Research Report Outline and Formatting Resource

Introduction: Sample Introduction:

1. Opening Sentence:
a. Start your paper with a general statement
about your topic that catches the reader’s
attention
2. Context:
a. Provide the information the reader will need
to understand the topic
3. Thesis Statement:
a. State your specific topic and any sub-topics
you will discuss in the body of your essay.
The success of the American Revolution in 1776
officially severed ties between the United States and
Great Britain. Even so, the United States remained
culturally attached to its colonial ruler. Military alliances in
World War I and World War II further cemented the
friendship. Today, as the two English-speaking nations on
the United National Security Council, Britain and the
United States have a lot in common, politically and
culturally. Examining popular culture reveals an
enduringly powerful British influence. Many aspects of
American culture have their origins in Great Britain and
Britain, in turn, takes many of its cultural cues from the
United States.

Body Paragraphs: Sample Body Paragraph:

1. Topic Sentence
a. Provide the main idea of the paragraph
2. Supporting Evidence
a. evidence that supports your thesis from
other sources
3. Analysis
a. Explain to the reader the significance of the
evidence you have provided. How does the
piece of evidence relate to your thesis?
4. Transition
a. Connect each paragraph with a sentence or
two that demonstrates how each idea leads
into the next
With the bands of the British invasion came
revolutionary changes in fashion that also focused on
American youth culture. Shortly after the Beatles landed
in New York City, British designer Mary Quant introduced
the miniskirt. Quant’s other designs, including baby-doll
dresses, hot pants, and tights, “reflected a shift from the
establishment to youth as the source of inspiration”
(“Quant”). Rose Hardwick, manager of the Fashion
Museum in Bath, England, points to the shift dress and
ankle boots as other examples of English-born fashions
that made their way across the Atlantic. “Much of British
fashion in this period,” she said, “fits into the category of
mod, short for modern.” Innovative, bold, and fun, mod
fashion, like music, put a new emphasis on self-
expression. Inspired by pop art and minimalism, British
fashion embraced bright colors and geometric patterns,
the “streamlined and bold” style (“Mod Fashion”).

Conclusion: ● Provide the reader an overview of the main ideas

 you discussed
● Highlight the progression of your
thought process
● Show the significance of your
synthesis of the information.
Sample Conclusion:
In the global age of mass
communication, cultural influences flow
back and forth at lightening pace. American
hip-hop can be heard on deejays’
turntables in London clubs, while most
major fashion designers exhibit their
collections in both London and New York
City. Fueled by a shared history and a
common language, the collaboration
between Great Britain and the United
States advances the cultures of both,
inspiring musicians, designers, artists, and
other connoisseurs of culture to new
degrees of creativity and self-expression.
 MLA- Essay formatting
● Double-space the text of your paper, and use Times New Roman in 12 pt. size.
● Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.
● Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.(In Google Docs this should be the default)
● Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the Tab key.
● Create a header with your last name, and a page number in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top
and flush with the right margin. (In Google Docs go to “Insert--Page Number”

First Page Formatting:

● In the upper left-hand corner of the first page only, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date
(Day Month Year, ex: 24 November 2017). Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
● Center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case
(standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.
Click here for more info and an example first page.

Works Cited Page Formatting:

● Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-
inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper.
● Label the page Works Cited (do not italicize the words Works Cited or put them in quotation marks) and center the
words Works Cited at the top of the page.
● Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations by 0.5 inches to create a hanging indent.
● For every entry, you must determine the Medium of Publication. Most entries will likely be listed as Print or Web
sources, but other possibilities may include Film, CD-ROM, or DVD.
● If you use Easybib, it should do all of this for you.

MLA- Citation formatting

Citation game- click here!- make sure to play the MLA version, not the APA version

Basic Style for Citations of Electronic Sources (Including Online Databases)

Here are some common features you should try and find before citing electronic sources in MLA style. Not every Web
page will provide all of the following information. However, collect as much of the following information as possible both for
your citations and for your research notes:
● Author and/or editor names (if available)
 ● Article name in quotation marks (if applicable)
● Title of the Website, project, or book in italics. (Remember that some Print publications have Web publications with
slightly different names. They may, for example, include the additional information or otherwise modified
information, like domain names [e.g. .com or .net].)
● Any version numbers available, including revisions, posting dates, volumes, or issue numbers.
● Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.
● Take note of any page numbers (if available).
● Medium of publication.
● Date you accessed the material.
Click here for guidelines to citing each specific type of source

Source:
Russell, Tony, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli, Russell Keck, Joshua M. Paiz, Michelle Campbell, Rodrigo Rodriguez-Fuentes, and Daniel P. Kenzie.
"MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)." Purdue OWL. Purdue University, 06 July 2015. Web. 08 Oct. 2015.