Read histories, critiques, and analyses of English literature and academic writing to gain background knowledge and identify key themes and figures.

Writing Research Papers Conduct Preliminary Research - Step 1: Review Secondary Sources

Search academic databases and libraries for books, articles, and papers that discuss your topic.

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The "Conduct Preliminary Research" stage of writing a historical research paper groups the following activities: conducting a literature review, analyzing the found literature, compiling a bibliography, and identifying relevant archives and databases.

Steps of Writing Research Papers Historical Research: Conduct Preliminary Research

Read and take notes on the methodologies, findings, and gaps in the literature you've found.

Writing Research Papers Conduct Preliminary Research - Step 2: Analyze Found Literature

Compile a preliminary bibliography of potential primary and secondary sources to examine for a historical research paper, including relevant books, articles, and digital resources.

Historical Research Paper Preliminary Research: Compile a Bibliography

Identify archives, libraries, and online databases likely to contain research papers and other documents relevant to the historical research paper, and record where those materials can be accessed.

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