The Focus Essay is not a research paper, but instead a narrative describing the process of exploring and "focusing" a topic.

Students conduct the preliminary research for a paper and write down the steps taken to decide on their thesis or research question. The Focus Essay should include the search terms that were used, the databases searched, the kind of resources found, how the student modified the search, and an evaluation of their results. The final product should also include an annotated bibliography of useful resources and a clearly stated thesis or research question. 

The PreFocus / Focus Essay

Your essay should chronicle the ways in which your ideas about your topic developed as a result of exploring the relevant literature.  You should discuss how this led you to a more focused topic as well as a working hypothesis or central research question that will guide your further research.  This project focuses on process not content.  Keeping a Research Log can be helpful in organizing your experiences.  This is not a research paper.  Instead, write about doing the pre-research. 

Recommended Organizational Format for your Focus Essay:
1) Introduction: Describe your preliminary topic, the reasons why you selected it and your initial perspective on it.

2) Literature Review (answer the following sorts of questions in this section):

• Which search terms did you use?
• What were the results of your research?
• What did you find—and what didn’t you?  
• How did you find it? 
• What are scholars saying about your topic, i.e. can you identify a "scholarly conversation" or debate around your topic?
• What problems did you encounter while searching for sources?
• How will your findings contribute to your final research project? 
• What were your most valuable sources? 
• What resources i.e. online catalog, databases, were most useful to you and why? 
• How did specific resources make you rethink your topic? 
• Were there sources that you ended up not using?  Why not?

3) Conclusion: Clear description of your newly defined research topic and/or question and the working hypothesis/thesis that will guide your research.

4) Working Bibliography:  15-20 key sources that may be useful for your final research project.