The document outlines the essential steps for writing an A+ research paper, starting from choosing a topic to finalizing the draft. It emphasizes the importance of using library resources, developing a thesis, and adhering to proper citation practices to avoid plagiarism. Support and guidance are encouraged through discussions with instructors and librarians throughout the research process.

1. How to write an A+ research paper
Start with the Library

2. Basic steps
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CHOOSE A TOPIC
FIND INFORMATION
STATE YOUR THESIS
MAKE A TENTATIVE OUTLINE
WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT
REVISE YOUR OUTLINE AND DRAFT
TYPE FINAL PAPER

3. STEP 1. CHOOSE A TOPIC
Your instructor has presented you with a
research assignment. It is up to you to
find a good topic. You have an idea…
But you are unsure of the direction.

4. STEP 1. CHOOSE A TOPIC
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Keep a diary of your ideas and progress.
Talk it over with your instructor.
Talk it over with your peers.
The more you brainstorm or talk about
your topic you will have a broader
understanding of what you want to
research.

5. STEP 2. FIND INFORMATION
Come to the library and talk it over with
the librarian.
We will help you find information to
support your topic

6. STEP 2. FIND INFORMATION
The library has several resources to help
you develop your topic. They include...
• Encyclopedias
• Specialized titles
• Online Databases
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E-Books
Academic Journals
Magazines
Newspapers
Multimedia

7. The LRC Articles Database
Below are databases with thousands of periodicals
containing millions of full-text articles and electronic
books. Many of the periodicals are scholarly
journals. The databases are categorized by
• General - Magazine and Journals
• Specialized Databases
• Citation Pages
• New Resources
• E-books

8. STEP 2. FIND INFORMATION
Great places to start when looking for information on
controversial issues are the following databases.
Each database will give you…
• An overall understanding on the issue
• Argumentative sides to the issue
• Statistics
• Additional resources
Facts.com
Opposing Viewpoints

9. STEP 2. FIND INFORMATION
Facts.com
Issues and Controversies helps
researchers understand the crucial issues we face
today, exploring more than 800 hot topics in
business, politics, government, education, and
popular culture. Updated weekly, with links to a 12year back-file, Issues and Controversies offers indepth articles made to inspire thought-provoking
debates. This database is great for research papers
and debate prep.
Found in “General” Articles and Databases

10. STEP 2. FIND INFORMATION
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
is the
premier online resource covering today’s hottest
social issues, from Offshore Drilling to Climate
Change, Health Care to Immigration. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context helps students research,
analyze and organize a broad variety of data for
conducting research, completing writing
assignments, preparing for debates, creating
presentations and more.
Found in “Specialized” Articles and Databases

11. Additional Resources
• The library has additional databases
with millions of resources available.
• There are limitless possibilities…

12. STEP 3. STATE YOUR THESIS
Now that you have an idea and you have
found supporting resources, it is time to
state you thesis.
Do some critical thinking and write your
thesis down in one sentence. A thesis
statement is like a declaration of your
opinion about a topic. The main portion of
your paper will consist of arguments to
support and defend this opinion.

13. STEP 4. MAKE A TENTATIVE OUTLINE
“An outline enables you to judge the
relevance of facts and opinions, to
organize your ideas in paragraphs and
to determine their most effective
order.”
Coyle, William and Joe Law. Research Papers. Boston:
Wadsworth, 2010. Print.

14. STEP 5. WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT
When writing your first draft, be sure to
include the resources you have found at
the library.
Refer to your…
• Notes
• Outline
• Scholarly resources
After writing your first draft, you may even find
that you need more information.

15. Plagiarism
IT IS UNETHICAL TO PLAGIARIZE
To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever
you use:
• another person’s idea, concept or theory;
• any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of
information—that are not common knowledge;
• quotations of another person’s actual spoken or
written words; or
• paraphrase another person’s spoken or written
words.
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

16. STEP 6. REVISE YOUR OUTLINE AND DRAFT
STEP 7. TYPE FINAL PAPER
Always consult with your instructor when
writing a research paper to ensure you
are on the right path.

17. MLA & APA
MLA & APA style guides are available in
the library.
They are also available 24/7 on the
library’s website.
Articles / databases
 Citation pages
Learning Tools

18. When in doubt…talk it out
Research help is available during library
hours and 24/7 using Research Help
Now Virtual Reference.

19. Thank You
Questions