Research papers have never been as frequently assigned as they are now. The competition is growing – and not only in the career world. Students compete for amazing grades, and teachers find it much harder to grade the many students they have enrolled in their classes. So, how do you write a research paper and shine throughout your study years?
Many students link the research process to sleepless nights, a lot of stress, and no free time whatsoever. But, it doesn’t have to be this way, not if you know and implement the five helpful tips I’ve listed below. Enjoy!
1. Research is Everything
The name of the paper type tells you everything you need to know – research is everything in a research paper. If you want an A+ for your paper, you can’t just look up a couple of sources online and write a paper. And, don’t even think about copying someone else’s work. This is now easily detectable and will get you into really big trouble.
Research is important in many ways. Not only will it help you write an exceptional paper, but it can also make your writing process extremely easy. Therefore, when you plan for the paper, leave most of the time you have to waste on it to do research. Starting from researching conversation topics for your arguments to finding enough data to impress the professor – research will probably take most of the time.
When you research for a paper, don’t rely solely on online sources. The internet gives you more access than any other research form, but there are still many things that aren’t online and can only be found in the library. Also, you should be very mindful of using relevant, accurate, and up-to-date sources in your research paper.
Visit your school library and go through the academic articles and journals that you can’t find online. While you do all this, make sure to take detailed notes so that you know what to cite later and, if needed, where to find the information.
2. Choose a Great Topic
A great research paper begins with a great topic. If you don’t pick something engaging or, even more importantly, something related to the subject – you won’t really get a chance at the highest grade. If you choose a topic that most of your peers will obviously select, you’ll just be one in many. That’s not how you get an A+.
Your research should help you with this. Do preliminary research first to see what topics you could explore for your research paper. Check some general information about each of the topics and brainstorm. The ideal topic is one that interests you, is engaging for the reader, related to your subject, and is researchable.
For me, this was the hardest part back when I was at school. I usually used a personal research paper helper to assist me with picking the right topic and title, sometimes even to help me with the writing process. If you’re already given a topic to write a paper on, it might be hard to find sufficient data to use in writing. This is also a case where EduBirdie can help you.
3. Create a Great Thesis Statement
The thesis statement usually belongs in the introduction. If you want the reader to understand what your paper is about (and you do, believe me), you need to create a clear and amazing thesis statement. Do this before you start writing. This way, you’ll know which way to lead with your research paper content and how to organize your arguments.
4. Base Your Draft on Your Outline
Outlines aren’t a waste of time and, the sooner you realize this, the faster you can start getting the highest grades. This takes a bit of your time but certainly cuts down the time you need to spend on your first draft. Use the notes from the research to make a well-planned outline. Then, use the outline to create a nice essay structure and flow. Of course, you’ll still have to edit this later, but thanks to the outline, there should be far fewer mistakes.
5. Cite Every Source You Use in the Paper
Even if you don’t do it intentionally, you can still have plagiarism in your paper. How? Well, this will most certainly happen if you don’t cite every source you use in the paper. That’s why it is crucial to spend a lot of time on research and take accurate notes. Once you’re done with the editing, make sure to re-check all the sources and format the bibliography according to the task’s requirements.
Did you use these tricks when writing? If you haven’t, try to do this with the next research paper. Your grades will start going upwards in no time!
Author’s Bio
Joshua Robinson is an academic writer for a writing company online. He helps students by writing and editing their papers when they don’t have the time or can’t write the paper on their own. Robinson is also a blogger and an e-book manuals writer.