Writing a research report
- 2. Types of Research Primary research involves gathering new ideas and information on your own. Secondary research involves gathering and analyzing the results of other people’s primary research.
- 3. The Research Process Choosing your subject Doing preliminary research Limiting your subject to a specific topic Finding an angle and writing a statement of controlling purpose Preparing a list of possible sources (a working bibliography) Taking notes and developing a rough outline Organizing your notes and making a final outline Writing your first draft Revising your draft Writing the final draft, with a complete list of works cited
- 4. Discovering a Topic for Research What subjects do I enjoy reading about? What topics that I have recently read about in magazines or seen on television would I like to know more about? What books have I enjoyed reading in the past? What subjects have captured my attention and interest in my classes? What issues do I feel strongly about? What kind of topic do I want to write about – an event, a person, or an idea? What interesting careers or hobbies do my friends and relatives have? What interesting experiences have they had? What do I wonder about? What aspects of my world would I like to know the origins or history of?
- 5. Searching for a Subject Spend some time at the library, simply walking up and down the aisles or browsing through the catalog, looking for subjects that appeal to you. Browse through encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, dictionaries, or recent periodical indexes. Glance at the table of contents in your textbooks, looking for subjects that you’d like to know more about. Search the internet. Start with an interesting search word and see where that leads. Watch public-television specials or listen to public-radio programs. See if any of the subjects of the programs capture your imagination. Look through newsmagazines for subjects related to current events.
- 6. Limiting Your Subject/Choosing a Topic Once you have a general subject that you are interested in, such as endangered species or civil rights, the next step is to narrow the subject to a specific topic that can be treated in a research report.
- 7. Ideas for Preliminary Research Read encyclopedia articles. List questions about the subject, and interview someone knowledgeable about it. Brainstorm with friends, classmates, or relatives to find out what they know about the subject. Find a textbook that covers the general field of study to which your subject belongs. Read about your subject in that textbook. Go to the place in the library where books on the subject are shelved. Choose books at random and look them over.
- 8. Using Prewriting Techniques Freewriting or clustering. Write whatever comes to mind about the subject for five minutes, or draw a cluster diagram in which you use lines to connect your subject with related ideas. Brainstorming. Working with a group of friends or classmates, write down a list of topics that come to mind as people thing about the subject. Questioning. Write a list of questions about the subject. Begin each question with the word who, what, where, when, why, or how, or start your questions with What if… Discussing. Listen to what other students know about your subject, what interests them about it, and what problems they think you might have in researching it.
- 9. Evaluating Possible Topics Once you have come up with a list of ideas for possible topics, you need to evaluate them. Here are some criteria for judging a research topic. The topic should be interesting. The topic should be covered in readily available sources. The topic should be significant. Choose a topic that is worth your time and energy. The topic should be objective. Make sure that you will be able to gather enough facts about the topic to support your argument. You should not simply repeat material available in other sources. Come up with your own angle or approach. The topic should be narrow enough to be treated fully.
- 10. Statement of Controlling Purpose Once you have decided on a specific topic, your next step is to write a statement of controlling purpose. This is a sentence or pair of sentences that tells what you want to accomplish in your report. It is called a statement of controlling purpose because it controls, or guides, your research. The statement of controlling purpose usually contains one or more keywords that tell what the report is going to accomplish. Keywords that often appear in statements of controlling purpose include, analyze, classify, compare, contrast, define, describe, determine, establish, explain, identify, prove, and support. “The purpose of this report is to analyze the impact of the use of solar energy on pollution.”
- 11. Statement of Controlling Purpose A statement of controlling purpose can involve… Supporting (or arguing against) a policy: The purpose of this paper is to support the policy of limiting nuclear weapons. Proving (or disproving) one or more statements of fact: The purpose of this paper is to prove that by failing to take action against Italy, the League of Nations was partly responsible for that country’s takeover of Ethiopia in 1936. Determining the relative values of two or more things: The purpose of this paper is to compare land- war tactics and air-war tactics to determine which type of warfare is more effective in a jungle war.
- 12. Defining something: The purpose of this paper is to define the phrase “freedom of the press” by describing the laws that limit it. Analyzing something into its parts and showing how the parts relate to one another: The purpose of this paper is to describe the roles of various citizen groups and government agencies in making policies that affect support for the homeless. Explaining causes or effects: The purpose of this paper is to explain the causes of the destruction of Brazil’s rain forest. Establishing a cause-effect relationship: The purpose of this paper is to show that increasing state and federal spending on education leads to improved test scores. Describing the development of something over time: The purpose of this paper is to describe how rock ‘n’ roll developed from blues.
- 13. Identifying and describing a general trend: The purpose of this paper is to describe the extinction of South American plants and animal species that is now occurring. Classifying items into groups or categories: The purpose of this paper is to classify African myths into categories such as creation stories and ancestor stories. Relating a part to a whole: The purpose of this paper is to examine the Food Stamp Program as part of the federal government’s welfare system in the 1970’s. Comparing or contrasting two things to show how they are similar or different: The purpose of this paper is to compare actions of the guerrillas in the Pacific theater during World War II with the actions of the Vietcong in the Vietnam War. Examining a technique: The purpose of this paper is to look at persuasive techniques used in television ads.
- 14. Explaining a general concept by means of specific examples: The purpose of this paper is to explain the idea of balance of power by giving examples of it in action. Explaining the main idea or message of something: The purpose of this paper is to explain the political message of George Orwell’s 1984. Your controlling purpose may change as you do your research. When you begin writing your research report, you will replace your statement of controlling purpose with a thesis statement, a statement of your main idea. The thesis statement will not contain the phrase, “the purpose of this report is.”
- 15. Finding and Recording Your Sources Once you have written a statement of controlling purpose, you are ready to put together a list of potential sources. This is your working bibliography. Here are some good places to start looking for information: Other people. Consider interviewing someone who is an expert in the field that you are researching. The government. You may want to contact town, city, county, state, or federal government offices directly. The media center. Bookstores. Bibliographies.
- 16. 6. The internet. Reference works. Reference works include almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, periodical indexes, and thesauri. Other sources. Do not neglect television programs, radio shows, recordings, videotapes, computer software, and other possible sources of information. Many libraries have extensive collections of audiovisual materials of all kinds, on a wide variety of subject. MAKE USE OF THESE!
- 17. Evaluating Possible Sources After you locate a potential source, you need to decide whether it will be useful to you. The following questions will help you to evaluate a source: Is the source authoritative? An authoritative source is one that can be relied upon to provide accurate information. Consider the reputation of the publication and the author. Are they well respected? Is the source up-to-date? For some topics, such as ones associated with current events or with new technology, up-to-date sources are essential, so check the copyright page of your source. For other topics, the copyright date may be less important or not important at all.
- 18. Is the work written at an appropriate level? Materials that are written for children are usually simplified and may be misleading. Other materials are so technical that they can be understood only after years of study. Is the source unbiased? An unbiased source is one whose author lacks any prejudices that might make his or her work unreliable. For example, a newsletter article claiming that there is no relationship between smoking and disease would probably be biased if written by someone who works for a tobacco company. Is the source highly recommended? One way to evaluate a source is to ask an expect or authority whether the source is reliable. You can also check the bibliography in a respected source. If a source is listed in a bibliography, then it is probably considered reliable by the author or editor who put that bibliography together.
- 19. Preparing Bibliography Cards Every time you find a source that may be useful for your research report, you need to prepare a bibliography card for it. All of your bibliography cards, taken together, make up your working bibliography. A bibliography card serves three basis purposes… 4. It enables you to find the source again. 5. It enables you to prepare documentation for your paper. 6. It enables you to prepare the Works cited list that will appear at the end of your report. The Works Cited list is a complete record of the sources referred to in the report.
- 20. A bibliography card contains all or most of the items described below. • A bibliographic entry gives essential information about a source, such as its author, its title, the place and/or date of its publication, and the pages (of a book or magazine) on which it was found. The first line of the bibliographic entry begins in the upper left-hand part of the card. Additional lines are indented a few spaces. • A source note tells where you found the source. The source note will help you find the source again if you need to do so. • A source number is written in the upper right-hand corner of the card and circled. Assign a different number to each source you find. You will use this number to refer to the source on note cards containing material from that source. • A card catalog number, if appropriate, should be included.
- 21. 1 Smith, Albert. 1812, the War Nobody Won. New York: Atheneum, 1985. Public Lirbary, Mount Pleasant E354.M27
- 22. Preparing Note Cards There are three basic types of notes: A direct quotation repeats the words of a source exactly. Quotation marks are used around the quoted material. A paraphrase states an idea expressed in a source, but not in the same words. A summary is a shortened statement of an idea in a source. In other words, it says the same thing in fewer and different words.
- 23. Preparing Note Cards Take notes on 4” x 6” cards. Use cards that size to distinguish your note cards from your 3” x 5” bibliography cards. Use a separate card for each note so that you can rearrange your notes later on. Try to limit each note to one or two sentences on a single idea. Focusing on one idea on each card makes it easier to group and reorganizer your cards. When you quote, it is extremely important that you copy each letter and punctuation mark exactly. In paraphrasing or summarizing you need to make sure that when you put the material into your own words, you do not change the source’s meaning.
- 24. Source number Topic Problems with Native Americans 1 Southerners and frontiers people felt threatened by the Native Americans because they knew that Great Britain was the ally of the Native Americans and was giving them aid. 15 Page reference Note
- 25. When to Quote, Paraphrase, and Summarize Direct quotation: Use a direct quotation when an idea is especially well stated in a source – that is, when a passage is very clear, beautiful, funny, or powerful. Also use a direct quotation when the exact wording is historically or legally significant or when you are reproducing a definition. Paraphrase: Use the paraphrase as your basic note form – the form that you always use unless you have a good reason to quote or summarize your source. Summary: Use a summary when a passage in a source is too long to be effectively quoted or paraphrased.
- 26. Effective Note Taking Keep your topic, controlling purpose, and audience in mind at all times. Do not record material unrelated to your topic. Make sure that summaries and paraphrases accurately express the ideas in your sources. Be accurate. Make sure to copy direct quotations word for word. Make sure that every direct quotation begins and ends with quotation marks. Double-check statistics and facts to make sure that you have them right. Distinguish between fact and opinion by labeling opinions as such: “Dr. Graves thinks that…” or “according to Grace Jackson…” Quote only the important parts of a passage. Always double-check page references.
- 27. Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism is the act of intentionally or unintentionally presenting work done by someone else as though it were your own. Because plagiarism is so serious, it is important to know exactly what it is and what you can do to avoid it. Here is a simple test to determine whether something is plagiarized: ask yourself, Is this information, idea, or statement common knowledge? If the answer is no, then ask yourself, Did the information, idea, or statement come from a source outside myself, or did it come from my own experience or ideas? If the information, idea, or statement is not common knowledge, and if it came from an outside source, then you must credit that source. Failure to do so is plagiarism!
- 28. Developing a Preliminary Outline At some point early in your research, you will come to know enough about your topic to being to develop a preliminary outline. A preliminary outline is useful because it will help you focus your search for information. Your preliminary outline should list some key ideas or subtopics that you expect to include in the body of your report. As you learn more about your topic, your preliminary outline will change and grow, but even a short, incomplete preliminary outline can be useful.
- 29. Preliminary Outline Sample Causes of the war Trade conflict with Europe Impressment Problems with Native Americans Battle and events of the war British victories U.S. victories Peace treaty Result of the war National pride and independence Positive trade relationship with Britain
- 30. Organizing Your Material 1. Your report will begin with an introduction that states your thesis. It will end with a conclusion that restates your thesis and summarizes the main point or points of the report. You need to concentrate on organizing the body of the report. Your goal is to find a sensible method of arranging the information that you will present in the body. 2. Many topics require that you start by providing background information. If you have chosen such a topic, think about what background information should appear early on, and group that information together. Among this background information, you may want to include definitions of any key terms that will appear in your paper.
- 31. Remember that events are usually presented in chronological order unless there is a good reason to present them in some other way. As you gather your notes, or evidence, sort the note cards into separate piles of related ideas and information. Try different combinations, and make rough outlines based on them. Once you have your note cards separated into piles of related ideas and information, come up with a phrase to describe what is in each pile. Think about the different orders in which you could present each group of ideas. Ask yourself, Should the ideas in pile one be presented first, or those in pile three? Why? Look for relationships among the ideas in each group of note cards. Also look for relationships among groups of cards.
- 32. Ways to Relate Ideas Chronological order: from first event to last event or from last event to first event. Spatial order: by arrangement in space. Classification: in groups sharing similar properties or characteristics. Order of degree: according to importance, value, interest, obviousness, certainty, or similar quality. Cause-and-effect order: from cause to effect or from effect to cause. Comparison-and-contrast order: from similarities to differences or from differences to similarities. Analytical order: according to parts and relationships among the parts.
- 33. Inductive order, or synthesis: from specific examples to generalizations based on those examples. Deductive order: from general to specific conclusions. Order of impression, or association: according to the sequence in which things strike one’s attention. Hierarchical order: from class to subclass (group within a class) or from subclass to class.
- 34. Creating a Draft Outline Before beginning your rough draft, you will want to create a draft outline. A draft outline is a formal outline that is used as a basis for a rough draft. A draft outline begins with a statement of controlling purpose. It is divided into two or more major sections introduced by Roman numerals (I, II). Each major section is divided into two or more subsections introduced by capital letters (A, B). The subsections may be divided into sub-subsections introduced by Arabic numerals (1,2), and those into sub-sub- subsections introduced by lowercase letters (a,b).
- 35. The Second War for Independence Controlling Purpose: The purpose of this report is to discuss the causes of the War of 1812 and the effects of the war on the development of the United States. This information will explain why the war is known as the second war for independence. V. Causes of the War of 1812 A. Trade conflicts with Great Britain and France B. Impressment of U.S. sailors by Britain C. Responses by the U.S. government 1. Embargo Act 2. Failure of the act D. Problems with Native Americans 1. Alliance with Great Britain 2. Responses by war hawks XIV. Battles and events of the war A. British victories 1. Battle of Detroit 2. Fort Mackinac and Fort Dearborn 3. Battle of Washington B. U.S. victories 1. Battle of Baltimore 2. U.S.S. Constitution
- 36. Drafting Your Research Report After completing a draft outline and arranging your note cards to match your outline, you are ready to begin writing your rough draft.
- 37. Quoting Prose Works If a quotation is four lines long or less, put it in quotation marks and place it in the text of your report: George Washington once said, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” **The circled number is the source number from your note card. 4 When you do your final documentation, you will replace this number with a citation in parentheses. You do not have to quote complete sentences: President Madison stated that the peace treaty was “highly honorable to the United States.” You can also break a quotation into two parts: “The impressment of American sailors into the service of the Royal Navy,” according to Gallagher, “was a much larger causal factor of the war than often interpreted.”
- 38. When a quoted passage is more than four lines long, set it off from the text of your report. Put a colon after the statement that introduces the quotation. Begin a new line. Indent the entire quotation 10 spaces from the left-hand margin. Double- space the quotation, and do not enclose it in quotation marks. According to Gallagher, this was one of the most important causes of America’s anger with Great Britain: The impressment of American sailors into the service of the Royal Navy (…) was a much larger casual factor of the war than often interpreted (…) and it was an incredible blow to American national honor and pride. Untied States sovereignty was being challenged, and the American people felt that they needed to stand up to the challenge presented to them.
- 39. Using Graphic Aids As you draft, think about using tables, maps, charts, diagrams, and other graphic aids to present a lot of information in a little space. If you use a graphic aid from a source, or if you use information from a source to create a graphic aid, then you must credit the source of information. Tables should be labeled “Table 1,” “Table 2,” and so on. Other graphic aids should be labeled “Fig. 1,” Fig. 2,” and so on. Place the label after the figure and follow it with a caption that is either the title for description of the graphic aid.
- 40. Fig. 1: Products of Alabama
- 41. Writing the Introduction The introduction of a research report should accomplish two purposes: It should grab readers’ attention. It should present the report’s main idea, or thesis statement. In addition, the introduction may define key terms, supply necessary background information or both. The introduction can be of any length, although most introductions are one or two paragraphs long.
- 42. Capturing Your Readers’ Attention There are many ways to capture your readers’ attention in an introduction. You can begin with an unusual fact, with a question, with an anecdote (a brief story that makes a point), with an analogy (a comparison between the topic and something with which readers are already familiar), with a paragraph that compares or contrasts, or with examples.
- 43. Writing the Thesis Statement To create your thesis statement, you can simply rewrite your statement of controlling purpose. Be sure to include any changes you have made in your topic during research. However, avoid using the phrase “the purpose of this report” in your final thesis statement. Notice the difference between the statement of controlling purpose and the thesis statement in the following example. Controlling Purpose: The purpose of this report is to discuss the causes of the War of 1812 and the effects of the war on the development of the United States. Thesis Statement: An understanding of the causes and effects of the War of 1812 is necessary to appreciate how the United States finally gained its true independence as a nation.
- 44. Writing the Conclusion Like an introduction, a conclusion is usually one or two paragraphs long. The most common way to conclude a research report is to restate the main idea and your main arguments in support of that idea. In addition, you may wish to use the conclusion to tie up any loose ends left in the body of your paper, to explain what accepting your thesis statement might mean, to ask readers to take some action, to explain the importance or value of what they have learned from the report, or to make predictions about the future. The conclusion is an opportunity to be imaginative. Almost anything is acceptable as long as it leaves readers satisfied that you have covered the subject well.
- 45. Revision Checklist Content and Organization 3. Does my report support or prove my thesis statement? 4. Does my report have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion? 5. Does every idea follow logically from the one before it? 6. Have I used transitions to show connections between ideas? 7. Will the introduction capture my readers’ attention? 8. Does the introduction present my thesis statement clearly? 9. Does the body of my report present evidence from a variety of reliable sources?
- 46. 1. Is information from my sources presented in a combination of summary, paraphrase, and quotation? 2. Are there any gaps in my argument that I need to fill by doing additional research? 3. Have I deleted all unnecessary material from my report? 4. Have I cited sources for opinions presented in the report? 5. Did I restate my thesis in the conclusion of my report? 6. Does the conclusion summarize the main points that I have presented to support my thesis? 7. Does the conclusion give my readers a sense of completion? Are all the loose ends tied up? Have all parts of the thesis been supported? Have all of readers’ most likely questions about the topic been addressed?
- 47. Style Have I varied my writing by using many kinds of sentences – short and long; simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences? Have I avoided wordiness? Have I deleted unnecessary words, phrases, and clauses? Have I used clear, concrete examples? Have I defined key terms? Have I avoided informal language, slang, and technical words that I have not defined? Have I avoided contractions, personal references, and first-person pronouns such as I, we, me and our? Are my sentences graceful, not awkward?
- 48. Documentation 2. Have I avoided plagiarism by completely documenting all materials taken from sources? Does every summary, paraphrase, or quotation have a corresponding source number? 3. Is each of my direct quotations set off with quotation marks or by indention? Is each quotation accurate? Have I used it to express the idea the author of the source intended? 4. Is there a complete bibliography card, in proper form, for every source number in the final version of my manuscript?
- 49. Documenting Your Sources Each time you use information from your note cards, write down a source number. After you revise your draft, use the source number in the revised draft to prepare your documentation. Documentation is the information in the report that tells what sources you used. The method of documentation most widely used today is called parenthetical documentation. To use parenthetical documentation, enclose a brief reference in parenthesis. The reference, which is called a parenthetical citation, usually consists of the author’s name and a page number.
- 50. The government also passed an act stating that the United States could begin trading with Britain and France once they stopped violating Americans’ rights at sea (Morris 14.)
- 51. Preparing Parenthetical Citations Using parenthetical citations to document your sources helps your reader identify them easily. The following guidelines will help you cite your sources properly: 3. Basic citation: place the citation at the end of the sentence containing the material you are documenting. The citation should appear after the last word of the sentence but before the end mark: The Native Americans who lived in the West and South were allies of Britain and a threat to the settlers (Martin 15).
- 52. Basic citations with author’s name in text: If the name of the author is stated in the sentence, then give only the page number. According to Smith, Americans were also outraged when Britain ruled that no neutral nation could trade with any European nation except by using British ports (17).
- 53. Citation of multiple words by one author: If the Works Cited list contains more than one work by an author, then include a shortened version of the title – usually one to four words. When shortening a title, drop any first words like a, an, or the and begin with the word that the full title is alphabetized by. So, for example, the title Amateurs, to arms!: A Military History of the War of 1812 might become Amateurs. President Madison stated that the peace treaty was “highly honorable to the United States” (Elting, Amateurs 327).
- 54. Citation with author’s name and title in it: If the name of the author and the title of the work both appear in the text of your report, use only the page number, even if more than one work by the author is listed in your Works Cited list: In his book entitled 1812, the War Nobody Won, Marrin states that the Native Americans who lived in the West and South were allies of Britain and were a threat to the settlers (15.)
- 55. Citation of an anonymous work: When citing an anonymous work (one for which no author is identified), give the title or a shortened version of the title, followed by the page number if appropriate. Make sure that the first word in a shortened version of a title is the word by which the work is alphabetized in the Works Cited list: The agreement was that each side would release all prisoners and would return all property that belonged to the other side (“Treaty”)
- 56. Citation of an encyclopedia or similar reference work: When citing an article in a reference work that is arranged alphabetically, give only the title or shortened version of the titles: There was no winner in the War of 1812. “It did, however, push back the Indian frontier, increase the breach between the United States and the British North American colonies, and confirm the U.S. – Canadian boundary” (“History of Canada”)
- 57. Citation of a work by two or three authors: When citing a work by two or three authors, give the authors’ last names and the page number: The only people who suffered from the embargo were the Americans (McKay and Berg 84). Citation of a work by more than three authors: When citing a work by more than three authors, give the last name of the first author, followed by et al. and the page number if appropriate. The only people who suffered from the embargo were the Americans (McKay et al. 84).
- 58. Citation of a source without page numbers: For a source without page numbers – an interview, a piece of computer software, or a recording, for example – give the name of the author or interviewee. If there is no name, give the title or a shortened version of the title: The United States had to prove them wrong, and it went on the offensive (“Battle”).
- 59. Citation of a multivolume work: To cite a page number in a multivolume work that is not an alphabetically organized reference work, give the author’s name, the volume number, a colon, and the page reference. The War of 1812 was not a large-scale conflict. The battles involved only a few thousand men, and the total U.S. casualties were about 5,000, “fewer than fell in an hour at Gettysburg” (Coit 3: 104).
- 60. Citation of more than one page: When citing more than one page, use a hyphen to separate the numbers unless the pages do not directly follow each other: As a result of the treaty, the United States also began to trade peacefully with Britain and to sign agreements that allowed the two countries to build a positive and lasting relationship (Nardo 104-106).
- 61. Preparing the List of Works Cited Each time you cite a source in your report, pull the bibliography card for that source from your working bibliography and place it in a new stack of Works Cited cards. When you have completed your final draft, you will have a complete set of Works Cited cards. Arrange those cards in alphabetical order. Then type up your final Works Cited list from the cards, following their style exactly. Your final Works Cited list should include a complete entry for each source that you have cited in your report.
- 62. Works Cited Caldicott, Helen. If You Love This Planet: A Plan to Heal the Earth. New York: Norton, 1992. Czapski, Silvia. “Grassroots Environmentalism in Brazil.” Conservationists July-Aug. 1991: 42-47. Dietrich, William. The Final Forest: The Battle for the Last Great Trees of the Pacific Northwest. New York: Simon, 1992. Frome, Michael. Regreening the National Parks. Tucson: U of Arizona P, 1992. Hamilton, Harriet. “From Stones and Clay an Abundance of Trees.” Conservationist Sep.-Oct. 1991: 32-35. Harrison, Robert Pogue. Forests: The Shadow of Civilization. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1992.
- 63. Manuscript Form for the List of Works Cited Begin on a new page. Use one-inch margins on both sides. Include your last name and the page number, flush right, half an inch from the top of the paper. Drop down another one-half inch and center the title “Works Cited.” Do not underline it or use all capital letters. Double-space between entries. Double-space between the title and the first entry. Begin each entry at the left margin. Double-space within each entry. Indent run-over lines five spaces from the left margin.
- 64. Guidelines for Research Reports General guidelines/type of paper. If possible, type your report. Use high-quality white, unlined 81/2” x 11” paper. Do not use colored paper. If you must write your paper by hand, use lined paper and write on only one side of each sheet, and follow the same format guidelines that you would follow when typing. Margins. Use one-inch margins at the top, sides, and bottom of the page. Name and page numbers. Include your last name, a space, and the page number at the top of each page of the report. The name and page number should appear one-half inch from the top edge of the paper, beginning at the right margin. Number the pages of the report and the Works Cited list continuously, using Arabic numerals (1,2,3,, and so on). DO not precede the page numbers with the word “page” or any abbreviation of it, such as p. or pg.
- 65. Spacing. Double-space the entire report, including headings, titles, quotations, and text paragraphs. Headings. At the left margin of the first page, drop down one inch from the of the paper and type, on separate lines, your complete name, your teacher’s name, the name of your class, and the complete date in this form: 12November 2002. Double-space between lines. Title. On the line following the date, center the title of your report. Use uppercase and lowercase letters, not all capitals, and underline only those words, such as the titles of long works, that you would underline in the body of your report. Double-space between the date and the title and between the title and the first paragraph of the report.
- 66. Indention: Indent the first line of each text paragraph five spaces from the left margin. Paragraphing. Do not leave a single line of a paragraph at the bottom or the top of a page. Works Cited List. On the first Works Cited page, after your last name and the page number, drop down an additional one- half inch to a position one inch from the top edge of the paper, and center the title “Works Cited.” Do not underline the title or enclose it in quotation marks. Placement and spacing of Works Cited entries. Double- space after the title “Works Cited” and begin the first Works Cited entry. Double-space and alphabetize all the Works Cited entries. Entries should be alphabetized by their first words, whether the words are parts of titles or of person’s name. If an entry begins with a title, skip any initial article (a, an, or the) when alphabetizing. Begin the first line of each Works Cited entry at the left margin. Indent additional lines five spaces.