In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: To brainstorm and organize ideas for your project, make a mind map to stimulate new thoughts. Use a plain piece of paper, poster board, or whiteboard for your mind map and write the goal of your project in the middle. Write down related topics, subtopics, and relevant concepts around the goal, and branch out from them to create and follow different tangents. For instance, if your goal is to “provide a comprehensive account of the history of the fur trade in North America”, subtopics and tangents could include “relations with Natives”, “history of European fashion”, and “the cultural significance of fur”. If you are doing a group project, brainstorming things together will allow each group member to feed off of the ideas of others and gain new insight. Schedule a brainstorming session in a quiet place with few distractions. If you are working on a project on your own, group discussion with friends or colleagues can help you gain a new perspective on the topic you’re covering.  Remember to include everybody in any decision-making. Plan out the process of your research by using the gap filling brainstorming technique. To do this, identify where you are starting from in terms of your knowledge and resources (i.e. Point A), and identify where you want to go with your project (Point B). Make a list of all of the things missing between Point A and Point B and make a plan for filling in this gap. For instance, if Point A is starting a project about electric cars with limited knowledge on the topic, and Point B is completing a PowerPoint presentation about them, you can fill the gap by conducting research (online and in a library), outlining the history, technology, and possible future of electric cars,  and procuring pictures and news articles about them.
Summary: Try mind mapping. Discuss things in a group. Plot out your research.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Smoked salmon, sliced thin Hard-boiled wedges or scrambled egg   White bread slices Dill Butter
Summary: Lightly butter bread slice. Lay smoked salmon slices a top a slice of white bread. Top with hard-boiled egg wedges or scrambled egg. Garnish with dill.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: The introduction should be no more than two paragraphs long and should lay out the basic framework for your critique. Start off by noting where the article in question fails or succeeds most dramatically and why.  Be sure to include the name of the author, article title, the journal or publication the article appeared in, the publication date, and a statement about the focus and/or thesis of the article in your introductory paragraph(s). The introduction is not the place to provide evidence for your opinions. Your evidence will go in the body paragraphs of your critique. Be bold in your introductory assertions and make your purpose clear right off the bat. Skirting around or not fully committing to an argument lessens your credibility. Each body paragraph should detail a new idea or further expand your argument in a new direction.  Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that summarizes the content of the paragraph to come. Don't feel like you have to condense the entire paragraph into the topic sentence, however. This is purely a place to transition into a new or somehow different idea. End each body paragraph with a transitional sentence that hints at, though does not explicitly state, the content of the paragraph coming next. For example, you might write, "While John Doe shows that the number of cases of childhood obesity is rising at a remarkable rate in the U.S., there are instances of dropping obesity rates in some American cities." Your next paragraph would then provide specific examples of these anomalous cities that you just claimed exist. No matter how solid your argument is, there is always at least one dramatic way in which you can provide a final twist or take your argument one step further and suggest possible implications. Do this in the final body paragraph before your conclusion to leave the reader with a final, memorable argument. You might, for instance, utilize a counterargument, in which you anticipate a critique of your critique and reaffirm your position.  Use phrases like “Admittedly,” “It is true that,” or “One might object here” to identify the counterargument.  Then, answer these possible counters and turn back to your strengthened argument with “but,” “yet,” or “nevertheless.” Avoid writing in an overzealous or obnoxiously passionate tone, as doing so can be a turn-off to many readers. Let your passion shine through in your ability to do thorough research and articulate yourself effectively. While writing “This piece of garbage is an insult to historians everywhere” might garner attention, “This article falls short of the standards for scholarship in this area of historical study” is more likely to be taken seriously by readers. It is important to provide a recap of your main points throughout the article, but you also need to tell the reader what your critique means for the discipline at large.  Are there broad implications for the field of study being assessed, or does your critique simply attempt to debunk the messy work of another scholar? Do your best to make a lasting mark on the reader in the conclusion by using assertive language to demonstrate the importance of your work:  “Challenging the claims of such a distinguished scholar is no easy or enjoyable task, but it is a task we all must agree to do for our generation and those to follow.”
Summary:
Begin with an introduction that outlines your argument. Provide evidence for your argument in the body paragraphs of your critique. Complicate your argument near the end of the critique. Present your arguments in a well-reasoned, objective tone. Conclude your critique by summarizing your argument and suggesting potential implications.