In a research paper, you get an opportunity to explore and evaluate newly gathered information on a particular topic.
These papers are like academic essays but are usually longer and follow a detailed format. It further helps researchers to understand a particular topic and reflect on the gap in their area of research.
However, writing a research paper aims to prove your understanding of a topic and present new findings based on the research.
In this article, we will emphasize on the steps to be covered in a research paper, from understanding the topic to proofreading the final draft.
Steps To Write An Impressive Research Paper
Here are the important steps you need to take to write a stellar research paper.
1. Understand Objective And Goal
Reading assignment guidelines thoroughly is one of the crucial steps you need to take before you begin researching.
Before you start, make sure you understand the assignment task sheet. Here are a few guidelines that will help you with the assignment goal and objectives:
Read the assignment rubric and instructions mentioned in the assignment brief.
Understand the aim of the abstract, literature review, and reference style.
Highlight the formatting requirement.
Follow the style guide for body text and citation.
Therefore, make a bullet list of key points, and then go back and cross-check the items as you start writing.
If you have any questions after going through the requirements, do not hesitate to get assistance from your mentor.
2. Select Topic
If your mentor has not assigned you a topic for your paper, you must select one.
When you are working on an open-ended paper, choose a topic wisely, as it will determine your research. Therefore, your top priority in selecting a topic should be based on enough content and substance for an entire research paper.
If you are still confused, follow these instructions and ask yourself to narrow it down:
What am I interested in?
What are the specific aspects of the topic I can focus on?
Is there enough material available to work with?
What unique perspective can I offer in the paper?
What questions do you want to answer?
However, to answer all the above questions, you need to spend some time and glance through the available studies and resources. Thus, remember to note down the source that will help you cite later on.
3. Gather Research
The sooner you start researching, the better it is.
To refine your topics and prepare the thesis statement, find what content is available for your topic. However, early research can help you dispel misconceptions, and you will find the best way to gather resources.
Therefore, as you keep conducting research, remember to maintain a record of the citation information. These include quotes, page numbers, statistical information, graphs, and other illustrations.
On the other hand, do not verify the idea in your mind; search for materials that contradict your perspective. Eventually, it will help you form a strong research question.
4. Form The Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a statement of the central argument as it establishes the position and purpose of your paper.
If you start your paper with a research question, the thesis statement will be the answer to that question.
Similarly, the statement should highlight the evidence and reasoning you will use to support that answer.
Thus, ensure that your thesis statement is concise, coherent, and contentious. This means you need to summarize your argument in a sentence or two and state coherent points that relate to every section of the paper.
However, with paper writing services, you can refine and revise your statement as you continue doing your research. They further help make a coherent point that is relative to every part of the paper.
5. Anticipate The Supportive Evidence
It is time to start incorporating the material gathered from the research. Here, you go through all the sources collected and search for specific information you would like to include in your research.
Usually, you find supporting evidence by reading every source and taking notes. Thus, select the information that directly aligns with the topic. Similarly, avoid creating a barrier with unnecessary and tangent context in your analysis.
Moreover, remember to write down the page number from the sources or create a denotation that will help you find the information later.
6. Write First Draft
Now that you have gathered all the information and created an outline, it is time to submit your first draft.
Thus, the first draft is usually not perfect, and the mentor gives you time to make the necessary changes to polish your content.
Therefore, follow these steps to submit an error-free draft:
Pay attention to the structuring of paragraphs. This will help you shift to the second draft.
Express your ideas as clearly as possible so that you know what you are trying to say.
Write your introduction later so that you know what is comprised in the entire paper.
Take help from your outline and use it like a map while you work.
Relate the research conclusion with the thesis statement and summarize the major findings. Do not add any new information to the conclusion; rather, share your perspective.
7. Cite Sources
Based on assignment requirements, you must create in-text citations, the reference list, footnotes, and a bibliography.
However, pay close attention to what information you include and how citations are formatted and punctuated.
Therefore, citing the references can be a tedious job for you. So, create a list when you are alert and aware of the guidelines.
Academic research follows three formatting styles: APA, MLA, and Harvard style. In addition, you can occasionally see CMOS, IEEE, and AMA as well.
8. Edit And Proofread
To assist you in proofreading your paper, here is a quick checklist to keep in mind while making edits:
Clear thesis statement.
Avoid repetition of the same information.
Do your argument and support it with evidence.
Well-organized paper
The logical sequence in each paper.
Check accidental plagiarism.
Smooth flow of sentence.
Check grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Avoid filler phrases and words.
Summing Up
Research papers are also integral to scientific fields, just like the rest, as the most reliable way to share knowledge.
Thus, now that you know the right format for writing a research paper make sure you work with current information.
Therefore, write down all the information that you have collected from various authors. It will form a strong research argument when you cite sources in your paper.
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