For courses arranged around or including the preparation of the traditional research paper, Research to the Point introduces students to the essence of research: forming a hypothesis and finding evidence to confirm or deny it. Professor Metcalf postulates that unity and coherence come from a single sentence (the hypothesis) that is tested by printed and electronic sources and is thereby developed into the thesis of a documented research paper. Students are introduced, through Research to the Point, to the information available through library and other sources, including the Internet, but the books" focus is always on relating these resources to the student"s own hypothesis. Features: * Opening chapter provides a complete summary of coverage, providing a preview that is complemented by a summary at the beginning of each chapter and a detailed index. * MLA documentation is introduced in principle and in three basic forms, avoiding the typical labored approach by saving details for an appendix. * Focus on the hypothesis from beginning to end involves students" critical thinking skills as they work toward a final thesis. * End-of-chapter assignments lead students from hypothesis to final research paper. New to this edition: * Chapter 9, Surfing the Information Superhighway, provides up-to-date coverage of electronic databases and the distinctive ways of investigating them, such as full-text searches and combinations of key terms. * Improved organizatio now riefly introduces documentation at the beginning of research coverage, saving the full exposition of documentation until directly before the final paper assignment. * Expanded guidelines for evaluating sources involve students as critical thinkers in choosing information.