6th Grade Language Arts

Research Report Schedule

 

 

Please note that many helpful tips on writing research reports are included in Unit 6 of your Language C book on pp. 96-119.  We will loosely follow their ideas listed on pp. 106-108.  Feel free to use that section as a reference.

 

  1. Preliminary Note-taking (March 14, 24, and 26).  These notes are taken on anything surrounding the topic you intend to write on.  Take notes on 3x5 cards with minimal information on each card.  Even if you end up with a whole deck of note cards, it will be easier to organize your information this way at the end.  REMEMBER TO WRITE A BIBLIOGRAPHY CARD ON ANY SOURCE USED, since it may be hard to find the source again if you did not keep careful notes on it.  Use the samples on pp. 97-99 of LC to help you remember details on how to do this.
  2. Preliminary Outline (March 28 and possibly 31).  This is an outline that covers the main points of your topic – even though you don’t have all your information yet.  Use p. 101 in your Language C book to help you write a preliminary outline.  Even though you do not have all the information yet, it will help you to get an overall picture of what you want to have included, and help guide you on what important information you may still need to find.  If that outline is not helpful for your topic, sometimes “sample outlines” are included at the beginning of an encyclopedia article.  Feel free to look one up (not Wikipedia, please) through the SJPublic Library online (as we were shown at the library) if you need help with this step. You may copy this and use it as your guideline if you don’t know how to write this yourself!  KEEP THIS OUTLINE, EVEN IF YOU CHANGE IT LATER!
  3. Fill-In Notes (possibly March 31, also April 2 and 4).  These are more intentional now that you can see in your outline what information you’ve already taken notes on and what you have not.  Try to find information in your sources on any items in your outline that are weak.  If, along the way, you find information on other interesting topics, feel free to keep taking notes on those things, too.
  4. Final Outline (April 7).  Now that you have a lot of notes taken and a preliminary outline, make a final outline deleting information you WANTED to find but couldn’t, and adding in new information you have found that was interesting and you want to include.  You do not have to include every bit of information you took notes on in your paper.  If some things don’t fit, just skip them.
  5. Bibliography and Cover (April 9).  Using the format of your Bibliography cards, put your sources in alphabetical order and write a formal Bibliography including all sources you have referenced or used.  You should have at least 4 sources (hopefully 5).  At least 2 of these should not be from the internet.  Also, have fun designing a cover and looking for a few illustrations for your paper (if possible).
  6. Write your “Sloppy Copy” (April 11 and 14).  Using your final outline and note cards, write an initial draft of your research paper.  Remember to double space and leave yourself room to change and revise.  This does not need to be perfect!  Include an introduction paragraph, a new paragraph for each new topic, and a conclusion paragraph.  This should be 10-12 paragraphs, or 2-4 typewritten pages.  If it is 5 or more pages typed, IT IS TOO LONG.  Cut out some things that are not interesting.  If you have hand-written it, it should be about 4-8 pages. 
  7. Begin Revisions (April 16).  Use the Writer’s Checklist on p. 291 of Language C to help you revise your sloppy copy.  Bring everything to class this week (April 15 and 17) for us to check and revise together.  Remember, every excellent paper goes through revision.  Take these steps seriously!  If you notice something that your paper still needs, it’s not too late to go check another source. 
  8. Finalize your Paper (April 18 and 21).  I have given you some extra time at the end to be sure you have revised carefully.  Try to type this paper, or even ask a parent to do it for you if you can’t type.  Write an interesting title, and make a title page (p. 110 in Language C, although including your pictures --see p. 109 – on your title page often livens it up).  Purchase a report cover to put this in, and include your :

 

Title Page, Final Outline, Report (typed, if possible!), Bibliography, and any illustrations or pictures (with captions!).  Final report DUE:  Tuesday, April 22.