Are you looking to write a research paper but don't know how? Don't worry, this brief guide is the perfect solution to all your problems.
Writing a research paper requires a lot of skills. First, you need to structure your content properly for the supervisor/publishing authority to pass the work.
Secondly, your research on the selected topic must be top-notch. And the writing; that must be on point: formal tone, without any discrepancy.
Combining these elements for a research paper is a tough ask. However, with this guide, you'll get going in no time. Follow each step closely so that you don't miss out on anything.
Steps to Craft a Stellar Research Paper:
Below, we've outlined 10 steps that are vital to create a worthy research paper. Go through each one of them to understand the writing process, comprehensively.
1. Choose A Relevant Topic:
The first step toward writing a stellar research paper is to choose a relevant topic. Choose something that isn't too specific as it will make it harder for you to research it.
On the contrary, the selected topic shouldn't be too general or broad as it will make it difficult for you to narrow down a hypothesis.
Besides that, ensure that the topic is relevant to your field of study and that it contributes to existing knowledge.
Example:
"The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Behavior: A Comparative Study of Urban and Rural China."
The above thesis topic is precise and a bit general at the same time. It will allow enough room for elaboration, research, and convergence to a hypothesis.
The aforementioned topic discusses a phenomenon that is currently observed in the country. So, the research will be a valuable addition to the communities in China, and the existing knowledge databases.
2. Conduct Research:
The next step after determining a solid research topic is to research it. Start finding peer-reviewed papers, articles, and reports with a similar topic as you.
If you find difficulty in doing so, try Google Scholar, a search engine made to find research papers. Type in the keywords you think cover your topic the best. Then, select a filter of the last 10 years in Google Scholar to only find the latest research and data on the topic.
Note: Information older than the last decade can be considered for your paper. However, industry and academic experts like research that contains the latest knowledge as it increases the trustability of your verdict.
Besides Google Scholar, you can also try finding website links from other search engines. However, make sure that the sites are authentic and authoritative with their knowledge.
A common criterion is to prefer .edu, or educational websites over others as they provide the most accurate and authentic information.
3. Develop A Thesis Statement:
You are done with the two steps? Great! Let's start with the development of your thesis statement.
A thesis statement is the central argument or main idea of your research paper. It guides the reader about the rest of the writing, so it must be written clearly and effectively.
Example:
"This study explores how social media marketing impacts consumer purchasing behavior in China, revealing significant differences between urban and rural markets influenced by varying levels of digital access and cultural factors."
This statement is written in continuation of our thesis topic. As you can see, the person writing the research paper has clearly stated that they want to explore the impacts on consumer purchasing behavior and nothing else.
Hence, the person further narrowed down their focus of work a bit to allow an easy hypothesis at the end of the paper.
4. Create An Outline:
The next step after the thesis statement is to create a robust outline of the paper. This will serve as your roadmap to help you write coherently to the headings and sub-headings so that you don't drift away from the main topic.
Moreover, a strong outline also helps the reader distinguish where each piece of information lies in the research paper. Sure enough, they can scan the entire document, but that wouldn't be convenient for anyone would it?
Besides an outline, you must also be clear on which citation style you're going to write the paper. This will help you along the way to format the paper, making your work look professional and toned.
5. Start With The Introduction:
After considering everything above, now is the time to create an introduction for your research paper. Ideally, you should start with some background information on the topic. This includes a bit of history, linking to the current time.
Additionally, your drafted thesis statement should be reemployed at the end of the introduction. This will paint a coherent picture of ideas in the readers' minds as in what are your objectives with the research paper.
To continue our example from before, below is a screenshot of the introduction of our research topic, along with its thesis statement.
Notice that there's a bit of background information and a bit of elaboration of the main points in the introduction. Toward the end, the thesis statement is mentioned again, allowing easy understanding of the presented information.
6. Write The Body:
The body of the research paper consists primarily of the following sections:
- Literature Review
- Methodology
- Findings
- Discussion
The paper's structure may vary considering the type of citation style you've chosen (MLA, APA, or Harvard.) However, the main elements, as mentioned above, will remain the same.
Writing the body requires you to be clear and to the point. This isn't creative writing where you can express your ideas with idiomatic expressions, slang, etc. It is a research paper, and it must be written in a formal tone.
However, if you face problems while writing the body, or being unable to make the text clear enough for the readers. Then, we suggest taking assistance from an advanced paraphrasing tool by Paraphrase Online.
This tool not only utilizes the advanced NLP algorithms to establish clarity. But, it also adjusts and tailors your tone according to the requirement of research-writing.
Hence, working with the latest tools will not only polish your craft for success but will also upgrade your technology skillset for the future.
7. Conclude Everything Comprehensively:
When you're done with your body paragraphs, it's time to put everything together and write a conclusion. This should cover all the points you've discussed above, comprehensively, adding to the cohesion and coherence of the entire document.
Furthermore, you should add a paragraph discussing the implications and constraints of your findings and how they can be improved in the future.
It is important to give a sense of closure and completeness in your conclusion. This will keep the reader intent with whatever they've read so far, establishing your authority over the subject.
Finally, a good conclusion must restate the thesis statement, converging the audience to the main point.
8. Write The Abstract:
We didn't mention writing the abstract at the start even though it is the first thing in a research paper. There is a reason for that.
Abstracts are like summaries that let the readers get the essence of your paper. It hints at the thesis statement, key points, and findings.
However, it should be written at the end since you'll get clarity for your results once you're done with the conclusion. Otherwise, your abstract won't be catchy enough for the reader to continue reading the work.
Besides that, many face the problem of concise information for their abstract. This is a common problem since thesis writing involves writing with an elaborative style rather than a short one.
To resolve this issue, we recommend using an AI summarizer. This online tool automates the concision process through its NLP algorithms, giving you an easy way out to write a compelling abstract.
9. Check Your Citations And References:
The second last step in this guide is to check your citations and references. Refer back to each in-text citation and see if it follows the pattern mentioned in the rule book.
Also, add and maintain a reference page at the very end of your research paper. The order of each source mentioned varies from one citation style to another.
For example, the APA (American Psychological Association) style recommends arranging the references alphabetically by the authors' last names.
On the other hand, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style doesn't rank the sources alphabetically. Instead, the references are numbered based on the order in which they're cited in the text.
You need to double-check your citation style, reference, and title pages to perfectly conclude the research paper. For your help, we recommend using Zotero or Endnote to automate the citation process and save valuable time and resources.
10. Revise And Edit:
Last, but not the least, we require you to revise your research paper and make edits. The first thing you need to look at is the way information is presented.
If the text seems too clunky or unreadable/difficult to understand. Then, use the paraphraser we mentioned before and improve the clarity of your words.
Then, judge the content according to each heading and sub-heading. Does the text agree with the respective section? If the answer is yes, proceed with your submission.
If the answer is no, delete the information. There are chances that this portion of your research paper is adding nothing valuable to the big picture. Hence, it's better removed for improved coherence.
When you proofread your work, you improve your chances of making the big leagues of researchers. So, never underestimate this step while writing a research paper.
Final Words:
Writing a research paper requires several key steps including choosing a relevant topic, conducting thorough research, developing a clear thesis statement, creating a detailed outline, crafting a well-structured body, and concluding the paper comprehensively.
It is essential to ensure the information is presented in a formal tone and adheres to the chosen citation style. Utilizing AI tools like summarizers and paraphrasers can enhance the writing process and improve the quality of the paper.
By following the mentioned steps, researchers can produce a high-quality, well-researched paper that contributes valuable insights to the respective fields.