Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
1
Part
1
Ask yourself important questions. Although you may be limited by specific classroom
or work related guidelines, choosing your topic is the first and most important step in
your research paper project; regardless of whether your topic can be anything you want
or has rigid requirements, it is important to keep a few questions in mind: Is there
enough research available on this topic? Is the topic new and unique enough that I can
offer fresh opinions? Is it pertinent to my class/occupation?
Expert Answer
Q
When asked, "How do you start a research paper?"
EXPERT ADVICE
1
Begin your research. With a topic selected, the next step is to begin research. There
are two forms of research, primary sources like journal articles and newspaper articles,
and secondary sources like web articles. Most professors want you to use primary
articles, however look at the assignment for specifics. Normally you can use web
articles so long as you meet the requirements for primary sources. Ir is better to use
several sources than just 5, so if you are struggling with the length of your paper, then
you should try and add more sources. [1]
2.
2
Visit the library. Take a trip to your local library or university library. Although it may
seem old fashioned, libraries are chock full of helpful research materials from books to
newspapers and magazines to journals. Don’t be afraid to ask the librarian for help
either - they are trained in research and know where everything about your topic is
located.
3.
3
Look online. Using a search engine and picking the top three results isn’t necessarily
the best method of researching; use critical thinking to thoroughly read every source
and determine if it is legitimate. Websites, blogs, and forums online aren’t required to
publish facts only, so make sure that the information you find is trustworthy.
Typically, websites that end with .edu, .gov, or .org contain information that is safe to
use. That is because these websites belong to schools, the government, or
organizations dealing with your topic. Try adding s i t e : e d u to your Google search. You
can also add P D F alongside that format.
Try changing your search query often to find different search results for your topic. If
nothing seems to be coming up, it could just be that your search query isn’t matched
well with the titles of most articles dealing with your subject.
4.
4
Use academic databases. There are special search engines and academic databases
available that search through thousands of peer-reviewed or scientifically published
journals, magazines, and books. Although many of these require a paid membership to
use, if you are a current student in college you have free access through your
university’s membership.
Look for databases that cover your subject only. For example, PsycINFO is an
academic database that holds nothing but works done by authors in the field of
psychology and sociology. This will help you to get more tailored results than a very
general search would.[2]
Most academic databases give you the ability to ask for very specific information by
presenting multiple search query boxes as well as archives containing only a single type
of resource (such as only journal articles or only newspapers). Take advantage of this
ability to ask for specific information by using as many of the query boxes as you can.
Visit your school library and ask the librarian for a full list of the academic databases
they subscribe to, as well as the passwords for each.
5.
5
Get creative with your research. If you find one really awesome book or journal that
fits your topic perfectly, try looking in the works cited/bibliography/reference list at the
end of it. This should contain many more books and journals that are about your topic
as well.
Score
0/4
Part 2 Quiz
What would be the best resource to use for a paper on tetanus?
A peer-reviewed article by a doctor.
Making an Outline
1.
1
Annotate your research. Once you’ve gathered all your research, print it out (if it is an
online source) and gather post-its or anything you need to mark notes in the
books/magazines you are using. This step is very important: read through your
research, take notes on what you think is important, and highlight key facts and
phrases. Write directly on copies you’ve made, or use slips of paper tucked into pages
to mark places of importance.[3]
Do a thorough job annotating to make your outlining and paper-writing easier in the end.
Make marks on anything that you think might be remotely important or that could be put
to use in your paper.
As you mark off important pieces in the research, add your own commentary and notes
explaining to yourself where you might use it in your paper. Writing down your ideas as
you have them will make writing your paper much easier and give you something to
refer back to.
2.
2
Organize your notes. Annotating your research can take quite a bit of time, but needs
to be taken one step further in order to add a bit more clarity for the outlining process.
Organize your notes by collecting all of your highlighted phrases and ideas into
categories based on topic. For example, if you are writing a paper analyzing a famous
work of literature, you could organize your research into a list of notes on the
characters, a list of references to certain points in the plot, a list of symbols the author
presents, et cetera.
Try writing each quote or item that you marked onto an individual note card. That way,
you can rearrange and lay out your cards however you would like.
Color code your notes to make it easier. Write down a list of all the notes you are using
from each individual resource, and then highlight each category of information in a
different color. For example, write everything from a particular book or journal on a
single sheet of paper in order to consolidate the notes, and then everything that is
related to characters highlight in green, everything related to the plot mark in orange, et
cetera.
3.
3
Construct a preliminary bibliography/references page. As you go through your
notes, mark down the author, page number, title, and publishing information for each
resource. This will come in handy when you craft your bibliography or works cited page
later in the game.
4.
4
Identify the goal of the paper. Generally, speaking, there are two types of research
paper: an argumentative research paper or an analytic research paper. Each requires a
slightly different focus and writing style which should be identified prior to starting a
rough draft.
An argumentative research paper takes a position on a contentious issue and argues
for one point of view. The issue should be debatable with a logical counter argument.
An analytic research paper offers a fresh look at an important issue. The subject may
not be controversial, but you must attempt to persuade your audience that your ideas
have merit. This is not simply a regurgitation of ideas from your research, but an offering
of your own unique ideas based on what you have learned through research.
5.
5
Determine your audience. Who would be reading this paper, should it be published?
Although you want to write for your professor or other superior, it is important that the
tone and focus of your paper reflect the audience who will be reading it. If you’re writing
for academic peers, then the information you include should reflect the information you
already know; you don’t need to explain basic ideas or theories. On the other hand, if
you are writing for an audience who doesn’t know much about your subject, it will be
important to include explanations and examples of more fundamental ideas and
theories related to your research.[4]
6.
6
Develop your thesis. The thesis statement is a 1-2 sentence statement at the
beginning of your paper that states the main goal or argument of your paper. Although
you can alter the wording of your thesis statement for the final draft later, coming up
with the main goal of your essay must be done in the beginning. All of your body
paragraphs and information will revolve around your thesis, so make sure that you are
clear on what your thesis is.[5]
An easy way to develop your thesis is to make it into a question that your essay will
answer. What is the primary question or hypothesis that you are going to go about
proving in your paper? For example, your thesis question might be “how does cultural
acceptance change the success of treatment for mental illness?” This can then
determine what your thesis is - whatever your answer to the question is, is your thesis
statement.
Your thesis should express the main idea of your paper without listing all of your
reasons or outline your entire paper. It should be a simple statement, rather than a list
of support; that’s what the rest of your paper is for!
7.
7
Determine your main points. The body of your essay will revolve around the ideas
that you judge to be most important. Go through your research and annotations to
determine what points are the most pivotal in your argument or presentation of
information. What ideas can you write whole paragraphs about? Which ideas to you
have plenty of firm facts and research to back with evidence? Write your main points
down on paper, and then organize the related research under each.
When you outline your main ideas, putting them in a specific order is important. Place
your strongest points at the beginning and end of your essay, with more mediocre
points placed in the middle or near the end of your essay.
A single main point doesn’t have to be kept to a single paragraph, especially if you are
writing a relatively long research paper. Main ideas can be spread out over as many
paragraphs as you deem necessary.
8.
8
Consider formatting guidelines. Depending on your paper rubric, class guidelines, or
formatting guidelines, you may have to organize your paper in a specific way. For
example, when writing in APA format you must organize your paper by headings
including the introduction, methods, results, and discussion. These guidelines will alter
the way you craft your outline and final paper.[6]
9.
9
Finalize your outline. With the aforementioned tips taken into consideration, organize
your entire outline. Justify main points to the left, and indent subsections and notes from
your research below each. The outline should be an overview of your entire paper in
bullet points. Make sure to include in-text citations at the end of each point, so that you
don’t have to constantly refer back to your research when writing your final paper.
Score
0/4
Part 3 Quiz
What is the most important reason to come up with a thesis statement early in
your writing process?
So you can organize your essay to prove your point.
You might have to submit your thesis statement to your professor before the entire essay.
3
Write the introduction. The introduction is, in many respects, the conclusion written in
reverse: start by generally introducing the larger topic, then orient the reader in the area
you’ve focused on, and finally, supply the thesis statement. Avoid repeating exact
phrases that you already used in the conclusion.
4.
4
Document your paper. All research essays must be documented in certain ways in
order to avoid plagiarism. Depending on the topic of your research and your field of
study, you will have to use different styles of formatting. MLA, APA, and Chicago are the
three most common citation formats and determine the way in-text citations or footnotes
should be used, as well as the order of information in your paper.
MLA format is typically used for literary research papers and uses a ‘works cited’ page
at the end. This format requires in-text citations.
APA format is used by researchers in the social sciences field, and requires in-text
citations as well. It ends the paper with a “references” page, and may also have section
headers between body paragraphs.
Chicago formatting is used mainly for historical research papers and uses footnotes at
the bottom of each page rather than in-text citations and works cited or references
page.
5.
5
Edit your rough draft. Although it is tempting to simply read over your essay and use
the spell-check tool, editing your paper should be a bit more in-depth. Have at least one,
but preferably two or more, person/people look over your essay. Have them edit for
basic grammatical and spelling errors as well as the persuasiveness of your essay and
the flow and form of your paper.
If you edit your own paper, wait at least three days before returning to it. Studies show
that your writing is still fresh in your mind for 2-3 days after finishing, and so you are
more likely to skim over basic mistakes that you would otherwise catch.
Don’t ignore edits by others just because they require a bit more work. If they suggest
that you rewrite a section of your paper, there is probably a valid reason for their
request. Take the time to edit your paper thoroughly.
6.
6
Create the final draft. When you have edited and re-edited your paper, formatted your
work according to the subject matter, and finalized all the main points, you are ready to
create the final draft. Go through your paper and fix all mistakes, rearranging
information if necessary. Adjust the font, line spacing, and margins to meet the
requirements set by your professor or profession. If necessary, create an introduction
page and a works cited or references page to bookend your paper. The completion of
these tasks finalizes your paper! Make sure to save the paper (in multiple places, for
extra security) and print out your final draft.
Score
0/4
Part 4 Quiz
Why is it important to finish your paper with a great conclusion?
To summarize your main points.
Community Q&A
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
It can be for the both, whether you invent something new to implement or you gather
some sort of data based valuable information and synthesize it.
Not Helpful 15Helpful 81
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
The introduction should set out what you intend to discuss and prove in the research
paper, and outline the approaches per topic or heading section. It is also nice to open
the topic and lead into it in an interesting way that helps the reader to want to read on.
Not Helpful 22Helpful 75
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
To be honest there is no rule book or a set of formulas which will give you the best or
better topic. Once you have a number of topics in hand you need to evaluate as to
which topic interests you and your audience more.
Not Helpful 13Helpful 40
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
You can publish a research paper through established journals or you can use open
source online publishing sites, such as SSRN or Researchgate. If your research paper
is long enough, you could also publish it as a small book or an ebook, and disseminate
it via book sales sites and stores.
Not Helpful 19Helpful 41
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Long enough to strongly answer your thesis. If you can cover it in 10 pages wonderful. If
you need to utilize 50 pages that is great too. If you are forcing a specific number of
pages than your work may come off as too repetitive or poorly written. You don't want to
over exhaust the topics or include unless information just to get a page count.
Not Helpful 12Helpful 28
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
If you are numbering the pages, then yes, the second and third pages should be
numbered.
Not Helpful 17Helpful 36
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Yes, but it is best to write a research paper without contractions. If you must use them,
make sure they are spelled correctly and used in the right places.
Not Helpful 12Helpful 27
Question
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
I believe that the questionnaires are attached in the appendix section of the paper with
the survey forms, raw data, documentations and other tables.
Not Helpful 3Helpful 10
Question
How can I write correct English words for other languages such as Thai?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
There should be a standardized way of writing Thai words in English. If there is more
than one convention, you can choose one and state which one you're going to use in
the preface to your paper.
Not Helpful 7Helpful 10
Unanswered Questions
Does doing research need to have a site visit or questionnaire? Can i just refer to
the rules or classification society?
Answer this question Flag as...
If my thesis question is how does caffeine affect the body? What would my thesis
statement be?
Answer this question Flag as...
Can I write a paper based on a hypothetical condition? The condition may never
come true but it is interesting.
Answer this question Flag as...
Ask a Question
Submit
Tips
Be sure to get your assignments done on time.
Make sure that the information matches the topic and is accurate.
How to
Research a Paper
How to
Get Started With a Research Project
How to
Write a Term Paper
How to
Write a Research Essay
How to
Write a Paper in a Night
How to
Write a Paper for School in MLA Format
How to
Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper
How to
Write a Research Introduction
How to
Cite a Research Paper
How to
Publish a Research Paper
How to
Quote in a Research Paper
How to
Write an Argumentative Research Paper
How to
Write an Outline for a Research Paper
How to
Write a Paper
References
1. ↑ http://www.infoplease.com/homework/t3sourcesofinfo.html
2. ↑ http://www.ebscohost.com/academic
3. ↑ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/552/03/
4. ↑ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/02/
5. ↑ http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
6. ↑ http://libguides.jcu.edu.au/content.php?pid=83923&sid=3619280
Article Info
FEATURED ARTICLE
This article was co-authored by Chris Hadley, PhD, a trusted member of wikiHow's
community. Chris Hadley, PhD is part of the wikiHow team and works on content
strategy and data and analytics. Chris Hadley earned his PhD in Cognitive Psychology
from UCLA in 2006. Chris' academic research has been published in numerous
scientific journals.
Co-Authored By:
Chris Hadley, PhD
PhD, Cognitive Psychology
18 votes - 78%
Click a star to vote
Co-authors: 145
Updated: yesterday
Views: 3,653,790
SS
Sonia Sharma
Mar 12
"This page is so informative. Very useful, thanks a lot."
Share yours!More success stories
Related Articles
How to
Research a Paper
How to
Get Started With a Research Project
How to
Write a Term Paper
How to
Write a Research Essay
Yes
No