At this point, thought papers are succinct, readable summaries based on research and your interpretation of an analysis of the results. These small papers enable you to explore your own views, ideas, and insights on a certain issue in a less formal manner than a journal article or conference report. They are also a great tool for getting your thoughts on paper quickly. As with any good summary, thought essays include both "low-hanging fruit" information as well as more detailed analyses of specific aspects of the topic at hand. Thought papers are different from traditional reports because they do not need to be concise or written in a particular style. In fact, one of the advantages of writing a thought paper is that you have the freedom to explain your ideas in greater detail if necessary. This allows you to cover more ground in your exploration of a topic than could ever be covered in a single article or presentation. Thought papers are best written when you have all your research materials available, so they can serve as a useful tool for summarizing and organizing your findings. You should start by deciding what aspect(s) of the topic you would like to discuss in your paper. For example, you may want to focus on one particular figure in the literature review section or one particular theme that runs through the articles analyzed. Once you have identified these key topics, you can begin to write about them in turn.