How to write a Research Paper? The Complete Guide

What is Research Paper

A definition of Research Paper is as follows:

A research paper is a presentation of findings after you have investigated a topic. How do you conduct the investigation? You do this by accumulating primary and secondary sources. Relevant sources must be evaluated, and here is where you need to use your critical thinking skills.

Purpose of Research Paper

Purpose of Research Paper is to interpret material and offer a unique perspective, solution, or answer:

Suggesting how an issue or process can be improved
Highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of material
Learning how to evaluate the work of others
Expanding on and adding to existing thoughts

Types of Research Papers

Students present findings in various forms depending on the question requirements. The two most popular forms are:

By purpose:

Argumentative Research Paper

This paper persuades readers to accept a theory that is controversial or debatable. The writer offers a stance in the introduction — in their thesis statement — and then argues in favor of the position. Using credible primary and secondary sources, they convince readers of a unique viewpoint.

Analytical Research Paper

The purpose is to explore the answer to a question about a topic. Writers don’t stick to a particular side. They analyze a range of viewpoints and include enough support based on strong sources. This way, readers can make their own conclusions. Critical evaluation is essential!

By Format:

General Research Paper

This format is appropriate for writing in the humanities. Logical arrangement and critical analysis help readers to understand your deductions. A general research paper contains three main sections — an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You also need to consider if the paper is argumentative, analytical, or one of the other types.

Scientific Research Paper

A scientific research paper uses a more rigid structure to present findings and methods. This creates a system of uniformity to deliver data to the scientific community. Because of its structure, people can obtain information from a scientific paper in different ways — they can browse the abstract or go straight to tables and results. If you think it’s too difficult for you, do not hesitate and say “I want to pay someone to write my research paper“.

Steps to Writing a Good Research Paper

Choosing a Topic

Try to find a topic that truly interests you
Try writing your way to a topic
Talk with your course instructor and classmates about your topic
Pose your topic as a question to be answered or a problem to be solved

Useful links:

How to choose a Research Paper Topic?
Research Topics Ideas
Paper Topic Generator

Essay Topic Generator

Conducting Research

Selecting Sources

Here are some tips for finding primary and secondary sources online:

Search the websites of institutions, organizations, and people that are experts in the field or who are reputable sources of knowledge. For example, Encyclopedia Britannica and Encyclopedia Americana (available through a library) have long been trusted knowledge bases.
Use online libraries such as the International Public Library and the Wall Street Executive Library
OnlineNewspapers.com categorizes thousands of newspapers from around the world
Use databases like Google Scholar and Science Direct to find research abstracts and reports, journal articles, manuscripts, scholarly articles, and much more.
Pay attention to the domain name of websites. A domain is identified by the letters at the end of a website URL. If you want to find reports from a university, for instance, focus on sites with .edu at the end of the URL. Government websites end with .gov. Information on these sites is probably more accurate than .com pages.

Documenting Information

Organize your research by using annotations and making lists of references. Use cards, colors, or any other method to group ideas. Note why you think the source is important and what point it supports. This is useful for creating a good outline and facilitates the writing process.

Writing an Outline

What is Research Paper Outline

An outline is a plan of how you will arrange ideas in the most effective way possible. Information needs to be organized and must flow logically for readers to understand the point of your research.

Purpose of Outline

The purpose and advantages of preparing an outline before writing include:

You classify information beforehand; Consequently, you focus on expressing your ideas and using the right grammar and structures when you write the actual paper.
Outlining saves time. You do the hard work of finalizing main points and supporting data and facts. All you need to do afterward is write it coherently.
An outline reveals irrelevant or weak material. When you view the full plan and how ideas flow and complement each other, unnecessary points are clear to spot.
Outlining allows you to select the most relevant sources and incorporate them in a way that strengthens your points.

How to Construct an Outline

Your outline is not set in stone. You can go back and change sections if you find new information or discover better research. However, the elements of an outline are standard, and they separate the blueprint into an introduction, body paragraphs or sections, and a conclusion. Sections can be divided using headings and subheadings.

Main headings use roman numerals (I, II, III, IV etc.) Subheadings use letters of the alphabet (A, B, C etc.) Each main heading should contain two or more subheadings.

Useful links:

How to write a Research Paper Outline?

Writing a Body

Here is where a strong outline makes writing easier. You know the number of body paragraphs to include. You have a main idea for each body paragraph as well as its supporting information, and you can integrate your sources to support claims. Remember you don’t summarize sources. You analyze, deconstruct, compare and explain them in order to lend weight to your paragraphs and, ultimately, your thesis statement. The number of body paragraphs depends on the depth of research. Longer projects need several headings and subheadings in the body.

Writing a Conclusion

End your paper with a conclusion that rephrases the thesis statement and summarizes main points. Explain your deductions and suggest areas of the topic that can be researched next.

Revising and Making a Final Draft

- Check overall organization: logical flow of introduction, coherence and depth of discussion in body, effectiveness of conclusion.
- Paragraph level concerns: topic sentences, sequence of ideas within paragraphs, use of details to support generalizations, summary sentences where necessary, use of transitions within and between paragraphs.

Sentence level concerns: sentence structure, word choices, punctuation, spelling.
Documentation: consistent use of one system, citation of all material not considered common knowledge, appropriate use of endnotes or footnotes, accuracy of list of works cited.

Research Paper Help

By Type of Service

Research Paper Writing Service

Edusson offers Research Paper Writing Service to high-school and college level students. It may help if you want to get you paper written for you by someone professional in the field of study.

Scope of Service

Research Paper Writing Service includes the following types of assignments:

Custom Papers
Research Proposal
Research Summary
Research Paper Writing

How it works?

Research Paper Writing Service works like that:

Student places an Order
Make their offers
Student Hires a Writer
Writer Works on a Research Paper and reports on the progress
Student pays in milestones if happy

Price

Starts from $18 per page. Discounts apply to new customers as well as offers with extended deadline.

Features:

Title page
Formatting
References
Plagiarism check

Examples of completed orders

Topic Generation

Use Essay Topic Generator at to discover a topic that truly interests you. Topics are already stated as a question to be answered or a problem to be solved.

Examples of Research Paper by other Students

Edusson Magic Help is a great website that gives access to more 20 000 essay and research paper examples and is updated daily. All essays are written by actual students and donated to the database for educational purposes.

Essay Checker

Edusson Plagiarism Checher is a great way to check essay and recieve an Essay Score by 7 characteristics. It really helps and may even predict your Grade.

Research Paper Editing Service

Available at Edusson and provided by hundreds of freelance editors.

Research Paper Proofreading Service

Also, available at Edusson and provided by hundreds of essay editing service profreaders.

By Marker’s Expectations:

Research

Make sure you have done the following steps on Research Stage:

Selected the type of research paper
Picked a worthwhile topic
Gathered information from a variety of primary and secondary sources
Constructed a solid outline to guide your thought and writing processes
Put everything together in written form

If you have not or need help, consider using:

Topic Generator
Examples by other Students to get you some Ideas

Content

Here’s the Research Paper Content Checklist:

The paper shows critical analysis of the topic
Your introduction contains a thesis statement or a hypothesis.
You worked according to your outline, for the most part, ensuring no important data has been omitted.
The paper answers the thesis or proves/disproves the hypothesis presented in the introduction.
Ideas flow logically and support the thesis or hypothesis.
Supporting information and sources are valid and act as a strong backbone for the paper.
Facts and figures are accurate.
Sources are accurately cited using APA, MLA, or Chicago.

If you feel uncomfortable about your Content Quality here are Research Paper Help options for you:

Language and Style

Research Paper Language and Style Checklist:

The correct tenses are used. For example, use the past tense to describe methods or the present tense for generally accepted facts.
Vocabulary and writing style make your ideas clear and concise, so the point of the paper is not lost to the reader.
The language shows objectivity. Using the third person instead of the pronoun ‘I’ is one way to do this.
Spelling and punctuation are accurate.
Paragraphs contain a topic sentence, transitions, and a summary sentence if necessary.
The paper is divided into appropriate sections — headings are used to lead from one section to another and transition words link ideas.
The paper is in the right format and follows the instructor’s guidelines.
The language is formal.

Help Tips:

Use the Essay Checker, to check Language Usage, Readability as well as get ab overall Grade for your Paper.
Use Edusson Revision Service

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Research Paper Writing Help Guide