Meet Reeves!-- Students

If you have any questions, contact your professor to make sure that you clearly understand the expectations for the project.

Whenever possible, choose a topic that interests you. Being interested in the subject will make your research and writing more enjoyable and will also help you to do a better job.

Your research style is personal and will develop with practice. Preliminary research can help you select or refine a topic or thesis statement as you find what kind of information is available.

Remember to evaluate the information that you find. Select sources that are reliable, authoritative, and relevant to your topic.

Sort and organize your resources; see which sources will support which parts of your outline.

While creating an outline may seem like a waste of time, it's actually one of the best ways to save yourself time. A good outline provides a skeletal structure for your project and allows you to focus on your writing later on.

Write your first draft. Try not to agonize about getting it perfect at first; you can edit and revise later.

Writing your first draft may reveal holes or weak spots in your research. Determine if you need another source or two to support a point.

• Make changes to your draft
• Revise your writing and format your paper according to the APA guidelines
• Make sure that all quotations, paraphrases, and information are cited appropriately