1. Determine the Nature of the Problem and state it succinctly.
2. Look at sources to see what is known about the problem. Evaluate your sources. Are they complete? Are they biased?
3. Document your sources. All consulted works should be documented in the bibliography. All quoted material, especially statistics, should be documented in a footnote (Turabian Styles) or endnote (find out your professor's preference). Anyone using your documentation should be able to find your source without too much trouble. Decide what information is needed to adequately understand the problem. If the information needed is over two years old, perhaps there have been books written on the subject. The best source for books is the SCC library. If they do not have the book in stock, it may be ordered through interlibrary loan.
4. Analyze your material.
5. Suggest solutions to the problem. Be specific. Who should do what, and how to solve the problem? How will the solution be financed? Who or what might be affected positively? Who or what might be affected negatively? Are the benefits greater than the costs?
6. Draw conclusions.
7. Summarize your work.
8. Present it accurately and neatly.
9. An abstract will, in about a page, summarize the above.
