Our Research Process

Step 1: Pick a topic -- If you select a general topic, you may be writing an extremely long paper; therefore, narrow your topic down to something simple and precise. 

Step 2: Divide your paper into subtopics -- For example, if I had to write a paper on Franklin D. Roosevelt, I would divide my paper the following way: Introduction, Early Life/Education, Political Career, The New Deal for Louisiana, and Conclusion. Next, color-code by assigning each subtopic a different highlighter color. 

Step 3: Conduct research --If you use the Internet, be careful to select reliable sources (Wikipedia is not reliable). Remember to print out all sources from the Internet. Write all publishing information for sources taken from print hard-copies. Narrow your research by using keyword searches and your subtopics.

Step 4: Actively read all research material -- If you find material that you could use for a specific subtopic, highlight the material using the color-coding system you designed. Make notes on the research. Use post-it notes that are colored to tab your pages and such. If you are using printed Internet material, you may write all over the pages, but if you are working in a library book, you need to use post-it notes.

Step 5: Write you rough draft -- Work on each subtopic one at a time.

Step 6: Revise

Step 7: Proofread

Step 8: Write the cover page and bibliography/works cited page

Step 9: Proofread step 8

Step 10: Print final draft -- Turn it in! :-)