How to Write a Quality Research Paper
A research paper is a type of academic writing that requires the author to not only provide original research of the given topic, but also present interpretation and analysis of the obtained research data. Research paper is something students face early in their education and continue dealing with far into their postgraduate degrees. While it seems like researching, analyzing and writing are activities every student knows how to do, the reality is that writers often struggle with research papers. Luckily, the “do my essay” type of services is here to help!
If you’ve come here, it means that you have an impending task of writing a research paper. Wondering how to write a research paper fast? We offer assistance in research paper writing for any academic level! You can also find out what is an expository essay with a few clicks.
Don’t know where to start? Here is a quick plan of how to make sure your research paper hits every mark:
- Choose the correct topic for your paper.
- Collect information and write outline.
- Structure your notes and write first draft.
- Revise your draft and outline.
- Write final paper and double check it.
Now let’s take a closer look at this guide on writing a research paper!
Choose the Correct Topic for Your Paper
While you may expect your professor to choose your research paper topic for you, it’s much more common for students to pick their own topics for the papers. You can get guidance from the professor regarding the possible areas of research for your paper, but the ultimate decision is always up to you.
The first key to choosing a successful research paper topic is to find something you’re truly interested in. It can be something you’ve come across in your previous studies and want to research more, or you can pick a completely new topic. The only requirement here is to be passionate about the subject of your research.
Another step to success when working on written project, including writing an argumentative essay, is to select a topic that is narrow and specific. Choosing a topic that is too broad will prevent you from being focused on your working process. You can always consult with your professor if you’re having doubts over the topic to pick!
Plus, avoid picking subjects that are rare to come across in the scientific community: you can end up with lack of reputable sources to support your research. It’s fine to be ambitious as a writer, but a complex topic can easily make you feel frustrated and lose faith in the success of your writing process.
Collect Information and Write Outline
Next comes one of the most crucial steps in your research paper writing, which is collecting the information. In this day and age, you have two ways of gathering data for your research. You can go to the nearest library and thoroughly study every relevant source you come across. However, this method is very time-consuming and needs to be done well in advance to the writing.
Alternatively, you can look for the information on the internet. Keep in mind that while looking for the data online, it’s very easy to end up using disreputable sources where information is hardly ever checked. The secret here is to look for the websites that end with .edu, .org, or .gov. Other domains like .com and .net rarely provide verified information and are filled with distracting ads.
As you go over the websites, picking relevant data, don’t forget to bookmark the sources for future references. Moreover, remember to list every source you’re using – you’ll need that data when you’re creating the bibliography page for your research paper. Facts found online that you can not support with bibliographical sources cannot be used in a research paper!
Once you’re done with gathering your information, create the outline for the paper. A typical research paper consists of the following parts:
- Title page.
- Abstract.
- Introduction.
- Manuscript body, which consists of materials and methods, results, discussion, and conclusion.
- Reference.
- Tables and figures.
Structure Your Notes and Write the First Draft
The process of working with information for your research paper doesn’t end with gathering data – in fact, it’s only the start. Divide the sources you’ve found according to the outline of your research paper. Not all data you find will support your thesis – there will also be opposing views. Don’t remove them from the notes, as they can be a valuable asset for defending your statement.
Organizing the data according to the parts of the research paper is one way to make sure no source gets lost or left behind. You should also pay attention to the clarity of the source. If the information provided by the source is hard to understand or rephrase in your own words, consider omitting this source.
It’s important to avoid all kinds of plagiarism when working on a research paper. Even the smallest plagiarized fragments will be detected, so resist the urge to copy phrases and sentences – pick the sources you’ll be able to retell using your own words to make the information original.
When concluding the first draft of any researches, the most important tip is to stick to the outline and the data you’ve structured before. Work step by step, making sure you don’t miss any important information. Mark the places in your text you want to come back to later to revise. Save each draft in a file with unique name to easily find it later.
Revise Your Draft and Outline
You’ll need to revise your paper many times; even when it feels like you wrote the perfect research paper, it is likely the room for improvement is still there. Revise your first draft to see whether there is any missing content or parts of the paper don’t match the outline. You can always edit either the paper or the outline to make it more cohesive.
It’s also essential that your paper is free of spelling and grammar mistakes. If you don’t trust the built-in spell checker in your word processor or don’t have someone who could proofread your paper for you, use an online grammar checking service such as Grammarly.
Write Final Paper and Double Check It
When you’ve finished the final draft of the research paper, check it once again. Do a regular spelling and outline check with one new parameter. This time read the requirements for the assignment given to you by your professor to see if your paper matches them completely.
Don’t try to submit the paper faster than everyone else: the quality of the paper doesn’t react well to a rush. Only when you’re absolutely confident you’ve put everything you could into the paper, you can hand it in for assessment.