Developing Research Skills

Read this introductory paragraph of a research paper. Which sentence contains the author’s thesis statement?

(1)When I was born, it was just my mother and me. (2)My mother worked very hard and was able to climb the corporate ladder to get where she is today. (3)Because of this, she spent a lot of time traveling to places all over the world. (4)Sometimes she took me with her, but when she couldn’t I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and my Aunt Peggy. (5)It may sound like the opposite of the ideal childhood, but my travels with my mother taught me about other cultures and opened my eyes to those around me.

• Sentence 1

• Sentence 2

• Sentence 3

• Sentence 4

• Sentence 5

Select the three citations that were written correctly.

• According to the American Tooth Brigade, by eating greater amounts of sugar “your teeth are at risk to

  significant decay, which can affect you as an adult" (ATB 15).

• Childhood obesity is a "complicated and sociopolitical issue," and parents, teachers, community leaders, and

  governmental leaders can work together to encourage youth to

  make healthier decisions.

• As childhood obesity rates continue to be rise, scientists believe

  that one important factor in making a difference will be

  “educating families, especially in poverty-stricken areas” (James 5).

• According to Avery, children who “often eat salty foods when they’re young develop a taste for it as adults,

  leading to problems with sodium and cholesterol." (12)

• Studies have found that obese children don’t typically exercise

  outside of school (Kingston 47).

What word is printed at the end of a source to let the reader know that it was a printed source?

• Print

• Web

• PRINTER #1

• Book

What word is located within a cited source to let the reader know that the source can be found on the internet?

• Print

• Web

• Internet

• Interwebs

Which sentence correctly cites the following source?

Peterson, Scott. Overcoming Your Public Speaking Fears. Waco: Bungalow University, 2011. Print.

• Scott believes that students struggle with stage fright due to self-esteem issues.

• “Running from opportunities to speak in public will force you to miss opportunities to improve yourself and develop important life skills” (Peterson, 2011, 24).

• You can practice “relaxation techniques, such as breathing or meditating, to overcome fears and focus on the speech” (Peterson 14).

• Learning to speak in public can be a powerful tool in the business world, but there are plenty of other facets of your life that can benefit from developing this skill.

Which two sources are secondary sources?

• historical reference book

• speech transcript

• journal article

• personal journal entry

What two factors are important when choosing a research question?

• choosing something that you’re interested in researching

• using one aspect of the prompt for your focus

• being able to answer the question in one or two words

• having an overabundance of information to draw from

• alphabetical order

Which three of these are primary sources?

• a personal journal entry

• an interview

• a magazine article

• an autobiography

Which element should be part of the thesis statement for a research paper?

• your observations about the topic

• statistics to support your details

• questions you have about your topic

• anecdotes that relate to the subject

Read the following prompt:

Technology has become an important part of people’s lives. Children are growing up surrounded by advertising, digital media, and more. They have greater access to tablets, computers, movies, and other media. Is technology becoming a threat to childhood? Should regulations be in place to protect children?

What is the best research question for the prompt?

• What forms of media do children use the most often?

• Why is technology becoming such an important part of people’s lives?

• What effect does technology have on children’s development?

• How can technology influence people?