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Writing Guidelines

Prewriting ■ Choosing a Topic

Your teacher will probably provide you with a general subject, but you will need to find a specific topic for your paper. You’ll find it much easier to write a paper about a topic that truly interests you.

Let’s say you’ve been assigned a research paper in U.S. History. Your teacher has asked you to write about a subject you have covered. Now you need to choose a specific topic for your paper.

Topic Web

Completing a web or cluster is one way to search for a topic. Begin by writing the general subject in the center. Then cluster related ideas around it.