The Essential Guide to Writing Research Papers is the ultimate brief research reference. Pocket-sized and inexpensive, this research guide is priced to work as a supplement in any research-oriented course. More concise than the original Writing Research Papers by James D. Lester, this spiralbound text, nevertheless, covers all aspects of the research writing process from selecting a topic and gathering data to formatting the final draft, but with more frequent use of checklists and summaries to keep the text brief. Numerous student samples and excerpts model different types of research papers. Comprehensive coverage of the four most common documentation systems increases the text's usability beyond the composition classroom. Up-to-the-minute coverage of electronic research teaches students how to draw from and evaluate the enormous pool of resources available on the Internet. A dedicated website for the original Writing Research Papers is available to users of the brief version as well.