scene one

At the end of the summer, Jem, Scout, and Dill are bored and turn their thoughts to the mysterious Radley place, down the block from the Finch house. The Radley house is said to contain a "malevolent phantom" by the name of Boo Radley. Though the children have never seen him, rumors abound that he is over six feet tall, has rotten yellow teeth, popping eyes and a drool, and eats raw animals. Whenever strange things happen in the neighborhood, Boo is often blamed. Boo's story is an extension of the strange Radley family, who have always disregarded local custom by "keeping to themselves."

To fulfill the purpose and reach the audience, the writer uses diction, or word choice, that has appropriate connotations and an appropriate level of difficulty and formality. The writer of a research paper should use words that have neutral shadingswfor instance, "recycled material" rather than "junk." She should avoid exaggeration, such as by saying, "many experts agree" rather than "everyone knows."

Writing for a knowledgeable audience allows the writer to use a more technical vocabulary than writing for the lay person. In general, a research paper should not use slang. Like all papers, a research paper should be as clear and readable as the topic allows.

This informal activity should be completed after you finish all your lessons. It may not show any visible results, but if it does, they will probably turn out to be important. The key is to activate your thinking process, which is vital to writing your research paper.

Here is all you need to do:

Keep in mind that you are looking for a scientific research topic. When you have an idle moment, think about what topics might interest you. You don't have to set aside a special time to think about a possible topic. In fact, it may be better if you don't. Many writers and thinkers get their best ideas when they are not expecting to.

Let your mind drift toward science topics while you are doing chores, while you are watching television, while you are taking a bath, or whatever. You might be pleasantly surprised! If you do happen to think of something interesting, refer to your your Student Guide and jot it down there. If you don't come up with an idea, don't worry. You will have another chance, and you will do a brainstorming activity to help generate ideas.