How do I go about doing a research paper?

From LitWiki

Basically, writing a research paper may be broken into five steps:

  • Planning Your Research
  • Finding Sources
  • Evaluating Sources
  • Using Sources without Plagiarizing
  • Writing the Research Paper

Planning Your Research

When writing a research paper, first find a suitable topic and begin gathering as much information as possible about it.

Finding Sources

During this gathering of information, notes should be taken.

Evaluating Sources

Using Sources without Plagiarizing

When taking notes, try to paraphrase as much as possible to prevent plagiarism. Remember to input quotation marks for words copied exactly as you read them. All excerts from other sources must be cited. Also, any ideas taken from other sources must be cited.

Writing the research Paper

Prewriting

An outline gives a writer a chance to organize the topic before the actual writing begins. The writer will have the opportunity to shuffle different parts of the paper around to improve the tone and flow. Outlining information before writing also exposes information not needed and, will make the main points stick out. That allows you to spread them evenly.

Next, you want to decide on a particular writing style for the paper. The most approved, by English and humanities instructors is the Modern Language Association writing style. The MLA style gives the writer certain guidelines to go by when writing their paper. It protects the writer from plagiarism by demanding more of the writers' work. Another well known writing style is the American Psychological Association published in 2001.

Writing

Now begin your paper. As the body of the paper is being created, make sure that a good thesis is formed and the rest of the paper supports it. A good writer will use descriptive text to hold the attention of the readers.

Revision

Include all quotations and all proper citations of works cited. Be sure to proofread: check all punctuation, grammar, and spelling.

Works Cited


Composition FAQ