Wednesday, March 31, 2010

How to Write a Research Paper

How to Write a Research Paper

How to write a good research paper... Most people think they are good writers. Writing a research paper is not as easy as it would seem to be from the outlook. There are steps involved in the process that many would probably overlook. In the next few paragraphs, I will explain the necessities for a well thought research paper.

The first step is doing the prewriting and drafting. Before even thinking about writing, a topic should be in mind. The writer should create a thesis statement explaining what the purpose of the whole paper will be. Next, the writer should go out and find some relevant sources. The sources should be recorded either on bibliography cards or on regular paper. The writer should skim the sources and take notes on the topics that relate to the subject itself. The next part is drafting. The writer should develop a solid outline covering all the information. All of the sources should be used in the paper. To cite the source being used, parenthetical documentation is necessary. To be able to use it, all of the sources should be written down on one page. Drafting is one of the most complicated steps in the whole research paper.

The next step involved is revising and editing the paper. Revising a research paper includes checking the content, clarity, and organization of the paper. The writer must make sure that the content isn’t badly stated or written. The clarity of the paper is how easy it can be read. The writer must also make certain that the paragraphs follow the outline. The sentences can not be out of place. The next step is editing the paper. If a paper isn’t edited well, it can cause the writer major points. Things that should be checked are spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, subject and verb agreement, and verb tense. This step is where all the bugs are taken out of the paper.

The final step in the process is the publishing. It should all be done in the MLA format style. The heading should be double spaced and written according to the handbook. The order should be the following: writer’s name, instructor, class, and the date. On the header of every page, the writer’s last name should be followed by the page number. It should be typed on the right side, while the heading should be double spaced and the margins shouldn’t be bigger than 1 inch on any side. Whenever a source is used in the paper, a parenthetical documentation should be made. It is placed in parentheses and follows the styles used in the handbook. The final part of the research paper process is the works cited page. The sources are placed in alphabetical order. The rest of the formatting is also in the handbook. This publishing step should be the part where the writer perfects everything.

There are five main steps in the research paper writing process. Much can be learned from writing a paper, but the most important thing to remember is that anything can be accomplished when the necessary effort is present. My advice to all new writers is to follow the guidelines already presented and put as much effort possible into creating a masterpiece of a paper.

  • CAUTION! Free research paper samples & examples are 100% plagiarized!!!
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