1. Getting Started

First Things First - Assignment Requirements

Before you begin work on any research paper, examine the assignment closely for any requirements.

Q. How long is the paper?

This could be a page length, a page range, a word count, etc.

Q. How many sources?

How many total sources does your instructor ask for; are they all outside sources or does your textbook count as one of your sources?

Q. What kind of sources?

Does your instructor specify certain types of sources? Are there other requirements such as how current/old the sources can be, or where the source should come from - the library, a database, a book/ebook, a peer-reviewed journals, etc.?

Q. How do you cite sources?

Most instructors will ask you to use MLA format for your citations, but double-check to make sure. You may want to remind yourself what information you need to create the MLA Works Cited page and in-text citations.

Q. What is due?

Is this just a paper? Is there also an Annotated Bibliography due? Do you have to give a presentation? Are there other pieces like a rough draft, outline, summary, reading response, a tutorial, etc. Make note of all the parts of the assignment and create a checklist to make sure you don't leave anything out.

Q. When is it due?

How long do you have to work on this paper or project? Is there one due date for everything or are there multiple due dates for different parts of the assignment? Plan out your time, so you don't get stuck doing all the work at the last minute. Plan extra time in case you have problems or get stuck.

Q. What other requirements should you make note of?

Are there requirements to include a certain number of quotes or paraphrases? Do you need to have a certain number of paragraphs? Make note of any other requirements on the assignment sheet, and ask your instructor for clarification on any parts you're not sure about.

Your Topic

The first thing you need to do before you begin a research paper is to figure out what topic you're going to write about.

Your instructor has given you some topic ideas:

Genetically modified food: Overall, do the benefits of GMOs outweigh the potential risks? Why or why not? Some argue that GMOs are necessary to increase crop yields, defend against pests and disease, and increase food security for all, but others contend that they pose unknown health risks, contaminate organic and non-GMO crops, and put farmers at risk.
Food waste: Food waste refers to edible food that ends up discarded by consumers and retailers (grocery stores and restaurants) and results in wasted land, water, fuel, and labor. What factors are to blame for the staggering amount of food waste and what solution(s) do you believe are the best ways to decrease the amount of food wasted?
The Local Food Movement: In recent years there has been a growing push to encourage consumers to buy and eat foods grown close to where they live because local food takes less fossil fuel to transport, doesn’t lose nutrients, and supports local economies, but many argue that the local food movement is unrealistic, unprofitable, and inefficient. Should food be grown and sold locally everywhere? Why or why not?
Junk Food: Junk food is generally defined as good that has little nutritional value outside of providing fat, sodium, or sugar and often contains highly processed ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. There have been many efforts to reduce people’s consumption of junk food including soda taxes in some state and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) which authorized federal funding for healthier school meals and implemented new standards for child nutrition programs. Some people feel that such measures are necessary to protect the health of our communities, while others feel these are unnecessary, expensive restrictions on individual freedom. Should the government regulate junk foods in this way? Why or why not?
Pick your own related to food with instructor appoval, if none of the questions above interest you.

Also, keep in mind that you need outside resources for your paper. Before you totally commit to a topic or focus area, you'll want to make sure that there are enough outside sources on the topic for your assignment. Not every topic is going to have information written about it. Do some searching in the library's databases to make sure there are sources, and Ask-A-Librarian to double-check if you're not sure there are enough sources for a topic you're really interested in.