by Denisa Howe

Created on: April 04, 2010

The mere thought of writing a research paper is enough to bring about fear, stress and nightmares. Perhaps the unknowing is the biggest block in having the confidence to plunge right in. Knowing the steps of how to gather, organize and write a research paper will make the project a lot easier. A research paper can be done in smaller sections, which in turn will make it easier to accomplish.

     One of the first things one needs to do is pick a topic. A topic needs to be a topic that the writer is interested in, so they will enjoy the research and not bore with it after a few days. The topic also needs to be a topic in which research material can be found easily. The research paper will go more smoothly if the writer has a narrowed topic as to a broad subject. An example would be choosing the topic (hospitals) this is a topic that could go in many different directions. A person could end up with a research paper that went on for pages or become very confusing with too much information and discussion; that the main purpose would not be understood. A better topic would be (hospitals and how they make a profit); one could even narrow it down more. A research paper should above all else show exactly why it was written. The subject and why the subject should be easily understood.

     After a topic has been chosen, the writer should then start to gather information and sources. At this point it would be a good idea to start your reference page. List your source and name it as a reference to save going back and trying to find out where you found it. One could also develop an outline and find the sources one by one for each part of the outline in order. The writer needs to list their references in the proper APA or MLA format that they are going to use.

     When choosing sources the writer should consider the accuracy of the source. Especially if the writer is using online resources; make sure the source is not just the opinion of another writer. One can also use personal interviews and or surveys to bring more emphases to certain topics.

     The writer should also write notes showing important parts and putting them in order of importance or time line. Developing a thesis statement is most important to the paper itself. The thesis statement actually tells your reader what this paper is about. It also serves as a reminder to the writer what the intended topic is. Sometimes using questions within a research paper brings out ideas easier to the reader.

     A research paper should contain an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction should contain the thesis statement, hypothesis, background information, challenge an assumption, have a summary and or define any key terms. The body of the paper should be organized by chronology, this is where one would compare or contrast views and data. The body should have cause and effect or explain a process or cite evidence. The conclusion should re-state the thesis and the main idea and offer a solution.

     A research paper should be done one step at a time. Write a rough draft of the paper and review and correct. When reviewing a writer should also review each step at a time. Checking for grammar errors along with spelling checks will be very beneficial to the final project, topic and the writer being taken seriously.

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