Academic research, research topics, plagiarism and useful research tips.
Academic Research
Academic research focuses on the formation of fresh ideas, concepts, viewpoints, and arguments. The academic researcher searches in the library and in the internet for reliable and applicable evidence, statistics and ideas in books, journal articles, manuscripts, and various other sources. Then the researcher develops an informed and learned standpoint and draws objective conclusions.
The academic research process is not simply finding and collecting information and putting it together into a paper. The academic research process is also about investigation. The researcher asks questions and develops answers to these questions through serious and focused critical and attentive thinking.
The academic researcher regularly reconsiders his ideas, searches for new data whenever it is needed, reviews and improves the topic, the title of the topic, the research question or the research method. The researcher continually studies, reflects, revises and improves.
Academic research is a difficult process, therefore it is absolutely typical to feel nervous, worried, frustrated, dissatisfied or confused. Actually, if you feel anxious, it can be an indication that you are engaging in serious research and will most probably write a high-quality academic research essay.
We should think of the academic research process not as a huge mountain impossible to climb, a terribly difficult job. We should think of academic research as a series of small, connected stairs. Sometimes these stairs can be chaotic, messy and difficult to climb. However, thinking about research as climbing the stairs can help us to be successful.
Steps of the Research Process
(1) What is the problem? Select a general topic that interests you in some way and formulate a title.
The first step for any research paper is to formulate a question you want to answer. Being clear on the question makes it easier to formulate a research stragegy for finding the best information about this question.
Here are some examples of research questions:
Is obesity in children a form of child abuse?
What are the best inteventions for preventing youth violence in Asian urban communities?
How can social workers best meet the needs of children of illegal immigrants?
Are there proven ways to increase trust when urban communities become polorized?
When starting your research you may or may not have a clear question but by starting with an idea and formulating this idea into a question you will be able to review the literature already written on this topic which will likely help you to refine and narrow your questions or give you ideas for new research questions you may not have though about previously.
(2) What is the background?
Start your research with general background resources. This will help you to become familiar with the research history in the area related to your problem/question. Reading general background also helps researchers become familiar with terminology and jargon used in specific research areas. Knowing the words experts use will help you find to craft a better search when you begin searching for information in books and scholarly journals.
Examples of general resources to consider include:
Subject Encyclopedias
Textbooks
Handbooks
Newspapers
(3) Find the past and current research in the field.
Find information in the library and the Internet: videos, archives, special collections, journal titles, books and many other electronic resources.
(4) Find the past & current research - articles.
The next step in the research process is to find scholarly journal articles appropriate to your topic.
(5) Collect, evaluate critically and write. Quote and paraphrase.
(6) Classify information and write references in APA style
http://guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=283022&p=1888206
You will also have to study the APA Style Manual:
http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm
Research Advice
1. Select a general topic that interests you in some way.
2. List key words to help you look up information about the topic.
3. Go to an encyclopedia, or other reference source, to get an overview of the topic.
4. Make source cards for whatever sources you will use for information.
5. Using the general overview, begin to focus the topic into something you can cover well.
6. Write a statement of purpose about the focused topic.
7. Brainstorm questions about the focused topic.
8. Group questions under similar headings.
9. Add any new questions you can think of under those headings.
10. Repeat step 2, listing more key words from your newly focused topic and questions.
11. Make a list of possible sources that can answer your questions. Identify the best sources to use.
12. Find the sources in the library, on the computer, etc. Make a source card for each one you use.
13. Begin making note cards. Use your brain stormed questions to guide your note taking.
14. Change your statement of purpose into a draft thesis statement.
15. Make an outline of your headings.
16. Refocus your thesis statement if necessary.
17. Write the body of your paper from your notes.
18. Cite any necessary information with parenthetical citations.
19. Write your introduction and conclusion.
20. Write your Works Cited (it is similar to a bibliography).
21. Create a title page.
22. Evaluate your work.
The above information was retrieved from:
http://www.crlsresearchguide.org
http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/research/researchprocess.html
Academic Research Topics (Useful Links)
http://www.myspeechclass.com/good-and-interesting-research-paper-topics.html
http://hbculifestyle.com/research-paper-topics-50-ideas/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/research-topics-for-college-students.html
http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/writing/research-paper-topics
Research Topic and Title
In academic research, what is the difference between title and topic?
Research paper title is one of the major components of your research paper. It should be formulated so that the reader would get the idea of what he/she will be reading about. Sometimes students mix up 2 different notions – research paper topic and research paper title. Let us analyze the difference between them.
Research paper topic is what you will be investigating. Research paper topic is either given by your professor or chosen by yourself. Usually students spend a huge amount of time on selecting the topic they are interested in. Research paper topic is the wider notion. It presents the area of investigation.
Research paper title is the formulation of the area of your investigation. The purpose of research paper title is to attract the reader’s attention. That is one of the reasons why research paper title should be laconically formulated. Have you ever wondered why you get a real desire to read the article in any magazine? Do you not think that it is a psychological trick of attracting your attention? Well, you can do just the same with your research paper title. Formulate it so that the reader will be involved into reading your research paper.
The list given below presents the examples of good research paper titles:
Juvenile delinquency as the result of television
Death penalty – is it beneficial or unfavorable?
The TV impact on the modern society
The controversial character of Napoleon Bonaparte
The controversial character of Ch. Darvin’s theory
One more thing you should remember about your research paper title is that it should be formatted correctly. In order to format your research paper title you may apply to research paper examples or ask your professor about correct formatting of your research paper title.
Source:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090725072540AAxMZIA
How to Write an Good Academic Essay
Learn how to write a good academic essay in simple steps. Follow the following four simple steps and you will be able to write an excellent academic essay.
1. Write the introduction
Explain your topic clearly and briefly.
Introduce the main idea and the basic questions you are going to describe.
Explain briefly and clearly how the questions will be answered.
Make it interesting to read.
2. Write the main body of the essay
Make sure that each point is given a new paragraph.
Use words or phrases that show how it relates to the previous paragraph, e.g., 'however', ‘in addition', ‘moreover'.
Begin each paragraph with an important (topic) sentence that clearly links the paragraph to the rest of the essay.
Give supporting evidence for each point that you make.
Quote or paraphrase but avoid plagiarism.
3. Write the conclusion
Describe briefly the main ideas.
Demonstrate how you proved your attitude.
Later you can write, e.g., “The following conclusions were made: …” and then mention them, like “First, …, Second, … Third, …. Finally…”
Finish your essay with an interesting or surprising idea, suggestion, recommendation or comment.
4. Edit your essay – read carefully what you wrote
If you wrote your essay during your exam - do not leave exam room early. Try to use the opportunity to stay longer and write a better quality essay. Check spelling, punctuation, tenses (use present simple or simple past tense). Delete anything that is not important. Change vocabulary to improve expression. Use synonyms as often as possible.
Read again and again. Five times or more. Use eraser as often as possible. Edit, delete, correct, rewrite, proofread. Look after your essay as if it was your newborn baby.
Academic Essay Format
It is important to follow the guidelines regarding the main parts of an academic essay. You have to know what to write in the introduction, in the body, in the conclusion and how to write references. You also need to know the difference between the references and the bibliography. You also need to know about the formatting. Read MORE...
Writing a Good Essay (watch and listen)
You will easily understand how to write a good essay if you click here and watch the following short lecture (8 minutes).
Lecture (watch and listen)
If you want to learn more about essay writing, watch How to Write a Formal University Essay. It is a 45-minute lecture and it will give you many useful essay writing ideas. Click HERE to start.
What Makes a Good Essay?
Having studied the above, you should now start studying an example of a good essay. Study thoroughly this example and try to learn from it as much as possible. Read the topic and sample essay, then study the comments. Click on the highlighted text for comments about academic writing conventions; click on the notes in the margin for commentary on the essay:
To start learning, click here.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is:
Retrieved from Language and Learning Online, Monash University:
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/plagiarism/1.xml
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Plagiarism can sometimes be the result of poor note taking or paraphrasing without properly citing the reference. You can avoid plagiarism by:
Quotes
When you use the exact words, ideas or images of another person, you are quoting the author. If you do not use quotation marks around the original author's direct words and cite the reference, you are plagiarizing.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is when you take someone else's concepts and put them into your own words without changing the original meaning. Even though you are not using the same words you still need to state where the concepts came from.
Note taking
Poor note taking can lead to plagiarism. You should always take care to:
Retrieved from Language and Learning Online, Monash University:
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/plagiarism/1.xml
The Literature Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKL2pdRmwc4
How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAmgEa1B1vI
Planning, organising and writing academic essays (APA / Harvard)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezNC-EdIFt0
How to plan an essay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgsHJdFoXvY&ebc=ANyPxKpXinmM0SfrO8HyLPL37olwTlGXv4bw7HzoTIVt8j8vx4ft7-7afPre0yTzJ8C3pNb-LLheRhgsBlwh6FDmitQi56tbaw
RESEARCH FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFESSIONALS
Academic Research
Academic research focuses on the formation of fresh ideas, concepts, viewpoints, and arguments. The academic researcher searches in the library and in the internet for reliable and applicable evidence, statistics and ideas in books, journal articles, manuscripts, and various other sources. Then the researcher develops an informed and learned standpoint and draws objective conclusions.
The academic research process is not simply finding and collecting information and putting it together into a paper. The academic research process is also about investigation. The researcher asks questions and develops answers to these questions through serious and focused critical and attentive thinking.
The academic researcher regularly reconsiders his ideas, searches for new data whenever it is needed, reviews and improves the topic, the title of the topic, the research question or the research method. The researcher continually studies, reflects, revises and improves.
Academic research is a difficult process, therefore it is absolutely typical to feel nervous, worried, frustrated, dissatisfied or confused. Actually, if you feel anxious, it can be an indication that you are engaging in serious research and will most probably write a high-quality academic research essay.
We should think of the academic research process not as a huge mountain impossible to climb, a terribly difficult job. We should think of academic research as a series of small, connected stairs. Sometimes these stairs can be chaotic, messy and difficult to climb. However, thinking about research as climbing the stairs can help us to be successful.
Steps of the Research Process
(1) What is the problem? Select a general topic that interests you in some way and formulate a title.
The first step for any research paper is to formulate a question you want to answer. Being clear on the question makes it easier to formulate a research stragegy for finding the best information about this question.
Here are some examples of research questions:
Is obesity in children a form of child abuse?
What are the best inteventions for preventing youth violence in Asian urban communities?
How can social workers best meet the needs of children of illegal immigrants?
Are there proven ways to increase trust when urban communities become polorized?
When starting your research you may or may not have a clear question but by starting with an idea and formulating this idea into a question you will be able to review the literature already written on this topic which will likely help you to refine and narrow your questions or give you ideas for new research questions you may not have though about previously.
(2) What is the background?
Start your research with general background resources. This will help you to become familiar with the research history in the area related to your problem/question. Reading general background also helps researchers become familiar with terminology and jargon used in specific research areas. Knowing the words experts use will help you find to craft a better search when you begin searching for information in books and scholarly journals.
Examples of general resources to consider include:
Subject Encyclopedias
Textbooks
Handbooks
Newspapers
(3) Find the past and current research in the field.
Find information in the library and the Internet: videos, archives, special collections, journal titles, books and many other electronic resources.
(4) Find the past & current research - articles.
The next step in the research process is to find scholarly journal articles appropriate to your topic.
(5) Collect, evaluate critically and write. Quote and paraphrase.
(6) Classify information and write references in APA style
http://guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=283022&p=1888206
You will also have to study the APA Style Manual:
http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm
Research Advice
1. Select a general topic that interests you in some way.
2. List key words to help you look up information about the topic.
3. Go to an encyclopedia, or other reference source, to get an overview of the topic.
4. Make source cards for whatever sources you will use for information.
5. Using the general overview, begin to focus the topic into something you can cover well.
6. Write a statement of purpose about the focused topic.
7. Brainstorm questions about the focused topic.
8. Group questions under similar headings.
9. Add any new questions you can think of under those headings.
10. Repeat step 2, listing more key words from your newly focused topic and questions.
11. Make a list of possible sources that can answer your questions. Identify the best sources to use.
12. Find the sources in the library, on the computer, etc. Make a source card for each one you use.
13. Begin making note cards. Use your brain stormed questions to guide your note taking.
14. Change your statement of purpose into a draft thesis statement.
15. Make an outline of your headings.
16. Refocus your thesis statement if necessary.
17. Write the body of your paper from your notes.
18. Cite any necessary information with parenthetical citations.
19. Write your introduction and conclusion.
20. Write your Works Cited (it is similar to a bibliography).
21. Create a title page.
22. Evaluate your work.
The above information was retrieved from:
http://www.crlsresearchguide.org
http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/research/researchprocess.html
Academic Research Topics (Useful Links)
http://www.myspeechclass.com/good-and-interesting-research-paper-topics.html
http://hbculifestyle.com/research-paper-topics-50-ideas/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/research-topics-for-college-students.html
http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/writing/research-paper-topics
Research Topic and Title
In academic research, what is the difference between title and topic?
Research paper title is one of the major components of your research paper. It should be formulated so that the reader would get the idea of what he/she will be reading about. Sometimes students mix up 2 different notions – research paper topic and research paper title. Let us analyze the difference between them.
Research paper topic is what you will be investigating. Research paper topic is either given by your professor or chosen by yourself. Usually students spend a huge amount of time on selecting the topic they are interested in. Research paper topic is the wider notion. It presents the area of investigation.
Research paper title is the formulation of the area of your investigation. The purpose of research paper title is to attract the reader’s attention. That is one of the reasons why research paper title should be laconically formulated. Have you ever wondered why you get a real desire to read the article in any magazine? Do you not think that it is a psychological trick of attracting your attention? Well, you can do just the same with your research paper title. Formulate it so that the reader will be involved into reading your research paper.
The list given below presents the examples of good research paper titles:
Juvenile delinquency as the result of television
Death penalty – is it beneficial or unfavorable?
The TV impact on the modern society
The controversial character of Napoleon Bonaparte
The controversial character of Ch. Darvin’s theory
One more thing you should remember about your research paper title is that it should be formatted correctly. In order to format your research paper title you may apply to research paper examples or ask your professor about correct formatting of your research paper title.
Source:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090725072540AAxMZIA
How to Write an Good Academic Essay
Learn how to write a good academic essay in simple steps. Follow the following four simple steps and you will be able to write an excellent academic essay.
1. Write the introduction
Explain your topic clearly and briefly.
Introduce the main idea and the basic questions you are going to describe.
Explain briefly and clearly how the questions will be answered.
Make it interesting to read.
2. Write the main body of the essay
Make sure that each point is given a new paragraph.
Use words or phrases that show how it relates to the previous paragraph, e.g., 'however', ‘in addition', ‘moreover'.
Begin each paragraph with an important (topic) sentence that clearly links the paragraph to the rest of the essay.
Give supporting evidence for each point that you make.
Quote or paraphrase but avoid plagiarism.
3. Write the conclusion
Describe briefly the main ideas.
Demonstrate how you proved your attitude.
Later you can write, e.g., “The following conclusions were made: …” and then mention them, like “First, …, Second, … Third, …. Finally…”
Finish your essay with an interesting or surprising idea, suggestion, recommendation or comment.
4. Edit your essay – read carefully what you wrote
If you wrote your essay during your exam - do not leave exam room early. Try to use the opportunity to stay longer and write a better quality essay. Check spelling, punctuation, tenses (use present simple or simple past tense). Delete anything that is not important. Change vocabulary to improve expression. Use synonyms as often as possible.
Read again and again. Five times or more. Use eraser as often as possible. Edit, delete, correct, rewrite, proofread. Look after your essay as if it was your newborn baby.
Academic Essay Format
It is important to follow the guidelines regarding the main parts of an academic essay. You have to know what to write in the introduction, in the body, in the conclusion and how to write references. You also need to know the difference between the references and the bibliography. You also need to know about the formatting. Read MORE...
Writing a Good Essay (watch and listen)
You will easily understand how to write a good essay if you click here and watch the following short lecture (8 minutes).
Lecture (watch and listen)
If you want to learn more about essay writing, watch How to Write a Formal University Essay. It is a 45-minute lecture and it will give you many useful essay writing ideas. Click HERE to start.
Having studied the above, you should now start studying an example of a good essay. Study thoroughly this example and try to learn from it as much as possible. Read the topic and sample essay, then study the comments. Click on the highlighted text for comments about academic writing conventions; click on the notes in the margin for commentary on the essay:
To start learning, click here.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is:
- copying phrases and passages word-for-word without quotation marks and without a reference to the author; this includes but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers and course notes
- paraphrasing an author's work and presenting it without a reference; this includes but is not limited to sentences, paragraphs, ideas and themes
- copying any part of another students' work
- submitting items of assessment that are written in conjunction with other students (without prior permission of the relevant staff member)
- submitting a piece of work has already been submitted for assessment in another course
- presenting other people's designs and images as your own work
- submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
Retrieved from Language and Learning Online, Monash University:
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/plagiarism/1.xml
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Plagiarism can sometimes be the result of poor note taking or paraphrasing without properly citing the reference. You can avoid plagiarism by:
- citing your references
- referencing correctly
- recording direct quotes and paraphrases correctly when note taking.
Quotes
When you use the exact words, ideas or images of another person, you are quoting the author. If you do not use quotation marks around the original author's direct words and cite the reference, you are plagiarizing.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is when you take someone else's concepts and put them into your own words without changing the original meaning. Even though you are not using the same words you still need to state where the concepts came from.
Note taking
Poor note taking can lead to plagiarism. You should always take care to:
- record all reference information correctly
- use quotation marks exactly as in the original
- paraphrase correctly
- clearly distinguish your own ideas from the ideas of other authors and researchers.
Retrieved from Language and Learning Online, Monash University:
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/plagiarism/1.xml
The Literature Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKL2pdRmwc4
How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAmgEa1B1vI
Planning, organising and writing academic essays (APA / Harvard)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezNC-EdIFt0
How to plan an essay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgsHJdFoXvY&ebc=ANyPxKpXinmM0SfrO8HyLPL37olwTlGXv4bw7HzoTIVt8j8vx4ft7-7afPre0yTzJ8C3pNb-LLheRhgsBlwh6FDmitQi56tbaw
RESEARCH FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFESSIONALS