"Can you make sense of this new information?" 

As you combine your notes and other information, it should begin to make sense. The puzzle pieces will come together and create a clear picture of the new information. You must stop and reflect upon your facts and decide if you have enough information to complete all the writing assignments. If not, what other information do you need? You may need to cycle back to the "gather & sort" steps to locate missing information.

Ask yourself these questions . . .

• Have I answered all my questions thoroughly?
• Do I need to throw away what is repetitive or not useful?
• Do I need to ask new questions?
• Should I rearrange the information for clarity?
• Did I "hit" my goal?