1 GETTING STARTED
Understanding your assignment
What is the final product? A speech/oral presentation? Video/media project? Research paper? Lab report? Primary sources research project? Poster? Other?
What is the task of your assignment (define, describe, explain, research, relate, compare, analyze, prove, etc.)? Who is your audience? What kind of writing style is required?
What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas? Identify your information need and acceptable source types
Ask your professor if you have any questions about the assignment
Developing a topic
Find a topic
Gather background info
Narrow and refine (sometimes broaden)
Concept mapping
Assignment Calculators/Planners & Understanding Your Assignment
Image from Giorgio Montersino via Flickr
Sources for Gathering Background Info
Image from playlight55 via Flickr
Concept (or Mind) Mapping Tools
Concept Mapping of Key Ideas Tutorial | University of Ottowa Library