research and preparation unit 1

ENGL002: English Composition II

Unit 1: research and the writing process.

Researching and reporting the results of research are fundamental to academic work in almost every discipline and many professional contexts. While research in itself may seem like an enormous task when you are just starting a project, it is important to understand that effective research is a straightforward, step-by-step process. By practicing effective research techniques and becoming adept with the tools that are available to researchers, you will begin to see research as an invaluable part of an organized system of study that includes discovery, invention, critical thinking, and clear communication.

While writing is sometimes viewed as a solitary undertaking, research requires active involvement in a larger community of scholars. You will have a chance to define yourself as a member of many communities, and you will begin to see your research as an important part of the conversations that take part among members of your communities. As you begin to see yourself as an active contributor in a community, you will start to understand how others' work can both enrich your own perceptions and improve your understanding of the topic about which you are writing.

To help you get started as a contributing member of a community of scholars, we will first explore how your research can support the writing process you began developing in ENGL001. You will recall that the PWR Method is a process based on pre-writing, writing, editing, and proofreading, so it is probably no surprise to learn that effective research follows a similar process and is based on similar methods of preparation and analysis.

By mastering the essentials of effective research, you can train yourself to think more carefully about your work at every stage of the writing process. For example, you probably know how much a good quote can emphasize an important point. Still, you may not be conscious of how helpful general background research can be in the very earliest phases of your writing, when you are just beginning to refine your topic and clarify your thesis and argument.

As we continue to build your experience as a member of a research community, we will explore how effective research can help you appeal to specific audiences and more clearly define the purpose of your writing.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 16 hours.

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

• define the basic components of an academic research paper;
• identify and describe the various types of research papers;
• relate research techniques to academic work in various disciplines;
• practice identifying and focusing a research topic and develop research questions;
• develop a research proposal; and
• write a draft outline.

1.1: What Is a Research Paper?

1.1.1: academic research writing.

Read this article, which provides a quick overview of the form, components, and purpose of a research paper.

1.1.2: Why Write a Research Paper?

Read this section and complete the exercises, which will help you identify the reasons for writing a research paper and will outline the steps you must take in order to complete a research project.

1.1.3: How to Manage a Research Project

1.2: preparing for your research, 1.2.1: the research process: an overview.

Read this article, which introduces you to the research process and includes how to identify and develop your topic, find and evaluate background information (including sources, periodical articles, and Internet resources), and appropriately cite your sources.

Several of the resources linked to through these pages are available only to students and staff at Cornell University. However, you should be able to use the general catalog information at any library. If you do not have online access to a college or university library, explore your local library's website for information about online access. A librarian at your local library may also be able to help you gain online access or answer questions about how to use their resources.

1.2.2: What Is Your Research Community?

Complete this activity. After you complete this activity, you will begin to see knowledge-making as a social process. You should also begin to notice the differences that exist in ways that different groups of people use language, reading, and writing.

Read this chapter, which provides an overview of research writing and will help you understand why strong, evidence-based writing is essential for success in academic writing. Zemliansky explains how different communities work together to develop and revise ideas through research. By identifying your research community, you can help identify important research in your field and write more convincingly to members of that community. Take notes carefully.

1.2.3: Identifying and Understanding Your Audience

Once you have identified your discourse community, you must analyze the specific audience that will read your research paper. Although members of your audience may be part of a larger discourse community, they may or may not be familiar with previous research in the field you are exploring.

Read this articlefor a review of identifying, analyzing, and appealing to your writing audience.

Read this essay on audience awareness for a good refresher on the importance of identifying, reaching out to, and addressing your audience in your writing.

1.2.4: Understanding Your Audience and Purpose

This chapter discusses rhetorical writing, which is writing that makes an argument as persuasively as possible by understanding and analyzing the readers or audience and then writing in a way that the audience finds convincing.

1.2.5: Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content

Read this section and complete the exercises, which will get you thinking about how audience and purpose affects your writing. This section describes how purpose and audience should influence the tone and content of your writing.

1.3: Develop a Research Proposal

1.3.1: discovering and choosing a topic.

Now, identify a preliminary topic for your research paper by stating your topic idea as a question and then identifying the main concepts or key words. You will have time to revise and refine your topic later.

Although you may work through this course completely independently, you may find it helpful to connect with other Saylor students about this activity through the discussion forums. You may access the discussion forums here .

1.3.2: Develop a Working Thesis and a Research Proposal

Read this section and complete the exercises. This section will provide you with a slightly different approach to developing a research topic and will describe how to develop research questions and a proposal that will help you guide your research.

After reading this text, go back to your research topic, refine your topic as necessary, develop your research questions, and develop a short research proposal.

Use your refined research topic and synthesize the research questions you developed in this subunit in order to write a working thesis. Remember that your thesis is the argument you will work to prove with your research in your paper. Keep in mind that you will have time to revise and revisit your thesis later in the course.

1.3.3: Mapping Your Topic

Concept mapping, also known as webbing, is a method for generating ideas related to your topic that you want to explore in your research and writing process.

Watch this video and then map out concepts for the research topic you identified in subunit 1.3.1. Use this Mapping a Concept  worksheet for some ideas on getting started.

1.4: Outlining

Now that you have developed your topic, research question, and thesis, it is time to develop a framework for your entire paper. At this point, you have not started your research in earnest, but your outline will help guide your research and ensure that you find the resources that will help you prove your thesis.

Read this section and complete the exercises, using your own research topic. By completing these exercises, you will refine your thesis, and you should wind up with a complete outline. You will have plenty of opportunities later to revise and fill in your outline, so don't worry too much about polishing your outline.

Unit 1 Assessment

Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

• This assessment does not count towards your grade . It is just for practice!
• You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
• You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.

Research Preparation

This is a 1-unit, spring quarter course for undergraduate students who will be embarking on their first research experience over the summer with a faculty member and/or graduate student. The topics the students will be researching are diverse, so the course focuses on the process of research rather than the content. One of the main emphases is on becoming part of the research community.

Course Context :

Course goals:.

• To prepare students for a successful summer research experience
• To build an active community of researchers in the school
• Communicate effectively (hopefully) with their research adviser
• Describe their research to others, including overall scientific goals and the details of their project
• Describe their own goals for and conceptions about the research process
• Participate in the research community on multiple levels (research group, department, discipline)

Course Features :

Teaching the process of science, assessment :, teaching materials :, references and notes :.

« Introduction to Physical Geology       Research Preparation »

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• Knowledge Base
• Starting the research process
• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

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Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
• Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

• The proposed title of your project
• Your supervisor’s name
• Your institution and department

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

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As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

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McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved April 8, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/

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EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA G5:M2:U1:L12

End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Web Research

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Universal design for learning, closing & assessments, you are here:.

• ELA Grade 5
• ELA G5:M2:U1

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

• RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
• RI.5.7: Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
• RI.5.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
• W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
• W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
• I can research using several sources to answer the question: What can I do to help the rainforest? ( RI.5.1 , RI.5.7 , RI.5.10 , W.5.7 , W.5.8 )
• I can summarize information from a text. ( RI.5.1 , RI.5.10 , W.5.8 )
• End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Web Research ( RI.5.1 , RI.5.7 , RI.5.10 , W.5.7 , W.5.8 )
• Tracking Progress: Research ( W.5.7 , W.5.8 )
• End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part 1: Web Research (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
• Technology required for students to access the links provided on the end of unit assessment (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
• Provide feedback on students' Mid-Unit 1 Assessments in preparation for returning them in Opening A.
• Gather Tracking Progress folders.
• Post: Learning targets, Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart, Criteria for an Effective Summary anchor chart, and Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

• Work Time A: Students use web research to answer the question. There is a page of links (End of Unit 1 Assessment: Helping the Rainforest Links) provided for them to quickly locate the answers.
• Work Time A: Consider inviting students to use a text-to-speech tool such as SpeakIt!  so they can hear the text read aloud multiple times.
• Work Time A: Students could complete their What Can I Do to Help the Rainforest? note-catcher online, on a Google Doc, for example.
• Consider that YouTube, social media video sites, and other website links may incorporate inappropriate content via comment banks and ads. Although some lessons include these links as the most efficient means to view content in preparation for the lesson, preview links and/or use a filter service, such as www.safeshare.tv , for viewing these links in the classroom.
• Work Time A: Students could complete their note-catchers in a word-processing document, such as a Google Doc, using speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or using an app or software like Dictation.io .

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.B.6, and 5.I.B.7, and 5.I.C.10

Important points in the lesson itself

• The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by inviting them to complete assessment tasks similar to the classroom tasks completed in Lessons 9-11. Students can use the same note-catcher templates they completed with their partners during the previous lesson.
• ELLs may find the End of Unit 1 Assessment challenging, as it is a big leap from the heavily scaffolded classroom interaction for some. Not only will students be asked to independently apply cognitive skills developed in Lessons 9-11, but also to independently apply new linguistic knowledge introduced in those lessons.
• Make sure that ELLs understand the assessment directions. Answer their questions, refraining from supplying answers to the assessment questions themselves. See additional support in the lesson.
• After the assessment, ask students to discuss what was easiest and what was most difficult on the assessment, and why. To facilitate this discussion, prepare a concise rubric of the elements of the assessment and allow students to rank the difficulty level of these elements on a Likert scale. Example: The multiple choice questions were easy to answer. 1 2 3 4 5
• In future lessons and for homework, focus on the language skills that will help students address these assessment challenges.
• Multiple Means of Representation: To get the most informative data from the assessment, ensure that all students have access to the assessment directions and feel comfortable with the expectations. Vary the ways in which you convey your expectations. (Example: Engage in a clarifying discussion about the directions or create a map of the assessment to preview its tasks.)
• Multiple Means of Action and Expression: The end of unit assessment requires students to demonstrate their learning in the same way. However, there is room for differentiation when students complete the Tracking Progress recording form. If students have been sketching key vocabulary throughout the unit, allow them to use their sketches as they fill out the form.
• Multiple Means of Engagement: Assessments can be overwhelming to some students. Supply students with tools to support self-monitoring during the assessment (e.g., checklists or visual timers for each portion of the assessment) and to minimize distractions during the assessment (e.g., sound-canceling headphones or workspace dividers).

Key:  Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

• Do not preview vocabulary for this assessment lesson.
• Mid-Unit 1 Assessments (returned with feedback during Opening A; one per student)
• End of Unit 1 Assessment, Part I: Web Research (one per student; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
• Criteria for an Effective Summary anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
• Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
• Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
• Tracking Progress: Research (one per student)
• Sticky notes (four per student)

Materials from Previous Lessons

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Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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