Teaching the Research Report
Day 1:
1. Have students brainstorm their previous experience writing a research report. This leads into discussion of the question “What are the benefits of writing a research paper?” Confront this question head-on. Your entire class will want to know.
2. Distribute “Why am I writing a research paper?” / “English content standards” back to back with “Levels of Thinking.”
3. Distribute “A Teacher’s Guide to the Mini-research Process.”
4. Introduce students to the English content standards regarding research papers.
5. Explain how the handout “Levels of Thinking” and “A Teacher’s Guide…” relate to the benefit of writing a research paper.
6. Assign (or have students choose) a research paper topic.
7. Explain the importance of researching information with an opinion in mind. Offer examples that relate to their topics to emphasize that no paper should ever be a neutral “report of information.”
8. Distribute Anita Vacation research paper sample— anddistribute Anita Vacation research paper sample with grayed out areas. Also distribute “So you need to do a research paper.” Have students complete the grayed in sections. Recollect Anita Vacation examples
10. Distribute MLA style guide.
Day 2:
1. Review “So you need to do a research paper” and discuss how to do research on the internet.
2. Distribute “Guide to Presearching” and “Presearching Checklist.” Review with students and begin to fill out. Underscore the importance of prethinking about a topic before students jump into the information gathering stage.
3. Escort students to the computer lab to let them get started doing research.
Day 2, 3, 4: (outside of class)
1. Students begin researching their topic by (1) focusing on information that applies to their thesis, and (2) considering categories that the information could fit into. (These categories could become future topic sentences for each body paragraph.
2. Students also begin bookmarking electronic sources of information.
Day 3:
1. Distribute “Grade Sheet for Research Report.” Students need to be acquainted with the “big picture” early in the process. Identify for them the required length of the report, the number of sources they need to include, the date of the final deadline, and how many points the report is worth. This “Grade Sheet” becomes a checklist throughout the process and should be turned in along with their final report.
Day 5:
Deadline #1:Student brings to class the topic, the preliminary thesis statement and the title/author/location of the sources he/she has already read or skimmed.
1. Teacher and students evaluate several student thesis statements. Perhaps have students write their thesis statements on an overhead, present them to class and discuss.
2. Students receive points for this and all other deadline assignments.
Day 6, 7 and 8: (outside of class)
1. Students continue to research by (1) focusing only on information that applies to their thesis, and (2) establishing categories that the information fits into. (These categories become future topic sentences for each body paragraph.
Day 6:
1. Distribute “Paraphrase: Write it in Your Own Words.”
2. Distribute “Practice Exercises in Paraphrasing” / “Possible Exercise Answers”
3. Using these handouts, students receive direct instruction, and practice, to improve the skill of paraphrasing.
Day 7:
1. Distribute “Using Quotations” and “Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing?” / “Sample Essay.”
2. Using these handouts, students receive direct instruction to improve the skills of paraphrasing, summarizing, and embedding direct quotations into the text and practice with the sample essay.
Day 8:
1. Distribute “Samples of Two Student Outlines”
2. Students receive direct instruction in how to outline their information by analyzing student samples.
Day 9:
Deadline #2: Students bring to class all the materials they have located. They also bring (in outline form) the final thesis statement, the topic sentence for each body paragraph, and the concrete detail that supports that topic sentence.
1. Students pair up for an opportunity to read several other outlines. Strengths and weaknesses are identified.
Day 10:
1. Teacher duplicates (before class) a few more samples of student outlines for further class discussion and analyzes these with the class. Discussing the outlines leads to the next step—introducing how to write the report.
2. Discuss “A Guide to Taking Good Notes.”
3. Distribute “Avoiding Plagiarism.” Briefly discuss.
Day 11:
1. Distribute “How to use Parenthetical Documentation” and discuss it.
2. Through a discussion of this handout, students receive direct instruction about how to use parenthetical documentation to credit sources.
3. Display student sample on overhead, and use overlays to discuss revisions and proper format.
Day 12 & 13:
1. Students continue to write report, paying special attention to paraphrasing and documenting sources correctly.
Day 14:
Deadline #3: Students bring to class for peer review their typed draft of the introduction paragraph and the first two body paragraphs.
1. Review the “Grade Sheet for Research Report”Students pair up and use either of use this rubric to focus their peer review discussion during class.
2. Distribute“Format for Title Page.”/ “Format for Works Cited Page.”Discuss the format for the title page and the works cited page.
Day 15, 16 & 17:
1. Students continue to write report, paying special attention to paraphrasing, documenting sources correctly, and all formatting issues.
Day 18:
1. FINAL DEADLINE: Typed paper is due! (Encourage students to rest on their laurels knowing that they did their best. (Continue on with Oral Presentations if you want)