REF - Module Overview
Introduction
The research process helps in the development of well-supported essays or articles. Without the research process, final products would not necessarily meet all of the requirements for a well-supported essay. Without enough support, readers will not believe the claims that the writer makes regarding a certain topic. Therefore, finding reliable resources and following the research process will more than likely yield a well-organized essay with proper documentation that readers can trust.
Essential Questions
- Why does research have a process?
- Why is brainstorming so important?
- What is the purpose of peer editing?
- What are the best ways to proofread my own essay?
- What is MLA format?
- How do I correctly format my Works Cited?
Key Terms
Essay
: A piece of writing on a particular subject.
Thesis Statement: One sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay.
Ideas: The opinions or thoughts of the writer.
Organization: Arranging an essay in a way that keeps similar ideas in groups known as paragraphs.
Paragraph: A group of sentences that explains the ideas of the writer.
Topic Sentence: The sentence that begins each paragraph and reveals what the paragraph will be about.
Conclusion Sentence: The sentence that appears at the end of each paragraph and wraps up the information from the paragraph.
Brainstorming: The way for writers to think of the ideas to include in an essay.
Support: Ideas from other people that writers use as evidence to back up and prove their own ideas.
In-Text Citation: The author's last name and the page number of the source that follows the proof in an essay and leads to the Works Cited entry to reveal the publication information about the source.
MLA Format: MLA stands for Modern Language Association. MLA format is the way that a writer sets up an essay 12-point font, Times New Roman, Double-Spaced, 1-inch margins, Header, and Heading
Sources: The various books, essays, and other places a writer finds the support for an essay.
Primary Source: The main work of literature a writer focuses on and uses for an essay.
Secondary Source: Various texts a writer uses to find support for an essay.
Works Cited Entry: The publishing information of a certain source that is set up in a certain format to appear in the Works Cited.
Works Cited: An alphabetized list of all sources used in the essay written in MLA format.
Bibliography: An alphabetized list of all sources read that relate to a certain topic of an essay and written in MLA format.
Expository: An essay written for the purpose of informing, explaining, or describing the author's subject matter.
Descriptive: An essay that asks a student to describe something in particular.
Narrative: An essay where the writer tells a story.
Persuasive: An essay that requires a writer to establish a position on a topic and research in order to persuade readers also known as an argumentative essay.
Sources: The various books, essays, and other places a writer finds the support for an essay.
Primary Source: The main work of literature a writer focuses on and uses for an essay.
Secondary Source: Various texts a writer uses to find support for an essay.
Cohesion: Well-structured, logical order in writing revealing that all paragraphs and sentences connect smoothly.
Transition: The connections that links two sentences or paragraphs together and contributes to cohesion.
Closure: Indicates a sense of conclusion, or end, for the reader.
Structure: How each sentences and paragraph relates to create organization.
Syntax: The arrangement of words to create well-formed sentences
Diction: The choice and use of words.
Style: How an author chooses to write and address the audience
Voice: The personality of a piece of writing
Conventions: Proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, and usage
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