It does not matter whether you pursue arts, history, nursing, literature, medicine, tourism, or engineering. As long as you are a high school, college, or university student, chances are that you will have to write a research paper at some point in your academic career.
Although writing research papers seems arduous, engaging, and time-consuming, mastering the craft makes it seamless, enjoyable, and achievable within short turnaround times.
In this ultimate guide to writing a research paper, you will discover the fundamentals of writing a perfect research paper that attracts readership, accolades, and higher grades. We take a step-by-step approach, sharing what we have seen work for us (a team of professors drawn from different fields), students, and experienced research writers within our team regards to academic research papers.
You will learn how to begin a research paper, make its outline, and other vital steps that will leave no stone unturned and guarantee high scores. If all you want is research paper writing help, we have experts who can write your paper within the shortest time and with the accuracy it deserves.
First, let us get into details about what a research paper is to distinguish it from other types of prose writing that are common in higher education.
A research paper is an academic writing piece that provides deeper insights (analysis, interpretations, and arguments) on a given topic using empirical evidence following independent research.
Like analytical essays, research papers involve critical analysis only that they go a notch higher by using statistical data and empirical evidence from preexisting research that might be cited within and at the end of the paper.
Research papers are a firm foundation for science as they allow for disseminating findings and clarifying specific areas of knowledge.
In class, college, or school settings, research papers are assigned to test students' level of understanding and how well one has mastered research and writing skills.
Research papers take a formal tone, which entails the presentation and elaboration of evidence. Unlike a research proposal that proposes a study, a research paper is written to report the findings after a study.
The length of a typical research paper depends on the assignment instructions. Nevertheless, research papers range from between 2000-10000 words. A paper between 2000-3500 is considered a short research paper between 8 and 13 pages. It is advisable to always check with your professor or refer to the instructions for the appropriate length requirements.
The format of a research paper depends on the preferred or recommended formatting style. Fields such as Nursing, Biology, Psychology, Healthcare and Medicine, Public Health, education, anthropology, and other social sciences prefer APA or Harvard format research papers. In fields such as English studies, literary criticism, cultural studies, history, philosophy, literature, humanities, and languages, the Modern Language Association (MLA) research papers are preferred. Other subjects such as arts, religion, theology, and many more prefer Turabian or Chicago formatting.
Regardless of the formatting style, an academic paper has a general format that includes the following:
There is no professional research paper tip sheet you will find online that is as comprehensive as ours. We have selected thoughts from our best editors, professors, and pro research writers who have done it over the years, maintaining our rating at 4.98 out of 5. Given that a research paper is among the complex taxes to anticipate in college, you need a step-by-step guide to set your skills, determination, and spirit. Following the tips, tricks, and steps we share in this research paper writing cheat sheet, you can quickly progress through the research writing process.
Are you asking, 'How do I start, write, complete, and submit a top-quality research paper?' Here are the nine steps to ensure you get a higher grade and wow your readers.
To write a research paper, you need to meet specific requirements. Therefore, before you begin, read the assignment prompt carefully to comprehend what you must achieve. First, read it faster to get a gist of the requirements.
Read it keenly a second time as you take note of the objectives, deadline, number of sources, topic, length or number of pages, formatting style, and the method of submission.
You can consult your professor for clarification if unsure what the assignment needs. With the information, you can plan your paper and set realistic targets to wade off writer's block.
If you are lucky enough to have topic suggestions or a list of research topics, select a great topic to write an entire paper without derailing it.
When no topic is given, try to generate research paper ideas and topics by brainstorming, researching, listing, and eliminating. You can, for instance, take a broad research area and free-write anything you find interesting, then settle on a given aspect or perspective. You will then come up with topics.
To get a good topic, read previous research papers to get inspired on how to frame your topic.
You could utilize their limitations and recommendation sections to see areas that need further research. Skimming through various sources helps you to identify the ideas you can build into an entire research paper.
Once you have a broad area, narrow it down to a topic that interests you, is researchable, and meets the assignment requirements. If anything, avoid general topics. Instead of focusing on obesity in the USA, you can explore childhood obesity in a specific state.
Your choice of a topic should not be robotic. Pick something on which you can share information and research findings without failing to meet the word count.
A good research paper topic is fodder for outstanding research. If you get the topic right, your research process becomes seamless. As you select the topic, there are patterns, trends, and ideas that you could have noticed and noted.
Beginning your research soon as you identify the topic helps you focus more, which makes it possible to complete the research paper before the deadline.
Given the topic, you need to realign these ideas to get a core focus of your paper. When doing the preliminary research, you will identify the primary (surveys, interviews, statistical data, questionnaires, notes, legal documents, or historical documents) and secondary (journals, articles, magazine and news articles, movies, reviews, dissertations, etc.) sources from which to get evidence to support arguments in your research paper. Some places to look for include online databases, libraries, academic and professional journals, institutional websites, etc.
Ensure that your preliminary research focuses on scholarly and non-scholarly sources. The non-scholarly sources, such as Wikipedia, Dictionaries, websites (blogs), and Encyclopedias, can help you broaden your understanding of the topic.
Scholarly sources, such as peer-reviewed journals, books, and reliable websites (company, institutional, and government websites), are great for the information you can cite within the paper. Try to get as many ideas as possible to build a perspective or point of view. You should also look into those ideas that contradict your perspective. Consider recent developments, unique findings, controversies, and minute details that everyone keeps ignoring to set yourself apart from everyone else in your class.
Given the research and familiarity with the topic and ideas, you must focus your paper on that one great idea supported by different facts and evidence. Your central argument in the research paper is your thesis statement. For instance, if you are writing about the feral cat crisis in a particular town, consider your findings on addressing the issue. You could take an ethical stance on the best way to eliminate feral cats.
The thesis statement establishes your position and the purpose of the paper. You can turn your research question into a thesis because the thesis answers the research question. Moving from topic to thesis statement is an easier thig to do as you progress. Developing a thesis statement by phrasing the topic into a question and answering it is easier.
A good research paper thesis is succinct, contentious, coherent, and concise; make it a sentence or two making a claim that mandates analysis and clarification using evidence and facts.
It is primarily a preliminary thesis because you might refine it as you research further or delve into writing.
This stage should be easier if you were thorough in your preliminary research. The preliminary research aims to familiarize me with the topic, develop essential insights, and construct the thesis. In-depth research is required to sieve the sources you had earlier identified, with a target of getting specific information.
In this facts-finding stage, you should gather supporting evidence by reading scientific, academic, and professional sources. Gathering and organizing information relevant to the selected research topic is imperative without caring for the non-issues or unnecessary information. It should be a deliberate process to support the thesis statement.
Try to get as many ideas as possible to build a perspective or point of view. You should also look into those ideas that contradict your perspective. Consider recent developments, unique findings, controversies, and minute details that everyone keeps ignoring to set yourself apart from everyone else in your class.
You can develop research questions to help compartmentalize ideas in your paper.
It is also best, at this stage, to organize your sources. You can use online tools such as Zotero, CitationMachine, BibMe, etc. You can also keep track of the information using bibliography cards. You can also use note cards to track the specific lines or pages from where you have referred an idea.
A research paper has at least five major parts, including the introduction, literature review, methods, results, and discussion (evaluation, recommendations, limitations, and conclusion), abbreviated as IMRAD. Other parts include the title or cover page, abstract, reference list, and sometimes appendices. You should check with your professor or instructions on what mandatory parts to include in your assigned research paper.
The basic structure of a research paper is as follows:
Given this understanding, creating a research paper outline is imperative after researching. The outline helps list the major topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include in the final write-up. You can utilize headings and subheadings to clarify everything and avoid missing important points once you settle into writing.
A good outline should make your writing process seamless, relatable, and enjoyable. Therefore, creating one helps you in the end. Since it takes a few minutes, endeavor to create one and see the difference it makes.
Your first draft copy is the first piece you write immediately after research and planning. In most cases, it will be challenging. Some professors insist you submit the first draft so they can study and understand your writing and thought process.
The aim of writing the first draft is to focus on writing and perfecting later. It should be a stage where you pay close attention to logical flow, ideas chronology, and evidence organization. You should also express the ideas you have succinctly, coherently, and concisely.
When writing the draft, given that you have an outline, you can start with the body and not the introduction. Just start writing the section that your spirit feels to accomplish first. The outline will guide every of your step, so be confident.
There is no fixed rule that you should begin writing the research paper from the introduction to the conclusion. If you understand how to write the introduction of a research paper, you can begin with it. However, if you feel it will derail you, proceed to other sections and write it before writing the conclusion.
The introduction should have background information on the topic, your research question or hypothesis, a problem statement, a statement of purpose, and a thesis statement. Using the funnel introduction model works magic because you start from broad to narrow, making it easier to interest your readers in reading your research paper.
The body paragraphs are an essential building block of the entire paper. It is vital to ensure that each has a unique idea or a single claim related to the thesis statement. If two paragraphs focus on the same issue, they should have a different approach and presentation to avoid redundancy of ideas.
The body section should be compelling. If you are writing the literature review section, take a critical stance to expose what others have presented on your topic. Intertwine research and your perspective to advance the arguments within your paper.
Each body paragraph should have a topic sentence that relates to the thesis, pieces of evidence, and a concluding sentence that flows your paragraph into the subsequent paragraphs.
Considering that scientific research papers follow the IMRAD format, the methodology, literature review, results, and discussion sections are from the research paper's body.
When writing about the methodology section, describe the research design and methodology used and give the rationale. You should describe the data collection methods and process and address all the limitations and ethical considerations.
In the findings or results section, organize and present the research findings. You should use tables, graphs, and other visual aids to enhance clarity and readability. Also, ensure that you interpret the result in light of the objectives and reference the findings from the literature review.
Finally, deliberately engage in a critical discussion by evaluating and interpreting the results in the context of existing literature. Address any potential conflicts and limitations where necessary. Use informed explanations to present insights, implications, recommendations, and future directions for research (further research). Above everything else, keep track of the information, stay organized, and make everything flow chronologically. You should also cite sources as necessary and avoid unnecessary words.
Like the introduction, the concluding paragraph should be succinct. A research paper's conclusion helps the readers have a sense of finality. It transitions the readers into a space where they reflect on the main arguments, findings, suggestions, recommendations, and conclusions. Tie the conclusion to the objectives of the assignment. It should also answer the research question.
The conclusion entails restating the thesis, summarizing the main arguments and counterarguments, and leaving the reader challenged. Your conclusion is not the right place to introduce new arguments, bluff around, and be generic. Instead, it should carefully lead your readers out of your writing world.
With the first draft done, you need to polish it into a final draft that you can submit for grading. In this stage, you should review, revise, and re-organize the paper to fulfill the assignment requirements or the rubric.
Here are some things to focus on:
A good research paper should be devoid of spelling mistakes, be in active and not passive voice, demonstrate the best word choices, have relevant details and data, and have the information organized in chronological order.
Proofread the paper to ensure it addresses everything you intended; match it to the assignment prompt or the rubric. Ensure that there is no repetition and that you have used recent and up-to-date scholarly sources. Check whether your research paper has the right transition words and phrases, the best sentence structure, and follows the appropriate paper formatting guidelines. Check for consistency in word choice, spelling, and placement of headings and subheadings.
Although this step is time-consuming, it is pertinent and determines whether your professor will like your research paper. Therefore, be very deliberate and determined.
As you proofread, read the paper aloud to yourself so that you can catch the errors and omissions to make necessary changes.
The final step of writing a research paper is to have a second or third eye assess your paper. For this, you can use the online proofreading and editing services. You can also request your friends, professor, or relative to read the research paper to assess that you have covered everything as required. Use their feedback to improve and polish the paper further. You can submit your final draft before the deadline because you are confident of the best grade.
For the many years we have marked research papers, certain things stand out among those that score the best grades. This checklist is an essential tool that you can use to develop a quality research paper that meets the standard requirements. This way, any professor can mark your paper, and the grade will be consistent. Note that, to develop this checklist, we've gathered what works from the A students, our top research writing experts, and professors from top universities. You can use this checklist once you are done with the first draft of the research paper.
Research Paper Component | Achieved | Needs Rework/More work |
The title or cover page matches the required format (APA, MLA, Harvard, Turabian/Chicago). |
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The abstract is well-written, formatted, and is at least 200 words. |
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The introduction has a hook statement that grabs the reader's attention. |
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The introduction has an adequate background statement. |
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The introduction has a thesis statement. |
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The body paragraphs each have unique topic sentences. |
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The body paragraphs have a single claim or idea. |
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The body paragraphs have evidence that is well-cited and flowing. |
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There is a good flow of ideas logically. |
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The entire paper does not have spelling or grammatical mistakes. |
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The paper has prominent headings and subheadings. |
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The paper has good transitions and demonstrates a good choice of words. |
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The page numbers are well-placed |
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Every in-text citation has a corresponding bibliographic entry |
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The in-text citations are correctly formatted. |
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The paper has no errors or omissions. |
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The paper uses a formal tone. It follows the IMRAD format if it is a scientific paper. |
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The paper has the right length and enough sources and includes various scholarly sources. |
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The paper meets the rubric requirements. |
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The research paper is formatted in a preferred citation and formatting style. |
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The paper is clear, concise, and coherent. The paper is not plagiarized or AI-generated. |
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The conclusion restates the thesis, summarizes the paper, and gives finality. |
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Whether you are assigned to write an MLA, APA, Harvard, Chicago/Turabian, AMA, or IEEE format research paper, the steps outlined above will help you realize your goals.
You can use tools such as Google Scholar, Zotero, Grammarly, Google Documents/Charts, and any other viable tool for your research and writing. Prepare adequately for your research paper by planning, drafting, and polishing.
If you have clarifications, do so early before beginning the research paper writing process. Your professor will most likely help you achieve more.
If you need to pay someone to write your research paper, we have specialist writers in every academic and professional field. You can trust our paper writing service for 100% original, non-plagiarized, and human-researched and written research papers. Say NO to deadlines and late submissions.
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