpaper/ Becoming a Master Student - this is something I have at home; and for what we do and are headed for it's pretty good stuff. If you scoot around some of the big publishers like Prentice Hall, you can find some open graphic organizers that are good and tied in with various disciplines-so basically free templates for organizing. I did find some free mind mapping software on the net also which is really great if your paper is going to be a long one. Evernote I think is pretty cool too if you aren't already using that. I really like Easy Bib for citation recording also. Fairly famous & in almost everybody's bookmarks: Purdue Writing Lab Mendley is on my list of things to plow through, but honestly have not yet studied it's value for writing reports. Edited December 17, 2011 by one*mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 Thank you for those resources!! Has anyone used this book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 The title I happened to spot in WTM tonight was this one: Schaum's Quick Guide to Writing Great Research Papers It's on page 506 of WTM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 The title I happened to spot in WTM tonight was this one: Schaum's Quick Guide to Writing Great Research Papers It's on page 506 of WTM. This looks like a must-buy, thanks. Seems more geared towards high school though, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 This looks like a must-buy, thanks. Seems more geared towards high school though, no? I know nothing about this book, but Schaum's books are typically written as college supplements. I have used the chemistry guide for high school. Based on what I know of them they would be inappropriate for a 5th grader. When you are asking for info on how to write a research paper, what do you mean exactly? Good 5th grade skills would be synthesizing info from 3 sources, organizing it into outline form, and composing a report w/o plagiarism. It is actually more report writing than research paper. If you search for "teaching the research paper" you will probably end up w/ high school level books that will focus on developing thesis statements and MLA format. Those are not what I consider 5th grade level appropriate skills, but if that is what you are looking for, high school level texts are probably going to be what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in PA Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 8FillTheHeart, I have followed your writing threads on these boards hand have gleened so much wisdom from them. Thank you! If a 5th grader should be able to gather research from 3 sources, organize, and compose without plagerism, what would you suggest for an 8th grader at the end of the logic stage? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 8FillTheHeart,I have followed your writing threads on these boards hand have gleened so much wisdom from them. Thank you! If a 5th grader should be able to gather research from 3 sources, organize, and compose without plagerism, what would you suggest for an 8th grader at the end of the logic stage? Thanks! It would really depend on the level of the writing skills of the individual. For a student that is solid on multi-paragraph writing, I would focus on basic essay writing. Essay writing is different from report writing in that the student must come up w/a contention that they must prove to be a valid argument. Learning how to generate a thesis and incorporate supporting quotes is a skill. If they have mastered the basic essay form in 8th grade, then in high school they can focus simply on developing their art of argument vs. the "how tos" of essay writing. My first assignments for the essay are typically very simple single level type papers. For example, dd's very first essay is actually posted on the forum. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228187&highlight=Lewis Her essays this yr have been slightly more complex. For example, she wrote an essay on Cordelia from King Lear compared w/Anne from Anne of Green Gables. Anne alludes to Cordelia when wishing that was her name. This paper required the development of a comparison of 2 literary works' characters. (she hand wrote it or I would post it so that you could see the comparison.) HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 I'd like to find a book that will help guide my son in how to research a topic (that is, pick appropriate books, and find relevant information), how to footnote or in some way note the source, how to pull information from more than one source, and yes, understanding plagiarism is critical. He was writing a brief paper Friday on slavery, and used the encyclopedia and had two other books in front of him. We talked about how to organize the information, and I am pleased with his paper, but I think _I_ would benefit from a book that outlines an "approach" more clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 I went back to my notes and found the titles for two that we worked through as introduction materials. The first one was was recommended by our librarian and it only took like two hours tops to work through, she already had some of the previous information though too: Gaines, Ann. Ace Your Research Paper. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2009. Print. The second one, we did as an actual course. I photocopied out each page and had her fill them in. This book was well worth the month it took us to get through it, I'd recommend it as it introduces many different parts in books...what is a glossary, what is a table of contents, what is a footnote, and endnote, how to read a graph, just a ton of stuff. The company makes different issues of the books depending on the age. The name is Target Study Skills by AGS. ISBN 0785433775. You can use it as a consumable textbook and fill it in, this copy just happened to be on loan so that wasn't an option so I made a workbook of it. Very good, very appropriate for 4th/5th grade. Although it (target study) is not directly aimed at the research paper, it does a nice job of how to dissect and find reliable information and think critically about the parts of a book or piece of information for credibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloggermom Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 I know CLE Language Arts has an entire Light Unit dedicated to writing a research paper, which breaks it down step by step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 (edited) I know CLE Language Arts has an entire Light Unit dedicated to writing a research paper, which breaks it down step by step. I went to CLE's website and reviewed what I could of their product: http://www.clp.org/documents/3077/original/Research_Paper_I_Lightunit.pdf It looks like the unit covers report writing and not what is normally defined as a research paper. Not trying to be picky, but "research paper" has evolved into defining a specific form of writing which at its core is not report writing but interpreting/exploring/defending data or a position. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/02/ http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEAQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmohavewriting.wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2F1-What%2BIs%2BResearch%2BPaper.ppt%2F217467586%2F1-What%2BIs%2BResearch%2BPaper.ppt&ei=BzHuTrbQB8Py0gHHyMnLCQ&usg=AFQjCNHeWsSFKfqaoEYXS7B3NL4U9IjW_g&sig2=yPFbjFBF9hX2y9jkbM6Oog (note the slide that states that A research paper must express a point of view, not simply report on the ideas of others. The focus of the paper is not the views of others but your opinions and interpretations. It is precisely b/c of the above definition that a research paper, IMO, is inappropriate for the vast majority of 10 yr olds. Most 5th graders are still developing writing/synthesizing skills. It is expecting too much for them to have to create a thesis and interpret on top of writing. As far as the OP and footnotes, the best option would be to educate yourself in MLA formatting. Purdue Owl is free and one of the best sources available beyond an MLA handbook. Edited December 18, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 I am looking for a book that will introduce how to write a short research paper to a logic stage student. Ideas welcome! If you happen to have an old SL guide, most of them touch on research papers starting at about fourth or fifth grade. I think SL guides can be pretty helpful to guide you through the process. Most likely you will need to help your student, of course.:) My favorites are both the Writers Inc Student Handbook and Comprehensive Composition as they both are clear and seem to be written to the student (Comprehensive Composition is more of a teachers resource but you can use the research section as a student guide). Writers Inc also contains MLA format information. Good luck with your decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 I A research paper must express a point of view, not simply report on the ideas of others. The focus of the paper is not the views of others but your opinions and interpretations. [/i] :iagree: Ds just spent a few months researching, writing, editing a complex research paper on waterboarding. In 5th grade he did a lengthy report on China -- appropriate to his age/ability. Halcyon, the first step would be to ask your ds what he wants to research/study/write about. It will help if he feels strongly about the subject. When ds wrote his paper on China it was after a 3-week trip and one sister later. He could pull from resources as well as personal experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 When you are asking for info on how to write a research paper, what do you mean exactly? Good 5th grade skills would be synthesizing info from 3 sources, organizing it into outline form, and composing a report w/o plagiarism. It is actually more report writing than research paper. I agree! And I wanted to add that at this young age (fifth grade) most of us are not going to focus on the proper form of a research paper, but rather the process of writing the “reportâ€. The library, the notes, the organization and so forth are important skills. I like how SL breaks it down into answering a simple question, instead of focusing on the whole “thesis†idea, which is really the same thing, but it is an easier concept for younger children to understand. Writers Inc is more appropriate for seventh or eighth grade and up. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 :iagree:Ds just spent a few months researching, writing, editing a complex research paper on waterboarding. In 5th grade he did a lengthy report on China -- appropriate to his age/ability. Halcyon, the first step would be to ask your ds what he wants to research/study/write about. It will help if he feels strongly about the subject. When ds wrote his paper on China it was after a 3-week trip and one sister later. He could pull from resources as well as personal experience. Thank you. My son has a few passions, and sharks probably top the list. He is also interested in particular people, such as Bill Gates. He's read a lot about both topics, and I think he would enjoy writing a paper on either subject. My apologies if I used the term "research paper" incorrectly. What I meant was the sort of paper that researches a particular topic, without necessarily having a "point of view", and presents material on a particular focused topic in a paper format, using footnotes and references. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Doesn't SWB touch on this at the end of WWS? I think there is a research paper to write which is the culmination of all the writing skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Thank you. My son has a few passions, and sharks probably top the list. He is also interested in particular people, such as Bill Gates. He's read a lot about both topics, and I think he would enjoy writing a paper on either subject. My apologies if I used the term "research paper" incorrectly. What I meant was the sort of paper that researches a particular topic, without necessarily having a "point of view", and presents material on a particular focused topic in a paper format, using footnotes and references. Please understand that my comment about using the term incorrectly was not directed toward you, but toward CLE. Parents and students using that CLE unit probably believe the student has actually written a research paper and that will only create a false premise of mastered skills b/c research papers require another entire set of skills on top of those. Researching for a report is completely appropriate for late elementary/early middle school. Learning to sort through information, determining what is necessary/what is superfluous, synthesizing, organizing, writing a long report.......those are all building blocks for more advanced academic writing skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Please understand that my comment about using the term incorrectly was not directed toward you, but toward CLE. Parents and students using that CLE unit probably believe the student has actually written a research paper and that will only create a false premise of mastered skills b/c research papers require another entire set of skills on top of those. Researching for a report is completely appropriate for late elementary/early middle school. Learning to sort through information, determining what is necessary/what is superfluous, synthesizing, organizing, writing a long report.......those are all building blocks for more advanced academic writing skills. Thank you, 8 :) Any particular recommendations? Capt_Uhuru--I am ordering WWS as we're starting it in January, so I will take a look. I am quite sure that the skills that WWS seems to address (I only have the sample) will prove very helpful in researching, organizing information etc...I can't wait to get it ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I can't either. Mine has shipped so I'm stalking the brown truck. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 What I meant was the sort of paper that researches a particular topic, without necessarily having a "point of view", and presents material on a particular focused topic in a paper format, using footnotes and references. So, is there a good reference out there for identifying how to do a multi-source report? I did not see one in the past posts. I know that IEW has a unit on it in Structure and Style, but it is brief. Thanks, Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 My favorites are both the Writers Inc Student Handbook and Comprehensive Composition as they both are clear and seem to be written to the student (Comprehensive Composition is more of a teachers resource but you can use the research section as a student guide). Writers Inc also contains MLA format information. Good luck with your decision! :) So, is there a good reference out there for identifying how to do a multi-source report? I did not see one in the past posts. I know that IEW has a unit on it in Structure and Style, but it is brief. Thanks, Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Honestly, having used 15 weeks of WWS with my 5th grader, I think these are useful skills if you are needing to learn how to organize and write a report. Just this past week dd10 was working on her report about Geothermal Vents. Had I not used WWS I would think you research a few books, and then write a report about 3 or 4 things that had to do with Geothermal Vents. I would have never learned about starting the story as a historical narrative that told about the biologists and what they had to go through in order to find geothermal vents in the first place. I knew about transitional words, but never really categorized them into time & sequence words, or space and distance words. Teaching a child how to include direct quotes, figurative language, and then learn how to seamlessly go from a chronological narrative into a scientific description would be helpful for any student 5th grade and older to learn. I honestly think if dd10 had a few more years on her, she would do better with WWS, but even with that said we are learning a lot. I have been using it in conjunction with CC Fable this year, and will continue in January with CW Homer/CC Narrative combined with WWS. I honestly wish the local middle school would use WWS, as I can't think of an easier method to teach kids how to write. Maybe I am wrong, and there are ps out there teaching their 5th graders a different method that works equally well, but I can't imagine what that would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HootOwl Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 They have a 3-week Light Unit on writing a research paper that has specific, step-by-step instructions and a checklist for the student to follow. My daughter used the one for 5th grade last year, and I was very pleased with the level of details given. It was simple, straightforward, and very manageable for her. They have another unit for 8th grade, that I plan to try with her next time. Here is a link: http://clp.org/documents/2882/original/Language_Arts_807.pdf Good luck with your search! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanne in MN Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 I've been taking notes and copying down info. Thanks for all the wonderful contributors to this thread and their advice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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