Why shall the researcher include sub-headings while conducting and forming a research paper? As Professor Mohamed Ahmed declared earlier this week whenever the class discussed Paper 2, it is very professional and formal to include headings when conducting a research study. Certain headings which may be included in one’s paper include introduction, methodology, discussion, limitations of the study, implications for further research, and conclusion. This qualified form of research is critical because it provides the paper with clarity. As a researcher, you are expected to clearly and explicitly state headings as well as elements in your paper. Remember, what you think is clear may be vague to your readers. You do not want your readers to guess which section is which because guessing wrong may lead them to misunderstand the argument you are trying to claim. The main accomplishment through any research is to connect with your reader, providing them with a clear understanding of what is being addressed.
For example, discussed in the rubric for Paper 2, the introduction was required to include, in addition with the researcher’s thesis statement, the research problem, significance, and research questions, which were expected to be clearly and explicitly stated. Throughout our high school years, we were familiar with generating research papers without headings. As a class, including headings in our papers threw most of us off, while confusing the way we, as researchers, generated our papers. Our writing techniques had to be adjusted in order to effectively meet the requirements, and it made most of us feel as though the paper was not a “real” research paper. Headings provide clarity, allowing the reader to clearly understand issues, as well as important points in which the researcher is trying to address.
-Jeffrey Fyock
I think Jeffrey’s post at best describes how we have transitioned from High School writers to top level College writers or researchers. In High School we as students were limited on what we could write about in any subject. For example in my British Literature class we were only allowed to write about the themes of a story. That’s not true in Professor Ahmed’s class, for paper number one we were allowed to write about any topic that interest us with absolutely no limitations. Though as mentioned earlier in Jeffrey’s post we had to clarify each paragraph to provide our audience with what direction the paper was going.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jeff and Professor Mohamed Ahmed that certain headings such as: introduction, methodology, discussion etc. provide a paper with clarity. In a properly put together paper those headlines should be addressed, and are easily recognized when placed as headings before supporting paragraphs. These headings keep your work organized as well as reliable, giving you all of the tools to create a successful paper. The headings serve as guidelines to remind you when writing your paper to be detailed when supporting your claim. I agree with Jeff that when you write a paper your audience may not see your points as clear as you feel you state them, which would defeat the point of your paper. To provide your audience with understanding you need to address all of the headings we have discussed.
ReplyDeleteIn comparison to what was taught to us in high school, I believe the usage of subheadings in a research is essential. Upon reading the information, the headings help to guide the reader onto what is going on that particular section. Also, I believe the sub headings help a writer to organize their ideas more easily rather than having to squeeze of their information into unorganized paragraphs. In addition, once we all graduate and enter the work force, we will all eventually have to write out a research report. Since companies use this type of format we are discussing in class, we already have an advantage on what to expect once those challenges arise.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jeff that using headings in our research papers creates clarity and organization. In high school when we were to write research papers we did not have to write headings through our papers, although I wish we were told to because it would have created a better understanding of what elements are needed in a well written paper. Not only do the headings keep our papers organized, they allow us to have a checklist of what elements we need to include.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a reader headings make it easier to follow along the paper. The more organized the writer is, the easier it will be for the audience to understand what they are trying to say.
Honestly, I never wrote a single paper in English class during high school that included headings.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree though that from a researching standpoint it does appear professional to outline what exactly what is being discussed.
It gives a sense of organization and well thought out ideas. A small step in being a convincing researcher.
I also agree that using headings in a paper makes things clearer. When writing I sometimes find it difficult to organize my thoughts clearly, particularly with research assignments and especially research papers. For that reason I really like using headings for papers because it adds a certain degree of clarity for me as a writer.
ReplyDeleteOn the other end of the spectrum, using headings within a paper adds clarity for the reader. Sometimes it is difficult for me as a reader to follow along with a paper because the writer tends to jump around between points. But in a piece with headings, I find it easier to follow along with what the writer is trying to convey.
Jeff did a great job for this entry. In paper one, we had to include subheadings for our introduction paragraph. The subheadings were research problem, significance of the study, audience and research questions. I completely agree with Jeff that subheadings can help the clarity of your paper. The subheadings that we included in paper one helped the readers better understand the researchers topic. For example, my topic was Cell Phones and the Social Impact on college students. For my research problem I said, “Cell phones are affecting college students socially. As stated in the introduction, they are affecting student’s personal and social relationships, their communication skills, face to face interaction with each other and so on. Cell phones have become something for college students to hide behind and not put themselves out there. Cell phones allow college students to interact with individuals through a screen, not face to face.” You can see as a reader that I simply added to what I already had in my paper, but within a subheading it made a big difference in my paper.
ReplyDelete-KRISTI QUINN-
I didn’t realize it either how headings could add to a research paper. It definitely adds clarity for your readers as well as if they just want to see your discussion on the topic, they can find it much easier. They don’t have to read your entire paper to find what they were looking for. I think the headings helped me as a researcher writing because I was able to see what I needed for my papers. It was broke down in a way that helped me put all my thoughts and research into the appropriate area. It also helped me see where I needed to add and where I could simplify my papers. The headings have added value to my research papers and has made them look and sound more professional.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the few classes I have ever written papers for that required headings for the different sections of the paper. Initially I thought that if the paper was written well enough, the reader would be able to distinguish the different components of the research and would not really need the aid of headings. However, after writing several papers in this class and writing each section individually, trying to make it relevant to the heading, I find that the papers have more organization and are more focused. I always begin with an outline before writing a paper, but actually having that structure in the paper makes the writer adhere to it more.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that having headings such as Introduction, Methodology, Discussion, Limitations, and so on are very helpful with writing a paper. Each heading had a specific description and once you write according to the descriptions, your paper will clearly explain your reasons for your claim. I agree that they serve as guidelines to keep your paper neatly formatted. In high school, most of our “essays” consisted of an intro, a body, and a conclusion. Now, since we have been using the headlines, it gives our readers better clarity of our claim and our topic.
ReplyDeleteI agree that having heading throughout our research papers is very beneficial to the layout and understanding of our paper. By having different sections we can better focus on one thing at once instead of having many points and thoughts swirling throughout one part of a paper such as one large body portion. The heading we write allows the writers to bring evidence into each heading making our claims that much stronger.
ReplyDeleteJessica Young said:
ReplyDeleteWell said Jeffrey. You captured pretty much all of the importance in the use of research headings. I especially like how you mentioned that we didn’t use headings in papers during our high school classes. It may be a weird transition from not using them to utilizing them in your papers, but I do agree that they do organize your research. In the first and second research papers, I found that using headings helped to clarify all of my research in certain sections. I remember, in high school, being confused about where to include bits of pertinent information throughout my paper. Sometimes my drafts would be so backwards and confusing, that I would have to start fresh. It seems as if the headings provide a sort of outline for our papers, which I personally find to be quite helpful. Since using them, I have also noticed them more frequently in other’s research throughout the web. I definitely continue to use them!
Rachel said:
ReplyDeleteI agree that using headings in a research paper does make the paper seem more professional. I believe that using headings while writing a paper makes the paper a lot easier for the reader to navigate their way through the paper and look for certain parts that would be very important in the paper. When using headings to write a paper it makes you remember what all parts that need to be put into that section so that you can remember all the parts.
When i first did the research paper for this class I did not understand the importance of the heading and thought them to be a waste of time. But as explained you don't want the reader to be confused as to which part of the paper they are on and to be misguided as to what your argument is about. As to using them in other papers i don't see them being usable which is fine but I don't plan on writing a lot of research papers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the main points above that using headings in a research paper helps the reader in many different ways. My only worry is that I wonder if my professors for my other classes down the road would accept this form of writing. I prefer using headings cause the reader knows exactly what you are talking about and how it pertains to the paper but I would have to ask my other professors if this style of writing would be acceptable because it seems so different from what we've been taught throughout our schooling.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with this post and that it is good to have the headings because it provides a sense of clarity. I think it makes the paper more successful as well because without the headings it could potentially confuse the reader and when when someone gets lost with your paper then it won't convey the message that you were trying to get across. I liked using the heading because it made things more organized and made it easier to write a more successful paper.
ReplyDeleteI have never used headings in an research paper I have written whether in high school or other college writing classes. None of my former teachers have taught me this form of writing. Even though this is not the type of writing I was taught, I agree that it provides structure to the paper and makes the paper more professional. I also think the headings help writers organize their papers and also helps the reader understand the different sections of the paper.
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