The Ultimate Guide to Master the Skills of Writing Good Research Papers

When in school and college, you deal with dozens of writing tasks. You know the ins and outs of structuring and formatting all essay types. (After all, there’s Google or tons of writing guides to address if any questions or doubts appear, right?) But then, it happens:

You get a research paper assignment. What can go wrong?

Unlike an essay about yourself, this type of academic paper is formal and based on facts and evidence rather than emotions and personal experience. It’s that very case where some advanced writing skills come in handy. In this post, you’ll find a detailed guide on how to write a good research paper step by step.

Understand the Instructions

First, the basics:

You will only write a good research paper if you understand its nature and purpose. So, what is a research paper?

A research paper is an academic work based on previously existing research and emphasizing the use of empirical evidence to prove the author’s thesis and arguments. Research papers are crucial for science: They are an instrument academics use to communicate their methodologies, research, and conclusions.

In college, students write research papers for educators to assess their knowledge, critical- and argumentative thinking, and research skills.

Once you get a task to write a research paper, read the prompt carefully:

• Ensure you understand all the technical requirements: length, formatting, etc.
• Pay attention to the citation style you’ll need to use.
• See if there’s any particular topic prescribed, or you are free to choose yours.
• Check if you must submit a title page and an abstract.

Choose a Topic

It’s the most essential and trickiest part of research paper writing. In open-ended assignments, you can pick a topic for your paper, but it’s not simple to do. Not only should a topic align with your area of interest, but it needs to be research-promising and relevant to your field of study.

More than that:

When deciding on a topic for your research paper, ensure enough reputable sources back it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to support your claims with evidence.

Avoid generic topics that lack a clear research focus. Stick to those of scientific interest that can be represented with original arguments and ideas.

Understand the Research Paper Format

Unlike traditional 5-paragraph college essays with the introduction-body-conclusion format, research papers have a more complex structure. The standard elements include:

• A title (cover) page
• Abstract (a summary of your paper, presenting its purpose, methodology, and results)
• An introduction stating background information on your topic and your hypothesis
• Literature review (what other researchers have already said on your topic)
• Methodology (methods and techniques you used to collect and analyze the data)
• Results (the findings of your research)
• Discussion (the findings’ interpretation and analysis of their significance)
• Conclusion (a summary of your findings and suggestions for future research)
• References (list of sources you cited in your research paper)
• Appendices (additional materials, if any: graphs, schemes, surveys, etc.)

As a rule, college students don’t have to deal with such an advanced format when writing their research papers. And yet, it’s worth mastering if you want your work to be in-depth and A-worthy.

Conduct Preliminary Research

The sooner you start researching, the better. Preliminary research will help you see what scientific information is available for your topic and dispel any possible misconceptions in advance.

Go to the library and online; find and examine credible sources that will help you write your research paper:

• Books
• Science journals and academic papers
• Articles from reputable academics in your niche
• Brochure and newspapers
• Online sources (.edu, .gov, and other reputable websites; Wikipedia-like publications don’t work here!)

Skim sources to understand which ones seem helpful. You’ll examine them later when working on your thesis statement, outline, and draft.

State Your Thesis

A thesis statement is a core element of all academic papers. It’s a sentence or two that encloses the author’s argument and defines the purpose and direction of their work.

How to write a stellar thesis for your research paper?

• Be concise and straightforward; summarize your argument in a sentence or two.
• Read other statements for inspiration to understand better how to craft yours.
• Phrase your paper’s topic as a question and answer it: It will be a thesis you’ll place in the introduction.

Write a Research Paper Outline

Outlines serve as the roadmap for your writing tasks. Think of it as a plan to help you organize the paper and ensure you get all the elements and information while writing.

How do you outline a paper?

• Divide it into sections and align each with core points.
• Break down each section into subsections and list supporting points for them.
• Prescribe arguments and evidence you’ll mention in every section.

Write the Draft

Once your outline is ready, start writing.

• Include your thesis statement in the introduction.
• Follow your outline: Go paragraph by paragraph, and don’t worry about grammar mistakes or your sentences being imperfect. You’ll have time to revise them later.
• Remember to state your thesis and summarize your research findings in the conclusion.

List the References

Citations are necessary for research papers as they validate your data and link your work to the scientific community. Cite all the sources you used:

List them on a separate page titled “References” (if you write in APA) or “Bibliography” (if you write in Chicago). Speaking of a citation style:

When listing your references, ensure you follow the writing rules of a citation style prescribed in the instructions (see Step 1). Each citation style has its own set of rules, and you can check them in corresponding manuals.

Edit and Proofread Your Paper

Last but not least:

Once you’ve completed the draft and the reference list, it’s time to revise your research paper and filter out all the errors. For that, reread the draft several times and ensure that:

• It follows the instructions.
• It has a clear thesis statement and language.
• It follows a logical sequence.
• It doesn’t communicate any irrelevant or misleading information.
• It’s original (there’s no accidental plagiarism in it).
• You’ve cited all sources correctly.
• It’s free from spelling, grammatical, and punctuation mistakes.

That’s it! Now that you have this guide to writing a good research paper, it’s time to craft yours! Ready to get an A for your research?