Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Give yourself plenty of time. Pray and meditate. Look for passages addressing your topic. Start over when needed.

Answer: Start thinking of what to preach about as soon as possible. Give yourself at least one week, if not longer. When possible, it's actually wiser to start searching and planning a couple of weeks in advance. It can take a while before the right passage reveals itself, and even longer to prepare the right sermon around that passage. The words you preach need to be the result of thought and discernment, and not an emotional reaction. Ask God for guidance. Since you'll be preaching God's truth, you should wait for God to reveal the truth He wants you to preach on.  Make a conscious effort to be in communion with God as you attempt to discern the right topic. Take a walk in the park as you pray. Meditate as you shower. Spend a few minutes thinking about it in the quiet morning hours. Either a specific passage or a specific topic will come to mind. Both options can be useful as long as you keep the message centered around the Scriptures. If a topic comes to mind before an actual verse does, start looking for passages that directly talk about that topic. Comb through several different options until you find one that jumps out at you. If a passage jumps out at you before a topic does, apply this step in reverse. Comb through the passage looking for its meaning. Once you latch onto the theme of the passage, consider looking up short supporting passages to note along with it. Don't be discouraged if you hit a dead end while pursuing one possible subject for your sermon. There are times when you may need to start the process over from scratch. Doing so might seem inconvenient, but it is a better option than forcing a message you can't wrap your thoughts around.


Problem: Write an article based on this 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.

Answer: 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.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Consider varying the garlic and butter or olive oil mixes as follows: Make a delicious bruschetta. For Spanish toast, toast some white bread (cut in slices or larger pieces to taste).

Answer:
Add fresh herbs to the mix. Chop the herbs finely. Or use dried herbal mixes to taste. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the garlic butter. This provides a more intense, cheesy flavor.  Use half butter/half olive oil in the second method above for a better toast-like result.  Try sprinkling on onion powder or chili powder for a new twist. Sprinkle freshly cracked pepper over the top of the garlic butter or oil mix. Spread the olive oil and garlic mixture on bread, then top the slices with chopped onion and tomato. Add a few shavings of Parmesan cheese if desired. Cut a clove of garlic just in half, and grate over the toast. Then cut in half a tomato and grate over the toast. Cover with olive oil and some sea salt and pepper. Great to eat natural or with a piece of cheese or tomato!