graphic organizer for writing a research paper

Free Editable Graphic Organizer for Research Paper

If you are looking to learn more about how to come up with a graphic organizer for research papers , you are in the right place. In this post, along with looking at the basics of these organizers, we are also going to share some editable examples for free.

1. What is a Graphic Organizer for Research Paper

A graphic organizer in general can be defined as a graphical representation of the various elements in an activity/process. It also displays their relationship and/or chronological order. Not all organizers stick to the same pattern, but the gist remains the same. Similarly, a graphic organizer for research papers can be defined as a representation using which arguments, facts, and reasons pertaining to a research paper can be mapped out and displayed in an easily perusable form.

Coming up with a graphic organizer prior to actually writing out the research paper can be a highly useful and beneficial step. The quality of a research paper relies on being professionally and adroitly written, with little to be pointed out or corrected. In order to be written correctly, a proper pattern and order have to be followed. The arguments must be written one by one with their respective evidence and reasoning. This can be achieved if they (the arguments) are planned and assembled beforehand. Then the writer can simply tackle one part at a time. On the contrary, if the arguments are written all together, then the reasoning and the evidence can get jumbled up, leaving the reader confused.

2. The Graphic Organizer for Research Paper Examples

In order to better illustrate how these graphic organizers look like, we are going to look at some examples of the same. As we saw before, these organizers can be really important for the integrity and proficiency of the research paper. By giving the paper structure and order, the writer can make sure that each argument hits home and convinces the reader.

Example 1: Graphic Organizer for Research Paper

The core and crux of a graphic organizer for research papers can be understood from this example. This organizer features three sections in a vertical alignment. The top section is the introductory part where the title or topic of the discussion/research has to be mentioned. Similarly, the introduction points are also to be enumerated here. In the next segment, there are three columns. The details and evidence for each paragraph of the paper are to be filled in the spaces given in the columns.

In the end, there is a conclusion part where the summation of the arguments and their support can be given. This template is specifically for a paper that features three paragraphs. However, if you need to add more, you can simply increase the number of columns and structure your details according to your need.

Example 2: Graphic Organizer Research Paper Outline

In this outline, there is firstly the introductory part where the name of the topic and the stance/perspective is mentioned. Then, in substantiation of the stance, three reasons can be given in the oval-shaped sections. Each reason is to be further supported by a concrete example, and an explanation pertaining to that example and its relevance to the reason.

The concrete examples/explanations are given in a rectangular section. You can add as many examples as you need to support your reason. Similarly, you can take inspiration from this design and come up with a similar layout that has a larger number of included reasons/arguments.

This outline can help you understand how a research paper organizer has to be created. It can also help you when you actually want to write one out, and you want to divide your content separately and tackle it part by part.

Example 3: The Research Paper Graphic Organizer

This outline is much more elaborate and detail-oriented as compared to the last example. While the previous example was about planning and structuring the content of a research paper, this organizer focuses on the style, convention, and order that is to be featured in the paper.

The organizer starts off with the preliminary ‘Focus’ part, where the thesis statement has to be written. This is the part where the purpose of the paper and the aim of your argument is usually elucidated. Then there is the ‘Content’ part where the arguments or subtopics have to be separately mentioned and listed. Then comes the ‘Style’ section where you can plan out what sort of grabbers and zingers you are going to use in your content.

After that, there is the ‘Organization’ part where you can write out the order in which your arguments have to appear. The sequence of the arguments can have quite an impact on your paper. Last but not least, there is the ‘Conventions’ box that you can fill out.

Example 4: Graphic Organizer for Research Paper

In this example, the primary purpose of the outline is not to plan out how the research paper has to be written. Instead, this example is labeled as a ‘Research Note Taker’. This outline can be defined as a form that is used to gather relevant information about the research.

This organizer can affect the quality of your research paper despite not being a planner in the strictest of sense. Using this organizer, you can list various notes and points about your research along with their sources. This can help you by a) making the referencing easy and b) by giving you an order to follow while writing out the paper. You can, while taking the notes, place them in the order you would like them to appear in the writing.

Example 5: Research Paper Graphic Organizer

This research paper graphic organizer utilizes a distinct layout and method of planning. This organizer starts off with a ‘Sources’ section rather than jumping straight to the arguments, and the ‘why?’, ‘how?’ or ‘when?’ of the whole affair.

After mentioning the name of your topic in the upper right corner, you can write out the sources you are using for your research. By default, this layout has five boxes available for this purpose. Then follows the ‘Thesis Statement’. This is where the purpose and perspective of the arguments are mentioned. After that, the 'Notes' are to be mentioned, and then the paragraphs can be individually planned.

In the last example, we saw that the graphic organizer was about taking notes/quotes relevant to the research rather than organizing the paragraphs and content of the paper. In this Research Paper Graphic Organizer, we can see that it features both. It can be used as an organizer for the layout of the paper, and it can also be used to write the notes thanks to the dedicated ‘Notes’ section.

Example 6: Graphic Organizer for Research Paper PDF

Next comes the Research Paper Graphic Organizer PDF. This template can be used to plan out the various points and aspects of a particular research question. The drawing features a triangle in the middle, where the 'Main Research Question' has to be written. After that, there is a whole bunch of boxes circumscribing the center. This is where 'Questions' and 'Facts' have to be mentioned.

Unlike some other examples on this list, this organizer does not explain the order or sequence of the paper. It merely gives us the option of writing out different reasons and pieces of evidence in substantiation of our argument.

Source: EdrawMax Online Edit Now

Example 7: Graphic Organizer for Persuasive Writing

This template is a nice and simple example of what a graphic organizer should look like. There are three sections in this example. First is the part where the stance or opinion of the writer is mentioned. Then, there are three boxes underneath where the arguments will be listed and explained. And finally, the conclusion will wrap up the whole affair.

In contrast to some of the more complex structures we have seen in this list, this organizer looks really simple and straightforward. If you are just looking to create a plan for yourself using which you can organize different arguments and reasons in your research paper, this type of organizer can suffice for you.

Example 8: Graphic Organizer for Research Papers

If you are looking to plan out each paragraph of your paper with detail, this sort of graphic organizer is what you are looking for. Up till now, the examples we saw merely had a box or two for the paragraphs, where the contents could be lightly introduced and explained. However, in this organizer, each paragraph is written as a separate heading. For each paragraph, you can write the topic sentence, conclusion, and the included facts/details.

On the first page, you get a blank space which is where the crux or the introduction of the paper will go. After that, you can prepare your paragraphs in a sequence by numbering them and filling out their details one by one. In this particular example, the topic under discussion is ‘Natural Disasters’.

Example 9: Graphic Organizer for Insect Research Papers

While this example focuses particularly on insects, the included layout can be used for any topic of your choice. There is not a particular order or sequence in this graphic organizer. It simply features various boxes and containers where different pieces of information can be written about the subject.

In the example, the boxes are labeled ‘Where does this insect live?’ ‘What does it look like?’ and ‘What does this insect like to eat?’ etcetera. Since the subject is a June bug, these boxes are for details related to it. If you want to come up with a similar graphic organizer, you can simply choose your desired topic and then arrange bits of information such as ‘How does it occur?’, ‘Why does it happen?’ etcetera.

3. Online Graphic Organizer for Research Paper Maker

EdrawMax Online is a cloud-based software that allows users to come up with a variety of different diagrams, charts, drawings, and graphic organizers. By simply signing up, you can get access to a canvas where you can draw any organizer of your choice by dragging and dropping various shapes and symbols from the included library. You can also use EdrawMax Online to come up with graphic organizers for research papers. You can choose to create one from scratch or just use a template, albeit the latter option relies on the presence of a template in the template gallery .

Why Choose EdrawMax Online

• Create over 280 diagram types
• Supports team collaboration
• Personal cloud & data protection
• Print, share and download
• Powerful template community

4. Key Takeaways

Coming up with a graphic organizer for research papers can be very useful and beneficial. By organizing your ideas and arguments in a structured form, you can save yourself confusion and trouble when the time arrives to put everything in writing.

By using EdrawMax Online , you can create a graphic organizer easily by using existing shapes and symbols and filling them out with text. There are a bunch of features that you can use to personalize your drawings and give them a unique touch. The ease of use, availability and multiple-format support makes EdrawMax an excellent option for making drawings, diagrams, flowchart, UML diagram, graphic organizers and 280+ types of diagrams. You can find out more graphic organizer examples in the Template Gallery.

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Using Graphic Organizers for Writing Essays, Summaries and Research

Ask any student – essay writing is one of the most despised tasks of their educational career. Perhaps there is so much displeasure associated with the task because it’s perceived as too linear – there isn’t enough visual and creative appeal. But if you use graphic organizer for writing essays then you can make writing enjoyable – or at least less terrible.

Not only enjoyable but graphic organizers (or diagrams) can make the writing process a snap. They’ll help you think outside the box, draw conclusions you wouldn’t normally observe, and make the entire process faster and more efficient.

Why Use Graphic Organizers for Writing

The phrase “graphic organizer” is just a fancy way of saying “diagram” or “visual aid.” Basically, they are a visual representation of the information you’ve acquired in the research process. There are quite a few reasons why you should use them when writing essays or summaries.

• Helps you visualize your research and how elements connect with each other
• Enhance your essays, summaries and research papers with visual elements
• Track correlations between your thoughts, observations, facts or general ideas

When it comes to essay writing, the most common graphic organizers are webs, mind maps, and concept maps .

Using Webs for Brainstorming

Webbing is a great way to see how various topics are interrelated. This graphic organizer is particularly useful during the brainstorming step of the writing process.

A web can sometimes get a bit messy. Usually, there are lots of arrows to connect overlapping ideas. However, even with lines crisscrossing every which way, it is still a great way to visualize your thoughts. If you’re using an online diagramming software like Creately you can overcome some of this because we automatically arrange the object for you.

Once you’ve created a map to document all your ideas and establish connections, you can easily transition to other forms of diagramming to better organize the information.

For example if you’re writing a research paper about the food web of the Australian bushes you can start creating a food web diagram similar to the one below. This way you can easily visualize the web while writing the paper. This is a simple example but graphic organizers become even more important when the subject gets complex.

Although simple this example shows the importance of using graphic organizers for writing summaries. A comprehensive diagram pretty much does the summation for you.

Using Mind Maps as Graphic Organizers

Mind maps are a great way to depict a hierarchy. What is hierarchical organization ? The concept is simple: a singular topic dominates with each subsequent idea decreasing in importance.

Usually, the mind map starts with the thesis (or main idea) at the center.  From there, you can branch out with your supporting evidence.

Use this process to replace your traditional note taking technique – note cards, outlines, whatever. You’ll quickly realize a mind map is a great way to formulate the structure of your essay. The thing to note here is that the nature of the mind maps force you think about sub topics and how to organize your ideas. And once the ideas are organized writing the essay become very easy.

Above is a mind map of a research proposal. Click on it to see the full image or you can see the fully editable template via this link . As you can see in this mind map the difference areas of the research proposal is highlighted. Similarly when your writing the research paper you can use a mind map to break it down to sub topics. We have more mind map templates for you to get started.

Concept Maps

A concept map will help you visualize the connection between ideas. You can easily see cause and effect – how one concept leads to another. Often times, concept mapping includes the use of short words or phrases to depict the budding relationship between these concepts.

If you look closely you can see that its very similar to a mind map. But a concept maps gives more of a free reign compares to the rigid topic structure of a mind map. I’d say it’s the perfect graphic organizer for writing research papers where you have the license to explore.

By creating a concept map , you can also see how a broad subject can be narrowed down into specific ideas.  This is a great way to counter writers block.  Often, we look at the big picture and fail to see the specifics that lead to it.  Identifying contributing factors and supporting evidence is difficult. But with a concept map, you can easily see how the smaller parts add up to the whole.

Why Bother With Graphic Organizers?

If you already detest the writing process, adding another step might seem insane. However, there really are several advantages of using them.  If you haven’t already accepted the benefits of each individual diagram style, here are some more perks of graphic organizers in general:

• Quality essays are based on detail. No one is going to accept your opinions and reasoning just because you say so. You’ll need proof. And organizing that proof will require attention to detail. Graphic organizers can help you see that detail and how it contributes to the overall concept.
• Graphic organizers are flexible. You don’t need one of those giant pink erasers. You don’t need to restructure your outline. All you have to do is draw a few arrows and bam – the relationship has totally changed.
• No matter what you are writing about, a graphic organizer can help. They can be used to structure an essay on the Great Wall, theoretical physics, or Spanish speaking countries.
• If you write an outline, can you easily see how point A influences point X? Probably not. But if little thought bubble A is sitting out there all by itself, you can visualize the way it ties into point R, T and X.
• Some of us find it difficult to put our opinions, thoughts, and ideas into writing. However, communicating our feelings with little doodles and sketches is far less threatening.
• As a writer, our brain often feels like a 2-year-old’s toy box – a big jumbled mess. Taking that mess and putting it onto paper with some semblance of organization is challenging. Rather than trying to take your thoughts from total chaos to a perfectly structured list, just try to get them out of your brain and onto paper in the form of a diagram.
• A graphic organizer helps you establish validity and relevance. You can easily nix the ideas that don’t support or enhance your thesis.

The next time you are faced with a writing project, take a few minutes to explore the efficiency of graphic organizers. You can find a wealth of templates here.

Have you ever used a graphic organizer to structure an essay? How did it go? Do you have a diagram suggestion for the writing process that wasn’t mentioned here? Let us know!

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

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How to Use Graphic Organizers to Write Better Essays

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If you’re a student, there’s no way around the inevitable: You’re going to have to write essays. Lots of essays. In fact, the five-paragraph essay is so fundamental to the high school curriculum that it’s still used on the ACTs, and knowing how to recognize the organizational structure of essays will help you score higher on the SATs.

Even though it seems like a chore, knowing how to organize and write an essay can have a lasting effect on your life, from getting into a better college to scoring a better job to performing better in that job long after your high school days are over.

Here’s a secret: Using graphic organizers for writing essays can help you write better essays faster. (And don’t count yourself out if you’re an educator—you can offer these tools to help your students succeed.) We’ll show you exactly how to do it.

Why use graphic organizers

When ACT graders or teachers are looking your essay, they’re looking for very specific criteria; essentially, they’re looking at how well you’ve organized your thoughts. Many students don’t take the time to outline their essay structure before writing, and that always means a lower score on a test and a lower grade on the essay in class.

Using a writing template can feel like an unnecessary step in an already complicated process. If you need extra motivation to implement these organizers into your writing routine, consider all of their benefits. Graphic organizers can help you:

• Save time by showing you where each piece of the essay “lives.”
• Have more productive brainstorming sessions, either by yourself or with a group.
• Make connections between ideas and create a more cohesive argument.
• Pinpoint holes in your arguments and either adjust the thesis or find supporting statements.
• Keep track of your research.
• Organize your thoughts and come to interesting, more compelling conclusions.
• Stay in the right direction when you feel lost in a sea of words.
• Manage anxiety by converting the fear of a blank assignment into an action plan with a clear map.

With all those benefits, it’s hard to ignore how useful and vital graphic organizers are to writing. And once you’ve become adept at organizing your thoughts for something like a school essay, you’ll find that skill carries with you throughout your life, whether you’re trying to become a more intelligent debater to negotiate prices. It goes beyond just the essay to becoming a better thinker. And it starts with a simple template.

We’ll walk you through several use cases for graphic organizers and provide templates for you to download and fill in when you’re ready to write.

Brainstorming graphic organizers

Brainstorming is important, not only to come up with ideas for topics but to determine what information you need to include in the essay once you’ve determined your topic. Though many think of brainstorming as just freeflow thinking, brainstorming is most productive when you work within specific parameters.

That’s why essay brainstorming graphic organizers are useful, whether you’re using one to brainstorm on your own or you’re working with a group.

In Lucidchart, our mind map shapes and templates double as brainstorming graphic organizers. Start with an essay prompt as your central shape and then fill in the shapes that branch off your prompt with topic ideas. Alternatively, you can add your selected topic to the center and start brainstorming the different ideas you need to cover in your paper.

When the template is filled in, you’ll have a clear starting point for your essay or research paper.

Research paper graphic organizers

Nothing paralyzes students with fear quite like a research paper. These long-form papers require—as the name implies—quite a bit of research, and their purpose is to teach students how to look for valid sources to support their arguments.

But keeping track of all those sources and tying them into your argument can be tricky. That’s where a research paper graphic organizer can be a student’s greatest ally.

This template lays out the writing process itself. After you come up with a general topic, like “the disappearance of honey bees,” fill in the “Research Paper Topic” box.

Then, start looking for reputable sources (Wikipedia doesn’t count) and use the five sources boxes to hold the most relevant quotes and statistics you find. Using those quotes and statistics, you can then fill out a thesis statement that is supported by the research.

Then, you’ll be able to focus your paragraphs on a single topic each that supports the thesis statement and your overarching argument. After you’ve filled out the template, the backbone of the research paper is complete: All that’s left to do is fill in the spaces between sources and arguments.

5-paragraph essay graphic organizer

When it comes to writing the five-paragraph essay, writing diagrams are key. By using graphic organizers for writing, you’re no longer staring at a giant blank piece of paper with no idea how or where to begin. Your graphic organizer is your map.

Although using writing diagrams may seem time-consuming, the fact is that taking the time to fill a graphic organizer in before writing actually saves time. If there’s a problem with the argument, it will show up on the diagram, or if there’s not enough evidence to support your argument, you’ll know before you’ve wasted time writing the paper. And, as we said before, even if your writing is terrible, if your argument is sound, you’ll still score a decent grade.

Try this 5-paragraph essay template to get you started.

Don’t feel pressured to come up with a compelling title right away. Instead, it’s more important that you come up with a thesis statement that can be supported by three solid arguments. Fill in that thesis statement and your arguments. Then, for each argument, figure out three supporting details to support your case.

That’s it! You’ve got the most essential parts of your 5-paragraph essay completed.

Now, come up with an introduction that sets the stage for your argument and a conclusion that wraps up and restates your thesis and supporting arguments in a compelling way. Now you have a solid plan for your paper and can approach it with confidence.

If you’d like a more linear graphic that exactly follows the structure of the 5-paragraph, use the writing template below and follow the same process.

Visuals, such as graphic organizers for writing, can help you better understand concepts, think creatively, and collaborate with your classmates—and there are plenty of other templates where these came from.

Lucidchart offers hundreds of templates to help you through your studies, including timelines, Venn diagrams, word maps, and more. Sign up for Lucidchart and upgrade to an Educational account for free.

Resources for teachers

Providing graphic resources to students is essential; after all, many of your students will be visual learners, so while you may beautifully explain how the process works, there will be some who won’t understand until they see a template of the essay itself.

Lucidchart has many resources for teachers, from lesson plans to writing templates. While you’re teaching your students how to write essays or research papers, it’s useful to print out the templates and fill them out together (even using a completed template as a separate assignment with a separate grade) so that your students can get a feel for properly filling out graphic organizers before attempting it on their own.

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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What is a Graphic Organizer?

A graphic organizer is a visual tool used to express ideas and concepts, and convey meaning. A graphic organizer often depicts the relationships between facts; concepts; terms; thoughts; and/or ideas. It can help writers by creating a visual map or diagram of ideas . There are many similar names for graphic organizers including: knowledge maps, concept maps, story maps, cognitive organizers, advance organizers, or concept diagra ms

• The Great and Powerful Graphic Organizer Excellent explanation of graphic organizers, with examples from a teaching perspective.
• Houghton Mifflin Graphic Organizers A long list of many types of organizers, free to download.
• Write Design Organizers This site describes five main types of graphic organizers in detail. It provides links to many more. It then describes the process one must go through in using a graphic organizer.
• << Previous: Writing in General - Articles and Links
• Next: Grammar >>
• Last Updated: Jul 10, 2023 3:24 PM
• URL: https://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/papers

Formatting Graphics and Visuals in APA Style

Statistics and results from data analysis are often best presented in the form of a table, and a theoretical model or pages of information are often best presented in a well-designed visual such as a chart or graph. The American Psychological Association (APA) distinguishes between two types of visuals: tables and figures. Both are used to provide a large amount of information concisely and to promote greater understanding of a text. This article explains how to format tables and figures according to APA Style 7th Edition.

Tables in APA Style (7th ed.)

Tables are organized in a row and column format and provide information that is not already given in the text. Tables should also be able to stand alone and be understandable without the accompanying text. Therefore, having a descriptive title for the table is important and so is using a “note” to explain any symbols, abbreviations, or asterisks used in the table.

When inserting a table in your work, include the following information (also exemplified by Table 1):

• Table number , aligned left, bolded, and presented in sequence: Table 1 , Table 2 , etc.
• Table title , aligned left, italicized, and offering a brief description the table: Title of Table
• The table itself , without shading or vertical borders; use horizontal boarders only for clarity such as a top and bottom border or to separate a row containing the sums of column data. Tables are double spaced unless one or one and a half spacing would enable the table to be displayed on a single page.
• Table note , double-spaced below the table, after the label “note” in italics: Note .

Use a callout such as “See Table 1” in the paragraph before the table to point the reader to it.

Table Notes

Table notes are only used when needed, and there can be up to three notes per table, ordered by type:

• General Note : General notes are given first. Table 1 in this article has a general note. General notes provide definitions, keys, and copyright statements for any information that came from a source.
• Specific Note : Specific notes provide information about individual columns or rows. If, for example, a specific column or cell’s data needed explanation, a superscript letter such as “a” would be placed by the data, e.g. Xa, and the same superscript letter would be placed before the note about it.
• Probability Note : Probability notes explain asterisks (*) or other symbols that provide probability values used in statistical hypothesis testing used for ruling out something occurring due to chance alone.
• In statistical testing, researchers use a probability level between 0 to 1 to describe the chance of an event occurring, with 0 meaning the event will never occur and 1 meaning the event will always occur. In a table or figure, probability levels are assigned asterisks to indicate a range in probability such as p < .05 and * p < .01, and ***p < .001 (APA, 2020). The fewest number of asterisks indicates the largest probability and the greatest number of asterisks indicates the smallest probability level.
• Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are also used in probability notes to show confidence intervals. For example, the results of an opinion poll may show 56% of the respondents prefer candidate A. If the confidence interval is +/-3, then 53%-59% of the population agrees with those sampled.
• Probability notes may also provide confidence levels to indicate how certain the researcher is that the general population will agree with the poll respondents. For example, if the confidence level is 95%, then there is a 95% certainty that 53% to 59% of the population agrees with those polled. Researchers typically use a 95% confidence level.

Example of a general note, specific note, and probability note:

Note . The poll revealed that respondents prefer candidate A. YA = ages 18-30. A = ages 31-43. Adapted from “Title of Article,” by A. Author, Copyright Year, Publication Title, vol(issue) page-page. (URL). Copyright year by Copyright holder or Copyright License or In the public domain.

Data are for all genders.

p < .05. * p < .01.

In the example above, the notes are to be double spaced as shown in Table 1, and each type of note begins on a new line with the first note providing general information about the table including a copyright note for the data used in the table. The second note gives specific information about the data in the rows, and the third note provides the probability (p) values.

Reference Entries for Table Data

A reference entry would also be included for any source of information used in the table and noted in the table note. The reference entry goes on a reference list at the end of the paper.

Table Checklist

• Is the table necessary?
• Is the table mentioned in the text?
• Is the table inserted under the paragraph where it is first mentioned?
• Is the title brief but explanatory and one double-spaced line below the table number?
• Are all vertical borders in the table eliminated?
• Does every column have a heading including?
• Are the notes in the following order: general note, specific note, probability note?
• Are the notes double spaced?
• Are all abbreviations, symbols, and special uses of dashes, italics, or boldface explained in a note?
• If the table is for statistical testing, are probability levels identified?
• If more than one table is used, are probability level asterisks consistent from table to table?
• With statistical testing data, are confidence intervals reported and consistent for all tables?
• If all or part of a copyrighted table is reproduced or adapted, does the general table note give full credit to the copyright owner and have a corresponding reference entry?

Figures in APA Style (7th ed.)

Figures include visuals such as charts graphs, pictures, maps, etc. When inserting a figure in your work, include the following information (also exemplified in Figure 1):

• Figure # , aligned left, bolded, and in sequence: Figure 1 , Figure 2 , etc.
• Figure title , aligned left, italicized, and offering a brief description the table: Figure Title
• The figure itself
• Figure note , double-spaced below the table after the label “note” in italics: Note .

Use a callout such as “See Figure 1” in the paragraph before the figure to point the reader to it.

The Chart tool in Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint provides options for various types of graphs and charts. With so many types to choose from, it’s important to carefully consider which type will best present the information. For example,

• a column chart displays categories of variables; • a bar chart demonstrates comparisons between single items; • a pie chart shows percentages; • a scatter plot illustrates correlations; and • a line graph demonstrates relationships.

The Microsoft Office Support webpage provides examples of these types of charts and more.

Figure Notes

As with tables, there can be up to three notes under the figure, ordered by type: (a) general information about the figure including a copyright statement for compiled data or images from the Internet, (b) specific information about individual sections, bars, graphs, or other elements of the figure, and (c)) probability explanations as discussed in the section on tables.

Copyright Statements for Compiled Data

When you use data and information in your table or figure that was compiled from research, the figure must contain a general note with a copyright statement identifying the copyright holder of that information. Because you are using this information for an academic purpose that is not for profit, you will not need to also acquire permission from the copyholder. It is considered “fair use” for students and scholars to use information that has been previously published if the information is attributed to the copyright holder with proper documentation.

Use the following copyright statement template in a note for data or information that came from a journal or book:

Journal : Note . From [or Adapted from] “Title of Article,” by A. A. Author, year, Journal Title, Volume (Issue), p. xx (DOI or URL). Copyright year by Name of Copyright Holder or In the public domain or Copyright License such as CC BY-NC .

Book : Note . From [or Adapted from] Title of Book (p. xx), by A. A. Author, year, Publisher (DOI or URL). Copyright year by Name of Copyright Holder or In the public domain or CC BY-NC .

Copyright Statements for Images

Images are different than compiled data. Depending on where the image is from, it may or may not require a copyright statement in a note under the image.

Copyrighted images : To use a copyrighted photograph, permission from the copyright holder is needed. It is an act of plagiarism to use a copyrighted image without permission.

Copyright statement template for copyrighted image that you have permission to use:

From [or Adapted from]. Title of Work [Photograph], by A. A. Author, year of publication, Site Name (URL). Copyright year by Name of Copyright holder. Reprinted or Adapted with permission.

Creative Commons licensed images : Photographs with Creative Commons licenses may be used without permission, but each type of Creative Commons license has different stipulations. You can read about each here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ . The licenses generally all require attribution to the source or creator of the image. (See Figure 2).

Copyright statement for Creative Commons image:

From [or Adapted from]. Title of Work [Photograph], by A. A. Author, year of publication, Site Name (URL). License such as CC BY-NC .

Photograph With a Creative Commons License for Reproduction With Attribution

Note . From Lilies After Rain [Photograph], by C. Cairns, 2015, Flicker. (https://flic.kr/p/vDHife) . CC BY 2.0 .

Public Domain images : Public domain works are not protected by copyright law or they have expired copyrights such as works published before January 1, 1924. In APA Style, works in the public domain are credited in a copyright statement in the note. (See Figure 3).

Copyright statement for image in the public domain:

From [or Adapted from]. Title of Work [Photograph], by A. A. Author, year of publication, Site Name (URL). In the public domain.

Photograph in the Public Domain

Note . From Study for The Cellist [Photograph], by A. Modigliani, 1909, Abcgallery (http://www.abcgallery.com/M/modigliani/modigliani12.html) . In the public domain.

Free Photos Online: Some photo sites allow for reproduction of images without attribution to the source or creator of that image. Sites such as Pixabay , Pexels , and Unsplash , for example, provide images that do not require attribution. A copyright statement is not needed for these images.

Reference Entries for Figures

In addition to a copyright attribution, include a reference entry for any source credited in a figure note. Below is the APA Style (7th ed.) reference entry template for a photograph:

Author last name, First initial. Middle initial. (year). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Site or Source Name. URL

Figure Checklist

• Is the figure necessary?
• Is the resolution of the image clear enough to be read and understood?
• Is the figure mentioned in the paper’s text?
• Is the figure inserted under the paragraph where it is first mentioned?
• Does the text explain how the figure is relevant to the discussion in the paper without repeating all the information from the figure in the text?
• Does the figure title provide a brief explanation?
• Are all elements of the figure clearly labeled?
• Are all figures numbered consecutively?
• Is proper credit given to the source of the figure in the figure note?
• Has a reference entry been provided for the source of the figure?

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official guide to APA style (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

© 2020 by Purdue Global Academic Success Center and Writing Center

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3 Responses

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What size should the visual be in the actual paper? I have students ask this, and frequently their visuals cover half an entire page, but I cannot find the answer.

Hi Leslie, the American Psychological Association (APA) does not specify the size of visuals used, but does state that tables and figures should fit on one page. The publication manual of APA (2020) also states that tables and figures “should not be used for mere decoration in an academic paper. Instead, every table and figure should serve a purpose” (p. 195). It may be helpful to direct students with questions to review the sample tables and figures available here: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/tables-figures

I”ve learned a lot from reading this.. I have never an apa paper before

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Research Paper Writing Unit - graphic organizers and instruction PRINT & DIGITAL

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Description

Take the stress out of teaching your students how to write a research paper with this complete research writing unit! This comprehensive and complete research paper writing unit will help you teach your students how to write a research paper. Now available in print + digital!

This step-by-step resource teaches your students the eight steps of research writing, and it includes every single thing you could need for a successful research writing unit! Plus, it is updated for 9th edition MLA!

The editable teaching presentation (which comes in both PowerPoint and Google Slides®) is ideal for direct instruction and includes multiple days of guided instruction! The research writing presentation introduces students to the eight steps for completing a research project: selecting topics, generating questions, brainstorming, researching and gathering credible information, organizing and outlining, writing the first draft, peer editing, and finalizing the paper.

This research writing unit includes:

• a 72-slide, editable instructional presentation
• a multi-day unit outline to help you plan instruction
• MLA citations and source cards student handout
• source card graphic organizer
• research writing guidelines handout
• research paper outline
• research paper assignment about an invention created before 1950
• multiple research paper writing graphic organizers
• Peer edit form
• Research paper grading rubric
• Google Docs® assignment handout and writing organizers
• Google Slides® digital sketch notes

Your students will love how easy research writing will be! This unit simplifies research paper writing and makes it more accessible for all learners. You'll see a tremendous improvement in your students' writing!

The research writing instructional presentation is a multi-day teaching presentation that introduces students to the basics of research paper writing and MLA format , which is updated for the current 9th edition MLA requirements . 

The research paper writing presentation covers the steps to writing a research paper, the differences between reliable and unreliable sources, MLA citations and formatting, source cards, and more. It also includes writing examples and sentence starters to help students improve their research writing skills .

IMPORTANT RESOURCE INFORMATION: The included PDF file is not editable. However, this resource was updated in January 2024 to include a Google Slides® presentation, Google Docs® assignment sheets and organizers, and a Google Slides® digital sketch note organizer. The organizers in the Google Docs file are formatted to be 100% editable and user-friendly.

TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ DHH of the Lakes says, " My students really benefited from such a structured way to write their first research paper. They loved the topic choices and each student enjoyed researching their chosen topic. Thank you for creating such a wonderful resource and sharing it with us!"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Makayla R. says, "I loved this resource! The PowerPoint is so so helpful. It walks you through everything from the bare basics of ‘what is research’ to ‘how to cite sources. Such a time-saver for teachers who don’t have time to make all their own power points."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Malinda B. says, "The PowerPoint was amazing! Easy to understand, concise, and able to use as a scaffolding tool from beginning to end of the research paper. The additional materials were great, and helped out tremendously with visual learners , as it had several graphic organizers included. I would highly recommend!"

___________________________________

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Writing Research Papers

This research writing unit of study is designed to guide your students through the research writing process. 

This is a free writing unit of study from the curriculum corner..

This research writing collection includes mini lessons, anchor charts and more.

Mention the words “research writing” in an intermediate classroom and you might be met with moans & groans or perhaps even see fear in the eyes of some students. 

In all seriousness though, writing can be intimidating for many children in our classrooms.

Guided and focused your mini-lessons can be helpful for students. Also, the more examples you can get students to interact with, the more they will understand the expectations. Finally, the more modeling that you do for them, the more they can view writing as less overwhelming.

Download the free resources to accompany this unit of study at the bottom of this post.

Lesson Ideas for Writing Research Papers:

Lesson 1: Noticings

• Begin by getting your students familiar with what research writing looks like.
• Have them work in pairs or small groups to read pieces of research writing. They will record their “noticings” about the writing.
• Then, come together in a community circle to discuss and create a class anchor chart.
• You will find a blank anchor chart and one with noticings already recorded.
• Here is a link we found that contains some student-created examples of research writing: Student Writing Models .  Simply scroll through the grade levels for different samples.

Lesson 2: Opinion vs. Facts

• Begin with a brief review of opinions vs. facts.
• Use the six paragraphs we share in our resources to give your students some practice differentiating between the two.
• Each of the paragraphs contains both opinions and facts.
• Students will read the paragraphs and record the facts and opinions from their paragraph onto the recording page.

Lesson 3: Choosing a Topic

• We know that providing choice will allow for greater engagement and success.  We want to help students to narrow their choices by giving them some guidance.
• Gather students and begin a discussion about choosing a research topic.
• Ask them to think of topics they already know a little about, have interest in or is important/relevant to their lives.
• You might pose the question “Why is that important in research writing?” and discuss their thoughts.
• For this lesson we have provided a page where students can individually brainstorm topics. You can circulate the room during this process to help students to narrow their topic.
• If you feel your class may need help to narrow their choices, think about giving them a broad topic, such as animals, and then have them choose a sub-topics from the bigger umbrella topic.
• If you feel like your students need an added level of support you might think about creating an anchor chart from a class brainstorming session about possible appropriate topics and then display this in your room.

Lesson 4: Where to Find Accurate Information about a Topic

• Help students to begin to understand where they might find accurate information about their topics.
• Where are the places you can begin to look for information about your topic?  
• Why would the copyright date on a book be important in doing research?  
• Is everything on the internet true?
• Why is it important for your research to contain accurate information?  
• Where do you begin to look for information that will accurate
• One way to help students think through appropriate sites on the internet is to pass out the ten cards provided in our resources.
• Have students read the cards and discuss what kind of a website it is.
• Talk about whether they know or have heard of the sites. Would they consider the sites “trusted” enough to gain knowledge about their topics.  Then have them talk about why or why not these sites would be trusted.

Lesson 5: Double Check Your Facts

• We want our students to get into the habit of double checking their facts. This will help ensure what they are learning is correct.
• To do this, you might want them to practice this skill.  In this lesson use the page provided to have each student find and record a fact about a topic of their choice on the internet.
• The page then has students write where they found the fact, and also has them list a corresponding fact from a different source.
• Finally they determine if the facts are the same or different. You may have to further the lesson by discussing approximations.  For example one site might say that an animal can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, while another might state that the animal weighs between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds.
• You will need to talk about how those facts might both be accurate even though they are stated differently. If they seem to check out, then help students generalize the information for a research paper.

Lesson 6: Taking Notes

• Sometimes giving students resources and a blank sheet of notebook paper can be too overwhelming. You have students who simply copy everything from the text or you have others who have no idea where to start.
• We need to guide them to read to pull out facts & relevant information.
• For this lesson we have provided various templates for note-taking. Whatever method or template you choose for helping your students learn to take notes, model it several times in front of the class Demonstrating for them how to write the notes as they read about a topic will be helpful.
• After initial teaching, you may find that you need to pull small groups for extra practice. Some might need a one-on-one conference.

Lesson 7: Paraphrasing vs. Plagiarism

• Students will need to learn how to paraphrase their research. This will help them avoid plagiarizing words from their resources.
• Discuss why plagiarizing is something that they shouldn’t do in their writing because it is “stealing” another’s words.
•  Tell the students that there is a way to use another author’s ideas in an appropriate way without copying their words. First, they need to paraphrase and then they need to cite the source where they found the information.
• Display the anchor chart “What is Paraphrasing” and discuss the definition.
• Next, pass out copies of “My Own Words” to pairs of students. Explain that their task will be to find a paragraph or passage in a nonfiction book. They will paraphrase the author’s words, keeping the same ideas.
• Finally, gather students together to share their paraphrasing efforts. Each pair of students can read the paragraph/passage from the book and then the paraphrasing that they wrote.  Discuss the words and decisions the students made in their paraphrasing.

Lesson 8: Word Choice in Research Writing

• To help students think about making their writing more interesting, have them brainstorm words that could add voice to their writing.
• After working independently on the word choice page provided, have them meet with partners. They can talk about nouns, verbs and adjectives that relate to their topic.

Lesson 9: Writing Sketch

• This graphic organizer can be used for students to plan their writing.
• If your writers are more advanced you might choose to skip this step, It could be a big help for students who have taken notes and have too many facts.  
• Be sure to model how to write the facts & ideas from your notes onto your planner. Students will see first hand how to make sure to only add what is relevant and important to their writing.
• Some questions you can pose: What will be the focus of each paragraph in your research writing?  What do you want to include from your notes?  Why is it important to the research?  What facts don’t quite fit into the paragraphs you’ve decided upon? Should you change some of the paragraphs so that they better support the research and what you want your readers to learn?
• Once the planner is finished, they can use it as a guide to help their writing stay focused.

Lesson 10: Writing Introductions to Research

• Teach students how to think about their introduction as a way to grab their readers’ attention.
• Our anchor chart has some ideas to get writers started. You might also extend the anchor chart to include ideas from your students. (We have included some blank anchor charts at the very bottom of the download.)
• Discuss the parts that need to be included in the introductory paragraph first. Then, move on to some of the ways that might engage readers. As always be sure to model how you would go about writing an introductory paragraph using your Writing Sketch.

Lesson 11: Developing Your Paragraphs

• Next, help students stay focused and develop complete paragraphs.The next graphic organizer will get them to think through the specifics of each paragraph.
• Again, this may not be needed for all of the students in your classroom, but it might be something to think about using with all of them for at least their very first attempts at writing research papers.
•  Model how to use the Writing Sketch planner to develop their paragraphs more fully on this organizer.

Lesson 12: Writing a Conclusion to Research 

Providing a solid concluding paragraph is also something that needs modeled for your students.

Use the anchor chart with ideas to get you started with the modeling of this as well.

***If you would like for your students to write their first drafts on something that continues to support organization for them, you will find guided lined paper.

Lesson 13: Research Rendezvous Celebration

We love ending a unit of study with a celebration.

For this particular celebration, you might invite students to bring in a visual to help illustrate their topic.  

Invite parents and other special adults from your building to the celebration and think about providing a snack.  

You can also print out our “Congrats Author!” certificates to give to each student during the celebration.

All the research writing resources described above can be found in one download here:

Writing a Research Paper Resources

As with all of our resources, The Curriculum Corner creates these for free classroom use. Our products may not be sold. You may print and copy for your personal classroom use. These are also great for home school families!

You may not modify and resell in any form. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Dulce Hernandez

Thursday 8th of April 2021

Thank you so much. I tutor non-English speakers from K-9th grade. These resources are a God send!!

Monday 25th of May 2020

I cant download it, where do you download it?

Jill & Cathy

Wednesday 2nd of September 2020

Here is the link: https://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/thecurriculumcorner456/wp-content/pdf/writing/research/researchwriting.pdf

Graphic Organizer for Research Papers - The Curriculum Corner 4-5-6

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[…] The middle school years can also be a good time to introduce writing a short research paper if your student is ready.  Introduce how to do research, how to make an outline, and how to write a short research paper, including how to cite sources. Here’s a website that has a free introduction to writing research papers: https://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/thecurriculumcorner456/writing-research-papers/. […]

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5th Grade Writing Research Papers Graphic Organizers

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