Now that you have written about the topic that you selected in Unit 1, it is time to explore what others have said about that same topic. To begin the process, use the AIU library databases and online search tools to locate at least 6 sources that are related to your topic. The best way to begin this search is by first reading encyclopedia articles on the topic, especially the encyclopedias in the AIU library. Encyclopedia articles provide a summary of current information and, most important, a list of books and articles about the topic. You can often find titles of useful works at the end of encyclopedia articles. Remember, encyclopedias and other reference books (online or print) can be consulted, but their information cannot be cited in your paper. This means that material from reference works cannot be quoted or summarized in your paper. Reference works help you begin your exploration of a topic; however, reference works do not contain origina
l material and therefore cannot be cited in your paper. After consulting reference works, locate at least 6 credible sources related to your topic. These published works will inform you of arguments that are related to your topic. They can also provide evidence (facts, statistics, quotations, and examples) to support your own thesis and main points in the research paper that you will write later in the course. Each of the six entries should look like this: Johnson, D. T. (2011). American capital punishment in comparative perspective. (4), 1,033–1,061. America is the only developed nation that still imposes the death penalty. All other industrialized nations abolished capital punishment in the late 20th century, according to the source. Another peculiarity: although the death penalty is common in America, executions are rare, leaving prisoners lingering on death row for decades. America has the largest death-row population than any nation on earth.