During third quarter, seniors enrolled in English IV, as well as juniors enrolled in AP Composition, must write a research paper.

     Naturally, there is a lot of negativity among seniors when it comes to this subject.  Senior Katie Holshouser said, “I wish I wouldn’t have signed that contract.” She is not alone on her opinion of the research paper.

     Senior Hannah Reeves agreed when she said, “I would rather brush my teeth with dirty socks than write this research paper.”

     Seniors are not the only ones who must endure the process of writing a research paper. A slightly more enthusiastic Marinda Schneider said, “I am writing my research paper on why art and music should remain in schools. These classes are vital for development and they save us from boredom. Writing a research paper is no fun, but at least I’m learning some interesting information about the arts.”

     There is a new tool to help these students write and organize their research paper. Noodletools.com has proven to be helpful. Students can use this service to cite sources and create a bibliography. They can also create virtual note cards with direct quotes and facts. From there, the note cards can be organized into piles based on category. Over all, students have found this to be helpful in organizing facts and quotes for their research paper.

     One thing for students to remember is that this all has a purpose. English teacher, Ms. Crystal Myers, who has her masters degree in writing, said, “(The research paper) is reflective of the majority of work students will do in college. It is our job to prepare you for the work you’ll do next year. We need to give you the tools that professors will have expected you to have mastered.”

     The research paper is obviously a beneficial thing for college bound students to go through. Professors may not teach students how to write a research paper, so it is important that students learn now.

     So even though research papers aren’t fun to write, remember that they do have a purpose. Good luck to the seniors (and juniors) writing their research papers this quarter.