In the course of a student’s journey, there’s a stage where writing research papers will be compulsory, and nothing sends students quicker to panic mode like having to write a research paper. Writing research papers is dreaded by most, and this fear ultimately ends up crippling ones’ performance, not just in terms of their grades but in their ability to write the actual paper. For most students, it’s the lack of knowledge and skill for writing such papers that affects their performance.
Very few high school teachers will take the time to teach their students how to write excellent research papers and when they get to college, their lecturers are under the assumption they were taught in high school and will therefore not spend time on it. However, this shouldn’t be an excuse for any student as many sources of help that they can turn to - from lecturers to private tutors to online resources!
So, how can learners overcome this hurdle and write stunning research papers?
- Find the Right Title for Your Research Paper
Finding the right title for your research paper is a crucial step. A couple of factors need to be considered when choosing the right title. The title is what lets your audience know what to expect as they go through your paper. Therefore, the title and the content of the research paper must have a connection. Your title cannot be about apples while the content of the research paper is on bananas - that will be rather unfortunate for you!
It’s always best to write on a topic that you’re familiar with. It reduces the stress of writing and makes it more fun. Originality is also key when choosing your topic - identify a unique topic that will make you stand out from the rest. Also, you can have a number of titles to choose from, you don’t have to stick to one. Importantly, there’s no harm in seeking help. You can seek the opinion of a more experienced person to identify the most suitable topic for your research paper.
Doing Research
Research papers are all about the quality of the content. How factual and relevant is the information contained in your paper? Before you proceed to write your research paper, you’ll need to do a lot of research. This doesn’t just apply when you’re writing a research paper, but also to any other kind writing. It builds on the quality of the work. Some of the resources that can be of value include books, journals, blog posts, encyclopedias, web pages, interviews and so on. There are a couple of things to have in mind when doing research, such as getting empirical data to support your arguments, using the library, academic databases and going online for more information.Having an Outline
Having gathered all the necessary information, the next step is to write down an outline. Writing an outline helps you organize your thoughts and ideas in a more logical manner. It acts as a guide when writing your research paper. It’s at this stage that you can determine what type of audience your research is for and the purpose it serves.Seek an Experts’ Opinion
As you go about writing your research paper, it would be wise to seek the guidance from a more experienced person. This could be your lecturer, friend, or a family member, basically anyone with the expertise. They will help you avoid making errors and on areas you may be stuck. They can also guide you on how to best present the information that you’ve gathered.The Format of your Paper
The format your research paper is supposed to take is important as your lecturer is keen on this. Research papers are almost similar in format, however, they have some variations because of the different disciplines. A mathematical research paper will no doubt be different from a social sciences research paper. It’s therefore, the students’ responsibility to identify what format their research paper is supposed to take.Acknowledging Resources Used
Your research paper should have a reference section. It’s crucial to acknowledge the sources of the information contained in your paper. Otherwise, it will be considered as plagiarized information, and we all know how plagiarism is a big offense within the writing community. Know how to write citations including in-text and the different formats one can use.Who’s your Audience?
Knowing who your audience will be factors greatly on how you chose to write your research paper. A lot of students tend to limit the audience to just the lecturer, and this is wrong. Your audience goes beyond your lecturer, to other students, family or just any other person.
Conclusion
Writing your research paper can seem like a big hurdle but as this article has clearly pointed out, it can be quite easy. Of course, even with the right content and formatting, the basics of language such as grammar also need to be adhered to. Otherwise, these 7 tips will make writing your research paper a walk in the park and ultimately improve your performance.