1. The easy and fun way!

2.   Don’t just redo what has been done before  Come up with a thesis before you begin your research  This will narrow your search.  It will also help you write a paper that is truly your own. Coming up with an Idea

3.   Webs  Lists  Venn Diagrams Ways to Brainstorm Herman Melville Bartleby the Scrivener

4.   Use sources that are credible and offer scholarly information. Databases are a good place to look.  Find information for the other side of the argument and be able to refute it.  Use at least 4-6 resources  Designate a special folder for the paper in which you can keep all of your research organized. Finding Information

5.   Is there an author?  What kind of publication is it from?  Looking at the URL can tell you a lot about the website. How to Know if a Source is Credible

6.  http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/melville.htm Indicates a personal page within a larger page A school site

7.   Narrow down your sources to the ones that are most valuable and provide you with the most information.  Paraphrase the information in your own words. Your paper should sound like you wrote it!  Use the notes you took on the text and use the text as a reference.  Cite what you take directly from the text properly. Give credit where credit is due! Compressing What You Find

8.   Here is an example of citing within a paper:  In her article “When Chaos Is Come Again: Narrative and Narrative Analysis in Othello,” Marcia Macaulay states, “Othello clearly has no stomach for the version of events Desdemona presents to him” (267).  The author and her article are mentioned within the sentence with the page number indicated at the end. It is clear to the reader where the statement came from.  This is not the only way that this source can be cited within the text. How to Cite

9.   On the Works Cited page included at the end of the paper, it would state:  Macaulay, Marcia. “When Chaos is Come Again: Narrative and Narrative Analysis in Othello.” Style. 39.3 (2005): 259-276. Academic Search Complete. EBSCOhost. Web. 4 December 2010. How to Cite

10.   Refer to your handbook for different variations.  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ is a great up-to-date reference on proper documentation. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Guidelines for Citations

11.   Organize your ideas.  Writing an outline is a great way to organize and to make sure you have enough information to write your paper.  Make sure you have a strong thesis and that your information supports your thesis. The Writing Process Begins

12.   Write the body and the conclusion of the paper first.  Include quotations from sources using the “sandwich structure”– lead up to a quote, state it, and support it.  Then write the introduction.  With the body already written, it will be easier to write the introduction and will be able to better inform the reader what the paper is going to be about.  Create an attention-grabbing title. Some Tips

13.   Avoid words like “I”, “you”, contractions, “I believe”, “I think”.  These are all passive and weaken your authority.  The paper is written by you and will automatically reflect what you think!  Write as if it is going to be published.  Do not deviate from the MLA structure. Once again, http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ is a great resource.http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ More Tips

14.   Revising is much more than hitting spellcheck.  Read through your paper more than once and read it out loud.  Ask yourself:  Does the paper flow? Is it well organized?  Does the evidence support the thesis?  Are the format and citations done correctly?  What grade is this paper capable of receiving? How does it fall using the rubric? Revising

15.   Ask a peer to read the paper.  Ask me or another English teacher for advice.  A paper is never perfect! Always be looking for ways to improve. Revising