You are a re-entry student and it's been fourteen years since you've written a

paper. You coasted through high school on your charm and good looks and never
actually wrote a research paper. You have written research papers, but every time
is like the first time, and the first time was like a root canal. How do you start? Here
is a step-by-step approach to starting and completing a research paper.

1. Choose a topic.
2. Read and keep records.
3. Form a thesis.
4. Create a mind map or outline.
5. Read again.
6. Rethink your thesis.
7. Draft the body.
8. Revise.
9. Add the beginning and end.
[Link] and edit.

You may read this TIP Sheet from start to finish before you begin your paper, or skip
to the steps that are causing you the most grief.

1. Choosing a topic: Interest, information, and focus

Your job will be more pleasant, and you will be more apt to retain information if you
choose a topic that holds your interest. Even if a general topic is assigned ("Write
about impacts of GMO crops on world food supply"), as much as possible find an
approach that suits your interests. Your topic should be one on which you can find
adequate information; you might need to do some preliminary research to
determine this. Go to the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature in the reference
section of the library, or to an electronic database such as Proquest or Wilson Web,
and search for your topic. The Butte College Library Reference Librarians are more
than happy to assist you at this (or any) stage of your research. Scan the results to
see how much information has been published. Then, narrow your topic to
manageable size:

Too Broad: Childhood diseases Too Broad: Eating disorders

Focused: Juvenile Diabetes Focused: Anorexia Nervosa
Once you have decided on a topic and determined that enough information is
available, you are ready to proceed. At this point, however, if you are having
difficulty finding adequate quality information, stop wasting your time; find another
topic.

2. Preliminary reading & recordkeeping

Gather some index cards or a small notebook and keep them with you as you read.
First read a general article on your topic, for example from an encyclopedia. On an
index card or in the notebook, record the author, article and/or book title, and all
publication information in the correct format (MLA or APA, for example) specified by
your instructor. (If you need to know what publication information is needed for the
various types of sources, see a writing guide such as SF Writer.) On the index cards
or in your notebook, write down information you want to use from each identified
source, including page numbers. Use quotation marks on anything you copy
exactly, so you can distinguish later between exact quotes and paraphrasing. (You
will still attribute information you have quoted or paraphrased.)

Some students use a particular index card method throughout the process of
researching and writing that allows them great flexibility in organizing and re-
organizing as well as in keeping track of sources; others color-code or otherwise
identify groups of facts. Use any method that works for you in later drafting your
paper, but always
start with good recordkeeping.

3. Organizing: Mind map or outline

Based on your preliminary reading, draw up a working mind map or outline. Include
any important, interesting, or provocative points, including your own ideas about
the topic. A mind map is less linear and may even include questions you want to
find answers to. Use the method that works best for you. The object is simply to
group ideas in logically related groups. You may revise this mind map or outline at
any time; it is much easier to reorganize a paper by crossing out or adding sections
to a mind map or outline than it is to laboriously start over with the writing itself.

4. Formulating a thesis: Focus and craftsmanship

Write a well defined, focused, three- to five-point thesis statement, but be prepared
to revise it later if necessary. Take your time crafting this statement into one or two
sentences, for it will control the direction and development of your entire paper.

For more on developing thesis statements, see the TIP Sheets "Developing a Thesis
and Supporting Arguments" and "How to Structure an Essay."
5. Researching: Facts and examples
Now begin your heavy-duty research. Try the internet, electronic databases,
reference books, newspaper articles, and books for a balance of sources. For each
source, write down on an index card (or on a separate page of your notebook) the
publication information you will need for your works cited (MLA) or bibliography
(APA) page. Write important points, details, and examples, always distinguishing
between direct quotes and paraphrasing. As you read, remember that an expert
opinion is more valid than a general opinion, and for some topics (in science and
history, for example), more recent research may be more valuable than older
research. Avoid relying too heavily on internet sources, which vary widely in quality
and authority and sometimes even disappear before you can complete your paper.

Never copy-and-paste from internet sources directly into any actual draft of your
paper. For more information on plagiarism, obtain from the Butte College Student
Services office a copy of the college's policy on plagiarism, or attend the Critical
Skills Plagiarism Workshop given each semester.

6. Rethinking: Matching mind map and thesis

After you have read deeply and gathered plenty of information, expand or revise
your working mind map or outline by adding information, explanations, and
examples. Aim for balance in developing each of your main points (they should be
spelled out in your thesis statement). Return to the library for additional information
if it is needed to evenly develop these points, or revise your thesis statement to
better reflect what you have learned or the direction your paper seems to have
taken.

7. Drafting: Beginning in the middle

Write the body of the paper, starting with the thesis statement and omitting for now
the introduction (unless you already know exactly how to begin, but few writers do).
Use supporting detail to logically and systematically validate your thesis statement.
For now, omit the conclusion also.

For more on systematically developing a thesis statement, see TIP sheets

"Developing a Thesis and Supporting Arguments" and "How to Structure an Essay."

8. Revising: Organization and attribution

Read, revise, and make sure that your ideas are clearly organized and that they
support your thesis statement. Every single paragraph should have a single topic
that is derived from the thesis statement. If any paragraph does not, take it out, or
revise your thesis if you think it is warranted. Check that you have quoted and
paraphrased accurately, and that you have acknowledged your sources even for
your paraphrasing. Every single idea that did not come to you as a personal
epiphany or as a result of your own methodical reasoning should be attributed to its
owner.

For more on writing papers that stay on-topic, see the TIP Sheets "Developing a
Thesis and Supporting Arguments" and "How to Structure an Essay." For more on
avoiding plagiarism, see the Butte College Student Services brochure, "Academic
Honesty at Butte College," or attend the Critical Skills Plagiarism Workshop given
each semester.

9. Writing: Intro, conclusion, and citations

Write the final draft. Add a one-paragraph introduction and a one-paragraph
conclusion. Usually the thesis statement appears as the last sentence or two of the
first, introductory paragraph. Make sure all citations appear in the correct format for
the style (MLA, APA) you are using. The conclusion should not simply restate your
thesis, but should refer to it. (For more on writing conclusions, see the TIP Sheet
"How to Structure an Essay.") Add a Works Cited (for MLA) or Bibliography (for APA)
page.

10. Proofreading: Time and objectivity

Time permitting, allow a few days to elapse between the time you finish writing
your last draft and the time you begin to make final corrections. This "time out" will
make you more perceptive, more objective, and more critical. On your final read,
check for grammar, punctuation, correct word choice, adequate and smooth
transitions, sentence structure, and sentence variety. For further proofreading
strategies, see the TIP Sheet "Revising, Editing, and Proofreading."