What are some reasons that people especially students procrastinate, or delay working until the very last moment

Step #1: Finding sources (in groups)

Step #2: Writing an annotated bibliography (individually)

Step #3: Writing an introductory and one body paragraph (individually)

Step #4: Final draft (individually)

Format:

Your paper will be done in the MLA format and style of citations (see the next page for the MLA explanation).

Organization:

You paper should be organized in the following way:

Title:

should tell the reader what your paper is about

Introductory paragraph should:

• introduce the issue and hook the reader
• provide the basic definition of the issue
• state your research question
• provide the concise thesis that answers the research question

Body paragraphs:

• There could be many, but he minimum is 3
• The paragraph that follows the introduction should provide the background or history of the issue
• The next few paragraphs must summarize your findings on the issue (there should be more than one)
• Each significant finding should be in a separate paragraph
• You should have a paragraph where you summarize the research that refutes or contradicts the major findings. This goes something like this: “While most research agrees that X is a problem, Z and Y says that it is not.” In other words, you MUST address other points of view on this issue.

The concluding paragraph:

• should summarize what your findings
• may provide suggestions for future research
• should only be one paragraph long

FORMAT:

• MLA formatted
• Works Cited page should be part of your paper (the bibliography of your sources is the last page that should have a title “Works Cited)
• Your paper should be at least 3-4 pages long (not including images or Works Cited page)
• Double-spaced, 12 size font (for body
  

  How many outside sources should you include?

  In your paper, you must have at least (minimum) of 5 credible sources. You may use the two introductory texts by Tim Urban (TedTalk) and Adam Grant (article) as two of your five sources. This means that if you include Urban’s and Grant’s texts, you must find at least 3 more sources. Remember 5 is the minimum, and you can have as many as 10 if you wish to do a more extensive research. You do not have to include Grant’s and Urban’s text, but it’s a good idea.

  What kind of sources are acceptable?

  Because it is a research paper, you will be looking for sources in:

  • national magazines (i.e. Psychology Today). These magazines are written for general public, but often include scientific research summarized by the authors.
  • professional journals: in professional journals, the research articles are written by scientists and researchers and are peer-reviewed. You must have at least 2 of such sources.
  • government sites and publications: For example, CDC (Center for Disease Control) is one such site.
  • podcasts that are relevant to the topic (listen to this example: “Inspiration Through Procrastination” (Links to an external site.) appeared on On Point program on WBUR radio – NPR – on March 13, 2018)
  • educational videos and lectures, such as Ted Talks

  How to find credible sources:

  You can search for credible sources by:

  • using Grossmont College library database (highly recommended)
  • using Google Scholar database (recommended)
  • using Google or other search engines (optional)

  On the next page, you will learn how to use library database and Google Scholar. You must use these website to look for credible scholarly articles for your research paper. This section explains how the research for this particular article was done.

  Methods:

  This section explains how the research for this particular article was done.

• • It may include participants, their demographic information, tools of collecting information, times and dates, and how the data was measured (using different statistical tools).
    • For example: 25 men and 30 women were asked to complete a survey. The survey included 10 questions.

  Results:

  In the results section, you may typically find a summary of what the researchers collected from the data.

  • You may find tables, charts and illustrations in this section.
    • For example: Out of 25 men that completed the survey, 18 said that they always procrastinate on academic tasks. Out of 30 women, only 13 said that they procrastinate on their academic tasks.
      

      Discussion:

      This is where the authors of the research paper interpret and analyze the results.

      • The authors offer their opinions of what the results may mean for their research questions.
      • • For example: Based on our research 72% of men and 43% of women said that they procrastinate on academic tasks. These results may suggest that men procrastinate more than women when it comes to academic tasks.
        • 
          
          

          Task:

          Each person in your interest group must post at least ONE source. Refer to the list of credible sources that can be allowed for your research.

        • 1. Post a hyperlink (internet link) to your source or a PDF.
        • 2. Describe how you found this link (Google Scholar, library, etc.)
        • 3. Provide an MLA citation for your source (this is how your source will appear on the Works Cited page).
        • 4. Provide a brief description/ summary of the source and how you plan to use it (What will it support? What kind of evidence in the source can be used for your research) – just a paragraph or two.