When beginning your library research, start with the online card catalog. Your best bet may be to find a few general books on the subject, and then study the bibliographies in the back of the books. Oftentimes, the very best sources are found this way. You may note, as you read, that one person may be quoted repeatedly in several articles. This should tell you that this person may be an authority. (See if their name is in the catalogue.) If you run across the mention of an article while reading another article or book, go find it. Use encyclopedias, reference books, newspapers, databases, the librarians, and the World Wide Web. Research is a back-and-forth process.
As you can, make a list of sources you won't use, sources you might use, and sources you will definitely use. Make bibliography cards for the latter two right away. Photocopy all material that you might or will use--even pamphlets and personal books. This will save you time later, should you need to return to the library. If you conduct a good deal of research, the first list will help you keep up with sources you've already checked (unless you enjoy checking them three and four times).
Reasearch Tips:
1. A good tip for beginning research is to have a basic understanding of your concept first.
Try doing some initial researching to get a basic understanding or definition of your topic.
Try using an online encylopedia. Hint: While searching for a basic definition of your topic, keep a list of similar terms or related words that you may use later in your research.
Make sure you know your audience. Stick to a certain tone, whether it's formal, informal, funny, pleading, etc.
Be aware of the possible counter-arguments that would go against what you are trying to say. Only address these points in your essay if you have good ways to respond to them.
Avoid the use of personal pronouns such as "I" or "you". This takes away from your writing's professional touch.
Use synonyms. Having the same word over and over will place a toll on the reader's nerves. Mix it up a bit.
When restating, do not duplicate any sentence. Your audience will not skip over any part, so there isn't a need for stressing the same point over and over.
Make each sentence count. Adding extra sentences will not drive your point home. Keep the essay clear by keeping it concise.
2. Keep a research log. This will help you keep track of where you found your information and make it easier when you cite your sources. The OHS Library has more samples of research logs if you would like to try a different one.
Database Instructions:
Olympia High School Library offers a huge variety of online resources for student use. Online databases are often your best resource for information for research projects.
Why use a database instead of Google?
Databases are reliable. They are an online collection of professional print resources. If a source has a print version, usually that means its author is a professional or an expert in the field, and that it has been edited and checked for accuracy.
There is no editor on the Internet. No one is checking facts, and information you find on the Internet isn't always true or accurate.
Databases provide you with access to the same professional journals and publications used by experts in a field. If you want to do your best research, you need to be using the best resources. Experts don’t rely on Google for their information.
Things to Keep in Mind When Using a Database:
Different databases contain different types of information. Read decriptions to ensure the database you're using fits your assignment best.
Look to see if your database has an advanced search function. If it does, you can use the advance search to refine your results to make sure you're getting the most releveant resources
Figure out if the database you're using is full text or if it provides only citation information. Full text means you can get the article right now on your screen; citation only means you'll have to order a copy of the article.
Keep in mind that some databases might contain pictures, video clips and other non-print resources.
Choosing your Keywords
How successful you are at finding your information depends on your choice of keywords or search terms. It's unlikely there is no information in any database on your topic, so if you're not getting any results, you might be using the wrong keywords.
Check your spelling. While capitalization doesn't matter, spelling does.
Use synonyms. If the first terms you try don't produce results, try to think of other words for your topic. Try to come up with a list of possible keywords before you begin searching.
Use your keyword choice to help control the number of results you get. Basic keywords will ususally produce a large number of results - sometimes too many, and sometimes not what you need. To narrow your results and to retrieve more relevant results, try more specific keywords or more complex combinations of keywords. If your database has one, use the advanced search function to help.
When writing a persuasive essay, your purpose is to convince your audience to embrace your idea or point of view. Keeping this purpose in mind is the key to writing an effective persuasion.
Essential steps for writing a persuasive essay:
Identify your main idea or point of view. Your purpose will be to persuade your audience to accept this idea or point of view.
Identify your audience. To write an effective persuasive essay, try to understand your audience. For example, are your readers undecided about your issue? Or are your readers hostile to your point of view?
Considering your audience, identify the strongest supporting points for your persuasion.
Identify the most significant opposing view. Explaining and then refuting the opposing view strengthens the credibility and scope of your essay.
The following are different ways to support your argument:
Facts - A powerful means of convincing, facts can come from your reading, observation, or personal experience.
Note: Do not confuse facts with truths. A "truth" is an idea believed by many people, but it cannot be proven.
Statistics - These can provide excellent support. Be sure your statistics come from responsible sources. Always cite your sources.
Quotes - Direct quotes from leading experts that support your position are invaluable.
Examples - Examples enhance your meaning and make your ideas concrete. They are the proof.
Your introduction should hook your reader's attention and provide background information on your topic or controversy.
The paragraph should end with a clear statement of your main idea or point of view.
Body paragraphs
Your body paragraphs should present the points in support of your main idea.
Each body paragraph should focus on one point.
Be sure to provide evidence or examples for each point.
Opposing view
After presenting your supporting points, develop one paragraph to accurately explain and then refute the most significant opposing view.
Conclusion
Creatively restate your main idea and supporting points.
Try to leave your audience even more connected to your topic and persuaded by your main idea or perspective.
Structure and organization are integral components of an effective persuasive essay. No matter how intelligent the ideas, a paper lacking a strong introduction, well-organized body paragraphs, and an insightful conclusion is not an effective paper.
The Introduction
Simply enough, the introductory paragraph introduces the argument of your paper. A well-constructed introductory paragraph immediately captures the interest of your reader and gives appropriate background information about the paper's topic. Such a paragraph might include a brief summary of the ideas to be discussed in your paper's body as well as other information relevant to your paper's argument. The most important function of your paper's introductory paragraph, however, is to present a clear statement of your paper's argument. This sentence is your paper's thesis. Without a thesis, it is impossible for you to present an effective argument. The thesis sentence should reflect both the position that you will argue and the organizational pattern with which you will present and support your argument. A useful way to think about the construction of a thesis sentence is to view it in terms of stating both the "what" and the "how" of the paper's argument. The "what" is simply the basic argument in your paper: what exactly are you arguing? The "how" is the strategy you will use to present this argument. The following are helpful questions for you to consider when formulating a thesis sentence:
What is the argument that I am trying to convince the reader to accept?
How exactly do I expect to convince the reader that this argument is sound?
Once you have answered these questions, the next step is to synthesize these answers into a single thesis sentence, or, if necessary, two thesis sentences.
For example: You want to convince your reader that the forces of industry did not shape American foreign policy from the late 19th century through 1914, and you plan to do this by showing that there were other factors which were much more influential in shaping American foreign policy. Both of these elements can be synthesized into a thesis sentence:
Fear of foreign influence in the Western hemisphere, national pride, and contemporary popular ideas concerning both expansion and foreign peoples had significantly more influence on American foreign policy than did the voices of industrialists.
This sentence shows the position you will argue and also sets up the organizational pattern of your paper's body.
The Body
The body of your paper contains the actual development of your paper's argument. Each body paragraph presents a single idea or set of related ideas that provides support for your paper's argument. Each body paragraph addresses one key aspect of your paper's thesis and brings the reader closer to accepting the validity of your paper's argument. Because each body paragraph should be a step in your argument, you should be mindful of the overall organization of your body paragraphs.
The first step in writing an effective body paragraph is the construction of the first sentence of this paragraph, the topic sentence. Just as the thesis sentence holds together your essay, the topic sentence is the glue binding each individual body paragraph. A body paragraph's topic sentence serves two main purposes: introducing the content of the paragraph and introducing the next step of your argument. It is important to keep in mind that the goal of the topic sentence is to advance your paper's argument, not just to describe the content of the paragraph.
The first part in your thesis on page two states that fear of foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere had more influence on American foreign policy than did industry. Thus, you need to elaborate on this point in your body paragraphs.
An effective topic sentence for one of these paragraphs could be:
American fear of foreign influence was a key factor in the United States' actions in the Spanish-American War. Subsequent body paragraphs might offer further evidence for the idea presented in this body paragraph.
A good way to test the strength of both your topic sentences and your argument as a whole is to construct an outline of your paper using only your paper's thesis statement and topic sentences. This outline should be a logical overview of your paper's argument; all of your paper's topic sentences should work together to support your thesis statement.
The Conclusion
A basic purpose of your paper's concluding paragraph is both to restate the paper's argument and to restate how you have supported this argument in the body of the paper. However, your conclusion should not simply be a copy of your introduction. The conclusion draws together the threads of the paper's argument and shows where the argument of your paper has gone. An effective conclusion gives the reader reasons for bothering to read your paper. One of the most important functions of this paragraph is to bring in fresh insight. Some possible questions to consider when writing your conclusion are:
What are some real world applications of this paper's argument?
Why is what I am writing about important?
What are some of the questions that this paper's argument raises?
What are the implications of this paper's argument?
While the organization and structure described in this handout are necessary components of an effective persuasive essay, keep in mind that writing itself is a fluid process. There are no steadfast rules that you need to adhere to as you write. Simply because the introduction is the first paragraph in your essay does not mean that you must write this paragraph before any other. Think of the act of writing as an exploration of ideas, and let this sense of exploration guide you as you write your essay.
The Persuasive Research Paper 
How to do Research :
