Problem: Article: If the report guidelines give you a number of sources to use, or a limit on how many of a specific type of source you can use, be sure to follow those guidelines carefully. No matter how good your writing is, if you don’t source your report properly, you won’t get good feedback. Any sources you need should be authoritative, like books, newspapers, or scholarly articles written on the subject.  If you don’t have guidelines on how many sources to use, try to find 1-2 reputable sources for each page of the report. Sources can be divided into primary sources, like original written works, court records, and interviews, and secondary sources, like reference books and reviews. Databases, abstracts, and indexes are considered tertiary sources, and can be used to help you find primary and secondary sources for your report.  If you’re writing a business report, you may be given some supplementary materials, such as market research or sales reports, or you may need to compile this information yourself. Even if you’re allowed to use online sources, the best place to start doing research is the library. Visit your school’s library, a public library in your area, or even a nearby college or university library when you’re getting ready to start your report. Search the library’s database to gain access to books, scholarly journals, periodicals, and other sources that might not be available online.  Librarians are an excellent resource when you're working on a report. They can help you find books, articles, and other credible sources. Often, a teacher will limit how many online sources you can use. If you find most of the information you need in the library, you can then use your online sources for details that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Since anyone can write something and put it online, it can be hard sometimes to sift through all of the material on the internet to find authoritative sources. To ensure you’re getting high-level sources, start by using an academic search engine, like Google Scholar, Lexis Nexis, or your school’s recommended search engine, which may require a username and password. Examples of authoritative online sources include government websites, articles written by known experts, and publications in peer-reviewed journals that have been published online. Often, if you come across an article on the subject you’re researching, you can use the sources that the author used to help you with your own report. For instance, if you’re reading an article that mentions a previous publication on the same subject, see if you can find that one as well. You might find some new information that will help you have a better understanding of your subject. If you’re using a book as one of your sources, check the very back few pages. That’s often where an author will list the sources they used for their book. If you find something helpful in a book, article, or another source, write down everything you might want to remember for your report. Then, write down all of the information you can find on the source, including the author, the date of the publication, the page number, and the publisher. This will help you easily create your bibliography later, since the citation information will be listed right in your notes.  Remember to number each page of your notes, so you don’t get confused later about what information came from which source! Remember, you’ll need to cite any information that you use in your report; however, exactly how you do this will depend on the format that was assigned to you. As you’re researching your paper, you should notice a main theme emerging in your notes. Use this theme to write a strong thesis statement for your report. Your thesis statement should summarize what you want to prove in your report for your reader, and all of the body paragraphs should tie back to this idea.  For most reports, your thesis statement should not contain your own opinions. However, if you're writing a persuasive report, the thesis should contain an argument that you will have to prove in the body of the essay. An example of a straightforward report thesis (Thesis 1) would be: “The three main halls of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition were filled with modern creations of the day and were an excellent representation of the innovative spirit of the Progressive era.” A thesis for a persuasive report (Thesis 2) might say: “The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was intended as a celebration of the Progressive spirit, but actually harbored a deep racism and principle of white supremacy that most visitors chose to ignore or celebrate.” Once you’ve decided on the thesis statement for your report, it’s time to start organizing your notes into the main structure you’ll use for your report. Begin with your thesis statement, then pick 3 or 4 major ideas related to your thesis statement that you will want to cover in your essay. Write down details from your notes that support each of those main ideas.  The purpose of an outline is to help you to visualize how your essay will look. You can create a straightforward list or make a concept map, depending on what makes the most sense to you. Try to organize the information from your notes so it flows together logically. For instance, it can be helpful to try to group together related items, like important events from a person’s childhood, education, and career, if you’re writing a biographical report. Example main ideas for Thesis 1: Exhibits at the Court of the Universe, Exhibits at the Court of the Four Seasons, Exhibits at the Court of Abundance.
Summary: Include a variety of reputable sources in your paper. Visit the library first if you’re writing a report for school. Use only scholarly sources if you do online research. Cross-reference your sources to find new material. Keep thorough notes as you research, including citation information. Use your research to help you craft a thesis statement. Organize your notes into an outline.

Problem: Article: Before you pursue a career in software development it can helpful to learn the details about the position.  Knowing more about your future as a software developer will help you to better plan your path to obtaining the position and help you determine if it's a good fit for you.  On average software developers earn around $90,000 annually. There is a large demand for software developers and the position is expected to grow up to 22% by 2022. Software developers build computer programs that either run applications or build the applications themselves. Although having a well rounded skill set and education will help you to obtain a position as a software engineer, choosing some specific skills to focus on can be a good idea.  By building strong skills in a few areas you will be able to find a position that best suits your own career interests in software development.  Think about what kinds of software you want to develop and learn skills applicable to them. For example, you may want to focus on game development, app development, website development, or software development. Pick a programming language that you enjoy and want to learn more about. Although it is possible to be self-taught and still find employment as a software developer, attending classes can be a good way to obtain the skills and education required for the position.  Search for a college, university, or other course that has a program suited to your interests in the field of software development.  Most software developers begin working after obtaining their bachelors degree. Both computer science and software engineering can be good choices when selecting a major. Although demonstrable skills can be enough to get a job, having an education in addition to those skills will help. Branching out from your main areas of study can be a good way to broaden your understanding of the field and gain additional skills.  Being well rounded and informed will make you more appealing to potential employers.  Study topics that you find interesting that lie outside your course material. Don't stop learning.  Technology develops and changes quickly and your knowledge and skills will have to reflect this. Expanding your skill set will make you more appealing to employers. Beyond learning the ideas and concepts behind being a software developer you will want to get as much hands-on practice as you can.  By actually implementing what you have been learning you will continue the learning process and build some examples that you can share with potential employers.  Building and developing your own projects will let you practice your skills. Having software that you have developed can be a great addition to your resume. Work on open source projects or offer some projects for free to build a portfolio.
Summary:
Discover more about the position. Select a technical focus. Find a school. Supplement your education and skills. Get as much experience as possible.