Research Help

Research Paper Planner

A 6-week summer session, a 10-week quarter, and even a semester can seem short, so save time!

(Note: The schedule below assumes that you will receive your assignment in
Week 1 or Week 2 of the term. Check with your instructor or your librarian for
advice on adjusting this schedule if you get your assignment after Week 2.)

Step 1 : Get Started

WHEN?
Summer Session (6-week): Week 1
Quarter: Weeks 1-2
Semester (16-week & 18-week): Week 2

Be sure to:

STEP 2: Pick and focus your topic; write a hypothesis or argument

WHEN?
Summer Session (6-week): Week 2
Quarter: Weeks 2-3
Semester (16-week & 18-week): Weeks 3-4

  • Topic invention techniques
  • Thought starters
  • Brainstorm topic search words. Choosing a topic
  • Narrow or broaden your topic
  • Try it! Topic Narrowing/Broadening Exercise

    STEP 3: Design research strategy and choose useful information sources

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Week 2
    Quarter: Weeks 2-3
    Semester (16-week): Weeks 3-4
    Semester (18-week): Weeks 4-5

    • Check the flow of information
    • Select an appropriate type of information source

    Step 4: Use encyclopedias to get a topic overview

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Week 3
    Quarter: Weeks 4-5
    Semester (16-week): Weeks 5-6
    Semester (18-week): Weeks 6-7

    Step 5: Find useful books

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Week 3
    Quarter: Weeks 4-5
    Semester (16-week): Weeks 6-8
    Semester (18-week): Weeks 8-9

    STEP 6: Find useful periodical (magazine, journal, newspaper) articles

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Weeks 3 -4
    Quarter: Weeks 4-7
    Semester (16-week): Weeks 8-10
    Semester (18-week): Weeks 9-11

    STEP 7: Find authoritative, accurate, complete, and up to date web sites

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Weeks 4-5
    Quarter: Weeks 4-7
    Semester (16-week): Week 10
    Semester (18-week): Week 11

    STEP 8: Outline paper

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Week 4
    Quarter: Weeks 5-7
    Semester (16-week): Week 11
    Semester (18-week): Week 12

    STEP 9: Analyze, compare and contrast the evidence, come to your own conclusions, and write first draft

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Weeks 4-5
    Quarter: Weeks 7-9
    Semester (16-week): Weeks 11-13
    Semester (18-week): Weeks 14-17

    STEP 10: Conduct additional research, if necessary

    WHEN?
    During any term, periodically reevaluate, and repeat Steps 4-7, as needed

    STEP 11: Revise and rewrite

    WHEN?
    Summer Session (6-week): Weeks 5-6
    Quarter: Weeks 8-9
    Semester (16-week): Weeks 12-15
    Semester (18-week): Weeks 14-17

  • Get Writing Help (Covel Commons)

      STEP 12: Put paper in final form

      WHEN?
      Summer Session (6-week): Week 6
      Quarter: Week 10
      Semester (16-week): Week 16
      Semester (18-week): Week 18