2.  Using your thesis statement/claim, research the topic that you are going to be writing about.  Creating guiding questions How many… What is the percentage… What are the statistics of…

3.  Primary research: this is conducting original research, meaning that this knowledge is not found in any other paper. Authentic letters, original documents, experiments. This will not be the bulk of this assignment.  Secondary research: Reading other experts’ published papers to learn something new about your topic, to survey what others have said and written about it, to reach a conclusion about your ideas on the topic.

4.  Learning to determine what information is essential and nonessential is difficult since the internet is so vast. Critiquing your sources for accuracy and relevance is very important.  Use sources only from 2009 onward, to make sure you have timely, up-to-date information.  Do not rely solely on the internet for information.

5.  You may use books, magazines or journals, encyclopedias (not Wikepedia), reference books, newspapers, letters, interviews, etc., as alternate sources.  Use the school library and the local library for online databases or printed material.

6.  Print or make copies of chapters or information that you plan on using so that you have it to refer to when you begin to compose your paper. You cannot include everything that you read in your paper. You need background information so that you become an authority on your topic.

7.  Read for detail: focus on information that provides evidence for your claim. If it explains, describes, analyzes, contrasts, gives an expert opinion or provides an “ah ha” moment for your topic, keep it for reference.  Take notes instead of copying/pasting. Keep a record of facts, quotes, and summarize long explanations for later use.

8.  Refresh: what is the difference between a direct quote, paraphrase, and summary?  Make sure you have all of the citation information for your works cited page. It may be difficult to find once you have moved on to another cite.  Stay organized: group information from your research logically.

9.  If you need to research some more after you have begun to compose, do it! Just make sure you remember to cite it. The paper is a work in progress and can always be amended. Thesis statements can be changed. They are used as a guide for research. If you find it is too broad, or too narrow, change it to make it more researchable.

10.  Don’t turn in your first draft. The final draft should have been amended several times, and combed through finely prior to turning it in.  Remember: this is your point of view, supported by the work of others. It is not their voice I want to hear, but your own.  I am available as a resource if you get stuck. You may also google how-to’s and go to owl.english.purdue.edu, for assistance.