Free Essays: |
How to Write an A Grade Research Paper |
Writing a research paper on any given topic or subject requires a sense of direction in addition to appropriate professional literature. Research writing is a comprehensive process which improves with practice and can be perfected if done systematically. As such it is essential for students to follow a precise method in drafting the research paper so that the final outcome is optimal. The following steps should prove to be enormously helpful in assisting students while writing their research papers: Select a TopicAn A grade research paper should be written in a series of steps and should begin by choosing a topic which interests you. The topic should not be broad, but narrowed down to a more specific one – for instance, when writing a research paper on the effects of sexual abuse, you could narrow the topic to the effects of sexual abuse on women or the effects of childhood sexual abuse, or the psychosocial effects of sexual abuse on teenagers. Ensure that the topic chosen by you has sufficient references and resources so that you are not at a loss midway down your research. A thorough search should be conducted to look for material in your college or online library. In case of any doubts, it is always advisable to contact you teacher, professor or librarian for help. Research and find InformationOnce the topic has been finalised and you have informed your teacher about it, you begin with finding information. The internet is an important place for looking for material by first searching through search engines like Google and Yahoo. Online encyclopaedias and libraries are also a potential source of information. You should focus on information from domains like .edu (educational institutes), .org (non-profit institutes), .gov (government organisation) since these are reliable and authentic sources of information. Wikipedia can be used to gain a larger picture, but must not be used as a reliable or authentic source. Books were and continue to be the most reliable source of information and if you have access to a local library, you must use it to get more information. Books are also available on online libraries and can be bought or downloaded from internet sites with partial or regular membership access. Other essential sources of information are academic journals and papers which can also be found online. In some researches, you could also make use of newspaper articles which can be easily availed online. Every time you find some useful information, make sure that you take notes, photo-copy or save the information for future use. Also ensure that you save the name of the author, article, year of publication, since this is crucial and you will need to include every resource in you reference or bibliography page. Formulate a Thesis StatementOnce you have accumulate all the necessary information for writing you research paper, you should reflect and write down the thesis statement which will focus on your research and study which you aim to conduct. Remember, that the thesis statement is the foundation and guide to writing your research paper and should be the focus of your research. Prepare a Rough Draft with an OutlineOnce you have decided your thesis statement, you must make a rough draft and outline the important parts of your research paper. This will serve to guide your research and ensure that you stay on track. Once the rough draft has been written, it should be revised and edited by checking all the resources and to conform whether all the information and facts are accurate and correctly referenced. In-text citations should follow APA, MLA or any other specified citation style, as desired. Check the paper for spelling errors, grammatical mistakes or any other formatting changes. Ideally, papers should be written using 12 point Times New Roman or Ariel font and should be double spaced. Finally, a works cited, references or bibliography page should be included after the conclusion and must include all the references used in the research paper. Ensure that you carefully draft, write and edit the research paper so that you submit it well before the deadline so that you earn that well deserved A grade. |