Write a Research Paper

All college students will have to write a research paper at some point.  In fact, it is likely that they will have to write several, since research papers are a favored assignment for most professors.  Research papers require learners to explore a topic in-depth, become familiar with scholarly ideas on that topic, and synthesize those ideas into a single, informative, and exploratory text.  Such articles are therefore excellent learning tools; however, learning how to author reports can be overwhelming to some students, since research papers require a significant time investment and utilize several academic skills.  Therefore, it may help learners to break the composition process down into several easily-manageable tasks.

First, the student needs to determine a topic on which to write a reference project.  A good research paper topic is complex and intriguing, but is narrow enough that it can be explored in the span of a college report.  

Once a topic has been determined, the student needs to write a thesis.  A thesis is the main point or argument of a text.  Every research paper must have a thesis that clearly and assertively expresses its article's main idea.  An example of a thesis for a reference report is as follows: "Current research reveals that glacial melting is directly correlated to the worldwide consumption of fossil fuels."  

Once a thesis has been determined, the student must head to the library for intensive research.  This research process will take several days and perhaps weeks, as it will require the student to browse through, assess, and read dozens of scholarly sources on his or her topic.  Throughout this research process, the student must take detailed notes.

When the research has been done, the student is ready to write.  A research paper is typically expected to be between 10 and 20 pages.  It is therefore not advisable to write a document in a single day, or even in two days.  Sometimes, the best way to write research papers is to write several small (1-2 page) papers on each of the primary points the report will explore, and then to synthesize these small reports together.  This is a tactic that is particularly helpful for writers who have trouble structuring their documents, staying focused, or managing their time.  In this approach, the student should write one small report every day for five or more days, beginning with the article's introduction.  Once these are complete, the pupil can merge these small texts into one large document and begin editing.  It is likely that the learner will need to do extreme editing to eliminate repeated or excess information; however, it is always easier to pare down than it is to add.  The student will also need to add transition sentences between each of the short papers in order to make the report appear to be one cohesive text rather than several different texts pasted together.

Once a student has experience with research paper writing, he or she will develop his or her own ideas on the best way to write research papers.  This is an expected and important evolution in a student's writing development, as it marks a student's comfort with the form and ability to innovate within that form.

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