For this work, read “Chapter Three: Researching”  and “Chapter Four: The Art of the Interview” from Creative Nonfiction, as well as  further examples of personal essays from 50 Essays, Nancy Mairs’ “On Being a Cripple” (page 226) and “Serving in Florida” by Barbara Ehrenreich (page 136). These are examples of personal ability essays and work-related essays, respectively.

In this discussion, I’d like you list what you might research for your personal essay paper. Remind us of your subject, apparent and deeper. Then just throw out some ideas here. You can also ask me questions, as in answering them I can help you and others. 

In your comments for each other, please offer even more ideas for research sources. 

I’d like to show you the kinds of things I’d suggest researching too. 

Statistics are always a rich category. Statistics about population, number of immigrants through any given country in any year, the number of people in certain professions, the salaries of certain jobs, the median income of certain neighborhoods…lots of statistics available for so many things.

Psychology is the second biggest category, to my mind, of effective stuff to look up for personal essay. The personalities of high achievers or ambitious people; the psychological effect of immigration; the psychology of losing parents, or siblings, or children; the personality types of addicts or shy people or middle children. TONS of possibilities here!! 

Medical conditions offer much info online to be researched. The traditions of countries are researchable online. Various laws in America can be looked up online and cited. Old newspaper articles about opening businesses, high school achievements, obituaries. 

There’s so much! It’s such a rich and productive way of deepening what you are writing about in an essay. Try out some ideas here, and let me see how I can help, and what your classmates’ ideas for you are as well.