Breadcrumb Links:

Stage 4: Locating and Evaluating Resources

The Academic Essay

  • Use as many information sources as possible—libraries, course reading lists, professional associations.
  • Spend 5 – 10 minutes investigating each resource—look at contents pages, indexes, abstracts (if they exist), subheadings, diagrams, tables, graphs, introductions and conclusions.
  • Decide which resources will be useful and then prioritise your reading.

Click on the following links for information about the Stages of the Essay:

  1. Choose a Topic
  2. Analyse the Question
  3. Construct an Initial Outline Plan
  4. Locate and Evaluate Resources
  5. Research/ Organise Notes
  6. Construct a Final Essay Plan
  7. Prepare the Rough Draft
  8. Redraft and Edit
  9. Prepare the Final Draft