How To Complete A Research Paper: A Guide For Students
To write a good research paper, you need more than just the knowledge of the subject. You need to plan your steps before you begin to pen down your ideas. Most importantly, you need a positive attitude towards your paper, which will help you out when you are stuck somewhere and about to give up.
There are several steps involved in preparing a good research paper:
- Select a Topic: Your first step will be selecting your topic, a topic that interests you. Get your topic approved by the concerned authority or guide to your research seeking his/her advice on the topic.
- Gather information: Always choose a topic that has plenty of source materials. Try to conduct extensive research on the topic online. Search all related domains for helpful materials but always choose the best material for your paper, discarding the rest. It would be good if you can visit some libraries and check out the printed contents there. Always maintain a note of the materials that are to be used for the paper.
- Present your thesis statement: Your thesis is a brief statement of your beliefs on your topic. Think carefully before stating your thesis because you will be defending your thesis through arguments throughout your paper.
- Draft an outline: You should draft an outline that includes an introduction, the body, and a conclusion. In your introduction, you need to state your thesis and your purpose for carrying out research on the paper. The body of your paper should contain supportive arguments towards your thesis. There should be at least 3 supporting arguments presented in a way that you open with a strong argument and finish with the strongest one. In your conclusion, you have to correlate your arguments and thesis.
- Organize your notes and write your draft: After creating an outline, you should focus on your draft paper. Before you write your draft, make sure that you have the required materials available with you. Go through all the materials that you have gathered and then start writing following the outline that you had created before.
- Revise your draft and write the final paper: After you have finished your draft, make it a point to revise it at least once. Check it for any grammatical error or human error (spelling mistakes, punctuation) that might have crept up. After you have revised your paper, you should write your final paper. Your final paper should be free of errors and neatly presented.
These six steps will give you a good research paper.