3/31/2019 Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing - ReadWriteThink

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/scaffolding-methods-research-paper-
1155.html

Print This Page

LESSON PLAN

Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing

Grades 6–8

Lesson Plan Type Unit

Estimated Time Seven or eight 60-minute sessions

Lesson Author Shannon Alicia

O'Day, Ph.D.
Marietta,
Georgia

Publisher

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

STUDENT OBJECTIVES

Students will

Formulate a clear thesis that conveys a perspective on the subject of their research

Practice research skills, including evaluation of sources, paraphrasing and summarizing relevant information,
and citation of sources used

Logically group and sequence ideas in expository writing

Organize and display information on charts, maps, and graphs

SESSION 1: RESEARCH QUESTION

1. Distribute copies of the Example Research Paper Scaffold and Example Student Research Paper, and read
the model aloud with students. Briefly discuss how this research paper works to answer the question, How
does color affect mood? The example helps students clearly see how a research question leads to a
literature review, which in turn leads to analysis, original research, results, and conclusion.

2. Pass out copies of the Research Paper Scaffold. Explain to students that the procedures involved in writing a
research paper follow in order, and each section of the scaffold builds upon the previous one. Briefly
describe how each section will be completed during subsequent sessions.

3. Explain that in this session the students’ task is to formulate a research question and write it on the
scaffold. Note: The most important strategy in using this model is that students be allowed, within the
assigned topic framework, to ask their own research questions. Allowing students to choose their own
questions gives them control over their own learning, so they are motivated to “solve the case,” to
persevere even when the trail runs cold or the detective work seems unexciting.

4. Introduce the characteristics of a good research question. Explain that in a broad area such as political
science, psychology, geography, or economics, a good question needs to focus on a particular controversy or
perspective. Some examples include:
www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=1155&tab=4 1/6
3/31/2019 Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing - ReadWriteThink
Why did Martin Luther King Jr. deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

How has glass affected human culture?

What is the history of cheerleading?

Explain that students should take care not to formulate a research question so broad that it cannot be
answered, or so narrow that it can be answered in a sentence or two.

5. Note that a good question always leads to more questions. Invite students to suggest additional questions
resulting from the examples above and from the Example Research Paper Scaffold.

6. Emphasize that good research questions are open-ended. Open-ended questions can be solved in more than
one way and, depending upon interpretation, often have more than one correct answer, such as the
question, Can virtue be taught? Closed questions have only one correct answer, such as, How many
continents are there in the world? Open-ended questions are implicit and evaluative, while closed questions
are explicit. Have students identify possible problems with these research questions
Why do people’s moods change? (too broad)

Why do doctors traditionally wear white?

This question is too narrow for a five-page paper as it can be answered in just a few words.

How does color affect mood? (open-ended)

This is broader, yet not so large that it would run over the five-page requirement.

7. Instruct students to fill in the first section of the Research Paper Scaffold, the Research Question, before
Session 2. This task can be completed in a subsequent class session or assigned as homework. Allowing a few
days for students to refine and reflect upon their research question is best practice. Explain that the next
section, the Hook, should not be filled in at this time, as it will be completed using information from the
literature search.

You should approve students’ final research questions before Session 2. You may also wish to send home the
Permission Form with students, to make parents aware of their child’s research topic and the project due dates.

SESSION 2: LITERATURE REVIEW—SEARCH

Prior to this session, you may want to introduce or review Internet search techniques using the lesson Inquiry on
the Internet: Evaluating Web Pages for a Class Collection. You may also wish to consult with the school librarian
regarding subscription databases designed specifically for student research, which may be available through the
school or public library. Using these types of resources will help to ensure that students find relevant and
appropriate information. Using Internet search engines such as Google can be overwhelming to beginning
researchers.

1. Introduce this session by explaining that students will collect five articles that help to answer their research
question. Once they have printed out or photocopied the articles, they will use a highlighter to mark the
sections in the articles that specifically address the research question. This strategy helps students focus on
the research question rather than on all the other interesting—yet irrelevant—facts that they will find in the
course of their research.

2. Point out that the five different articles may offer similar answers and evidence with regard to the research
question, or they may differ. The final paper will be more interesting if it explores different perspectives.

3. Demonstrate the use of any relevant subscription databases that are available to students through the
school, as well as any Web directories or kid-friendly search engines (such as KidzSearch) that you would
like them to use.

4. Remind students that their research question can provide the keywords for a targeted Internet search. The
question should also give focus to the research—without the research question to anchor them, students

www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=1155&tab=4 2/6
3/31/2019 Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing - ReadWriteThink

may go off track.

5. Explain that information found in the articles may lead students to broaden their research question. A good
literature review should be a way of opening doors to new ideas, not simply a search for the data that
supports a preconceived notion.

6. Make students aware that their online search results may include abstracts, which are brief summaries of
research articles. In many cases the full text of the articles is available only through subscription to a
scholarly database. Provide examples of abstracts and scholarly articles so students can recognize that
abstracts do not contain all the information found in the article, and should not be cited unless the full
article has been read.

7. Emphasize that students need to find articles from at least five different reliable sources that provide
“clues” to answering their research question. Internet articles need to be printed out, and articles from
print sources need to be photocopied. Each article used on the Research Paper Scaffold needs to yield
several relevant facts, so students may need to collect more than five articles to have adequate sources.

8. Remind students to gather complete reference information for each of their sources. They may wish to
photocopy the title page of books where they find information, and print out the homepage or contact page
of websites.

9. Allow students at least a week for research. Schedule time in the school media center or the computer lab
so you can supervise and assist students as they search for relevant articles. Students can also complete
their research as homework.

SESSION 3: LITERATURE REVIEW—NOTES

Students need to bring their articles to this session. For large classes, have students highlight relevant
information (as described below) and submit the articles for assessment before beginning the session.

1. Have students find the specific information in each article that helps answer their research question, and
highlight the relevant passages. Check that students have correctly identified and marked relevant
information before allowing them to proceed to the Literature Review section on the Research Paper
Scaffold.

2. Instruct students to complete the Literature Review section of the Research Paper Scaffold, including the
last name of the author and the publication date for each article (to prepare for using APA citation style).

3. Have students list the important facts they found in each article on the lines numbered 1–5, as shown on the
Example Research Paper Scaffold. Additional facts can be listed on the back of the handout. Remind
students that if they copy directly from a text they need to put the copied material in quotation marks and
note the page number of the source. Note: Students may need more research time following this session to
find additional information relevant to their research question.

4. Explain that interesting facts that are not relevant for the literature review section can be listed in the
section labeled Hook. All good writers, whether they are writing narrative, persuasive, or expository text,
need to engage or “hook” the reader’s interest. Facts listed in the Hook section can be valuable for
introducing the research paper.

5. Use the Example Research Paper Scaffold to illustrate how to fill in the first and last lines of the Literature
Review entry, which represent topic and concluding sentences. These should be filled in only after all the
relevant facts from the source have been listed, to ensure that students are basing their research on facts
that are found in the data, rather than making the facts fit a preconceived idea.

6. Check students’ scaffolds as they complete their first literature review entry, to make sure they are on
track. Then have students complete the other four sections of the Literature Review Section in the same
manner.

Checking Literature Review entries on the same day is best practice, as it gives both you and the student time to

www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=1155&tab=4 3/6
3/31/2019 Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing - ReadWriteThink
plan and address any problems before proceeding. Note that in the finished product this literature review section
will be about six paragraphs, so students need to gather enough facts to fit this format.

SESSION 4: ANALYSIS

1. Explain that in this session students will compare the information they have gathered from various sources
to identify themes.

2. Explain the process of analysis using the Example Research Paper Scaffold. Show how making a numbered
list of possible themes, drawn from the different perspectives proposed in the literature, can be useful for
analysis. In the Example Research Paper Scaffold, there are four possible explanations given for the effects
of color on mood. Remind students that they can refer to the Example Student Research Paper for a model
of how the analysis will be used in the final research paper.

3. Have students identify common themes and possible answers to their own research question by reviewing
the topic and concluding sentences in their literature review. Students may identify only one main idea in
each source, or they may find several. Instruct students to list the ideas and summarize their similarities
and differences in the space provided for Analysis on the scaffold.

4. Check students’ Analysis section entries to make sure they have included theories that are consistent with
their literature review. Return the Research Paper Scaffolds to students with comments and corrections.
Note: In the finished research paper, the analysis section will be about one paragraph.

SESSION 5: ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Students should design some form of original research appropriate to their topics, but they do not necessarily
have to conduct the experiments or surveys they propose. Depending on the appropriateness of the original
research proposals, the time involved, and the resources available, you may prefer to omit the actual research or
use it as an extension activity.

1. During this session, students formulate one or more possible answers to the research question (based upon
their analysis) for possible testing. Invite students to consider and briefly discuss the following questions:
How can you tell whether the ideas you are reading are true?

If there are two or more solutions to a problem, which one is the best?

Researchers verify the validity of their findings by devising original research to test them, but what kind
of test works best in a given situation?

2. Explain the difference between qualitative and quantitative research. Quantitative methods involve the
collection of numeric data, while qualitative methods focus primarily on the collection of observable data.
Quantitative studies have large numbers of participants and produce a large collection of data (such as
results from 100 people taking a 10-question survey). Qualitative methods involve few participants and rely
upon the researcher to serve as a “reporter” who records direct observations of a specific population.
Qualitative methods involve more detailed interviews and artifact collection.

3. Point out that each student’s research question and analysis will determine which method is more
appropriate. Show how the research question in the Example Research Paper Scaffold goes beyond what is
reported in a literature review and adds new information to what is already known.

4. Outline criteria for acceptable research studies, and explain that you will need to approve each student’s
plan before the research is done. The following criteria should be included:
The test needs to be “doable” within the time frame allotted (usually one to two weeks).

The test must be safe, both physically and mentally, for those involved. This means no unsupervised,
dangerous experiments.

Parental approval should be obtained (see Permission Form).

www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=1155&tab=4 4/6
3/31/2019 Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing - ReadWriteThink
The number of subjects should be kept to multiples of 10, so it is easier to report the data statistically.

If the research involves a survey

An equal number of male and female participants should be included if possible.

A wide range of ages should be included if possible.

The survey should have no more than 10 questions.

The survey form should include an introduction that states why the survey is being conducted and what the
researcher plans to do with the data.

5. Inform students of the schedule for submitting their research plans for approval and completing their
original research. Students need to conduct their tests and collect all data prior to Session 6. Normally it
takes one day to complete research plans and one to two weeks to conduct the test.

SESSION 6: RESULTS (OPTIONAL)

1. If students have conducted original research, instruct them to report the results from their experiments or
surveys. Quantitative results can be reported on a chart, graph, or table. Qualitative studies may include
data in the form of pictures, artifacts, notes, and interviews. Study results can be displayed in any kind of
visual medium, such as a poster, PowerPoint presentation, or brochure.

2. Check the Results section of the scaffold and any visuals provided for consistency, accuracy, and
effectiveness.

SESSION 7: CONCLUSION

1. Explain that the Conclusion to the research paper is the student’s answer to the research question. This
section may be one to two paragraphs. Remind students that it should include supporting facts from both
the literature review and the test results (if applicable).

2. Encourage students to use the Conclusion section to point out discrepancies and similarities in their
findings, and to propose further studies. Discuss the Conclusion section of the Example Research Paper
Scaffold from the standpoint of these guidelines.

3. Check the Conclusion section after students have completed it, to see that it contains a logical summary
and is consistent with the study results.

SESSION 8: REFERENCES AND WRITING FINAL DRAFT

1. Show students how to create a reference list of cited material, using a model such as American
Psychological Association (APA) style, on the Reference section of the scaffold.

2. Distribute copies of the Internet Citation Checklist and have students refer to the handout as they list their
reference information in the Reference section of the scaffold. Check students’ entries as they are working
to make sure they understand the format correctly.

3. Have students access the citation site you have bookmarked on their computers. Demonstrate how to use
the template or follow the guidelines provided, and have students create and print out a reference list to
attach to their final research paper.

4. Explain to students that they will now use the completed scaffold to write the final research paper using the
following genre-specific strategies for expository writing:
Use active, present tense verbs when possible.

Avoid the use of personal pronouns such as I and my (unless the research method was qualitative).

Cite all sources.

www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=1155&tab=4 5/6
3/31/2019 Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing - ReadWriteThink

5. Distribute copies of the Research Paper Scoring Rubric and go over the criteria so that students understand
how their final written work will be evaluated.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT/REFLECTIONS

Observe students’ participation in the initial stages of the Research Paper Scaffold and promptly address any
errors or misconceptions about the research process.

Observe students and provide feedback as they complete each section of the Research Paper Scaffold.

Provide a safe environment where students will want to take risks in exploring ideas. During collaborative
work, offer feedback and guidance to those who need encouragement or require assistance in learning
cooperation and tolerance.

Involve students in using the Research Paper Scoring Rubric for final evaluation of the research paper. Go over
this rubric during Session 8, before they write their final drafts.

© 2019 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.

Legal | International Reading Association | National Council of Teachers of English

www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=1155&tab=4 6/6