Table of Contents
- What is a Research Paper?
- Steps to Writing A Research Paper
- Step 1: Understanding Your Requirements
- Step 2: Choosing Your Research Topic
- Step 3: Carrying out Background Research
- Step 4: Develop Your Thesis Statement
- Step 5: Create your outline
- Step 6: Write your Introduction
- Step 7: Carrying Out an In-depth Research
- Step 8: Writing the Body of the Research
- Step 9: Write your Conclusion
- Step 10: Edit and Proofread Your Work
- Step 11: Citation and References
- Step 12: Formatting your Research Work
- Step 13: Final Review
- Formatting Your Research Paper
- Using APA Format
- Wrapping Up
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Learn how to write a great research paper from choosing a topic to citing and editing with this clear, step-by-step guide for students.
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How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Student Guide
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Writing research paperwork can look like a big task, especially if you're new to it. But it can be easy if you can follow a step-by-step process.
If you’re new to academic writing or a professional wanting to explore more, this guide will highlight all you need to know about having a well-written research paper and all the steps involved.
What is a Research Paper?
It is a piece of academic writing that offers an in-depth explanation of the topic. It is usually longer, more detailed, and more complex. It helps you delve deeper into the subject after the highlights are provided in the abstract. It examines the topic using empirical evidence and statistical data.
A research paper provides your interpretation, evaluation, and argument on a particular topic. It typically involves conducting thorough research and drafting content to present a well-structured argument and offer new insights to readers.
It is essential to get familiar with a research paper format, and this includes;
- The Introduction
- Literature review
- Methodology
- Discussion of Findings
- Conclusion and recommendations
Meanwhile, an abstract comes before the introduction. The abstract is a concise summary of the complete work that prompts readers to proceed and enjoy the full work.
You should also use the correct referencing style, as this ensures the originality and credibility of your research paper.
Steps to Writing A Research Paper
Note that these steps focus on research paper writing, not an academic research project.
The primary distinction between a research paper and a research project is that a research paper is a written document that presents the findings and conclusions of an investigation.
In contrast, a research project is the overall process of exploring, investigating, and analyzing a specific topic, which may culminate in a research paper.
Writing a research paper begins with having a clear understanding of your research questions and objectives.
Step 1: Understanding Your Requirements
You might think that getting a topic would be the first step, but you need to have a good understanding of what is expected of you before searching for a topic. Familiarize yourself with the requirements for your paperwork.
You can revisit the course material, check the expected word count, become familiar with the required format, and understand your deadlines and time management strategies; this will help you carry out each step effectively without wasting time.
Having a clear understanding of what you’re required to do would help you write your paper correctly.
Step 2: Choosing Your Research Topic
The next step to take after understanding is to choose your research topic carefully.
There are several ways to get a research topic.
- You can obtain it by brainstorming or consulting with a fellow student or lecturer.
- You can also get ideas from other writers by checking out their recommendation section.
Choose a topic that interests you, as this will not only make your work easier and more relatable for you but also engaging to readers. Choosing a topic that interests you would fuel your passion to carry out proper research.
As much as the topic should interest you, it should also be relevant to your field of study.
It would be awkward to choose a topic that is not related to your discipline. You should also consider whether you can gather enough data on that topic, especially within the already given timeframe.
Step 3: Carrying out Background Research
After selecting your topic, it is essential to conduct thorough research on it.
This would give you an in-depth knowledge of that particular topic. You get to discover several theories and perspectives of the topic.
You can research using journals, books, your university library, and some academic websites.
You can also formulate your research questions here. With all this, you’re sure to write an informative and insightful research paper.
Step 4: Develop Your Thesis Statement
Your Thesis statement is the main point or central idea of your research.
It should be clear, concise, and straightforward, as it informs the reader about the paper's content and your perspective on the topic. It tells your reader the purpose and position of your paper.
It is crucial to know how long a thesis statement should be, as it would help you write with direction, avoiding too little or too much.
See this as the backbone of your research work or a roadmap. It encapsulates the central idea of your research and conveys your argument. It serves as a guide to the main topic. A thesis statement unifies the different concepts in a research work.
Developing your thesis statement offers focus and direction not just for the writer but also for the reader.
PRO TIP:
- You can check for some examples of a thesis statement to help tailor yours.
Step 5: Create your outline
Your research paper outline is a structured framework that organizes the ideas or the paperwork before it begins.
This would help to organize your thoughts and make your research writing easy.
You can start this by writing out the points you would like to cover in your introduction, body of the work, and concluding part. It makes your writing process more efficient and provides a clear structure to follow. See it as the skeleton of your research paper. It makes your writing organized as it puts your work in a logical order.
Step 6: Write your Introduction
This is where you capture your reader's attention. It informs your reader of what to expect as they continue reading. Your paper’s introduction should address the questions: “Why, What, How”.
With your introduction, your reader should be able to tell what your paper is all about.
It is crucial to craft a compelling introduction. To write a catchy introduction, you can start by asking a question, stating a fact, or making a statement that would stimulate curiosity in your reader.
It would also lead them to the next part of your research. This would keep them hooked on your work for a long time.
Step 7: Carrying Out an In-depth Research
Since you’ve identified the central idea of your paper and obtained the outline, as well as the introduction, the next step would be to conduct thorough research. You would need to sort for helpful information to make your research paper meaningful and solid.
You can obtain your information by reading articles, journals, and other research works, as well as checking out relevant websites. All these factors help you produce research work that is engaging and interesting.
Step 8: Writing the Body of the Research
In this step, your outline and thesis statement would be of great help. Ensure that your ideas flow smoothly from one paragraph to the next. You can begin your paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces a central idea. Take note of repetition in paragraphs and sentences that do not flow.
PRO TIP:
- Ensure you make proper in-text citations where necessary/ Do not use an idea contrary to your research work, and also make your writing clear and understandable.
Step 9: Write your Conclusion
The step brings a tone of finality to your work. It also gives your reader a clear understanding of your work. It summarizes everything you’ve talked about. Make sure you recap the key point you would like your readers to take note of.
Your paper's conclusion should also recommend other works or related research papers and suggest further areas for investigation.
Step 10: Edit and Proofread Your Work
Editing and proofreading help to improve the overall quality of your work. It’s a way of revising your job to ensure it's well-written and organized.
In this part, you can remove, add, or enhance some information in your research work. You can check how to edit academic papers to ensure you do it correctly.
Step 11: Citation and References
It is very important to cite your work before submitting. This is because it not only recognizes the works of other scholars but also keeps you safe from plagiarism, which is a serious academic crime.
It is also essential to familiarize yourself with the citation style used by your university or field of study. If you're writing for a journal, you can check its requirements to avoid mistakes. All citations should be done correctly, including in-text citations.
Step 12: Formatting your Research Work
For proper formatting of your research work, you just have to follow your institution's guidelines or check the journal you’re submitting to.
This involves using the correct font style and type. Proper use of headings and subheadings, adding page numbers, and so on.
Step 13: Final Review
This is the last stage before your research work is submitted.
Double-check your work one last time to ensure everything is in order and well-organized. Your grammar and punctuation should be on point.
Once you’re certain everything is okay with your research paper, you can take the bold step to submit.
Formatting Your Research Paper
The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is widely used for research papers in the arts, literature, and other humanities fields. Below are the requirements;
- Choose a suitable font. E.g., Times New Roman in 12-point font size and 1.5 spacing
- Your document should have a 1-inch margin on all sides
- All headings should have title case capitalization
- ½ inch indent for every paragraph
Using APA Format
This format style is mainly used in the sciences and comes with a few requirements.
- Use a standard font: E.g., 11-point Arial or 12-point Times New Roman.
- Make use of double line spacing.
- Your page margin on all sides should be 1 inch.
- ½-inch indent should begin your paragraph
- Create a separate page for the title page, abstract, figures, tables, and references.
Wrapping Up
Your research paper should be well-organized and reflect thoughtful and thorough work. To achieve this, follow the steps outlined above. By doing this, you’re sure to have a high-quality research paper.
You can also utilize the CoWriter AI tool, which can offer well-structured and clear writing. It can also help to check for grammar and spelling errors while still maintaining an academic tone.
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