The document outlines a library research report writing assignment that requires students to write a three-paragraph composition based on multiple references. Students will learn to take notes from various sources, create a fused outline, and document their references both orally and in writing. The process is designed to prepare students for in-depth research and longer report writing through structured, smaller assignments.

1. Library Research
Reports
Writing Assignment:
Write a report from fused
outlines – one paragraph for
each theme or topic.
Multiple Topic Research with
a three topic, three-
paragraph composition

2. Goals:
 For students to be able to use one, two, or
three or more references, taking outlines
notes on a specific topic from each reference
and if using multiple sources, to be able to
“fuse” and write a summary from the fused
outline.
 For student to document their references and
report orally or in writing on what they found
and where they found it.

3. Materials:
 A variety of reference materials, including but
not limited to the encyclopedia.
 An organized set of preselected articles or a
“mini-book” series can be of great value at the
start of this unit, enabling the students to first
master the process before they tackle the task
of searching for appropriate sources.

4. Fused Outline for three-topic,
three-paragraph composition
 Find three or more references.
 Starting with the encyclopedia, read about your
subject. Take notes.
 Think of several possible topics. Check for
sufficient detail.
 Review the first book for sufficient details. Decide
upon three topics to write about.
 Use all available references. Take notes on
three topics and keep bibliographic references.

5. Process Model
Source 1:
Encyclopedia
Source 2:
(Book)
Source 3:
(Book)
Source 4:
(Book)
List topic ideas:
(4 or more)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
etc.
Source 2 Title
(& pages)
Topic A
1.
2. details
3.
4.
Topic B.
Topic C.
etc.
Choose
3 Topics
Sources
3 and 4
Same pattern
With 3 selected
topics
Some sources will have more
information about certain topics
than others . Some sources may
have no information about one of
the topics.

6. Create a fused outline for each topic.
• Topic A with 5-7details
• Topic B (no info)
• Topic C with 5-7 details
Source
1
• Topic A with 5-7details
• Topic B with 5-7details
• Topic C (no info)
Source
2
• Topic A with 5-7details
• Topic B with 5-7 details
• Topic C with 5-7details
Source
3
Fused Outline
I. Topic A
1.
2.
3.
Clincher: Topic A
II. Topic B
1.
2.
3.
Clincher: Topic B
III. Topic C
etc.
Clincher: Topic C
& Title
Mark the report outline with
clincher sentence reminders to
help when writing paragraphs.

7. Summarize: Three paragraph report from
multiple sources
• If any details on the key word outline are unclear
when writing, trace the note back to the source
outline and to the source text, read and then
rewrite.
• Usually it is easier to create the title from the final
sentence.

8. Note to Parents/Learning Coaches:
This procedure of selecting topics, taking
notes and writing from a fused outline is in
face the same process needed for in-depth
research and longer report writing. If you
teach the “how-to” of research with shorter
and more frequent one, two and three-
paragraph compositions, students will
naturally understand how to approach a longer
and more detailed research project when they
are required to do so.