How to write a research paper

Research work–The very words send chills down students around the world. If you’re a student, research papers are a fact of life and something you’ll be writing until graduation day. There are a few things you can do and guidelines to follow that make writing a research paper a little less painful.

Every good research paper starts with a good topic or idea. If possible, choose something that interests you. Writing about something you enjoy can make all the difference. Also, consider the amount of information available on the subject. A topic can be too broad or too narrow – you want a topic that you can fully cover, but not something so specific that you can’t find information from multiple sources.

You can do a quick search of books, encyclopedias, magazines, the Internet, and newspapers to get an idea of ​​how much information you can uncover on your topic. If sources become scarce, librarians can often help; take advantage of their knowledge.

sketching

Making an outline is a good idea for anyone writing a research paper: it will help you generate ideas and keep them organized so your work flows smoothly.

You can develop outlines based on chronological events, cause-and-effect relationships, the logic of a position, or the process of achieving something. Most word processors have an outline feature that makes it easy to create and edit an outline. However, consult the MLA (Modern Language Association) Handbook for the recommended format.

write your work

Research papers have different parts including a title page, abstract, body, conclusion, and reference page. Each part has a specific purpose. This article is based on the MLA documentation guidelines. Before beginning any research paper, make sure you know which style to use and any other preferences the instructor may have.

Vault

The purpose of your title or header page is to state the name of your paper and include other important information such as your name, instructor’s name, class name, and date. Unless otherwise indicated, the heading should appear at the top of the first page of your paper in the left margin. Your article title should be centered: Capitalize the first and all major words, but don’t underline or bold your title.

Summary

The purpose of the abstract is to give an overview of the article. The abstract should contain the main thoughts and ideas of the article, but should not exceed a couple of paragraphs.

Introduction

The main purpose of the introduction is to present the research paper. This section should be captivating and incite the reader’s curiosity. The introduction can range from a few paragraphs for a short research paper (3-5 pages) to several pages or even a chapter for a senior project or thesis.

Body

The body of your research paper contains most of the information and facts. It must be the longest section of his work. Some tips for writing a good body of a research paper are:

o Double space throughout the article, including the works cited page.

o Avoid the phrases “I think” or “I feel.” Since you are the author, people already know that the opinions expressed are yours.

o Avoid the passive voice. For example, instead of writing “America was discovered by Christopher Columbus,” write “Christopher Columbus discovered America.”

o Read your work aloud. Do you stumble over words? Do they flow well? Do the sentences sound natural? This is a great way to develop sentences and know if you need revisions. You may also find grammatical errors by reading your article out loud.

o Always have someone else read your article. They will spot errors and provide helpful advice.

o Use spelling and grammar tools in your word processor.

o Avoid plagiarism. If you use someone else’s ideas, even if you rephrase them his way, you still need to give that person credit.

o Don’t procrastinate. Good research papers take time, and if you wait until the night before your paper is due, you’re in for a long night of ineffective writing.

Closure

The closing of your research paper should include your closing statements and summarize the paper. It should not be longer than your introduction. Many writers will refer to the situation or story in their introduction to summarize the document.

Works Cited/References

This section of your research paper should include all the resources you used to gather information. You can include books, encyclopedias, magazine articles, journal articles, newspapers, and even personal interviews. Here are some common examples of how to cite a reference:

Books

Authors Surname, Name. Title of the book. Place of publication: Publisher, Date

Article in a monthly magazine

Authors Surname, Name. “Article title.” Name of the Month Magazine. Year: Pages in which the article appears.

Website

Site creator(s). Site title. Date of publication or last update. Name of the organization associated with the site.

One final thought: like everything else, research papers get easier with practice. The more you write, the more efficient you become.

References

Hacker, Diana, A Writer’s Reference, Fourth Edition. Bedford, St. Martin, (1998)

Stewart Library, WSU. Citing print and electronic sources. [Ogden, 2002] September 30, 2005

http://library.weber.edu/ref/guides/howto/citing.cfm#mla>

Webster, A guide to research papers based on MLA documentation. [2003] September 30, 2005

http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml>