Writing and producing a detailed paper on a given topic or concept is one of the crucial requirements when it comes to academic matters. Therefore, students must have adequate knowledge of the processes, structures, and other research writing requirements to meet the academic requirements. That is why this guideline for a research paper highlights the elements you should know concerning research writing.
What is research writing?
Research is the process of finding or rather gathering useful information from different and relevant materials concerning a specific subject matter or context. Once you have the research materials in place, you simply deliver the answers to the question in place through mental processes.
Research writing, therefore, is the process of delivering the answers you’ve found after the research process and supporting your answers with solid evidence based on the sources you used, your explanation, your own reasoning, and even providing practical examples.
What is academic research?
Academic research, just like research writing, is all about investigating a certain problem or situation, where the author’s main intention is to find solutions, facts, or opinions that can help find a practical solution to the existing problem. The process is always systematic.
Why are research papers important?
After an analysis of what research writing and academic research are, the next concern is the purpose of research paper. Does a research paper benefit students in any way? What about society at large? Let’s find out below.
- Improved research skills
Just like the name research, the process helps students to develop good research skills because they have to do research to find facts and scientific data to disclose the issues arising from the topic.
- Good writing and reading skills
To do good research, you must read widely, and to bring out a compelling research paper, a student must write comprehensively! The processes enable a writer to develop good reading and writing skills that are not only essential in school but in life after school as well, especially in a working environment.
- Impressive grades
Of course, a well-researched and well-written academic paper makes the student’s work stand out, thus, putting the student on top of the list with desirable grades.
- Widening your knowledge base
It is through research that writers get to understand various subjects and find answers to why things happen the way they do. This, in turn, helps to widen the knowledge base of a person.
Planning a research paper
Before you can bring out a well-structured research paper, you must plan to ensure you include all the required details and meet the required research paper length. Planning involves the following elements:
- Reading and understanding the requirements/guidelines
- Selecting a good research paper topic
- Doing preliminary research
- Crafting a compelling thesis statement
- Writing a detailed outline
- Writing the first draft
- Creating a captivating introduction
- Writing the main body paragraphs with supporting evidence
- Create a compelling conclusion
- Create the second draft
- Proofread and revise
- Do the checking to ensure you’ve followed the guidelines well
The structure of a paper
A research paper always has a specific structure to follow, with each section representing different elements of the research.
How many paragraphs in a research paper are enough?
In most cases, most research papers follow the common 5-paragraph essay. This includes the introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the number of paragraphs can be more or less, depending on the type of topic and the nature of the assignment.
The basic structure of research is made up of the following:
- The introduction
Introduces the problem or topic that needs research
- Research methods
It includes all the processes used to find the answers to the existing problem or topic
- Results section
These are the answers found after the research process, usually backed with evidence from the research processes.
- Discussion
Evaluating the results after the research process and what they mean
Note: while each section presents different information, always format the entire paper based on the citation guidelines stated in the requirements.
Conclusion
Writing a good research paper starts with having a good research topic, then planning the research processes as highlighted in this guide. Make this article your reference guide when researching, and you will always experience an easy process.
