How to Write a Research Paper

 

To begin with, what is research? According to the Oxford dictionary, "Research is a systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions."

A Research Paper is a common form of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research. The chief goal of writing a research paper is to display the extensive research done by the individual to display his findings which are supported by facts and pieces of evidence from newspapers, articles, interviews, books, and real-time experiments. It is supposed to be published in important journals for the research to be seen and valued by scholars of the same academic background and to restore the integrity of the information gathered. 

To attract views and opinions one needs to have the knowledge of how to write a research paper and the do's & dont's of the same. Since Research Papers have a high value in the scientific community, there is a legitimate process of writing them that an individual must abide by. 

This blog will further explain THE PROCESS OF WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER in a very simple 10 step strategy :

Step 1:  Assignment clarification

Researchers must bear no doubts about their chosen research topic. They should be very clear about their assignment and make note of every tiny detail. Research Paper is graded perfect only when it is to the point and exact, which one can only achieve when they have a complete understanding of their assignmnets. 

Step 2: Time Management

Managing time is an essential quality one must possess. It is of utmost importance when it comes to writing a research paper. Every part of the paper needs to be given the needed time for it to be precise. Planning beforehand will not only make the paper precise and worthy but also won't feel like a tedious task to the researcher.

 Step 3: Topic Selection & Brainstorm

This is a crucial step as one must be passionate about the topic to be able to spend hours on its research. Asking the basic Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How can be the ideal way to start the brainstorming followed by mapping everything down on a paper. One can also consult their peers and professors to have a better insight on the same and become confident of the topic they choose.

Step 4: Visiting the Library

A library always has a strong influence on everyone. Reading more books, papers, and articles about the topics related to yours will enhance your paper. 

The internet also provides us with a wide number of research papers from across the globe. Reading those can be a great help to enhance your content too.

Step 5: Select and Survey Sources

The data is usually obtained through the use of standardized procedures to ensure that each respondent can answer the questions at a level playing field to avoid biased opinions that could influence the outcome of the research or study.

Surveys are an important part of the research, especially used in the collection of information. A survey is a list of questions aimed at extracting specific data from a particular group of people. Surveys may be conducted by phone, mail, via the internet, personal questioning, etc. Having legitimate sources can strongly influence the research.

Step 6: Preliminary Thesis

The thesis is mphasizing the point on the topic and making an assertive statement of your own perspective. It establishes the purpose and position of your paper. The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two; make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.

Step 7: Creating a paper outline

A Research paper outline is a list of all key points( arguments, facts, evidence, figures, etc.) to be included in this paper, properly arranged in order with headings for the same. This outline helps us to be more efficient in our writing process.

Step 8: Create a Draft Research Paper

One can start their paper by simply elaborating their points jotted down in the outline of the paper. It may not be perfect but there is always room for improvement. As is it a draft, it is supposed to be worked on to make it better.

Step 9: Citing Sources

You can start paragraphs with a direct reference to the source, this makes your paper more intuitive to understand and also makes it easier for the reader to directly refer to it for further information and understanding.

It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism. Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from and cite it alongside. 

Step 10: Revision

The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible. You can check for the following and use this as a checklist:

• Revise the assignment question and requirements.
• Revise your Thesis.
• Check every paragraph and note down its relevance to the topic and the heading it is written under.
• Consider the clarity and relevance of your text with respect to the topic.
• Check if your paper is in the continuity of your text and points and not digressing from the main topic.
• Check whether you have adhered to the formatting requirements.
• Check for final grammatical problems, spellings, quotes, full stops, punctuation marks, etc
• Run a plagiarism checker just to be safe 
• Check citations and references and make sure they are all in the same format and cited correctly. 

And that's it! You have now mastered how to write a research paper. This is a tedious task that can be made more efficient and less nerve-wrecking with a strategic and procedural approach. I sincerely hope this blog helps you excel in your paper. If I have missed out on anything please mention it in the comments. All the very best!