How should a research paper be written
If you are bored with the topic, you will probably bore your reader as well. Choose something that is new and exciting, not something overworked. Is information on this subject available in various forms i. Please note: if information is too abundant, you may have to narrow or limit your topic.
How to Write a Good Research Paper Successfully and Fast?
If you are bored with the topic, you will probably bore your reader as well. Choose something that is new and exciting, not something overworked. Is information on this subject available in various forms i. Please note: if information is too abundant, you may have to narrow or limit your topic. The outline should serve as a road map for your journey with your thesis as your navigator — it tells you where to go.
When writing your outline, keep your destination in mind. Your information will help you get there, but how will you organize your journey? The thesis should be placed at the beginning of the outline where you can refer to it often. Your teacher may require you to write one or both of the following types of outlines: a topic outline, in which the headings and subheadings are a series of words or phrases, not complete sentences; or a sentence outline, in which every heading and subheading is a complete sentence.
Your teacher can help guide you through the outlining process. Keep in mind: the outline is not meant to hamper or restrict you. It can be changed and revised to allow you to prove your thesis more effectively. Select a topic that will allow you to compile, analyze, and interpret information from numerous sources so that your paper becomes a valuable source of information for the reader.
Remember, a good research paper should help your teacher learn as well. If you are truly interested in your topic, the research process should generate excitement. Think of yourself as an investigative reporter or a detective uncovering information that is as yet undiscovered. Think of your media center as a great starting point for your new adventure.
Read as much as you can about your subject. A research paper is really a long answer or a series of answers to a questionthat a reader may have about. After you have asked your question, phrase it in the form of a focused statement that will allow you to use available information to prove or substantiate it.
When formulating your thesis, use specific, concrete words. Your thesis does not need to be an absolute truth but something that will provoke thought and can be proven by your research.
We can now make our research questions above into effective, focused thesis statements. Look in the card catalog for books, videos, audiocassettes, the vertical file, etc. Check online paid subscription databasese. Evaluate sources for authority, objectivity, accuracy, and content.
Check copyright dates, materials older than five years may not be suitable for certain topics. Internet sources require special consideration. In the process of doing research, one needs to access information efficiently and effectively.
One must also identify a variety of potential sources of information, print as well as online. It is essential to evaluate critically and competently the information found. While most print resources found in the media center have been chosen for accuracy and quality before inclusion, the Internet presents the researcher with enormous quantities of information that may or may not be authentic, accurate, or objective.
Therefore, when using the Internet as an information source, evaluating the information is essential. Note taking will help you establish a way in which you can easily retrieve information that you have researched. There are many ways to take notes. The preferred method in this district is index cards. However, other methods include graphic organizers, legal pads or other types of paper with source summary information written in a manner that the researcher can understand.
Whichever method you are required to use, be sure to include: subject heading, the note, and an identification of its source. The identification of source is particularly important in your attempts to avoid plagiarism. Paraphrased notes take more time and effort, but they save time in the long run, since they can be incorporated, verbatim, into your final paper.
When paraphrasing, read your source at least once, digest it, look away from the source and write the main ideas in your own words, and then check it for accuracy. Ask your teacher if you are experiencing difficulties taking notes. As you prepare to submit your final paper, evaluate what you have learned. Judge the result of the work in conducting your research effectiveness and the research process efficiency.
Access the materials. Read, hear, view, and touch. Finalize the thesis statement and prepare a working outline. Step 2: Define the task and prepare a working thesis. What question do you want to answer about the topic you have chosen? Step 3: Brainstorm all possible sources. Step 4: Locate and evaluate sources for appropriateness for the assignment.
Cautionary note: Using the Internet as an Information Resource In the process of doing research, one needs to access information efficiently and effectively. Step 5: Access the materials Access possible sources of information by reading, listening, viewing, or touching. Step 7: Finalize the thesis statement and prepare a working outline.
Step 8: Use information. Read source materials, view videos, listen to tapes or interviews and take notes. Step 9: Synthesize. Organize your notes according to the working outline. Revise your thesis statement and outline. Write the first draft with title, in-text citations, and Works Cited page. Revise the first draft. Write the final draft with title, in-text citations, and Works Cited page. Step Evaluate As you prepare to submit your final paper, evaluate what you have learned.
Is the final paper effective? Was the information problem-solving process efficient?
Build your essay around points you want to make (i.e., don't let your sources organize your. Integrate your sources into your discussion.
For some, this can become a daunting task because writing is not their forte. It might become difficult to even start writing. However, once you organize your thoughts and begin writing them down, the overall task will become easier. Perhaps one of the most important tasks before you even begin to write is to get organized.
This page lists some of the stages involved in writing a library-based research paper. Although this list suggests that there is a simple, linear process to writing such a paper, the actual process of writing a research paper is often a messy and recursive one, so please use this outline as a flexible guide.
You are a re-entry student and it's been fourteen years since you've written a paper. You coasted through high school on your charm and good looks and never actually wrote a research paper.
How to Write a Research Paper
There are two words that evoke instant anxiety in nearly every academic—research paper. A research paper is different from a research proposal also known as a prospectus , although the writing process is similar. A proposal is a persuasive piece meant to convince its audience of the value of a research project. Think of the proposal as the pitch and the paper as the finished product. Write with confidence. Get real-time suggestions wherever you write.
Ten Steps for Writing a Research Paper
With all the things you have going on as a student, writing a paper can seem like a daunting task. Many students opt to put off that daunting task, which ultimately leads to bad grades on papers that would otherwise have been easy A's. On top of that, papers often make up a large portion of a student's overall grade in any class, which makes them even higher risk ventures. Here, we'll walk you through the most important aspects of making a paper, from beginning to end so you won't have to whip up a paper in an afternoon, plagiarize, or neglect to do the assignment. This image and list-based, step-by-step tutorial is the closest thing to writing a plug and chug paper you can get. In this tutorial you'll learn:. So, are you ready to ace this paper of yours? Get out some paper and a pencil and let's get started!
A research paper is any kind of academic writing based on original research which features analysis and interpretation from the author — and it can be a bit overwhelming to begin with! Table of contents Understand the assignment Understand your audience Choose a research paper topic Conduct preliminary research Develop a thesis statement Create a research paper outline Paragraph structure Write a first draft of the research paper Write an research paper introduction Write a compelling body of text Write the research paper conclusion The second draft The revision process Checklist.
A research paper is a complex of academic or scientific examples based on some experiment; it is much more difficult than regular high school essay. It is simpler than a term paper or dissertation.
How to write a research paper
Research your topic, find reliable sources, and come up with a working thesis. Then create an outline and start drafting your paper. Be sure to leave plenty of time to make revisions, as editing is essential if you want to hand in your best work! Tip: If you need to analyze a piece of literature, your task is to pull the work apart into literary elements and explain how the author uses those parts to make their point. Tip: Some people prefer to write the introduction first and use it to structure the rest of the paper. However, others like to write the body, then fill in the introduction. Do whichever seems natural to you. Tip: Try to give yourself at least 2 or 3 days to revise your paper. It may be tempting to simply give your paper a quick read and use the spell-checker to make edits. However, revising your paper properly is more in-depth. To write a research paper, start by researching your topic at the library, online, or using an academic database. As you conduct your research and take notes, zero in on a specific topic that you want to write about and create a sentence thesis to state the focus of your paper.
How to Write a Killer Research Paper (Even If You Hate Writing)
When I was in college, depending on the class, I even dreaded these. You have to pick a broad topic, do some in-depth research, hone in on a research question, and then present your answer to that question in an interesting way. Oh, and you have to use citations, too. Fear not, for even the Death Star had weaknesses. With a well-devised plan, some courage, and maybe a little help from a few midichlorians, you can conquer your research paper, too. You and this topic are going to be spending a lot of time together, so you might as well pick something you like, or, at the very least, have a vague interest in. Try to avoid being too local if the area is a small town, for example , or too recent, as there may not be enough research conducted to support an entire paper on the subject. At the very least, skim the Encyclopedia Britannica section on your general area of interest.
