A research paper means that you have to do research. This does not mean that you go online and grab some websites/ or blog and write up what someone else has said by paraphrasing. It means you investigate like a detective collecting information of all sorts and pulling this together to create an accurate analysis or argument about a given topic. Pretend you are talking to someone who knows nothing about the topic. You are going to present your findings and your views to them and don’t assume that they know anything. In your paper you have to include what others have said about the topic, that is the “known” information (common knowledge/research etc) so the reader knows what you are talking about and then add you own point of view. Don’t make sweeping statements unless you can back them up with good arguments and written sources. So be careful about saying things like “Viking women were very hard working” because you have no idea, neither does anyone else! Make an outline of your ideas and your argument before you start writing. For example: “Viking Women”:
1. Introduction of your topic: Viking women. 2. What are the distinguishing characteristics of women’s lives in the Viking Age based on your reading and what have scholars said about Viking women’s lives based on sagas, archaeology etc? (find all the sources you can) 3. What is your opinion based on what you have read about Viking women? Are they more equal than women today? Than women in other parts of the world during the same period? What do you admire or not
