Research Paper Planner: Guide   Tags: bic1323, eng_1304, english_1304, research_assignments, research_help, research_paper, research_papers, research_process, research_project, research_questions, research_skills, research_tutorial, thesis_prep, thesis_writing, topic_choice, tutorial  

Welcome to the Guide portion of the BU Libraries' Research Paper Planner (RPP).  This Guide contains links to helpful resources for each step of the research and writing process.   If you have used the Timeline portion of the RPP the links in the Timeline will take you to the links for that step of the process.

This Guide may be used independently of the Timeline to locate resources for each of the following stages of the research and writing process:

Step 1: Understanding the Assignment

Step 2: Select and Focus Topic

Step 3: Establish a Research Question

Step 4: Design Your Research Strategy

Step 5: Finding Books and Book Reviews

Step 6: Finding Articles (scholarly, popular, and newspaper)

Step 7: Finding Web Sites

Step 8: Write Thesis Statement

Step 9: Outline or Describe Overall Structure

Step 10: Write 1st Draft

Step 11: Conduct Additional Research as Necessary

Step 12: Revise & Rewrite

Step 13: Put Paper in Final Form

Surprised that there are so many steps?  Research conducted by librarians and teachers of writing has shown that breaking a research paper or thesis down into these steps is the "normal" process of writing for humanities and social science disciplines.  Using these steps will help you approach your research assignment in a progressive manner that should produce a better final product.  Give it a try and then use the evaluation for to the right to let us know how the RPP worked for you and suggest ways it could be improved.

This work is based on the University of Minnesota's Assignment Calculator but has been modified to meet the needs of the Baylor University community.

We'd be grateful if you would take a few seconds to fill out this really brief evaluation form so we know if this Planner was helpful to you or not.  In the comments box, please indicate what your class status is (freshman, junior, grad student, etc.) and comment on both the Timeline portion and this Guide portion to the Planner.

Thanks!