Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide (Spiral) CourseSmart eTextbook, 14th Edition

The definitive research paper guide, Writing Research Papers combines a traditional and practical approach to the research process with the latest information on electronic research and presentation.

 

This market-leading text provides students with step-by-step guidance through the research writing process, from selecting and narrowing a topic to formatting the finished document. Writing Research Papers backs up its instruction with the most complete array of samples of any writing guide of this nature. The text continues its extremely thorough and accurate coverage of citation styles for a wide variety of disciplines. The thirteenth edition maintains Lester's successful approach while bringing new writing and documentation updates to assist the student researcher in keeping pace with electronic sources.

 

Available in two formats—perfect-bound and spiral-bound with tabs, a handier format at a slightly higher price)—Lester's text is one that students will keep throughout their college careers.

Preface

Chapter 1   Writing from Research

            1a Why Do Research?

            1b Learning The Conventions of Academic Writing

            1c Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism

            1d Understanding a Research Assignment

                        Understanding the Terminology

            1e Establishing a Schedule

 

Chapter 2   Finding a Topic

            2a Relating Your Personal Ideas to a Scholarly Problem

                        Connecting Personal Experience to Scholarly Topics

                        Speculating about Your Subject to Discover Ideas and to Focus on the Issues

2b Talking with Others to Find and Refine the Topic

            Personal Interviews

            Online Discussion Groups

2c   Using Online Searches to Refine Your Topic

            Using an Online Subject Directory

            Using an Internet Keyword Search

2d   Using the Library’s Electronic Databases to Find and Narrow a Subject

2e   Using the Library’s Electronic Book Catalog to Find a Topic

2f   Developing a Thesis Statement, Enthymeme, or Hypothesis

2g   Drafting a Research Proposal

            The Short Proposal

            The Long Proposal

Your Research Project

 

Chapter 3   Organizing Ideas and Setting Goals

3a Using a Basic Order to Chart the Course of Your Work

3b Using Your Research Proposal to Direct Your Notetaking

3c Listing Key Terms and Phrases to Set Directions for Notetaking

3d Writing a Rough Outline

3e Using Questions to Identify Issues

3f Setting Goals by Using Organizational Patterns

3g Using Approaches across the Curriculum to Chart Your Ideas

3h Using Your Thesis to Chart the Direction of Your Research

Your Research Project

 

Chapter 4 Gathering Sources Online

4a Beginning an Online Search

            CHECKLIST: Evaluating Internet Sources

4b Reading an Online Address

4c Using a Search Engine

            Subject Directory Search Engines

            Robot-Driven Search Engines

            Metasearch Engines

            Specialized Search Engines

            Educational Search Engines

            Educational Search Engines Maintained by Libraries

4d Searching for Articles in Journals and Magazines

            Online Journals

            Online Magazines

4e Searching for Articles in Newspapers and Media Sources

4f Searching for Photographs and Other Visual Sources

4g Accessing E-Books

4h Using Listserv, Usenet, and Chat Groups

4i Examining Library Holdings via Online Access

4j Finding an Internet Bibliography

4k Conducting Archival Research on the Internet

Your Research Project

 

Chapter 5   Gathering Data in the Library

5a   Launching the Search

5b   Developing a Working Bibliography

5c Finding Books on Your Topic

            Using Your Library’s Electronic Book Catalog

            Using the Library’s Printed Bibliographies

5d   Finding Articles in Magazines and Journals

            Searching the General Indexes to Periodicals

            Finding Indexes by Topic in Appendix B

            Using the H. W. Wilson Indexes

            Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature

Social Sciences Index

Humanities Index

Searching for an Index to Abstracts

            Searching for Abstracts of Dissertations

5e Searching for a Biography

5f Searching for Articles in the Newspaper Indexes

5g Searching the Indexes to Pamphlet Files

5h Searching for Governmen