You will have to write three essays/papers for Arts 1110. Each paper will be approximately 1000 words long on a topic that you'll choose in consultation with your instructor.

Even though you can choose your own topic, there is a standard process you must follow in developing your paper. Students will be graded at each of the following stages:

• Thesis and outline
• Annotated bibliography
• Draft of paper
• Revised copy of paper

The "How to do Research" section will help you with the process of finding and choosing information for your papers, as well as how to reference the information you find.

Key Resources
Understanding Assignments
Task Analysis
Verbs Used in Essay Questions
Concept Words Used in Essay Questions

1. Choose a Topic

When you are selecting a topic to write on, it's important to:

• choose a topic that interests you.
• understand the requirements of the assignment and follow your instructor's directions.
• talk to your TA or professor if you don't understand the assignment, are having trouble choosing a topic, or have any questions.

2. Refine the Topic

Many students choose a very general topic for their papers, but having a topic which is too general could mean that you'll find too much information to sort through, or information that's irrelevant or inappropriate.

If your sample topic = student stress, then ask yourself some refining questions, like:

• What kind of student stress am I interested in? Exam/test anxiety, residence life issues, parental expectations, relationships, etc.
• What time period am I interested in? Current information, past studies, trends?
• What aspect of stress am I interested in? Psychological, sociological? Health/medical?
• What location am I interested in? Canada, the U.S., anywhere? Manitoba only?
• Do I need to consider things like age, gender, year level?

After the refining process, the topic now looks like: "How does residence life affect first year students' health and behaviour?"

You will increase your efficiency in writing academic papers if you create a time schedule with deadlines for each step:

• research
• read and take notes
• outline/organize information
• write the first draft
• revise for completeness, conciseness and clarity
• edit and proofread

Make sure you start earlier, rather than later, and give yourself plenty of time for each step. Try the Virtual Learning Commons’ Assignment Manager to help you plan the timeline.

Key Resource
Research Paper Timeline