2. Step 1: Choose your topic.
• If at all possible, choose a
subject or an aspect of a
subject that interests you
• Narrow down the topic. Notice
the difference between:
– “The effects of digital technology on
education”
– “Online courses: an improvement over
in-class learning?”
3. Step 2: Gather materials.
• Have a focus for your paper: a
question that you want to
answer -- e.g., “What are the
advantages and
disadvantages of online
learning?”
– Note: this is not yet a thesis. A thesis
would be a tentative answer to
this question
• Put together a bibliography
– Professors will often require this
4. Step 3: Take notes on your sources.
• Organize your notes according to
topic
– Use 3x5 file cards
– or create a computer file to
keep notes
• Give each note card or page a
title and make sure you have all
referencing information (it’s easier
to do this sooner than later!)
• Use your own words when
possible; avoid excessive use of
long quotations
5. Step 4: Decide on a thesis.
• A thesis is a statement that states
an argument or makes an assertion.
– It is a statement that someone could
disagree with!
– This thesis is tentative; you will probably
need to revise it between the first and
the final draft
• You don’t have a thesis if you say
– “This paper is about . . .” or
– “This paper will discuss the question . . .”
6. Step 5: make an outline.
• Thesis statement
• Development of thesis
– supporting research
– contrary research (naysayer)
• Conclusions/summary/
reaction -- or a
combination of these,
depending on what your
professor assigns
7. Step 6: write the first drafts.
• STAY FOCUSED ON YOUR THESIS! Eliminate
materials that do not relate to it.
• Pay attention to the flow of ideas.
• Reference properly all quotes,
paraphrases, and uses of ideas from your
sources.
• Run a spell and grammar check
• Print out paper or review on screen
– PROOFREAD!! Correct mechanical and
stylistic errors
• Re-print paper
• The rough draft should not be the same
as “first draft” that your professor sees
8. Step 7: revise and rewrite.
• Take seriously all comments made
by professors and peers on your
drafts!
• If not “officially” a multi-draft
project, write at least two to three
drafts anyway.
• Be sure to spell check, proofread,
and check references for the final
product.
– DO NOT turn in a paper with
handwritten corrections.
– Final draft should be a refined piece of
work: clear, clean, coherent.
