The research paper is one of the most important assignments for students at the college level. It is important to understand the research writing techniques if you need to do a research paper.
Research writing requires a heap of knowledge regarding the topic and formatting. Here we will discuss and dig deeper into the essentials of academic writing. However, remember that every research paper has its own format according to the institution or the professor who will review it. These are the general most important ideologies to follow.
Research is hard enough when you’re an expert, but when you’re trying to write about a topic that you know little about, it can feel impossible. So, I want to give you some guidance and some advice so that you can start getting comfortable researching things without going insane and so that you can finally start putting your research skills to good use.
Red Alert: Both research paper and research proposal are two different things
Many people confuse these two terms; research paper and a research proposal. They both have different objectives and ideas to follow, though there might be some similarities in the writing process. A Research paper is based on the knowledge and research work on a specified subject of a student. While the research proposal is a piece of writing which gives value to the research project and convinces its audience of its importance. The proposal can be thought of like a pitch while the research paper can be its final product.
Do hardcore researches
The first step to take ahead is research work. It will help you gain the inside knowledge of your subject. You can then come up with ideas regarding how you are going to formulate this information. You must then figure out a thesis statement. This will help you gain more confidence which will outlook on your copy as well. Gather all the materials which will be a resource to your research work. This can be online and offline both.
Google scholar, online journals, encyclopedias, and databases are quite favorable. While offline there are books, newspapers, publications, and reports available for you to put your finger on. Here is a tip: keep on taking notes while researching, like dates, names, links, publisher names, and quotations. These might come in handy later on and you would not have to go all over again just to search something relevant. The best ideology is to make a spreadsheet with headings, this will help you organize your jumbled thoughts and help you in your bibliography.
1. Thesis Statement
The summary of the main objective of your paper and some supporting important points is what the thesis statement is. It gives a reflection of your main idea and supporting topics you are going to emphasize upon to your readers. At the end of the introduction, you may write your thesis statement even if it is not part of the instructions. This will give your audience a clear picture in mind. Every argument you are going to make ahead will be supported by these few lines which are your main idea.
There are three types of research papers:
1. Analytical Research Papers
The analytical paper is the easiest type of research paper to write. This type of research paper requires you to gather information and present it in a clear, organized manner. You can choose from a variety of topics that are relevant to your course. For example, if you are studying English Literature, you can choose to write about the Romantic Period.
2. Expository Research Paper
The expository research paper is a topic that will require the student to investigate and examine an idea, evaluate the evidence and judge its validity, expound on it, and present an argument.
You will need to be able to define and explain a concept clearly in order to write a good expository research paper. This means that you must be able to explain the concept in a way that everyone can understand it.
If you’re going to be writing any kind of expository paper, you need to be sure your paper follows a logical order. You want to begin by laying out the groundwork, then provide proof for each point you make.
The order of the information should be the same. You want to give the reader as much information as possible and the best way to do that is by making the reader think. Use transitional phrases to guide your readers through your expository paper.
3. Argumentative Research Paper
An argumentative research paper is analytical. An argumentative research paper is a type of academic writing that uses evidence and logic to support a point of view. It is similar as an engineer uses a model or theory to explain a complex process.
The argumentative research paper is also known as persuasive writing, which is when you are stating your arguments for or against something.
The main purpose of a good argumentative essay is to convince the readers of your point of view. To do this, you must provide all the information and evidence supporting your argument. If you don’t, you are simply making a statement without real evidence. Logic will help you persuade readers that your argument is valid and that you have a valid reason for supporting your argument.
Your thesis statement should follow the pattern and match the main concept of the type of research paper you are writing. A thesis statement gives a flow to your paper and hence brings awareness towards the purpose of writing. Without It, your ideas might stay foggy in the minds of the readers.
2. An Outline
When you have accumulated tons of information and now want to jot it down in a presentable manner. You must develop an outline! These are the figurative points supporting your statement. These figurative points are your subheadings under which you will organize your thoughts and all the information you may have collected. Keep your outline relevant no matter how interesting some bit of information may seem to you. If it doesn’t fit, leave it.
There are numerous ways to create an outline. Use whatever method is most convenient for you at the moment.
Start by putting possible topic headings and subheadings on a piece of paper. As you write, you may find that some ideas come to you more easily than others. Do not try to force any ideas that are not coming to you. You can always add them later.
When you finish brainstorming, you can put organizations inside your outline.
When you have completed your outline, read it through one last time.
3. An Introduction
Start off with something that engages the readers and attracts their attention. The introduction should be short and smart. It should have the process justified under which you will display your writing. What kind of writing is it? What are the readers going to find? What topic do you want to emphasize? Then furthermore, finish it up with a thesis statement.
4. The Body
Here is where you will write the main content. The outline which we discussed before will come in handy but should not limit you to evolving yourself. The outline will keep you focused and on track. While the rest of the information which basically are three-pointers that you use to express your ideas. These should be elaborated on and guided by sources.
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5. Conclusion
Now sum it all up! You may rewrite your thesis statement here. Or you may come up with a new idea to represent the conclusion of your topic. If it is inconclusive, you must write why the subject requires further research to reach an overall point. Do not forget to revise your paper.
If you follow this guide, you sure will nail it. Though academic writing is not everyone’s craft. Hence you may refer to the online website for research papers for sale. These are already nicely plotted and formatted with great knowledge that your professor might seek.
