Research paper writing is the most important assignment for students because it trains there analytical and critical skills/abilities to investigate things. Naturally, writing a research paper is a challenging and time-consuming but rewarding job, so every student who wants to succeed in his college and university education should learn to write research papers well, because:
- it makes you gather and form thoughts the way you don’t do it on a daily basis;
- it allows you practice in writing, which is very useful for your future career;
- it teaches you how to structure papers logically and how to do research;
- it teaches you working under severe time pressure;
- it makes you a professional multi-tasker.
Below you will find high-quality research paper writing tips which will answer all your questions about the ways and methods of writing this assignment:
Rule #1. Choose the Best Topic
There will be no success if you are weak on the topic under research, so try to choose the closest topic for you. It will be a plus if you brainstorm your topic for the analysis and impress the professor if it is exciting and worthy. The advantage of the issue in which you are good at is that you spend less time to collect data for its analysis. To deal with this part efficiently, follow the next principles:
- try not to repeat topics you can easily find online;
- avoid shallow topics, look for more even when working with the most simple and obvious tasks;
- pay attention to the names of the articles and try to make your topic not fully academical but also engaging;
- choose the topic which truly interests you, as it will make your further writing much easier;
- confirm when required your topic with a supervisor, mentor, professor;
- come up with several options for the same topic and choose the best one.
Rule #2. Collect Data and Prepare a Detailed Outline
A research paper aims to analyze a particular problem and support your point of view with the reliable facts. Evidently, one will never find these facts without hard work at the library. Students often spend long hours to find the required information which will make the research of the topic sensible. When you have discovered enough data which can explain the topic and solve all its fundamental questions, you are ready to start writing a research paper. But before that, complete the following:
- complete an excellently detailed outline which will contain all the essential moments and steps of the research;
- try to make the plan logical to impress the professor;
- when collecting data use Google Scholar instead of Google;
- use free academic libraries, such as the Library of Congress;
- sort the collected data from the very beginning using the standardized principles, to spend much less time digging in later;
- form the citation entries from the very beginning and put them to the reference list or work cited page directly.
Rule #3. Divide the Paper into Chapters
Research the topic step by step following the outline and divide the whole paper into the separate logical chapters. This logic is standard for all the extended academic papers, and it is better if you learn how to do it from the very beginning. Every professor values the quality of the research by these sections, so devote much time to complete them perfectly well. Do it right:
- pay particular attention to the methodology chapter and the list of the sources you have used for the investigation of the topic;
- spend a separate chapter to the appendix, where all the additional information like tables, graphs, and polls found;
- make sure even the names of your chapters logically follow each other.
Rule #4. Summarize and Proofread the Paper
Remember that a good research paper should be completed according to a specific format and style of writing. Get to know about it at the professor as soon as possible to prepare the very paper he expects to receive. To do so:
- conclude the research paper wisely, weighing the pluses and minuses of the problem of the article;
- share the difficulties you have faced while writing with the professor;
- say what you have learned while conducting the research;
- if the dilemma is not solved, make a suggestion regarding how it can be solved.