I.C. REPORTS AND TERM PAPERS

     Research papers can be divided into two types: reports, which are informational, and term papers, which are either analytical or persuasive.
     The purpose of a report is to learn what is known about a topic and to present it in a clear and organized way.  A brief summary of the information serves as the organizing principle.  A report has a main idea, which controls its content, but not a thesis statement.
     Report writing usually begins in elementary school, where the writer is expected to learn to use research sources, to summarize, to restate information in one's own words, and perhaps to quote directly from the sources used.
    In middle school, the writer is expected to compose an introduction and to organize and blend information from more than one source.  Usually the primary purpose is gathering and summarizing facts.  The controlling idea is usually taken from an authority who knows the field well.  A conclusion is also added to the paper.
     In senior high school, a writer begins to write term papers by building on the skills learned in middle school but also by adding a new dimension -- original thought.  In middle school the controlling idea is usually borrowed from a knowledgeable source.  In senior high term papers, the writer develops the controlling idea, known as the thesis, and does more than blend information from reference sources.  The author may develop an original, insightful question about the subject which is then answered by research, may find a relationship within various sources of information, or may document all aspects of a controversial topic and support a particular position.