How to Write a Research Paper
Research papers require one to spend a certain amount of time reading up on a subject, gaining an understanding of it, and then putting that understanding into words. The words have to be organized in a precise way so that information is communicated effectively from the writer to the reader. Moreover, there has to be a point to what is being stated. The writer has to have a reason for communicating; otherwise the reader will have no interest in sticking around. This paper will describe the process that goes into writing a research paper, from doing the research to creating an outline to writing the actual paper.
The first thing that has to be done is a subject has to be picked. This subject will be what is researched, and there are a variety of ways to do the research on the subject. One can go to the library and locate books or magazines on the subject. Or one can do an online search for information. Google Scholar lets one search online academic journals and scholarly essays for information. Google Books even lets one peruse books that have had their pages scanned and uploaded. Then there are various websites that exist that allow one to obtain information, link to other sites, and develop a broad understanding of the subject very quickly. All of this research should be compiled. The researcher should take notes and make references so that everything can be cited appropriately...
The writing, however, should be preceded by the formulation of an outline.
Still, in order to create an outline, one has to know what the purpose of the paper will be. The thesis statement has to be created and it should be based on what the research has shown. The writer could say, for instance, that the research shows that such and such is possible because of x, y and z. This thesis will be given in the first paragraph, so the rest of the paper has to support that the statement. The outline will help the writer to organize thoughts about the subject. The body of the paper can be sketched out, with each paragraph offering up a supporting topic that helps reinforce the main idea or thesis of the paper.
Once the outline is finished, it is time to write the actual paper. The writer should refer both to the notes taken during the research process and to the outline so that he stays on topic. Being focused is very critical to writing a successful research paper. If the writer deviates from the point of the paper, the essay can wander and end up not making any point whatsoever. This is why the outline is helpful during the actual writing process: it shows the writer where to go next every step of the way. The research notes are helpful because they give the writer the pieces of information needed to plug into the essay and provide evidence for why a certain…
