Some Suggested Steps to a Successful Research Paper

1. Choose Your Topic

• Choose your topic wisely - not too broad or too narrow, avoid controversial or overworked topics.
• Take time to narrow your topic - Do some reading on the broad subject area before narrowing - this may seem like extra work, but it will be MUCH easier to write your paper when you have intelligently narrowed your topic! Use encyclopedias, journal articles, books, web pages.
• Does some preliminary research - What kinds of information are available?  Choose a topic you can easily research.
• Write a thesis statement to define the main idea of your paper.  What will you describe or prove?  Your thesis statement is your compass; it will keep your paper going in the right direction

2. Research your topic

• Make a list of keywords to use.  (Write them down!) List synonyms - you never know what will bring up a 'hit' in a database.
• Use the Catalog to find books in the TSU collection.  Try a variety of keywords, and keywords that are broader than your topic
• Use World cat to find books in other libraries.  You can borrow them through inter-library loan. Allow a week or two for delivery
• Use appropriate databases to find articles. 
• Use print indexes if your topic is older or historic (e.g. the Vietnam War). Try the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature - Ask for assistance -  a librarian will be glad to help.
• Use the Internet wisely. Evaluate your sources, check government sites, make precise searches

3. Write the paper

• Find a way to organize your materials - chronologically, or  by point or subtopic
• Don't forget that tool from English class - an OUTLINE.  It will make writing easier, since you know where you are going.
• Don't expect the first draft to be a finished product.  Write it up quickly and REWRITE! It's easier in the long run.
• Consider writing your bibliography FIRST - you will be less likely to overlook material and more likely to see 'the forest ' instead of 'the trees'.

4. Details Matter

·         Use correct spelling and grammar - PROOFREAD.

·         Use correct citation format - be consistent

Follow the instructor's specified format.  Double-spaced? Name on each page?  Footnotes or endnotes?  Check your assignment or syllabus to make sure you understand the requirements.

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Article submitted Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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