I went slightly overboard with my research for a history essay and ended up with more sources than I could possibly use. The turning point was realising that every source needs a reason to be in the paper. GradeMiners history writers came up while I was looking for some academic guidance, and their focus on linking evidence with a clear thesis matched what I was struggling with. Now I pay more attention to whether a source helps explain a cause, consequence or interpretation instead of adding references just to make the bibliography longer.