How to Write a Research Paper: Guide for Students

All levels of tertiary institutions require their students to express their ideas and views in the form of research papers. These papers provide an educational institution with an avenue to access its student’s ability to research specific data, as well as putting their knowledge on specific topics to the test.

Success in tertiary institutions often depends on how well a student can pul off a great research paperA research paper is a must for the phD students and STEM in classrooms works exceptionally well for it.

Despite the popularity of research paper writing in schools, one finds that most students have no idea how to go about writing a great essay. They fall short of the standards due to a lack of knowledge about the prerequisites of research paper writing. The chances of missing out on a successful academic year loom due to research essays being integral parts of learning in schools. They contribute a significant percentage of a student’s final grade. To help students from this dilemma here is a guide on how to go about writing a quality research paper.

Understand the Concept your Tutor Assigns to you

The first step to writing a research paper is to understand its type and subsequently its requirements. Understanding this helps you identify elements that will be used, such as writing tone, format, citations, bibliography type, etc. One also needs to identify the paper type. Based on the purpose behind it, research papers are classified as either argumentative or analytical research papers. While based on the format type, they are classified as either scientific or general research papers.

Select a Topic

After identifying the paper type, the next step is to select a topic or understand the topic assigned to you as the case may be. In the event of the former, your tutor might provide you with a concept he wants you to explore and expatiate upon. Map out aspects of the concept or idea that pricks your interest and come up with a topic based on the most absorbing aspects. For example, a tutor might need a research paper on marketing tools. A student who has a love for social media might go with a topic centered on Instagram’s influence in the business world as a tool for marketing.

In a scenario where a student is assigned a specific topic, he or she will have to generate a genuine interest in it. Writing on topics that don’t prick one’s interest would adversely one’s writing, as well as lead to boredom and fatigue when performing research activities.

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A good understanding and genuine interest increase your zeal to complete your essay. Given the fact that the research paper is often tedious to complete, this is a crucial requirement for great essays. Most times, one finds students seek cheap essay writing help in Canada, England, USA, and other nations when in need of high-quality write-ups. These services help to save time and stress while also helping students develop their skills due to the exposure to professional writing.

Begin your Research Work

The next step after selecting a topic that you find absorbing is to kick off your research work. Make use of both offline and online resources during research work. Chances are high that someone else has worked on or made a contribution to the central idea of your write-up. An adept understanding of keywords and the ability to grasp the main ideas in an article without reading through the full text is a necessity.

Leave no stones unturned, gather as much information on a topic as you possibly can when conducting research data. Researching isn’t restricted to the Internet, you can visit the libraries, speak to authorities in the field, carry out surveys with the help of questionnaires, etc.

One pitfall to using online resources most students fall prey to when researching data for their essay is a failure to authenticate resources or information. Just because an article states a theory or a piece of information on the internet doesn’t make it correct. Perform an in-depth analysis of theories, find out other resources that confirm this theory before using it in your write-ups. Research papers contain facts and accurate data, hence the need to do ample research.

Note your Sources

It’s easy to lose track of the sources for your essay, which could lead to poor referencing or citations. This could spell significant issues and often legal complications if accused of plagiarism. To keep track of your sources, make a note of them for easy reference in the future.

Proving a quality and adequate bibliography shows your readers that your work is based on facts and is widely supported by experts in the field. It also provides an avenue for readers to gather more information on the idea and arguments in your write-up.

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Make an Outline

After gathering the information you need, create an outline. This section contains a brief overview and the structure of your work. Keep your outline simple and concise, while tailoring it to the required standards based on the type of writing.

The outline assists writers put their arguments, ideas, and points in an organized fashion. It also helps you keep track of your progress and ensures you don’t miss the point or argument when writing your paper.

Map Out your Points and Write your Paper

Before you commence writing, you need to map out your arguments and counters to them. Keep an open mind when writing. Find out flaws in your arguments and proffer possible solutions to them. Order your contents in the following way:

Introductory Section

This is the section where you write up contents that reels a reader in to go on reading your essay. If an introductory section fails to captivate its readers, the chances are high that they lose interest in the paper and move on to other endeavors. There are numerous techniques to writing, and piecing together an amazing introduction is one of them.

Main Points

The body of your paper is where you flesh out the main points. Here, you provide information such as statistics and theories that support your arguments and ideas. This is where the write-up comes to life with the bulk of your content.

Conclusion

Sum up the key points, arguments, and ideas in your write-up. Provide your readers with recommendations and solutions to problems raised in your write-up. In this section, you can have your appendix and references.

Perform a Review on Written Contents

No one is perfect, which is why it’s necessary to review and revise your write-up multiple times before making a final draft. Look out for grammar errors and mistakes in your essay. Are paragraphs well structured? Are the numberings of tables and figures accurate? Are structures, fronts, spacing, word counts, etc correct?

Review your arguments and comments, are there ways you can make them clearer to readers? Are there any arguments and points you missed out on and are crucial to your passing across your ideas? Review and revise your write-up as much as possible.

Final Thoughts

Ensure to map out your time before starting a research paper. Dedication and self-discipline is key to completing your write-up on time. Make ample use of both online and writing aids to help make your work easier and faster.