Introduction to Research Paper Format Paraphrasing
When writing a research paper, it is important to properly format your paper and properly integrate and paraphrase sources in order to avoid plagiarism. This guide will discuss the proper research paper format and layout as well as provide guidelines and best practices for effectively paraphrasing sources in your research paper.
Research Paper Format
The standard research paper format consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Below is a more detailed guide to the standard research paper format including key formatting elements like font, spacing, margins, and headings:
Font: Use a standard, easily readable font like Times New Roman or Arial in 12 point size.
Double Spacing: Always double space your entire research paper, including the works cited page and block quotes. This improves readability.
Margins: Leave margins of 1 inch on all sides of the 8.5 x 11 inch standard size paper.
Title Page: Include a title page with the title of your paper, your name, your instructor, the course, and the date centered on separate lines.
Introduction: The introduction should be between 5-10% of the overall body of the paper. Use this section to introduce your topic, provide relevant context and background, and clearly state your thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs: The body should make up the bulk (between 60-80%) of your paper. Each paragraph should relate back to your thesis statement and include a topic sentence, context and discussion, analysis, and conclusion.
Heading Levels: For longer papers, section headings should be used to help guide the reader through the paper. Section headings at two levels (1 headed center aligned, 2 headed left aligned) should be used.
Conclusion: Wrap up your key discussion points and their implications in the conclusion, which should be between 5-10% of the body text. Restate your thesis and its importance to the topic.
Works Cited: List complete citations for all your sources on a new page in MLA or APA format depending on your discipline.
Paragraph Length: Each paragraph in the paper should be approximately 7-10 sentences long on average. Break into new paragraphs when shifting topics.
Proper Paraphrasing Techniques
Properly paraphrasing is vital for avoiding plagiarism in research papers. Direct quotes should make up no more than 10-15% of the paper, with the bulk being paraphrased discussions of sources. Here are some best practices for paraphrasing sources effectively:
Put the paraphrased content in your own words and sentence structure rather than just rearranging words from the original.
Maintain the overall meaning and key ideas expressed in the original source while changing around 50% of the specific words used.
Introduce paraphrased content using your own language to introduce the source.
Reference page numbers or sections of long sources to give full attribution if discussing a specific passage.
Use quotation marks and citations for directly quoted content fewer than 5 words to avoid improperly splicing sources.
Rearrange the order of ideas/points while keeping the overall meaning and purpose.
Check back that you have not accidentally copied verbatim phrases that trigger plagiarism detectors.
Paraphrase sections at a time rather than word by work to keep overall structure and flow different from the original.
Cite paraphrased content using in-text citations or footnotesdepending on your citation style.
Examples of Effective Paraphrasing
Below are examples that demonstrate effective paraphrasing by introducing the source in the student’s own words, altering the sentence structure and some vocabulary while keeping the overall meaning intact from the original source:
Original source: “The societal effects of fossil fuel dependence are wide-ranging and severe. Climate change poses catastrophic risks to human health, food and water security. Transitioning to renewable energy is necessary to avoid irreversible damage to the planet.”
Student paraphrase: According to Smith (2018), overreliance on fossil fuels for energy has broad adverse societal consequences. Climate change sparked by greenhouse gas emissions endangers human wellbeing through threats to health, food, and freshwater availability. Thus, replacing fossil fuels with renewable resources like solar and wind power must happen promptly to circumvent irredeemable ecological ruin.
Original source: “The average American produces over 4.4 pounds of garbage daily. Most of this trash ends up in landfills which harm the environment. Communities must implement robust recycling and composting programs to divert waste from landfills.”
Student paraphrase: Rodriguez (2020) states that the average US citizen generates approximately 4.4 pounds of waste per day, most of which is dumped in landfills. Landfills have significant drawbacks like releasing greenhouse gases and toxins into the air and water. To lessen these impacts, municipalities need to establish strong recycling and composting systems that prevent garbage from entering landfills in the first place.
Conclusion
Following the standard research paper format of introduction, body, and conclusion and properly paraphrasing sources is essential for producing high quality academic work. Effectively paraphrasing through changing wording, sentence structure and introducing sources in your own words rather than verbatim copying is necessary to avoid plagiarism. With practice and attention to proper citation of all sources, students can demonstrate their understanding of topics while properly attributing ideas. Adhering to these guidelines will result in well-structured, original papers that integrate sources credibly.
Andrew Stroud