Every high school, college, or university student inevitably has to deal with research papers. This is one of the basic types of writing assignments in various educational institutions. Compared to simple essays, research papers are more complex and require thorough work and considerable time to complete. The overall success of your research paper depends mostly on your expertise in the subject you study, your general writing skills, and your approach. So, what is a research paper, and where to begin writing one? Read on and find out all the answers.
A research paper is a written assignment that implies comprehensive scientific work. It is assigned to students of all disciplines across the globe. No matter the subject, the main point of this type of paper is identifying a particular issue and providing possible solutions that can be useful in future research projects. For such a project to be successful, you need to think outside the box. In comparison to other types of academic assignments, research papers:
A research paper is a major project for every student, especially a beginner. This academic work is performed independently – students present their findings and perspective of their research matters.
These types of academic assignments are not to be mistaken, as they are quite different. A research proposal means a rationale for research that needs to be approved by your teacher or professor. Here, students are supposed to explain the purpose of the planned research and what new aspects they can bring into the field. Research proposals should contain an explanation of the methodology that students intend to apply for achieving desired results. Proposals have wider literature review sections that ensure the topic’s originality.
Your paper’s layout will greatly depend on the formatting style you are required to employ, as well as your professor’s instructions. However, some essential parts should be present in your research paper:
In the intro part, provide general background and state a specific issue that is your research object. Explain why you chose to study this specific problem. Convey the purpose through your research question and an original argument. The potential reader should find a road map in your introduction that allows them to have a clear vision of the topic.
This section will be the longest in your research paper. Here, you are supposed to examine the issue you introduced in the previous part thoroughly. Each paragraph in the body is a self-contained chunk of information. First, you develop a claim that relates to a specific aspect of your thesis statement. Then provide supporting evidence that you’ve accumulated while studying the relevant literature. The next step is coming up with your interpretation and analysis of facts. Finally, think of a concluding sentence to bring up the next point for a further paragraph.
In the concluding segment, describe all outcomes and summarize the major points you discussed. A good conclusion should enable the reader to comprehend the meaning of the whole paper fully. Make sure that you didn’t miss anything important but do not include any new pieces of information in the conclusion.
These fundamental elements serve as a good start for any writing assignment you might have in college or university, no matter its specific type or subject.
To write a decent research paper and receive a high grade, you should make sure that you fully understand the task and the topic and that your knowledge is sufficient to cover it. This kind of academic work includes several types of research papers that are used in different disciplines. To write quality papers, we recommend you become familiar with the specifics of each of these types.
In this type, you are supposed to describe the same problem from two different viewpoints.
Implies a logical sequence of causes and effects concerning the issue you research.
In this kind of paper, you discuss several sides of the problem and present arguments that support one of the sides.
Gives you a chance to demonstrate your analytical abilities, as you provide an in-depth analysis of several opinions on the same matter.
For this paper type, you conduct your experiment and present its results.
In reports, students outline the studies that were conducted before.
This paper type implies that you focus on a particular scholarly study (usually a broad one).
To write this kind of paper, you need to conduct a survey involving chosen participants, provide an analysis of the findings and share your conclusions.
Students present a particular issue and introduce the possible ways of resolving it.
It develops students’ ability to produce reasonable arguments.
Typically, all these research papers are pretty extensive. There is a good reason your professor expects to see a certain number of pages. It will take you a minimum of 5 pages to conduct thorough research with analysis and proper conclusions. Complex studies cannot be described in two pages, so be prepared to put a lot of work into your research paper, whatever kind it is.
Students who have to deal with a research paper for the first time often feel confused and don’t know where to begin. It is recommended to dissect your project into several separate parts or stages and go step by step:
First of all, you need to possess analytical skills and the ability to convey your thoughts logically and understandably. Sufficient knowledge of the subject is also required. The good news is that there are many tricks you can use to enhance your writing and make the process more productive. We want to share some of them with you.
Students often feel overwhelmed by numerous tasks they have to complete to produce a decent research paper:
Indeed, research papers are time-consuming and complex assignments that require considerable effort.
If you need professional assistance, we will gladly offer you a helping hand. Our experienced writers know how to deal with any research paper.
Let’s start working on that research project together!
