TOPIC: One of the first steps to a successful research paper is picking a topic. Think about something that you are interested in learning more about. Build a list questions about what you want to know.
Sometimes students like to browse a list of topics, to help them narrow down what to research. Here are some tools to get you started:
GenAI (like ChatGPT or Perplexity) can be a useful tool when you need to brainstorm about a topic or to narrow a broad topic. The best way to work with any AI tool is to make sure you are giving it specific prompts. Here's a way to get started (you fill in the subject of your choice):
What topics should I explore to learn more about [subject]?
or
Identify keywords on the topic of [subject]
Your AI tool should help you as you think about your topic, but please be aware that AI is not perfect. Sometimes, it "hallucinates" or makes things up. Be sure that you are checking the information that AI generates against your own knowledge about the topic or against scholarly sources on the topic. Never cut and paste the responses and submit them as your own writing.
Get some tips on creating an outline from Grammerly.
Just want to see what an outline looks like? Try Excelsior OWL's link or go to Purdue's OWL page. (Note: OWL stands for Online Writing Lab)
Remember: Outlines do not require full sentences. Just note your ideas in brief.