Choose a problem or question for analysis from your major or a subject of interest.

b. Restate the main question as a declarative sentence in your audience and purpose statement.

c. Identify an audience—other than your instructor—that will use your information for a specific purpose.

d. Hold a private brainstorming session to generate major topics and subtopics.

e. Use the topics to make a working outline based on the model outline in this chapter.

f. Make a tentative list of all sources (primary and secondary) that you will investigate. Verify that adequate sources are available.

g. In a proposal memo to your instructor (see Chapter 23, “Research Proposals”), describe the topic and your plan for analysis. Attach a tentative bibliography.

h. Use your working outline as a guide to research.

i. Submit a progress report (see Chapter 20, “Progress Reports”) to your instructor describing work completed, problems encountered, and work remaining.

j. Compose an audience and use profile. (See Chapter 2, “Develop an Audience and Use Profile.”)

k. Write the report for your stated audience. Work from a clear statement of audience and purpose, and be sure your reasoning is shown clearly. Verify that your evidence, conclusions, and recommendations are consistent. Be especially careful that your recommendations observe the critical-thinking guidelines in Figure 21.2.

l. After writing your first draft, make any needed changes in the outline and revise your report according to “Checklist:
Analytical Reports.” Include front matter and end matter.
m. Exchange reports with a classmate for further suggestions for revision.
n. Prepare an oral report of your findings for the class as a whole