lesson

I know that I need to study a lot harder than the time I was an undergraduate student. But I don't know about this. I'm having to write a research paper that I don't even know what I'm going to write about. I guess I have to do a REAL research since it is a research paper. I thought anything for the class should be taught first, and then write a paper over it, and get tested over it. But this is the first time I'm having to write a paper on a topic that I wasn't taught. Is it a common thing? I still don't understand the topic itself. Oh gosh, what am I gonna do.... I should've known better. 12 graduate hourse is too much.