Literary Analysis Guide

Steps to Writing a Research Paper

Define Task and get organized - make sure you understand the assignment = ask questions and define unfamiliar terms - determine a plan of action and setup a timeline

Preliminary research - get some background information - make a list of terms, questions and make connections to things you already know


Define topic or develop thesis - you may have to modify by either narrowing or broadening 

List search terms - generate a keyword list - include characters and/or terms from the literature/novel as well as notes taken during prelimnary research, also include synonyms for key terms

Locate and evaluate information sources - search for information sources, checking the authority, relevence, and purpose of each source - use databases designed for academic research (Gale & those included in DISCUS) 

Organize information - utilze organization tools like Easybib EDU and Google Drive to save articles, take notes and create a working bibliography

Analyze Information and begin writing Rough Draft - it may be necassary to broaden your information search to fill in gaps, or on the flip side, narrow or redefine search terms to weed out irrelevant information, using Google Docs allows for working accross devices and locations

Finalize - proof your work and finalize your Works Cited to include only those information sources actually included in your paper. verify your formatting with the appropriate style guide (Easybib has a citation guide for APA and MLA)