Thunder Mountain Library
  • Home
  • Books!
    • Digital audiobooks and eBooks
    • Battle of the Books
  • Research
    • Vaccine Research -Northcutt
    • Analytical Research Paper-AP Lit./Marks
    • Sheakley-Early Projects
    • Databases
  • Media Literacy
  • Homework Help!
  • Library Policies
  • Contact

Analytical Research Paper Guide (Marks - AP Eng. Lit.)
Analytical research provides substantive analysis of a topic & p
resents an argument ​supported by EVIDENCE


Explore Topics
  • TMHS Library book list ​
  • SLED Databases - Use the  Points of View  database to search for  topics.
 ​Narrow  and refine your topic
Read a general overview of your topic as you begin
  • Read a topic overview in Points of View or Explora from SLED Databases
  • Read an encyclopedia article.  (World Book Online)
After reading overviews, write a few questions about your topic. Write  "open-ended" questions.
  • Example of a closed question:  Do plastic water bottles pollute the ocean environment?
  • Example of an open- ended question:  How might countries reduce or eliminate oceanic micro-plastic pollution?
Question writing resources.  
  • Question Brainstormer Chart
  • Question Creation Chart
  • Developing a research question (George Mason Univ.)
  • ​Fill-in-the-Blank Question Formulation Exercise ​
Thoroughly research the topic​​
  1. Use an organized system to collect and organize the information you find. 
    1. Digital Note-taking Template
    2. Digital Note-taking Guide 
  2. ​Find good keywords to search for information.
    1. ​Find keywords in an encyclopedia topic overview or other articles about your subject.
    2. SLED Databases, Google often autofill possible related topics/keywords.
    3. Use a thesaurus like Visuwords. ​
  3. Use a variety of sources, both:
    1. ​Primary (Immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic.)   and
    2. Secondary (One step removed from primary sources, though they often quote or otherwise use primary sources. Secondary resources cover the same topic, but often add a layer of interpretation and analysis.
  4. Evaluate your internet resources - look especially for authority and biases!
  5. ​Library Catalog
  6. Databases - Try MasterFILE Complete or Academic Search Premier
  7. Internet :  use these Search Shortcuts
​
Research,  8th Edition MLA Format,   7th edition APA Format
  • Must use a minimum of five sources:  journal, magazine or newspaper articles, books, interviews, audio recordings,  documentaries, documents, interviews, etc.
  • Cite information and synthesize  
  • Thesis Statement generator
    • ​An analytical thesis states the topic of your paper, what specifically you analyzed, and the conclusion(s) you reached as a result of that analysis
      • Go beyond summarizing to make a judgement
      • Relate the source materials to each other​
  • Bowdoin College Reading, Writing and Researching:   resource for the process of writing a long research paper ​​
  • Online Writing Lab (OWL) from Perdue: 
    1. MLA format
    2. APA format
  1. Introduce quotes correctly
  2. Videos:  MLA formatting of papers, bibliography, and in-text (parenthetical) citations
  3. MLA Core Elements 2021 - Slideshow
  4. ​APA:  Paper Format and In-text Citations
  5. APA References Guide (citations)
  6. Common Reference Examples Guide, APA Style 7th Edition
  • Home
  • Books!
    • Digital audiobooks and eBooks
    • Battle of the Books
  • Research
    • Vaccine Research -Northcutt
    • Analytical Research Paper-AP Lit./Marks
    • Sheakley-Early Projects
    • Databases
  • Media Literacy
  • Homework Help!
  • Library Policies
  • Contact