A key element in a research paper writing assignment modified for students of English as a second language to assure their success is teacher control over most of the process. A chronological plan for action for the micro research project includes these steps: creating an awareness of current events and controversial issues, practicing necessary writing skills, choosing a topic, locating sources in the library, making the final selection of articles, reading and analyzing the articles, synthesizing the information, documenting the source material, and writing the paper. The papers are evaluated for content, organization, grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary, and returned for student revision, with at least an hour of individual student-teacher discussion. Individualization for a more advanced student is accomplished by making the task more complex, varying the source-gathering task, or having the student cover a related but slightly different topic. Students have reacted to the assignment with increased self-confidence and understanding of the research process, and there is little chance for plagiarism or major error to occur. (MSE)