A research paper is an entirely original work created by consulting several sources to answer a research question. The paper is a synthesis of the writer’s interpretation and evaluation of the information they discover, with complete documentation of where these discoveries originated from.
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How to Write a Research Paper
Select a topic
When selecting a topic for your research paper be sure to choose a topic that interests and challenges you. Your attitude towards the selected topic may determine the amount of enthusiasm and effort you place in your research.
Focus your topic to a limited aspect. For example, narrow it down from “Theology” to “World Religion” to “Hinduism.” Be sure to obtain approval from your instructor before embarking on your full-scale research.
Select a topic that you can manage. Avoid subjects that may prove to be too technical or specialized, as they make research difficult. Also, avoid topics that have a very limited range of resources.
Locate your resources
Locating and documenting your resources is vital to writing a quality academic research paper. Be aware of the formatting style required by your professor (i.e. MLA or APA).
As you begin to compile your resources be sure to consider general background information. Use search engines and other search tools as a starting point. When using the internet be sure to select reputable website domains, such as .edu (an educational institution), .gov (a government website), or .org (a non-profit organization). Avoid social sites and sites that may base their findings on non-academic resources.
Once you have located various internet resources, we advise that you visit your library. Here you will find a wide range of sources to include:
- Almanacs, Atlases, and AV Catalogs
- Books and Periodicals
- Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
- Government Publications, Guides, Reports
- Magazines, Newspapers
- Vertical Files
- Yellow Pages, Zip or Postal Code and Telephone Directories
While you are gathering your resources, notate the full bibliography information on your printout, worksheet, or a simple piece of paper. Be sure to include the author, title, place of publication, publisher, date of publication, page numbers, URLs, creation or modification dates on Web pages, and your date of access (when applicable).
State your thesis
A thesis statement clearly delineates what the paper will discuss. It serves as an argumentative statement, focusing your paper on a very specific, debatable topic. Typically one or two sentences long, your thesis statement will briefly describe the main idea of your paper, as well as the arguments you will discuss. Clearly define and state your thesis.
Make an outline
An outline will serve as your roadmap as you write the first draft of your research paper. A fully developed outline includes the introduction, body paragraphs (main topics and subtopics), and conclusion. Your outline will keep you on track, ensuring that you include all relevant information and that you adhere to your format and organizational structure.
Introduction
The introduction serves as an introduction for everything to follow in the research paper. Within the introduction clearly state your thesis and the purpose of your research paper. Explain the main reasoning behind your paper, as well as how you plan to approach your selected topic. Is this a factual report, a book review, a comparison, or an analysis of a problem? Briefly explain the major points you plan to cover in your paper. Tell the reader why they should be interested in your topic.
Body
The body section of your research serves as the bulk of the material to be presented in the research paper. The body paragraphs are where you present your arguments to support your thesis statement. Begin with a strong argument, then use a stronger one, and end with the strongest argument for your final point.
Conclusion
Conclusions summarize and wrap up all of the information being presented in the research paper. Furthermore, the conclusion is where you will restate your thesis statement and supporting arguments. Within the conclusion, you will summarize your arguments and explain why you have come to this particular conclusion. Conclusions may also call for specific action or overview future research.
Write your first draft
Now that you have all of your developed thesis statement have thoroughly researched your topic, and have created a functional outline it is time to write your paper. The first draft serves as a rough copy that will lead to the refined final draft. Once you have written your research paper in its entirety, it will require editing for spelling and grammatical errors, as well as for general flow and organization. . Be sure to include all notes, main points, in-text citations, and references within the body of your research paper.
Revise your first draft
Revisions are necessary to compose an exceptionally written research paper. All mistakes in the draft paper should be corrected during this stage. As you begin to revise your first draft be aware of spelling and grammatical errors. You should also review the organization and writing style of the entire document, ensuring all references are cited properly.
The revision process makes require several rounds of revisions. The specific number of times a student will revise their initial draft will depend on the requirements of the paper, as well as the mistakes identified in the draft.
The final draft
A final draft represents the typed, error-free version of your academic assignment. Upon ordering your research paper from London Term Papers, our team of expert academic writers will provide all of the above-outlined sections for your research paper. At this point, all you will need to do is print and submit! Contact us today for your free custom quote. We make it that easy!