Writing the Research Paper

Click the headings below to view each section.

Introduction
Focusing the Assignment – offers a checklist to record all requirements for the research paper.
Managing Your Time – provides steps to organize your time.
Selecting a Topic – explains a variety of strategies for finding and narrowing a topic.
Searching for Sources – helps you locate and organize your source material.
Organizing Your Paper – offers suggestions on how to structure your paper.

Introduction
Writing a research paper is a challenge, but the rewards are many. You will have become an experienced researcher and an expert on a subject, as well as contributor to your readers' knowledge. You will also learn a skill you will need not only for other classes but also for your future career. This guide can be used for many of your classes that require you to write as a research papers. Writing the Research Paper contains helpful information for all of the aspects of research, including record-keeping strategies, checklists, organizers, and resource identification and writing strategies.

Focusing the Assignment
You have just received your research paper assignment. Before you get started, you need to know what your instructor expects of you. Look through this checklist of requirements and check the items you should include. If you do not know, ask. You can fill in any portion of this checklist as needed.

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Managing Your Time
Of the many types of writing assignments you may have, the research paper is one of the most work-intensive. If you are a person who waits until the last minute, beware! A thoroughly researched, well-documented paper cannot be done in one night! You will need a schedule. The key to tackling such a large project is organization.

Find out the date your paper is due and the date(s) of any other assignments that may be required over the next few weeks or semester. Consider the multiple demands on your time and plan accordingly. Just taking this small step can help keep you on track. Remember, there are many steps involved in writing a research paper.

1. Select Your Topic
  Use prewriting strategies
  Check to see if sources are available
  Develop a preliminary thesis/hypothesis/outline
2. Search for Sources
  Survey sources
  Prepare a working bibliography
  Narrow or broaden topic
3. Take Notes
  Evaluate sources
  Paraphrase, summarize, quote (avoid plagiarism)
  Write personal notes
4. Organize Your Information
  Refine the thesis/hypothesis
  Choose organizational structure
  Outline
  Organize notes
5. Integrate Your Information into a Draft
  Add research if necessary
  Blend in reference materials
  Write in-text citations
6. Revise
  Check content
  Check structure
7. Prepare the Final Draft
  Type
  Format
  Proofread
  Edit

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Go to Writing About Literature for more information about writing literature-based papers.