7 Essential Rules Of Research Paper Writing For Beginners
Following the rules for paper writing gives you a much better chance at a good grade. Teachers will look for specific characteristics of your completed research paper and if you know ahead of time what they’re looking for, you will be ahead of the game. Some of the paper writing rules help you stay focused and get the writing done quickly and smoothly. If that sounds good to you, keep reading.
- Topic Selection – this is an essential first step. The topic should interest you and spark a passion in you so this comes out in your paper. It’s much easier to plan out and carry through with a topic you enjoy than one that bores you. If it seems dull to you, it will seem dull to your reader as well.
- Do the Research – find the information you need. This may involve a few hours in the library, searching online, having interviews with people or conducting surveys and then collating the results.
- Formulate your Statement or Question – every paper has a thesis statement. This is the main idea your entire paper is built upon. You must use the sources you find to support your statement. You will also need to supply some contrary evidence as well, so the reader can see both sides.
- Form an outline with all the data and evidence you have gathered. Organize it so that each paragraph is about one main supporting statement, and then fill in the paragraph using supporting evidence and information.
- Start writing your first draft. Use the outline to show you what to write for each paragraph of the paper. The outline is your guide and shows you the way your writing should take. It will also help you stay in focus so you don’t wander off on a tangent.
- Revise your first draft if necessary. Read through it and see if you’ve missed anything. Does it have a nice flow? Does it sound logical? Make any big edits that need to be done before you begin the last and final step to completing your paper.
- Proofread and polish. This step is too often missed, unfortunately. Many a great paper has received poor marks because the proofreading wasn’t done properly. If you aren’t confident in doing this yourself, ask someone or hire someone to do it for you. This step is essential.