What is a Research Paper?
Before you learn how to write a good research paper, you must understand the purpose of this type of academic work. The objectives that are set by most research papers must be outlined in your grading rubric or instructions provided by your university professor. It means that you must start from there and proceed with a synthesis of available data on a specific subject. The most challenging aspect of research paper writing is dealing with the sources and keeping the paper originality ratio in place. It is where most students face the risks of plagiarism if they fail to provide appropriate writing style references or do not mention the author’s name after some citation that has been used.
Another research paper writing aspect that must be mentioned is meeting the deadlines, which always represents a problem for students as they need to proofread and structure available data or come up with a strong thesis statement. Research writing can be encountered with numerous essay types as long as you are provided with strict instructions. You may also approach our custom term paper writing service, which may also include research writing at the end of your term. Depending on your objectives and the subject, your structure will change accordingly. Starting from the research proposal writing to the final bibliography part, correct structure plays a critical role. This is where our research paper writing guide will help you achieve success and clarity as you write and learn more about how the structure works.
The Main Research Paper Requirements
The first question that is usually asked by college students who have to compose a research paper is the length. Now, how long should a research paper be? When you write a research essay for some school task, the length is often mentioned in your grading rubric with the specifics that help you determine what parts are not counted for the final word count. The majority of Canadian universities claim that it should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words or more.
Still, when you are dealing with Business Management or Law, you will end up with approximately 2,000 words. The subjects like Sociology or History may go up to 10,000 words because of all statistical data and the use of additional materials for the sample group or the surveys that must be present.
Now let us proceed with the research paper structure and the essential parts that must be there as you start.
- Title Page. This is where you provide your name, university’s department, date, and the name of the academic advisor with a date.
- Abstract. This is akin to a short book review where you use keywords related to your research subject. It should be 150-200 words.
- Table of Contents.
- Introduction. Set your research objectives and explain why the topic is important.
- Review of Literature. This is where you should describe how specific sources help you to achieve results and why they are important for your subject.
- Research Methodology. It can be either qualitative or quantitative based on numbers or the written content. You can also use a mixture of both.
- Results. Provide information about what your research could achieve by including statistical data.
- Discussion of Research Findings. This is where you discuss whether your chosen method has been successful and what limitations have been encountered.
- Conclusion. Sum things up by explaining your research’s importance.
- References / Bibliography. Your sources.
- Appendix parts / Data Stats (optional).
Once again, you may not require a research paper abstract when you have submitted a research proposal in the past or your structure may not ask for it. It always depends on your subject and the research method that you use. Most Canadian schools will provide you with a template that must be followed, which makes things easier. If you don’t have one, however, you can use our structure order and adjust things accordingly as you write.
The other writing style rules and formatting will depend on your academic style (APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver, etc). It will help you set the right font (usually, it is Times New Roman, pt. 12, or Arial) and double-spacing unless specified otherwise. Your research should not use any fancy fonts or writing in the first person because you must provide a logical synthesis of information. If you would write in the first person, you lose objectivity and write from your perspective. The purpose of research writing and the main rule is to provide a study on a subject based on information that you have discovered.
The Steps For Writing a Research Paper
When you are asked to compose a research paper, the most important is to outline your objectives and know how to start. Learning how to do a research paper, you must take several steps that will keep things organized and easier for you. When you have a plan, you can manage your time in a much better way and avoid things like procrastination.
Here are the steps to consider:
1. Study Your Research Objectives.
Explore your grading rubric and focus on what must be researched. If you have instructions, discuss this step with your academic advisor.
2. Choose Your Research Title & Thesis.
Your title can be changed even if you already have a prompt. If you want to make things more objective and narrowed down, try to use the keywords that reflect your research paper the best way.
3. Research Your Subject.
You must know what’s currently trending in your research subject. Look for what has been discussed by others, read through similar papers, and find out what needs additional research.
4. Seek Reliable Sources.
Finding enough resources like books, academic journals, newspapers, scientific websites, and other sources is essential for citing sources as you research. This part is also important for your literature review section.
5. Compose Your Thesis Statement.
This is the main methodology part where you explain what method you have chosen to compare, outline, or explain something that you researched.
6. Start With an Outline.
Create an outline or a draft to help yourself keep focused. It is where you write down the notes and make your argumentation relevant to each section.
7. Explain the Importance of Your Research.
If you fail to do this part, your research paper will not sound as confidential as it can be. Use examples, statistical data, or anything that will help your readers understand why you have chosen your topic.
8. Choose Your Methodology.
The heart of your research paper is choosing your methodology. You should help your readers see what approach you will take to research and what similarities or differences have been your criterion.
9. Add Samples Data.
The sample data is used as the material that you research. It can be an individual case study for Nursing research work or a group of people that are used to help you research.
10. Discuss Your Findings.
This part may be the most challenging for some students as you have to explain what you have found and what has been achieved by using a specific methodology. If you have encountered some challenges, mention them here and leave recommendations.
Note: Once you are done writing, edit and proofread your research paper aloud to maintain high readability! Check the Bibliography indents, and page numbers in the contents section to make them correspond after editing, and keep the copy of your work for safety reasons!
Research Paper Writing Tips
When you are writing your first research paper, you might find it overly confusing and will seek help with writing a research paper online. It's only natural to do so because you do not have that degree of confidence as some advanced college students do. As you are writing research papers, follow these simple tips that will help you feel less stressed:
- Explore the objectives of your research first.
- Make an outline to understand the research process steps that must be taken.
- If you have an opportunity to do so, narrow your topic down and keep things inspiring.
- Look for reliable sources that support your arguments before you start.
- Come up with a strong thesis statement that reflects your methodology and take on things.
- Learn how to work with a research paper draft and edit it later.
- Implement sample data as the first-hand or a primary source.
- Always proofread your paper and check for the formatting of your final bibliography.
When you are ready to submit your research paper, always read it aloud or ask a good friend to help you by listening to how it sounds. As an alternative, you may approach our research paper proofreading service by experts in your subject. If you are unsure about something you have written or it sounds unclear, use transition words to connect the concepts and help your audience understand why you have used specific solutions to address the problem. Remember that research writing requires an exploration, so use it!