During the first half of Composition II, you learned the strategies and expectations of research writing, one of which is, precisely, to work with peer-reviewed sources and handle verifiable information. You also went through the process of planning, researching, and writing a term paper. We broke down this process into smaller stages: brainstorming, drafting, outlining, revising, proofreading, peer-reviewing, etc. This semester, you will practice and hone these skills with two added emphases: collaborative writing and conference presentations. As you complete an original research paper throughout the semester, you will have a chance to receive meaningful feedback from your peers and to give advice to others in return. You will also learn how to design an effective oral presentation based on your research project, writing and presenting a conference paper—a key genre of academic writing. These novelties notwithstanding, we will continue to emphasize the craft of research and critical thinking: formulating research questions, finding and evaluating sources, keeping track of your research results, and integrating these into consistent and persuasive arguments.