After you've collected your research, spend time outlining your essay before you begin writing the first draft. The more information you collect about your thesis statement, the better able you'll be to focus the scope of your essay and prove its assertions. Reading about your subject matter before you begin the writing process will open you up to new ideas and arguments, which you can use to verify and strengthen your own assertions.
Many libraries have computer databases listing articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals.
Through surveys, interviews, and other means of direct observation, you can add authenticity to your essay. For example, an essay on class size in schools would benefit greatly from personal interviews with several students and teachers. By typing the name of your essay topic, or other related words, into an Internet search engine, you may find useful information. Search the Internet Effectively for more information. Make sure your information sources are appropriate to your topic, current, and most important, reliable.