If you are a college or a university student you will have to write a research paper for your academics. Writing a research paper, in most cases, is a part of a degree that has to be done no matter what.
To burst your bubble, a good research paper is not only dependent on the writing skills of a student. In fact, writing a research paper includes so many other things like formatting, outlining, research, and presentation that together makes the research paper effective.
If a student is writing a paper for the first time the first thing that he will do is look for the answer to “how to write a research paper?” This blog is written to solve all the problems related to writing a research paper.
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A research paper is a piece of academic writing that involves comprehensive research on a specific topic. It includes a complete study on the research paper topic and also contains a detailed analysis. This paper is written to persuade the audience by evaluating the topic and by the stance of the writer.
A research paper contains strong evidence and material to support the writer's stance and thesis statement about the topic. Writing a paper on a researched-based topic requires effort and a complete investigation to prove the main argument.
A research paper is written on the topics that need to be deeply studied and the argument presented in the research paper is problems or issues that affect many. It involves the study of the academic subjects and highlights the basic findings that a writer comes up with using multiple techniques.
A research paper can take any form in academics like a master level thesis, a doctoral dissertation, or just a term paper. Before you submit a research paper, a research proposal is submitted to the instructor which is basically the outline of your paper presenting the thesis statement and the techniques that will be used to gather data for the research paper.
Every student when given a research paper thinks why writing a research paper is important? Writing a research paper is important for so many reasons. There are a lot of skills that a student learns when he writes a research paper or an essay.
Writing research papers helps students to increase their writing and reading skills. It also increases the knowledge in the subject, polishes the ability to think critically, and also let a writer know how to add creativity and originality in the work.
To write an effective and good research paper it is important for a writer to be aware of the research and writing process. This includes the understanding of the structure in which your research paper is shaped. Also, the development of the theme and the thesis statement.
A research paper that is well written and constructed will surely win you good grades in academics. Not just that, writing a research paper helps in a person's practical life as well. It represents how intellectual and potential a person is.
This is how a research paper is written.
A student cannot just randomly start writing a research paper. There is a whole process that comes before you start writing a paper.
The first and foremost thing is to come up with a topic to conduct research on. Deciding on a topic can be a very time taking and a tricky thing. If you are not assigned a topic by your instructor you can write a research paper on anything. Just keep in mind to choose a topic that interests you, your reader, has an importance on a larger level and makes a difference in the lives of others.
It is best, if you are not assigned, to write a paper related to your field and discipline. It is the safest thing to do. Other topics on which research can be done are current affairs topics, controversies, taboos, new developments, and technologies.
Now that you have a topic consider other things that are important like where are you going to take your information. Identifying the source is very important. The research paper requires facts and relevant information that is true and credible.
Another important thing is to come up with the main argument of your paper that is the thesis statement. Identify key points and ideas that will go into your paper.
It is very important to know who you are writing your research paper for. The audience or readers who will read your paper is an important element. Identify who your audience is, for example, is it a professional, another student, researchers, decision-makers, or just casual readers.
Everything that is written for academics has a purpose. Know and fully understand the purpose of your research paper to help you draft an excellent one.
The research process of the paper includes studying a topic or subject and researching it. An important thing to keep in mind is that your research should reflect and present high standards of analytical and critical skills and also good academic writing skills.
Writing a research paper is considered difficult as it demands comprehensive research on the topic selected for writing a paper to make it easier for the writer to come up with strong threads of evidence and insightful arguments.
Like stated earlier, it is essential to make sure that the sources of your information for your research paper are trustworthy. The information gathered should be coming from authentic publications, credible journals, blogs, field reports, and books.
When your research is detailed and deep, it will help you in so many ways. For example,
If you think your theme or topic is complex or twisted, consult your instructor before writing your paper. Take notes of the instructions and guidelines provided also for the facts and information you come across while conducting your research on the topic. Also, keep track of the sources and references. This will be beneficial for the “cited work” and referencing page in the research paper.
When you are assigned a research paper to write, clarify which paper format is required to write your paper. Usually, research papers are written with two formats: APA and MLA.
These formats have some similarities like mentioning the page number, table of content, etc. but have some differences as well that makes these two formats differ from each other. Whatever format is assigned, make sure to draft your research paper accordingly.
A general research paper includes a title page, an abstract, and a bibliography. No matter which format style you follow, these are the basic things that are included in every research paper.
A title or a cover page of a research paper is the first page that a reader sees so it makes a lot of difference. This page contains information like the name of the writer, instructor, institute, and the date of submission of the paper. It also states the title of the research paper to tell people what the topic is discussed.
An abstract is to a research paper what a trailer is to the movie. It includes a summary of the main theme and ideas of the research paper. An abstract is a summary so it should exceed a page.
In simpler terms, an abstract provides an overview of the topic on which the research is done. It doesn't include the explanations and details about the topic and strictly focus on the research question. An abstract contains the following information:
The structure in which this information will be provided should be topic, key ideas, and results. In the abstract, make sure to not add the information like the background of your study and the referencing procedure.
A research paper is the formal form of academic writing in which the structure and outline hold great importance. A good research paper will always be constructed in a structure that will make the content readable and understandable for the readers.
It is the outline that helps a writer to stay focused on the topic and the main argument. If there is no outline, the writer will get distracted and start adding irrelevant information. This will make the research paper lose its charm.
A writer writes something aiming to be read by the audience. The structure decides its readability. When the information is rambled and jumbled up, it will not make any sense and the readers will never continue reading another sentence when they are confused.
No matter which style guides you are using to draft your research paper, all the research papers have a common structure. The structure includes three major parts: an intro, body paragraphs, and the conclusion
Introduction
Just as the introduction of other academic writings, the introduction of a research paper should be drafted in a way that engages the audience and motivates them to read the entire paper.
The purpose of the introduction is to inform the reader about the topic that will be discussed in the paper so it should be informative. The introduction divided into three parts; area of research, background information of the topic, and the thesis statement.
To make your introduction interesting for readers, add information and points that are relevant to the central idea and the main theme. A good introduction will always include the research approach, the main theme, and the purpose of conducting the research.
In general, writing the introduction paragraph of a research paper should include the following things:
Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is the main argument about the research paper that identifies the writer's stance on the subject or a topic. It also acts as the preview or synopsis of the research paper. To write a thesis statement, use the topic of research and organize the key ideas and points.
Usually, a thesis statement is a part of the introduction but in some cases an instructor wants his student to separately submit the thesis for the research paper. If you are not instructed to submit one separately, always add a thesis statement in your introduction to increase its strength and make it more impactful.
As the thesis statement is the core theme or for your research paper, every piece of information that you gather will naturally support this main argument.
Main Body
All the information that you gather related to the topic will be part of this section. The bodies of the research papers basically organize your research. And the raw information in a sensible manner to make it understandable for the readers.
In this part of the research paper, you support your thesis statement with solid reasons. These reasons are the facts and evidence that prove your stance and that the main argument made is true.
A body is the soul of your research paper as the essence and reasoning lie in this section. The body of a research paper includes the methods used to gather information, results, and discussion on those results and outcomes.
A researcher uses two methods to collect the data. It is either qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative methods are used to gather data for subjects like humanities and social science.
In contrast to this, the quantitative method is the gathering of data in concrete numbers and figures. This method is used to collect data for scientific researchers where figures are studied to form a decision.
After the collection of the data, results are presented in the research. Whatever a researcher observed through the study and facts, it is concluded. These results are then discussed and analyzed leading up to the final verdict.
One major condition to write a good body of your research paper is to write all the information in a logical flow using transition words and phrases. This helps to show that all paragraphs are interconnected and they should gradually lead up to the conclusion.
The word choices you make to bring transition and connectivity to your paragraphs plays a great role in the clarity of the text and how well it will be understood by the readers.
Also, the body of the research paper should contain headings and subheadings for the better understanding of the readers.
In a nutshell, the body paragraphs contain the following elements:
Conclusion
The conclusion of a research paper is as important as its introduction and body. The conclusion of the paper contains the restated theme of the research paper and the personal stance of the writer on the topic.
Note, the conclusion should not restate the arguments already made. Don't introduce new arguments or points in the concluding paragraphs of a paper. It only states the rephrased thesis statement and whether the hypothesis made earlier is proved or not.
The conclusion also starts a CTA (call to action) and makes the audience think about the subject matter or topic. If you believe that further research should be taken then state the reasons for it and how the solutions can be made to meet the research gaps.
The conclusion generally contains information in the structure like objectives of the research, the key features or ideas, and the results.
Bibliography or the “work cited” page is the end page of the research paper that shows the references and sources from where the information is taken. Make sure to take information from credible sources for your research paper. This page plays a very important role.
Plagiarism is the crime that no writer wants to commit. By providing the source of your information and giving references with proper citation, plagiarism is avoided. Also, it increases the credibility and authenticity of the writer's work.
Keep in mind that for every format, like APA and MLA, the citation style and referencing differs. Identify your paper format to draft a bibliography.
You can never start writing an effective and professional research paper without going through the examples and works of others to see how a winning research paper is written. The following are some examples that are easy to understand and will help you draft your research paper accurately and professionally.
Writing a research paper can be a really difficult job but once you get to know the tips and tricks to write it, you will be pro at it.
If you still are confused about the whole creating assignment sheet and writing process of a research paper, take the help of the professionals at College Essay. We provide all sorts of academic writing services and our experts guarantee our students of plagiarism-free and high-quality work.
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