Remember that you are not researching your side of a topic; you are exploring all aspects of an important issue. A common mistake that can take too much of your time is beginning the research process by looking for support for one side of the argument and ignoring all publications that do not “take sides” in the argument.

Instead, it is your job as the writer or presenter to create an argument based on the best evidence you can find. Your credibility as a presenter is grounded in your sources. Therefore, the best evidence may come from neutral sources and you, as the presenter, can interpret the facts for your audience or encourage them to understand the implications of the data.

Knowing that an argument is largely based on your abilities to persuade, it is important to determine how much outside information you really need for the task at hand.