UNIT 15 STRATEGIES TO PREWRITING THE RESEARCH PAPER: INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH PAPER, DISCOVERING SUBJECTS, CHOOSING AND LIMITING A SUBJECT, GATHERING INFORMATION, ANALYZING, EVALUATING SOURCES
STRATEGIES TO PREWRITING THE RESEARCH PAPER: INTRODUCTION
TO THE RESEARCH PAPER, DISCOVERING SUBJECTS, CHOOSING AND
LIMITING A SUBJECT, GATHERING INFORMATION, ANALYZING,
EVALUATING SOURCES
Task 1 Read the paragraph about the research paper and write the answer to the
question: How can you gain knowledge about writing the research paper?
Introduction to the Research Paper
Введение в исследовательскую работу
A research paper is a composition based on research drawn from books, periodicals,
and interviews.
The research paper is an important tool of gaining knowledge on any subject,
including the unique features of different countries in the world. When you read about a
subject of interest, you often learn something new. When you go further and analyze and
evaluate what you have read, you learn even more. However, if you go still further, and
write a research paper about what you have learned, you have made the information of your
own.
Task 2 Read about the trends of discovering subjects. Say what they are.
Discovering Subjects
Поиск тем исследования
When you search for ideas of writing, you can explore two trends. One is inside you –
your thoughts and experiences. The other one is outside – the classes you take, the books
you enjoy, the news stories you read. Therefore, to find an interesting subject, ask yourself
questions about these kinds of activities.
Task 3 Study the guidelines for Choosing and Limiting a Subject.
Choosing and Limiting a Subject
Выбор и сужение темы исследования
After you have explored your thoughts and experiences, use the following guidelines
to help you choose one idea as a subject.
Guidelines for Choosing a Subject
Choose a subject you would like to know more about, that would interest your
audience and can be adequately covered in a research paper of about
2, 000 words (or 7 typed pages), on which there is likely to be sufficient information in the
library.
When you are satisfied that you can find enough information, your next step is to
limit your subject and give it a clear focus. The subject of black holes in space, for
example, is broad enough to fill a whole book. Within that subject, though, are more
specific subjects such as “how Einstein’s work predicted the possibility of black holes”;
“how black holes are created”; or “how instruments are used to search for black holes.”
One way to limit your subject is to ask yourself a series of “what about” questions.
Each question helps you focus on a more specific aspect of a broad subject. The following
model shows how to use “what about” questions to narrow down the broad subject of
computers.
Example: Limiting a subject
BROAD SUBJECT computers
FIRST QUESTION What about computers?
MORE LIMITED how computers help people with disabilities
SECOND QUESTION What about computers and people with disabilities?
MORE LIMITED how computers help people with disabilities in language, vision,
and motion THIRD QUESTION What about computers’ helping with language, vision, and
motion?
SUITABLE LIMITED recent developments and successes in computers’ helping
people with disabilities in language, vision, and motion