The first step in writing a report involves carefully reviewing the assignment guidelines and selecting an appropriate topic unless one has already been assigned. If allowed to select their own, students should choose a topic that interests them since the research process will help them learn more about it. The next step depends on individual preferences. Some students prefer to draft a thesis statement and an outline of the report based on their topic selection before they begin the research process. Others prefer to conduct some preliminary research to learn more about a topic before writing a thesis statement and developing an outline. Likewise, some students prefer to wait until they have finished their research to write their introduction since they will know what is contained in their report at this point, while others already know enough about a given topic and what their report will contain to complete their introduction first. In either case, the research should draw on authoritative sources such as peer-reviewed articles, scholarly texts and reputable Web sites, all of which should be carefully cited and included in the references and the information plugged into the appropriate section of the outline. Once the introduction and main body paragraphs have been completed, students should re-read the content to ensure that they have achieved their stated purpose in the introduction and then summarize the findings in the conclusion, being careful not to introduce any new information. If there is enough time available, students can also benefit from setting the report aside for a day or two and then coming back to it and reading it a final time to ensure there are no grammatical or syntax errors and that all material is properly cited.