As research paper writing season intensifies, I thought it would be useful to re-post a number of helpful links from my blog for those students working on encroaching deadlines. Keep in mind that your best resource remains the actual bricks and mortar library on campus and the many librarians on-site ready and prepared to help you with your research. Make sure you do not make the mistake of simply researching from your home computer alone. Accessing books and other useful materials at the library always leads to unexpected finds and avenues of research you may not have expected (see videos below). These following steps for completing your paper may also prove helpful:

Step One: Figure out how much time you have to complete your assignment and check out this link on "How to Finish a Paper On Time"

Step Two: Read the instructions for your assignment CAREFULLY and begin "Preliminary Research and Locating Sources"

Step Three: Focus your topic by "Creating a Topic Question"

Step Four: For art history related topics, be sure to connect what you are writing to the core elements of art: "Form, Content, and Context"

Step Five: Remember to always work towards an argument in your paper by "Establishing a Thesis Statement"

Step Six: Use a system to "Plan and Outline Your Paper"

Step Seven: Use a consistent citing system like MLA and be sure you have the correct formatting for your citations by utilizing an on-line citation generator

Step Eight: Try scheduling your research and writing over a longer stretch of time and avoid the dreaded "all-nighter" by using an on-line "Time Management Tool"

Step Nine: While writing and finishing up your paper, be sure to consider the typical and avoidable mistakes made by students when working on research papers. Here are the "Top 10 Mistakes" Part One and Part Two.

Good Luck!

Here are some more helpful and reinforcing messages about the QUALITY versus QUANTITY of research that you do: