English 1302 - Literary Research: Home

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Contact the TJC Writing/Tutoring Center to schedule an appointment for one-on-one assistance with your writing assignment. Go to their website below for complete contact information, session details, hours of operation and more. Call 903-510-2577 for an appointment.

Click here to ask a question and to see our list of questions and answers.

"The Birthplace_2" by dandwig is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

1. Read the assignment very carefully.  Look for specific keywords such as describe, analyze, compare or contrast. What resources (books, online databases, journals, newspapers) are you allowed to use?  These specifics will help to direct your research.  If you're still not sure, talk to your professor.  

2. Select your topic.  Decide on a topic and begin gathering supporting material. A search of the library's databases and online catalog is a good first step that will give you an idea of the published research that is available to support your topic. Gathering information can be time consuming, so don't delay!  

3. Begin writing your draft copy.  Determine your thesis statement, the main point of your paper. To help you organize your thoughts, create an outline of points that you wish to make about your topic.  Write down your own thoughts and list questions that you want to address from your research.

4. Don't plagiarize!  Write the paper in your own words.  When quoting others, be sure to attribute that work to them.  

5. Refine your paper.  Does your paper have a clear thesis statement?  Have you included enough supporting information?  Are your points clearly stated?  Do the ideas and paragraphs transition well throughout the paper?

6. Proofread your paper.  Check for misspelled words and grammatical errors.  Have you followed your instructor's specific formatting requirements?  Finally, you might ask someone that you know (friend, parent, teacher) to look over the paper for you.  

YouTube video from a guest lecture for students at the University of Maryland University College.