Research Paper

Hello fellow peers,
Let me start by saying that this paper is a tough cookie. It is not, I repreat not an easy assignment. Do not procrastinate! You will need every second to focus on this assginemt in order to write a descent paper. I started during the last library visit, I looked for good books and this helped me out a lot in specifying my research question. Then, I looked for journal articles on my own. I was a little stressed out because I couldn't find enough articles. I suggest to get assistant from P.A.I.R they are located in the university writing center and they will help you out looking for articles and books. For me they were a huge help! The guy that helped me (I forgot his name) was super helpful, he help me find around 15 sources and even gave me advice on the research process. The next step was figuring out which sources to use. I suggest read the abstract and look for theories and studies that focus on your topic. Also, the reference page included in the article is a big help, it gives you a list of other sources you can look into. How awesome is that! Also, I suggest you start on the day the proposal is due. Once you have an idea of your topic, it will be easier to brainstrom and polish your question. If you have any questions or if you are stuck, I suggest you ask questions. You have plenty of tools like P.A.I.R, Mrs. Gladish, Jenny, the library, internet, and the writing center, use them!
    Now that I am done with the research paper, I wish I could of taken advantage of the writing center. One of my writing weakness is grammar mechanics, specially those pesky commas. The tutors at the wrtitign center will help you look for grammatical errors and punctuation. Remember language & mechanics is worth 10 points, it may seem like a few points but trust me, 10 points can help define a B from an A grade a C from a D, etc. The writing center is a big help when you polish and polish every draft. Don't be lazy like me and go. Don't wait until the weeks before finals, they are highly booked and make an appointment to secure a spot.
   My research topic focused on female offenders and rehabilitation programs. The question I researched was: Do female offenders receive an effective rehabilitation program? I was lucky enough to find a book in the library that focuses on female offenders and correctional facilities. The book is called The Incarcerated Woman: Rehabilitative Programming in Women's Prisons by Susan F. Sharp. This book is located in the school's library. The ISBN number is 0-13-094-067-4. This is a great book, because it is a chapter book that incorporates various chapters written by other professionals in the topic. Good Luck!
                                                  Norma Lopez