1. Research Assignment and Expectations
What will the instructor grade:
- Completed by due date
- Length of finished product
- Sources selected and used
- References/citation form
- Organization and flow of ideas
- Writing skills
2. Topic Selection
- Select/define/refine/focus your idea
- Brainstorm
- 5 Ws (who, what, why, when, where)
- Determine if you will be able to cover all the important points of your
topic in the space you have to fill
3. Thesis Statement and Outline
- Clearly state your topic and how you are customizing/limiting
(ways to limit: gender, date, age group, place)
- What are you trying to prove?
- How will you prove it?
- Use your opinions and knowledge to develop your question
- Take a stand using your knowledge, experience, ideas
- Organize your ideas into an outline
4. Information Resources
- Use specialized information tools to identify appropriate sources
- Appropriate sources for academic research are those written by scholars,
experts, authorities, credible individuals
- Specialized tools: online catalog, indexes to articles, search engines
- Evaluate the usefulness of the information
- Select the best to prove your points
- Take notes and document your ideas
- Always get the publication details from your sources to create references
5. Finished Product
- Make sure your ideas and thinking are evident and make up the majority
of your content.
- Use your outline to organize your notes
- Make sure you have evidence/documentation for all your opinions/points
- Check to make sure you covered all the points from your thesis statement
- Make sure you have completed all assignment requirements
- Proofread
