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Getting Started
Before you Begin: Know the Assignment
- What type of speech is this?
- Demonstration? Informative? Persuasive?
- What question are you trying to answer?
- Is there more than one part to the assignment?
- How many resources are required?
- What types of resources are required?
- What citation style is required?
- When is the assignment due?
Before Searching
- What are the keywords in your thesis statement or in the question you are trying to answer? These will become your search terms.
- Example Thesis: "Teenagers from poor homes are more likely to go to jail than other teenagers."
- Example Keywords: Teenagers, Poor, Jail
- Brainstorm additional search terms by finding words with similar meanings.
- Example 1, Keyword "Teenagers": Juvenile, Teen, Minor, Underage, Adolescent
- Example 2, Keyword "Poor": Poverty, Impoverished, Underprivileged, Unfortunate, Deprived
- Example 3, Keyword "Jail": Prison, Detention, Lockup
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