West Fargo High School
Research Handbook
This handbook has been written by members of the West Fargo High School faculty as a means of providing students with the information they need to write research papers. It is also a means of standardizing a research method across the curriculum. Once familiar with this method, a student should be able to use it throughout high school. Additional composition outlines have been included in an effort to promote the use of effective organizers appropriate for use in written work in any course.
This project was made possible by a 1987 curriculum grant from the West Fargo School District.
Contributions to this handbook were made by the following WFHS faculty members: Sharon Benzel, Cindy Bleier, Mary Knox-Johnson, Liv Rosin, Mary Soehren, and Peggy Spitzer. This handbook was prepared by Cindy Bleier, Liv Rosin, Mary Knox-Johnson, and Mary Soehren.
Revised in 1992 by Jane Holland, Kathy Scott, and Mary Soehren; computer work done by Jane Holland and Lori Liebl, and edited by the 1991-92 Language Arts department.
Revised again 1997 by Ericka Ableiter, Mary Soehren, and Sybil Hopkins with suggestions provided by the Language Arts department and computer work done by Ericka Ableiter.
Revised again in 2001 by Mary Soehren and Mary Knox-Johnson with suggestions provided by the Language Arts Department.
Many books are available showing how to document research papers. These include publications from the Modern Language Association of America (MLA)., the American Psychological Association (APA), and Turabian. West Fargo has adopted the MLA format.
Many information search or research models are available.
West Fargo has adapted and adopted the model referred to as the Eisenberg/Berkowiz Information Problem-Solving Model (The Big 6).
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Step 1: Choosing a Topic or Defining a Task
- Narrow or Broaden the Topic
- Using What You Already Know
- Get an Overview of the Topic
- Explain the Purpose (the Thesis)
- Step 2: Developing Questions
- Write Scratch Outline
- Sample Scratch Outlines
- Step 3: Finding Sources
- Decide What Indexes/Sources to Use
- Develop Keywords to be Used in the Search
- Begin the Working Bibliography
- Access to Electronic Resources
- Step 4: Selecting and Evaluating Sources
- Decide Which Sources to Use
- Primary and Secondary Sources
- Evaluate the Sources
- Make Bibliography cards
- Bibliography Sample Entries
- Citing Print Information
- Citing Electronic Information
- Step 5: Recording and Organizing Information
- Using Evidence
- Taking Notes
- Note Cards: Examples
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Using Quotations
- Documenting the Paper
- Parenthetical Reference Sample Entries
- Writing a Final Outline
- Step 6: Making the Product
- Writing the Rough Draft
- Revising the paper
- Stylistic Guidelines
- Final Paper Format
- Page numbers
- Margins
- Titling the Paper
- Works Cited
- Sample Research Paper
- Step 7: Evaluating the Work
- Sample Research Paper Evaluation Form

