Faculty at Wichita State University have developed a research assignment that involves freshman composition students in researching the events that occurred on the day they were born. This paper presents the research outline--an overview of the tasks involved in writing the research papers--that was developed for the assignment. It then discusses the types of sources students may consult; ways students can develop a theme and a structure for their papers; approaches to selecting, combining, and presenting the material to emphasize the theme; and possible variations in format. Illustrative examples from students' writings are provided throughout the paper. (GW)