The art of a masterful research paper can be a tedious thing. However, nearly all of us college students must attempt to master this art at least a few times throughout our college career. In most cases, research paper assignments contribute to a good portion of our final grades, making it an important factor in our grade point averages. So, if you’re in that same boat, I totally have got you covered! Today, we are talking about research papers; everything from outlines, resources, citing, and how to put it all together. So, if that is what you’re here for, just keep reading to learn how to write a research paper!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
What is a Research Paper?
What sets research papers apart from other written assignments? Well, a research paper is one of the most common college papers. It is an academic paper with a specific topic that is discussed throughout, with arguments or supporting material all based on other research findings, then discussed and analyzed by the college student.
Research papers are particularly important because, in most cases, they account for a large percentage of course final grades. So, it is a good idea to invest some time and energy into these bad boys!
Related: The Ultimate Survival Guide for College Freshman
What do you Need before You Begin?
Super quickly, before you begin your research paper journey, there is one thing you will need in order to create the best possible paper there is. That is an academic writing handbook. Writing handbooks are cheap little manuals that cover all of the basics writing techniques, plus how to properly cite material and so much more. Usually these are required or optional textbooks with many courses, but often students won’t purchase them. I promise they are life savers! I personally have three different versions for different subjects and refer to them all the time.
Writing handbooks are subject-based, so below I have listed out some well-known and popular writing handbooks by subject. If your subject isn’t listed, just try to find the closest one or do some more digging to find one that will be your best fit!
- Science (I have this one and use it all the time, it is specifically for biology but it can be used for all the sciences)
- Political Science
- Law
- History
- General College Writing
- English Writing for International Students
- Writing for Graduate Students
Related: How to Prepare for A Successful College Semester
Look at the Rubric
Alright, now let’s get into the real meat of how to write a good research paper. Your beginning point should always be to look at the grading rubric and paper assignment material. Here, you will find specifics on what your professor is looking for and how exactly you will be graded. Be sure to look at:
- Paper length (either pages, word count, or both)
- Citation requirements (how many sources are you required to use?)
- Research topic (are you expected to come up with your own research question or is one provided?)
- Is a cover page required?
- What format of citations do you need to use? (APA, MLA, etc… we will go over this later)
- Other requirements (sometimes they will require you to have specific headers or footers, or perhaps a separate bibliography assignment, etc.)
Plan out Your Paper
Now it is time to schedule out all of your tasks related to your paper in order to make sure it is submitted on time. Use my free printable (below) to assist in the process, as well as all of the steps I have outlined to get your started!
Related: Master the Project Planning Process in 10 Easy Steps!
Brainstorm
Now that you have an idea of what your professor wants, let’s start brainstorming ideas for your research paper. Begin with a blank sheet of paper or a blank document and begin writing down whatever comes to mind about this assignment. Think about potential topics you’re interested in, what you know about the subject already, and what major questions you have.
Related: The Ultimate Finals Week Survival Guide: 55 Secrets for Success
Initial Research
Now equipped with a few ideas, hit the internet and begin doing some light research just using Google. Wikipedia is a good starting point and a way to get initial research ideas (NEVER TO SOURCE OR ACTUALLY USE). Also check out online newspaper articles or other reports about the topic. Note: this step might take you some time to really narrow down your research ideas.
Related: Discover 10 New Secrets for College Productivity
Research Question (+ Topic Ideas)
With a combination of initial research and brainstorming, create a list of potential research questions and narrow it down to just one (with one or two backups if your first doesn’t pan out.)
Example research questions and topic ideas to get you started:
Science:
- How does canopy density effect soil type in dense forests?
- What are the long term effects of smoking in middle aged adults?
- What are the long term local biological effects of volcanic eruptions?
- How is beach sedimentology changed during coastal flooding?
- What is the history of mantle plumes in the United States?
Engineering:
- How has U.S. dam safety engineering evolved over time?
- How does winter salt and sanding practices effect local storm water runoff?
- What is the history of the wheel and how has it impacted modern day society?
- What is the future of automobile design?
- What are the pros and cons of artificial intelligence?
History, Political Science and Law:
- How has ancient Greek history influenced modern day society?
- What were the factors that initiated the U.S. Civil War?
- How did the Roman Roads influence European transportation infrastructure?
- An overview of the history and territory of the British Empire
- Current United States Election Laws and Procedures
- The history of the criminal justice system in France
- An analysis of traffic laws in Australia
It is probably clear that my background is in science and engineering… but I hope some of these were helpful in what research topics or questions would look like!
Create an Outline
Now that you have your research topic in hand, begin creating an outline. A great way to start is to go all the way back to middle school writing and make the most basic outline possible. Then, as you begin filling it out, it will morph into a much more sophisticated and college-style essay. Keep in mind your paper length requirements.
Tip: To add or subtract pages, you can always add/subtract a body paragraph in the end.
Here is a very rough outline to get you started:
- Introduction (include thesis question, importance of topic, and supporting points here)
- Background information (this is optional but usually helps setup your paper, for example, you could give a brief history of a topic)
- First body paragraph (begin with a transition and what your paragraph is about)
- Second body paragraph
- Third body paragraph (add or subtract body paragraphs depending on your length requirements)
- Rebuttal (optional, but often gives a more complete picture of your topic)
- Conclusion (summarize your paper, no new information, restate your thesis, leave reader thinking)
Related: How to Take College Notes You’ll Actually Use
Research your Topic
Now the real fun begins! You have your outline and much more focused research topic ideas. Now it is time to dig into the real research of the paper.
Go to your university’s library website or research portal. Here, you should find many different research databases. Start with the most popular databases (such as Academic Search Complete or Web of Science) and begin searching for research papers on your topic.
Once you find a good paper, read the abstract (which is a summary of the paper) to see if anything is related to your paper. If it is, complete the following:
- Under the appropriate area in your outline, add the full citation of the paper (see next section for more details)
- Skim the research paper’s abstract, figures, and conclusion (more if needed)
- Add all important findings under the full citation in your outline in your own words (this way, you don’t have to go finding the paper later on, you have all the information you need)
Repeat until you have enough information for you entire paper AND have enough sources as is required.
Related: Discover 17 Surprising Ways to Avoid College Burnout
Properly Cite your Sources
In order to properly cite your research sources, you will need to know what style you are using (listed below). Use your writing handbook and the internet to double check that you are using the most up to date version of the citation (they sometimes will change a little). Personally, I find that memorizing the format is much easier in the long run to cite papers but many students just make a reference citation to use throughout.
There are two ways you will cite your information, one is an in-text citation which is when you reference the material directly after you have written it (this is either a last name and a date or a number). The other is the full citation at the end of the document after the heading “References” or “Citations” or “Bibliography.”
Look up how to properly cite your sources:
- MLA: Modern Language Association
- APA: American Psychological Association
- Chicago Manual of Style
- AMA: American Medical Association
- IEEE: Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- GSA: Geological Society of America
- Other Citation Styles
Write your Rough Draft
Now it is time to pull together all of your information in your outline together into a nice, flowing paper. People do this part in many different ways, so I can only explain how I personally write and research my own papers. Use your handy dandy writing handbook to help you along the way.
First, read through your outline to make sure that it flows well. You might find that moving around body paragraphs or certain pieces of information around will make it sound nicer. Then, begin stringing your outline together. Start with your introduction and move on from there. Don’t forget to use good transitions (especially at the beginning of paragraphs), perfect grammar, and good writing technique (again, check out that writing handbook).
As you’re writing, you will probably find that you will need more supporting material or facts to fill in some gaps. Now that you have all of your required sources, you are free to use sources both from research articles or other articles that are not as academically rigorous. These may be government provided statics, recent news articles, technical reports, etc. You could also reference your class notes, but be sure to cite them from where your professor got the material from. But don’t forget to properly cite them!
Tip: You might find it useful to look up any research paper examples (perhaps ones your professor has posted) before you begin writing to get an idea of what is expected or what a good paper looks like.
Related: Organize Your Life with the Only Student Printable Planner You’ll Ever Need in School
Edit your Rough Draft
After your first draft is written, take a nice long break. A full day or a little more is best. Then, come back to your draft and read it over out loud. I don’t know why but this trick works SO WELL! I do it when I write anything. As you’re reading, make any corrections you see fit, fill in any gaps, re-arrange sections if needed, etc. Then, return to the rubric to ensure that you have fulfilled the requirements and add or subtract as needed.
Have Someone Look Over Your Paper
Now that you have a good looking rough draft, take a trip to your college writing center or send in a copy to your professor for initial review. This is one of the best ways to get great feedback and perfect your writing skills!
Create a Final Draft
After another good break away form your paper, read through it at least three more times to finalize your final draft, making those required edits as you see fit.
Submit and Celebrate!
Great job! You made it! Submit that bad boy and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back! Perhaps even celebrate with a good night out?
Alright, that is all I’ve got! I hope this guide has helped you through the process of writing an awesome research paper. You are well on your way of creating a masterpiece that will boost your GPA! Writing may be a skill that take s time and practice but I have complete faith that you can do it. Good luck and happy writing!
Looking for more ways to boost your GPA? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Studying for an Exam!
Comments are closed.