How to Write a Research Paper from Scratch

Writing a research paper is not an average descriptive essay, term paper, or book review. It brings not only high or low marks. The result of your job will weigh at least 20-30 percent of your total course score.

Nowadays, writing a research paper is not free writing. When you start doing your job, you keep all standardized procedures.

That’s why you must figure out relevant formatting styles, paper structure, outline particularities, and so on. All these elements are essential for your task. Make sure you have enough skills and knowledge before you start writing a good research paper. And if you feel you need more information about how to write a research paper or if you need assistance, you can get it immediately.

Why Research Papers are Important?

There are great differences between research papers and other academic papers. Reviews and essays are also important but have other educational purposes. As a result, such task assignments are quite easier. When you face research paper writing, you need to make a comprehensive preparation and spend all the time on one single task. Moreover, this task will be very influential for your final class score.

Your teacher gives you such a task because of 3 main reasons:

• he wants you to discuss the whole course or the exact part of it;
• he needs to check your knowledge and educational progress to rate your efforts;
• he wants you to find out how to do a research paper.

That’s why your research paper will give your professor much information compared to other activities during the course. As a student, you need to be aware: you have faced a very important task.

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is one of the numerous academic tasks for college and university students. Comparing to other tasks, it includes several elements. First of all, you need to conduct research in the exact area. Then, you have to use the results of your research to make a report and write down your findings. Besides, your text must include not only your statements but analysis and reasonable explanation of each conclusion. The author aims to interpret the results of his research and explain why his findings are useful for the scientific community and even the whole world.

As you can see, the task of preparing a research paper is quite harder than writing a book review. Don’t take it wrong: each paper has its particularities. But research paper writing is one of the top complicated tasks for students.

Let’s see why:

1. One the one hand, it is quite long and detailed. When you write a research paper, you have to use excellent structure and include only reliable information. The author needs to use only verified primary and secondary sources. Using false documents will be your big mistake that will ruin all the work you have done.
2. On the other hand, this task requires many skills, including personal features (patience, self-development, time management) and awareness of academic methods (observation, analysis, etc.). Being a student, you have definitely developed your skills. And be sure, writing research papers will require you to use all your knowledge and opportunities during the writing process.
3. Also, it has a great influence on how you will end this course. As it was already said, your research paper means a lot for your final grade. Such a fact may cause you to feel anxious and stressed. And these negative feelings also make a bad impact on the quality of your writings.

So, the goal of your research paper is to investigate the exact subject, or even that is related to your course. With comprehensive analysis, you may ask current questions about this topic, solve problems, propose different solutions, make the forecast, and so on. Your job is not only to help you get a high mark. It could be really useful for the scientific community and humanity. We doubt that such great goals are worth your efforts.

Writing research papers will make a great influence on your writing skills, knowledge in the exact topic, and other abilities. For example, you will also improve the following skills:

• skills in conducting research;
• opportunity to make fair and relevant conclusions;
• vocabulary in English, including special terms;
• time management skills and self-motivation;
• patience, organization, and other personalized features.

Be sure that the task to write a research paper brings you more benefits then efforts you will spend on it. So, this guide will prepare you for writing comprehensive and professional text and explain all steps in writing a research paper.

How to Write a Good Research Paper Step-by-Step

Try to keep all rules and tips starting with what should a research paper include. Your document will consist of standard elements. Make sure to add all sections which are considered to be relevant for your preferred style. For example, you can use APA or Chicago format. Here are the components to include in your text:

1. Cover page. This is the first page of your paper. Usually, it contains your name, research title, college and course name, professor’s name, and so on.
2. Title page. You need to place here your subject, date of preparing the text, and information about you as an author of the research.
3. Abstract. This is a small paragraph that contains the purpose and research problems of your research.
4. Content. This section includes your headings with the page numbers to help readers organize their reading.
5. Introduction. This paragraph is called to explain why you have chosen this topic and why it is important for scientists and other people.
6. Body. This is the biggest part of your text that includes essential facts, arguments, and evidence to prove or decline your thesis statements.
7. Results. Explain here your findings according to your thesis statements at the beginning of your text.
8. Discussion. It is your opportunity to provoke a dialogue among people about your research subject.
9. Conditions. This is a brief explanation of your whole research paper and its results.
10. Reference list. You must support all your arguments with primary and secondary sources. Gather all the references in this section.
11. Appendix. It is an additional section that includes attachments if your research paper means it.

Now it’s time to write your document step-by-step. The classic how-to of how to make a research paper will help you to prepare a high-quality text. As an independent author, you may add several unique features to your content. But the general instructions are quite common.

Select a Topic

Your choice must be reasonable. It means that you have a real interest in your subject. It is easy to see that the author can’t make an exciting text about something he is not keen on and interested in. Even if you don’t like a course at all, there must be at least one exciting topic for you. So focus on it to prepare an awesome research paper. Otherwise, even services like ‘edit my paper’ wouldn’t help you to make the text better.

These simple tips will help you to pick up a good research paper topic:

• try to avoid too broad or too small topics because such options may box you into a corner;
• make pre-research to know more about your potential topics before making a final choice;
• use brainstorming and collect a list of great subjects to pick up the most interesting one;
• compare your topic to your task assignment and make sure it is totally suitable.

Here are several research paper topics examples for you:

1. What are the advantages of pixels compared to vector graphics that made it be popular worldwide?
2. What are the reasons for young generations to be less religious?
3. How to protect children from online bullying?
4. How music helps in memorizing things?
5. How to decrease the students’ desire to cheat on exams?

You may find great topics online or create your own unique one. Also, a professional research paper writing service helps to deal with this question. For example, EssayMap.org could be your assistant with topic selection and paper writing.

Write Your Thesis Statements

Your section with thesis statements is the part that creates a full research paper and differs from simple reviews. A research paper has its thesis statements and objective according to its type. As a student, you may face argumentative and analytical research papers. They are quite common and quite different at the same time. These papers have the same structure: the introduction, body, and conclusion. But you will follow different aims in writing and use specific content.

Here are the brief descriptions of both research types:

• analytical research paper means using special methods (usually, analysis and observation) to find results of your work;
• argumentative research paper means you have to add additional arguments to your content to provoke discussion.

Realizing these particularities will help you to make relevant thesis statements and further preparations.

Prepare Your Outline

An outline is a part of your academic paper that helps you to write a great text. You may miss this step, but it’s much better to use its advantages. Thanks to this section, the author will set himself or herself free from a lot of stress, and here are reasons why. The outline aims you to keep yourself organized. You will have such a blueprint and never miss any important stage in writing a research paper.

Write the Main Paper Section

The common structure of the paper includes the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Here are several tips on how to write a research paper step-by-step:

1. Your introduction will contain thesis statements and supporting sentences. In this section, you have to introduce your topic and goals to your readers. Usually, the introduction contains only several paragraphs.
2. Body paragraphs are the most essential for all academic papers. It contains all the useful information about your job and explains to readers how you have held your research.
3. Conclusion. This is only one paragraph. But you have to place here a summary of your key points and restate thesis statements from your beginning.

Make Small Sections and Tasks

From the cover page to the reference list, you must pay attention to each detail. Make sure you have done great titles, sub-headings, abstract, and so on. If you are not sure about these elements, then reread your task assignment and find answers there.

Prepare Additional Materials

This section is not obligated. But you should better use the appendix and other information to build a positive image of your research.

Tips for Writing a Research Paper

If you want to improve your text, you need secret recommendations. These simple tips will help you in writing:

• plan the length of your text beforehand. If you feel that you came beyond your subject then keep narrowing it;
• use simple language. Your paper is written not only for scientists but also for average people. So let them understand your words and sentences too;
• use one idea for one section. Don’t mix your statements and keep the right order and paper structure;
• add additional thoughts and ideas. You can share such personal statements among clear facts and research findings.

You know that you can always rely on EssayMap. The experienced and professional writing company guarantees writing high-quality research papers for any topic and on time. Your benefits from our cooperation are endless: excellent quality, plagiarism-free, fast writing, affordable prices, and so on. If you use our assistance, it will provide you with a great research paper and a high score for your class as a result. So, let us know you require our help and get a solution as soon as possible!