"One Tiny Little" Problem

"A short research paper assigned in the first month of class is not the proper occasion for you to tackle huge issues, such as, "Was Hamlet Shakespeare's Best Tragedy?" or "Women's Struggle for Equality."  You won't be graded down simply because you don't have all the answers right away.  The trick is to zoom in on one tiny little part of the argument."

-From Dr. Dennis Jerz "Short Research Papers" (online work, 1998)

I have never written a short research paper.  In elementary school I did write research reports that were short, but never a formal, MLA style research paper.  The shortest I have written was supposed to be four to six pages, and mine was exactly six.  The problem is that, though I may be able to find "one tiny little part of the argument," I may have trouble keeping it short.  I think that this will be a challenge for me, but it is very important to learn to write restricted papers, especially if I eventually wish to obtain a job in the English field.