How to Write a Research paper? Suggestions and Review in 2021

A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides exploration, explanation, and dispute based on in-depth independent research.

Research papers are almost similar to academic essays, but they are a more detailed form of it. Research paper writing is designed to enhance your writing skills and also assess your skills in scholarly research.

Today I am providing you a step-by-step guide that takes you through the entire writing process. You will understand your assignment and will be able to proofread your final draft.

1. Understand the Assignment

Completing a research paper successfully means attain the specific tasks set out for you. Understand the task your teacher or professor has assigned you before starting writing.

Many students don’t pay much attention to this step, and then wonder why their research paper didn’t receive a high grade. They worked hard but they didn’t read the instructions.

Create a checklist and tick mark the steps after completing. The steps are as following:

• Read the assignment carefully and then ask your professor for clarification if you are facing any problem in understanding it.

• Understand the goal, keep the deadline in mind, specify the length of the assignment and understand the submission process.

• Cross-check the completed tasks in your checklist.

1. Choose a Topic for Your Research paper

There are so many ways to generate an idea for a research paper topic. Collect all your ideas and compare them and then choose the best one.

You can try freewriting, choose a broad topic, and write continuously for two or three minutes. With this, you can identify a relevant topic that will be something interesting.

You can also go through other research papers and examine them carefully. This will help you to choose the best topic.

Do not choose a topic on which you have zero knowledge. Always select a topic according to your interests.

1. Conduct preliminary research on your topic

Check all the resources and discussions that are related to your topic and try to find a point that you can focus your paper around. Never go with a point that is already explained by someone else. Choose one which is still unknown and people don’t know the solution to it.

Figure out the points which you think are overlooked by people. Learn how to find key points and use them accordingly. Figure out research questions from all sources and try to answer them in your research paper.

Always go with reliable sources and read each and every line that is available about your topic. I know it is very difficult doing this but learn how to concentrate. You also have to read Wikipedia but you can not use it as the final source.

1. Create an outline and organize your research

The research paper outline includes a list of key topics, questions, and answers. Divide the topics into sections using heading and create a rough estimate that how your paper will look like.

Organize all your ideas from most to least priority and figure out useless points and eliminate them.

1. Form a thesis statement

The thesis statement will help you to figure out the central argument of your paper and you will be able to identify the position of your paper.

The thesis statement should be short, contented, and logical. A good thesis statement summarizes your argument in a sentence or two.

1. Write introduction

After completing all previous points, now start writing your research paper. The start paragraph or introductory paragraph must reflect the main idea of the paper.

The introduction should reflect the summary of your research paper and after reading the intro, your readers must have a clear image.

1. Write body text

Now it’s time to explain all your ideas and points that you have chosen for your paper. Write plagiarism-free content to avoid negative grades. One by one cover all your ideas and points in body text and start explaining them. Do it in the same way as from most to least priority.

Try to prove your research with logical answers and reliable resources. Never write emotional statements and irrelevant answers. Write topic sentences for the thesis statement and all other points.

1. Write the conclusion and save draft

Now end your research paper with a perfect conclusion paragraph. Try to sum up the main idea and link all the key points.

Now save the draft and revise it 2 to 3 times. Correct the mistakes and proceed to the final result.