Do you know that Stephen Hawking’s final research paper resolves universe paradox? Sensational, right? A research paper writing is a common practice in the American education system. As you can see, it may be an exciting activity as well. And it doesn’t matter whether it is a term paper, a master’s thesis or a doctoral dissertation, its value is unchallengeable. The best thing is that you can make your own contribution, too.
So, how do we define a research paper? It is a piece of substantial academic writing, in which the author does independent research into a topic and writes a description of the findings of that research, according to Your Dictionary website. If you want to learn how to write a research paper step by step, this article is designated to you.
Since its writing may take a long time, it is essential to follow some guidelines which will direct you throughout the whole process.
As many of you know, the main structure of a research paper consists of an introduction, a body part, and a conclusion. However, it takes much more to write a good research paper. Here are some advices that aim to help students to write a strong research paper, as well as to allot their time wisely.
How to Start a Research Paper?
Do you wonder how to start a research paper? First off, choose a topic very carefully, make sure you are 100 percent interested in the selected subject. This will surely facilitate your entire work. You may pick several potential topics at the very beginning. It could be helpful to make a preliminary research to figure out how much information is available. Then make an ultimate decision.
Sometimes a professor makes personal suggestions regarding a theme to examine. In any case, we recommend that you approach this first step thoughtfully as it has an enormous impact on your further project and its final results. Your motivation and interest is a key element on the path to a successful outcome.
By the way, have you ever heard about so-called "Ig Nobel"? It is an award designated for the most unusual scientific research. You may find a variety of unbelievable topics on their website.
The next step is the research itself. Seek pertinent data for your subject using a variety of sources. Of course, you can go to the library or access an online database. Nowadays there are a lot of opportunities to save your time and budget.
Whether you choose printed or online books, just make sure they are reliable and relevant to the topic in question. Any source may appear useful, that is why don’t hesitate to examine encyclopedias, historical documents, and even newspapers. The more sources you use, the better. Besides, the good advice is to study the book’s table of contents which might extend your material significantly, and thus to improve its quality.
Online sources are as helpful as traditional ones. Look for articles on trustworthy websites with domains like .edu, .info, .org, and be careful with .com, .co, or .biz, because commercial sites may contain unreliable information. If you feel already disoriented, a research paper writing might bring you out of the deadlock.
How to Write a Research Paper?
If you want to write a good research paper data analysis will be indispensable. Highlight noteworthy ideas, paragraphs, citations and so on. On the ground of that, you can form and shape different arguments, which constitute the core value for every research paper. Add a personal commentary where necessary. Such a practice is advantageous in terms of the organization.
We hope there is no need to emphasize the importance of the good organization. All your findings should be accurately structured. You have to go through all the information that you found previously, choose the most pertinent, and connect these fragmentary pieces into a solid base. Systematize your work using headings, sub-headings, etc. That will help you to visualize it clearly and bring you closer to the following stage.
Now you have to determine a thesis statement. It should be well-founded, precise and succinct. Take your time, since its conception represents the essence of your work, so your final decision must be elaborated from various perspectives. Engage into something that you strongly believe, if you are not sure about certain choices, seek more options until you find the perfect one.
The next thing you should do is to sketch an outline of the thesis: a basic or a detailed, it is up to your choice. At this point consider including possible arguments as well as counter-arguments. Work meticulously on their elaboration and gradually move on to the draft preparation. Hopefully, this information gave you some insight on how to write a college research paper, but let us explore more.
How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper?
In the introduction to the research paper, students have to present some general information in relation to the researched topic. Include some background data, write about your thesis statement, briefly describe main issues and challenges, indicate your principal objective, and your personal input, too.
Once again, introduce this material concisely because you have to fit it on two or three pages at the most.
Remember, it should be engaging and informative. It is crucial to catch the attention of a reader at this stage.
How to Write a Body Part for a Research Paper?
A body part has to be specific in comparison to the introduction. In this section, it is urgent to provide a lot of data, indisputable facts. You should not only state arguments that you have thoroughly prepared but to prove their accuracy as well.
Each statement should corroborate a certain idea. Your task is to find plenty of information to ensure that you can support any point. Back up your arguments with statistics, quotes, and other pertinent data. And above all, your arguments must be valid, lucid and logical. Don’t forget to put reference numbers.
How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper?
At last, we will address the following matter: How to write a conclusion for a research paper? In the conclusion it is vital to enumerate major findings and to list accomplished results. This part incorporates a restatement of the thesis, summarizes main points from the body paragraphs, and eventually offers a concluding statement. Make sure the conclusion supports your entire thesis effectively.
Revision is an integral component of any writing. Check scrupulously for mistakes in grammar and punctuation. In the event you find any, fix them and move to the other aspects that might need improvement. The paper should be cohesive, presented ideas should follow smoothly, writing style should be impeccable. Reread the work multiple times, polish up your writing, edit weak paragraphs, and so forth. Then indicate used literature, fill in references, add other useful elements, such as tables, graphs, and figures in the appendix.
Format your paper according to the standards. Generally, a professor gives recommendations regarding formatting. Follow his requirements on the right layout of the title page, sections, bibliography, and other details so that it looks presentable and easy to read. Its structural design is very important, too. You may search for the other students’ works, and study them attentively.
Give your final version to the second reader before submission. And get ready to submit it before the deadline, of course.
And finally, the research paper on any topic has to be well-prepared, well-written and well-examined. Note that your work must be unique, it can’t be copied. Different plagiarism programs are used to inspect its authenticity, that is why document everything accurately.
Now you know how to write a good research paper. Share your knowledge with others, and keep learning!
