The document provides guidance on best practices for research papers from elementary level reports through senior theses. It notes that higher level papers should include more reputable academic sources organized by ideas rather than just summarized by source. Students are advised to take detailed notes in different colors by source and include their own analysis in black text. Outlines should be organized by subtopics incorporating multiple sources for each. In-text citations should clearly indicate sources to properly attribute information in the draft.

1. Good Practices

2.  The “Old” Days  Now
◦ 2-3 pages ◦ 6-8 pages
◦ 1 or 2 sources ◦ 7+ REPUTABLE,
◦ Organized by source ACADEMIC sources
◦ 1 source per ◦ Organized by IDEA
paragraph (or page) ◦ MULTIPLE sources per
◦ Wikipedia = OK paragraph
◦ Wikipedia ≠ OK

3.  Report  Senior Thesis
◦ Spit back the ◦ Original thesis
information you  Thesis: an unproved
statement put forward
found as a premise in an
◦ Relies solely on fact argument
(not analysis) ◦ Organized by
subtopics CHOSEN by
you
◦ All ideas are tied to
your thesis
◦ Requires your
analysis of info you
find

4. The foundation for a well-written research
paper.

5.  Do  Don’t
◦ Put it in your own ◦ COPY (or paste) notes
words. ◦ Take too few notes. No
◦ Keep track of your notes = no paper.
sources by color. ◦ Leave your citations for
◦ Make note of page later.
numbers.
◦ Indicate “direct
quotes.”
◦ Differentiate between
speaker and author.
◦ Take more notes than
you think you need.

6. Note: There are notes from four sources
here, each represented by a different
color.

7. Note: The black text represents my
analysis of the notes I took from the
source above.

8. Notes from Source #1=
Source #1 Citation = Red
Red
**Choose a different color for each source!**

10. Note: This student has
used 5 sources to
discuss one subtopic.

12. Note: The same
student relied on her
color system for her
in-text citations.

13.  Detailed notes = detailed research paper
 Organize notes (sources) by COLOR
 Use black text to signify your thoughts and
analysis of the information.
 Organize outline by SUBTOPIC / SUB-
QUESTION
◦ Subtopics should include multiple sources
 In-text citations indicate sources within
paragraphs in your draft

14. 1. Put your Topic and Guiding Question at the top
of your NOTES file.
2. Create sub-topics OR copy the KEY QUESTIONS
you selected on the green sheet OR copy the
subtopics from our library day into your NOTES
file.
3. Record notes in the appropriate section.
4. Use the Inquiry topics on the SENIOR THESIS
page Web page (Projects & Research) to guide
you to the best databases.
5. Take notes in COLOR!
6. Copy and paste the entire CITATION into your
Notes page. Use COLOR here too.