In this stage, you should emphasize the nature and scope of your research, ensuring that you have kept orderly and complete notes, performed an adequate survey of the research, and have your supporting ideas ready to develop into your first draft. In the research stage, you should be able to answer in detail the following questions:

Checklist for the The Research Stage
____	How [well] does my research question describe the scope and slant of my topic?
____	How extensive is my initial survey of possible resources for my topic?
____	Are my research notes methodical, complete, and orderly? Are they clear about what is quoted, paraphrased, and summarized from my research?
____	What other idea-generating techniques did I use—brainstorming, keeping a journal or research log, freewriting?
____	Are my bibliography notes complete with all citations and bibliographical data on every source, and are they representative of the survey of my topic?

Print Checklist

In the research stage, examine your research to ensure that you have kept orderly and complete notes, have performed an adequate survey of the research, and have your supporting ideas ready to develop into your first draft.

The Research Stage