RESEARCH METHODS - ANTH 300

THE RESEARCH PAPER
Dr. Richard W. Franke
( franker@mail.montclair.edu )

NOTE:  Set your font to 10 point Times New Roman.

THE RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Title Page
  2. Abstract (if appropriate)
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Introduction/statement of problem
  5. Literature Review (if appropriate)
  6. Research Methods
  7. Findings/results
  8. Discussion/conclusions
  9. Notes (if appropriate)
  10. References
  11. Appendixes (if appropriate) (might include sample
    questionnaire or other research tool)

 Source: Cuba, Lee. 1993. A Short Guide to Writing About Social Science. New York:  Longman. Third Edition. P. 73.

Please continue  for details on each of the sections above.

THE RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Title and Title Page
    See Franke, .. Better Grades, p. 30.
    Cuba, pp. 74-76, 158-59

  2. Abstract
    Cuba, pp. 76-77

  3. Table of Contents

    This should be called "Contents" (no "Table of") and should include each chapter by number and page. For a longer work, the table of contents should include the number 1 headings (only) beneath each chapter title, with page numbers for those headings.

  4. Introduction
    Reason for the study
    First sentence problem: Franke, p. 26
    Cuba, pp. 77-86

  5. Literature Review
    Cuba, Chapters 2 and 3, pp. 17-69

  6. Research Methods
    Cuba, pp. 86-90

    The Sample
    The Measurement Instrument
    The Research Context

  7. The Results

    Presenting Quantitative Data: Cuba, pp. 92-101
    Presenting Qualitative Data: Cuba, pp. 101-106

  8. Discussion/conclusions
    Cuba, pp. 106-108

  9. Notes
    Cuba, chapter 7

  10. References
    Use referencing style as found in the American Anthropologist
    Do NOT use any other style for references
    Cuba, chapter 7

top_arrow.gif (377 bytes)

The Research Paper:  Rules for Tables, Charts, Figures, or Diagrams


See also Cuba, pp. 92-101

1.   EACH TABLE AND FIGURE MUST BE GIVEN

  • A NUMBER,
  • A TITLE,
  • AND MUST BE REFERRED TO AND DISCUSSED BY NAME OR NUMBER AT LEAST ONCE IN THE TEXT.

2.   Number all tables sequentially,

table 1
table 2
etc.
or
table 1.1
table 1.2
etc.

3.   Any paper of more than 20 pages or with more than 3 tables and figures combined
      should have a separate section of the table of contents called:

Tables and/or Figures
(as appropriate)

Table 1 Full Title of Table 1 page on which Table 1 is found
Table 2 Full Title of Table 2 page on which Table 2 is found
etc.

4.  Every table must have a Source line at the bottom of the table, telling where
     the information was derived. Do not use footnotes or endnotes for table and figure
     source lines.

5.   Every table must have a clearly marked N= where N is the sample size or total
      number appropriate to that table. Occasionally, you will have a table where N= is
      not appropriate such as a table of variables and their abbreviations.

6.   All columns must be properly lined up—never make the reader guess which
      number goes where.

7.   Every table should have a date for the data shown in it. This date is often in the
      title of the table, or might appear in the source line.

8.   Avoid vertical lines in tables as much as possible. Keep tables as simple as possible
      and use only as many horizontal lines as are necessary to help the reader see which
      numbers belong where.

top_arrow.gif (377 bytes)

The Research Paper:  A Sample Table Format

Table 1
Title of the Table
Date
N=

Horizontal Lines—don't use vertical lines if possible

Column
Heading
(Identification of Cases)		 Column
Heading
(Variable)		 Column
Heading
(Variable)
 Totals or
Averages
(if appropriate
Row Heading (Case) Data
Row Heading (Case) of
Row Heading (Case) Table

N=
Totals or Averages (usually)
Source: 1998 Survey of .....[whatever]
Notes: (if appropriate, for example, "Data in row 2, column 1, are for 1995, the most recent year available for such figures."

top_arrow.gif (377 bytes)

An Example Table:  Simple Data

Table 5.5.  Age and Education of Workers and Director Board Members

Characteristic Percentage of All Workers Percentage of Director Board Members
Sex
   Male 43 90
   Female 57 10
Age
   Less than 20 years 1 0
   20-30 years 37 14
   31-45 years 47 50
   Above 45 years 15 36
Education
   Illiterate 3 0
   Below High School 71 83
   High School 24 14
   Above High School 2 3
   N=143

Source:  Director Board Survey, January 1994
Note:  The age breakdown of the workers comes from the primary society secretaries' reports.  Several gave precise numbers of workers in each age category while others gave percents that might be estimates.  See tables 6.4 and 6.6.

Look at this table carefully.
What interesting facts appear on it?

How are the shop floor workers like the members of the boards of directors the workers elect?
How are the directors different?
What would you want to tell the reader about the data here?
Look carefully over the data for similarities and differences on all three characteristics:

  • Sex
  • Age
  • Education

Published source for the table:  Thomas Isaac, T.M., Richard W. Franke, and Pyaralal Raghavan.  1998.  Democracy at work in an Indian industrial cooperative:  the story of Kerala Dinesh Beedi.  Ithaca:  Cornell University Press.  P. 136.

top_arrow.gif (377 bytes)

Return to Skills Improvement Page.
Return to Anthropology Home Page.