Writing Guide
Middle School Research Paper: How to Avoid the Usual Pitfalls
Students at middle school level start learning how to write research papers through middle school research paper writing exercises.
As with any beginner there are many research writing skills to be acquired. These skills include avoiding the pitfalls associated with the writing of middle school research papers.
Tips to avoid the usual pit falls associated with middle school research papers.
These tips are targeted at middle school students to avoid common mistakes in a middle school research paper.
- The Internet is the most common means used by students writing a middle school research paper for sourcing information. They believe that what is on the Internet to be the Gospel truth. This is not true and a common pitfall in a middle school research paper. Avoid this usual pitfall of middle school students. Should you choose to use the Internet then the approved list of web sites provided by the teacher for the purpose of sourcing information.
- Another common pitfall in a middle school research paper is the belief that once a source is cited content of the Internet source can be copied and pasted into the text of the middle school research paper. This is a myth and has to be avoided to avoid charges of plagiarism.
- Yet another common pitfall in a middle school research paper stems from misconstruing the guidelines for using quotes, paraphrasing, and summarising. The school children believe that paraphrasing means changing a few large words in the written text from the original source. In addition children believe that there are no restrictions on the length of quotes. This causes them to have length quotes in the research paper. This is a mistake and needs to be avoided.
These tips should help avoid the common pitfalls in middle school research papers.




