A research paper is an expanded piece of academic essay that provides your interpretation of your chosen subject. It consists of analysis, arguments and interpretations which are based on in-depth research. A research paper is more than just a simple review of the chosen topic. It either analyzes a perspective or tries to state a point. The research paper you are writing must reflect your thinking supported by others’ views and ideas.
Research papers are the same as academic essays but are more detailed and more prolonged than essays. To write an engaging research paper, you will need good writing skills and skills in doing extensive research about the chosen topic. In addition, your research paper must showcase your strong knowledge about the topic and add some original arguments to the already existing debate.
Well-written research papers are essential for academic success. The key to getting it right is investing time on the vital points and not obsessing over every minute detail. By following these simple steps, you can write an insightful research paper for your master thesis, scientific publication, doctoral thesis etc.
- Understand the assingment
The first step in writing your research paper is understanding the assignment. You must know and understand the reason why you are writing the research paper. Every assignment to write a research paper has different goals, formatting, length specifications, deadline and submission method. So you must be aware of all of the mentioned points before you start writing your research paper. Read the assignment given to you and consult your professors, seniors or even friends in case of any confusion. Before starting the research paper, you must be thorough with the assignment in hand. Be careful with the timeframe and also the word limit.
- Choose a topic for the research paper
There are different methods of choosing the perfect topic for your research paper. It can be brainstorming with a pen and paper or just talking it through with your mentors and fellow students. You can also take inspiration from research papers written by somebody else and elaborate on specific topics that require more explanation. Once you have got the broader subject in mind, narrow it down to find a topic you are interested in, meets the standard of your given assignment and is feasible to research.
- Do preliminary research.
Conducting preliminary research before you start writing your research paper is essential. You must be aware of the issues that you want to focus on in your research paper, and for that, preliminary research is a must. Make sure that you don’t miss out on anything important regarding the topic. You can use different sources like journals, books, already written research papers, reliable websites etc. Apart from verifying the ideas on your mind, look for sources contradicting your point of view.
- Try to develop your thesis statement.
A thesis statement establishes the position and purpose of your research paper. If your thesis paper starts by asking a question, then the thesis statement must answer it. Only then you can consider your research paper to be a legit one. The thesis statement must summarize all your arguments in a sentence or two. It should be contentious, coherent and concise.
- Make a draft of your research paper.
This is an essential step in writing a research paper. Start by writing any part of the research paper that you feel like and not necessarily the introduction. You can either write the most straightforward part of the most difficult part first. The choice is yours. Just keep in mind to maintain forward momentum while writing the first draft of your paper. The draft doesn’t need to be perfect the first time, as you can polish it later. Also, try to express your ideas as clearly as possible, so you don’t have any problems when you come back later. Finally, you must keep track of the citations to avoid plagiarism. Every time you use a source, keep a note of it.
- Write the introduction, body and conclusion of the research paper.
Always start the introduction of a research paper with three questions: what, why and how? First, the reader must get a brief idea of the research paper, why it’s worth reading, and how you will state your arguments.
The next challenge is to write a compelling body of texts which has the power to grasp the reader’s interest. You must provide your arguments thoroughly and in an exciting way that forces the readers to keep on reading them. Try to back your arguments with facts while writing the body of the paper. Keep in mind that you are not repeating the same things over and over in the body. If you don’t have enough material to make it a lengthy one, keep it short but informative.
The conclusion of your research paper must provide the readers with a sense of finality. Try to sum up all your arguments and provide a final verdict from your point of view. Some readers might agree with the conclusion, while others might not. But make sure to prove your point in the conclusion of your research paper.
- Proofread your research paper
This is the final step in writing your research paper. This process aims to ensure that you have put down all the relevant points in proper order and the paper is well articulated. Make sure that all the tasks given in your assignment are completed and that your paper has a logical flow of paragraphs.
Writing the perfect research paper is not an easy task. It requires days of hard work as different processes are involved like researching, articulating, proofreading etc. However, by following the above-mentioned points, one can write a compelling and perfect research paper within a few days.
