The Research Process: Starts Here!
Writing a Paper & Research Tips
If you would like help with the research process and/or locating information, please feel free to ASK A LIBRARIAN.
Search Strategies ~ Plagiarism ~ Useful Terms to Know ~ Database Vendor Names for Citations ~ Study Skills
MLA, APA, Chicago: Paper Examples and Writing Tips
MLA, APA, Chicago: Citation Examples
More Info:
- Guide to Research Writing: Online Book
- 5 Steps to Better Research (video)
- Six Steps to Successful Information Searching (video - 12 minutes - transcript)
- IRIS: Research It! Tutorial
- Searchpath: Research Tutorial
Steps in the Research Process
1) Define your topic (many databases provide ideas) - generate a thesis statement
- Create a list of keywords or synonyms. Add to this list as you come across similiar terms.
- Example: I would like information about the history of animal cloning.
Your keywords would be: history AND animals AND cloning
- Example: I would like information about the history of animal cloning.
- Create search strategies
from your keywords
- PHRASE: links all words within the phrase
example: "affirmative action" - AND: narrows your search to include BOTH keywords
example: allergies and cats - OR: expands your search to include ANY of the keywords
example: "death penalty" or "capitol punishment" - NOT: narrows your search by excluding one meaning of the word or phrase
example: "Houston Rockets" not NASA - TRUNCATION: expands your search to include all words starting with the same letters
example: educat* will find education, educator, educational, educated... - Basic Boolean Searching Tips & Examples (powerpoint)
- Advanced Boolean Searching Tips & Examples (powerpoint)
- PHRASE: links all words within the phrase
- Create a thesis statement
2) Identify the best sources of information for your topic
- How much information do you need?
- Brief short facts and statistics can be found in ebooks or statistical sources
- What type of information do you need and what are the best sources for information?
- One of the best places to start is the TOPIC Guides to get you to the best sites!
- You can find:
- Check out our Research Tutorials for more information!
3) Create an outline to help arrange your ideas in a logical order
- One way to create an outline is to "map" out your ideas - this site offers tips on how to do this.
- Need help outlining? Here are some tips!
4) Research! The Research Starting Guide lists some of the best databases to start out with.
- Research 101: Interactive Tutorial to Using the Library
- How to do Research: the 6 Steps of the Research Process
- Doing Research
- Information Competence & Research Process
- Research Guides & Online Research Process E-book
- 7 Steps to Successful Research
- Ten Steps To a Research Paper
- Research Handbook
- Describes how to select a topic, create an outline, note cards, plagiarism, and footnotes.
- Writer's Handbook
(APA, MLA, Chicago)
- Guide to writing thesis and purpose statement; writing poetry, literature, and play reviews, research paper tips, sample papers, and bibliographies
5) Write a draft, revise, proofread & rewrite.
Check out the writing tips and MLA, APA, and Chicago sample papers below!
Writing Tips
- The Writing Process from Start to Finish (Purdue Writing Lab)
- Online Writing Assistant - Writing examples and tips for various types of essays: informal, thesis, argumentative, exploratory.
- 5-Paragraph Essay - Writing examples for various types of essays: narrative, argumentative, persuasive.
- Guide to Writing a Basic Essay - Writing tips and examples.
- eBook: Elements of Style - Grammar rules used in writing.
- Guide to Writing a Basic Essay
- A+ Research & Writing: Step by Step
MLA Sample Papers:
- MLA Sample Paper - This annotated sample paper provides details on how to write a paper, along with how to organize a paper.
- MLA: How to Do Parenthetical Citations and a Works Cited Page
- Examples of Giving Credit with a Paper
APA Sample Papers:
- APA Template - Downloadable Word template.
- APA Interactive Tutorial
- APA Sample Paper
- APA Sample Paper
- Psychology with Style: an APA Writing Guide - listing of the rules and guidelines for numbers, abbreviations, etc.
- APA Research Style Crib Sheets - listing of the rules and guidelines for numbers, abbreviations, etc.
Chicago Sample Paper:
- Chicago Sample Paper (includes examples of citations, tips, etc.)
- Chicago Sample Paper
6) Don't plagiarize!
- Plagiarism: Examples and Information from Indiana University
- Is it Plagiarism? Self Quiz Includes examples of source material and how students have rephrazed it. Are they correct? Click your answer and you'll find out!
- Plagiarism: Interactive Self Quiz - can you figure out how which are good examples of paraphrazing and which are plagiarism?
- Mr. Cite Rite - animated video tutorial
- Plagiarism & Academic Integrity interactive video
- Plagiarism: How to Paraphrase Correctly (YouTube video)
- Plagiarism: YouTube Videos Pt 1 and Pt 2
- Plagiarism: How to Quote Information
- Plagiarism Quiz: Can You Identify It?
- How to Paraphrase Tutorial
- You Quote it! You Note it! interactive tutorial
- Tips: What is it?
- DCCCD Q&A
- Plagiarism: Examples
- Understanding Plagiarism (Prentice-Hall) with self-quiz
7) Cite
Make sure to jot down the full citation information for all of the sources that you use. Include:
- Authors Name
- Title of the Article or Chapter
- Title of the Publications (Newspaper, Magazine, Book...)
- Editor(s)
- Volume, Issue Number
- Date of the Publication
- Books: City of Publication and Publisher
Noodle Tools (MLA, APA, Chicago) is a citation creator subscribed to my DCCCD Libraries. Set up a personal account and walk through the steps to creating your Work Cited.
KnightCite is another useful tool for MLA, APA, and Chicago. You can only do one citation at a time and must copy/paste the results before creating another citation.
MLA Examples
- Video: How to Create an MLA Work Cited for Articles
- Databases
- Print Magazines and Newspapers
- Books
- Newspaper & Magazines/Journals (online and print, not in an Online Database)
- Web Pages
- Personal Photos
Online Databases:
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Journal or Magazine Title Publication Date: page numbers. Database Name. Publisher of the Database. Library Used to Find Article, City and State Where Library Located. Date You Read the Article <URL of the Database/>.
More Examples:
- MLA Examples
- MLA Examples
- MLA Examples for Online Databases. Books, Bible, Websites and More! - Includes examples for specific databases
- MLA Paper and Work Cited Examples
- Citation Examples: MLA
- Citation Examples: Bible
- All Kinds of Examples for MLA!
APA Examples:
- Databases
- Print and Web Magazines and Newspapers
- Print Books
- Web Pages
- How to Create Your Work Cited in APA
- APA Tutorial
- APA Work Cited Examples
- APA Examples for Various Databases
- Citation Examples**
- APA Work Cited Examples **
- Citation Examples, Including Databases
- APA Electronic Formats
- APA Research Style Crib Sheets
- APA Writer's Guide
- Citation Examples: APA (including databases)**
Chicago Examples:
| Examples of How to Create a Work Cited Citation for the Most Popular Databases: | |
|
Academic Search Complete Facts.com (Today's World News Digest & Today's Science on File) |
Lexis-Nexis (Academic Universe) Wilson Web Databases |
Alphabetical Listing of Databases, Vendors, & Generic URL's
|
|
Recommended Reference Books
in-library use only
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
REF LB 2369 G53
10,000 Ideas for Term Papers, Projects, Reports and Speeches
REF LB 1047.3 L35
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
REF BF 76.7 P83
Useful Terms to Know
- Bibliographic Citation: A written reference which describes the source of the information.
- Bibliography: An alphabetical listing of books and/or periodical articles used as sources for your research.
- Catalog: An index of materials located in a library or in a group of libraries. El Centro's catalog lists those materials located in the Dallas County Community College District Libraries.
- Index: A list of authors, titles and/or subjects listed in a book – useful sources of information on a particular topic. This list is usually arranged in alphabetical order.
- Periodical: Any publication that is published at regular intervals, such as journals and magazines.
- Periodical Index: An index to a group of periodicals. It may cover a wide variety of subjects or focus on one subject area. Periodical Indexes lists articles by the article subject.
- Reference Material: Material referred to for information rather than read from cover to cover. Example: dictionaries, encyclopedias
- Research Paper: A paper written as the result of research done on a particular subject. Information is collected, blended and arranged in a logical order.
- Style Manual: A guide written to preparing your research paper bibiliography. These manuals present the correct format for footnotes, bibliographies, quotations and typing. They will also contain information on how to organize and write a research paper.
The best guide to resources is a librarian who can help you in using the catalog, databases and the Web. A librarian can also assist you in selecting materials appropriate for your needs. Please ask at any service desk for information or assistance!
The El Centro College Library does not guarantee the currency or accuracy of these websites. Links to these sites do not represent an endorsement of the site or of information contained within the site.
Reference/Information Desk: 214-860-2174 Circulation:
214-860-2175
West Campus: Reference/Information Desk: 972-391-1433 Circulation: 972-391-1427
BJP: (Room 2300) 214-860-5780
Comments or suggestions are welcome.
©2006 El Centro College Library
Dallas, TX
Last Updated:
November 7, 2009