How to write a research paper

Recently I assigned my kids a very simple research paper.  One that still allowed them plenty of imagination.  But, the concept behind this early elementary research paper is still sound.  Then I set about a homeschool how to: write a research paper. Update from Future Ticia 2018, my kids are now in junior high, it’s 4 years later and we’re still homeschooling, and we still work on how to write a research paper, I just expect more from them.

Assignment: Write an Egyptian myth in your own words.

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When creating an early elementary research paper, you need to set up clear expectations

I started out telling them what I expected in the final product with a research paper rubric (in the subscriber library, join my newsletter).  Since this was for co-op I also created a very simple one for the older kids that had more information.  I did not want to set a number of sentences because I wanted them to write the amount needed for their story, not someone else’s story.

Work in short periods of time on your research paper, short attention spans

We worked for 30 minutes or less each time we worked on it over a period of several days.  Don’t expect your 8-year-old to sit down for hours working on the project.

Future Ticia, this is still true for my kids at 13 and 11, and me. We’ve formalized it into 20 minutes of working and a 5-minute break. Timers are very important.

Underline important information for your research paper

Early elementary kids need lots of help seeing the information broken down.  If you are able to underline the information or highlight it.  If you can’t do that pick up some Highlighter Tape {affiliate link}, it’s great because it comes off very easily.

Future Ticia 2018 saying: For older kids who are citing resources: write down where your resources came from

When you head to the library or look on the internet you need to write down and cite where you got your information. I was taught to write each piece of information on an index card and at the top write down where that came from. You can then organize those index cards into paragraphs.

My kids hate this method and just write down information on a piece of paper.

I personally learned the MLA style of citing sources, so I’ll probably teach my kids that. I also remember carrying that book around in high school because I had so many papers to write. This cool cheat sheet would have come in handy. This MLA quick guide is also a great way to get started on it.

AHHHHHH! Y’all the more I update this, the more I realize it needs to have more information.  There is so much to add in.

Start to organize your information and write your research paper.

This is going to work regardless if your student is in elementary school or high school. The idea is the same, it’s the scale that is different.

Evaluate the information you have, for my children they were extrapolating from a known Egyptian myth to create a new one in the same style. They had information on the Egyptian gods and goddesses, information on different stories that had been told, and their ideas for their own story.

Let’s pretend however you’re using the traditional 5 paragraph essay. For each paragraph you’ll need 3-4 facts. This is why writing your information on index cards is so important, you can sort the index cards into the different paragraphs you’ll be using, and you can get rid of any facts you don’t want for your paper.

From this point, our process was fairly simple.  Write a rough draft, not worrying about spelling or anything.

Then we edited and added details, spelling, and the like (our editing post is coming tomorrow).  Then made a final “pretty copy.”  Which the boys called a scary copy, because they’re young boys who don’t want to be pretty.

Practice your presentation for your research paper

Presentation skills (wow the kids are SO little) are important later in life, your kids will have presentations in almost every field they’re in.

The presentation skills we worked on:

1. Look the audience in the eye.
2. Speak loudly enough to be heard
3. Stand more or less still, it’s hard to follow someone bobbing around

Let’s try some more writing ideas beyond how to write a research paper

• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie writing lesson
• How to make your own portable writing center
• Cover Story writing curriculum
• Write a Declaration of Independence
• How to describe characters

For more writing ideas, check out my writing ideas pinterest board.

This is all part of the Homeschool How-To series.

I’ve updated this from when I first posted it in January of 2014