How to write a research Paper in 2023

Table of Contents

What is a research paper?

By definition, a research paper is a weighty academic write up where you expose innovative research findings that you have established through conducting a specific research project. As an academician, the research paper is one of the many academic papers that you have to write to meet the requirements of being awarded a degree at the university. It is a genre of scholarly essays written to bring out new perceptions and perspectives of knowledge. So, after completing your research project, you will write the research paper to communicate the details of your activities right from the concept of the project to the conclusion.

Types of research papers

There are two main types of research papers. The first is an argumentative research paper and the second is the analytical research paper. However, there are other categories of research papers that you may come across such as the cause and effect, experimental, survey and interpretive papers. In the argumentative research paper, you will write your thesis and then declare your stance on the controversial issue presented, then use your research findings to persuade the audience to follow your idea or viewpoint. However, in the analytical research paper, you will write your thesis and then give previous research works that support and uphold your thesis statement without taking sides. The arguments on both sides are considered in your research to arrive at your conclusion.

Step by step method of writing a research paper

It all begins from the opinion you make on the issue to be researched on. Your opinion is then narrowed down to an idea or concept for the research project. The idea is then streamlined to give the thesis or thesis statement. The thesis is the central part of the research project because it advances some concepts which may already be operational, and generates new ideas. The concept for a project is built on the thesis. It is the abstract idea in the project that supports the theory behind the research project you are undertaking.

It is important to note that a concept paper is different from a research paper. A concept paper is commonly written towards meeting a certain organizational goal or solving a problem in the organization. It outlines the research question to be answered, indicates the kind of research to be done and shows how data should be collected. On the other hand, a research paper is written to give details of a research that has been conducted, explain the research findings and ultimately give the conclusion of the research coupled with its recommendations.

As you embark on writing the research paper, you have five chapters to write as follows:

Chapter 1 – Introduction

You should show here the specific topic under research. Write your thesis and the main points of your research including why the research should be conducted and why you think it is significant or relevant. Give background information to back up the project.

Chapter 2 – Literature Review

In this chapter, you should give a summary of previous researches done by other people in the same area stating underlying theories and arguments. Indicate inconsistencies in the researches and give proposed remedial measures.

Chapter 3 – Methodology

The design of your research should be written here clearly showing how you will collect your data. Specify books, journals and articles you have read that support your work. Citing research papers should be effectively done in this section.

Chapter 4 – discussion and evaluation of data

The results of your research should be evaluated and analyzed in this chapter. Interpretation of the results should be discussed here giving their implications.

Chapter 5 – Conclusion

You should write a summary of the research project here stating your recommendations and areas that need further research. Rephrase your thesis here to reinforce what you have achieved in the research project.

Before writing the five chapters, you should write title page, an abstract followed by the table of contents. Depending on instructions from your tutors, you may add the acknowledgement. The title page should have the research title and enlist administrative information such as your name, the name of your instructor and the name of the University college. In the abstract, you should give a summary and a brief analysis of the whole research project. The table of contents comes before the introduction and it accurately gives the page where each part or section of the project paper appears. Finally, you should write the bibliography or the references after the last chapter following a specific citation style. The citation styles should not be mixed in one paper.

To be sure of professionalism in your research paper, you can also pay someone to write the research paper for you. This can easily be done online. However, you need to be careful especially when you acquire cheap research papers from writers that you cannot establish their credibility. You can browse the internet and ascertain the credibility of the writer before paying for the services.

What are Research paper examples?

Research paper examples are countless but you need to access good and quality papers for you to appreciate what we mean by a research paper example. If you also consult your instructors at college, surely you will get good research paper examples but this should not limit you. We have websites that can provide you with good examples and even help you in writing the research paper professionally. You can browse for the example research papers and writing services at your convenience on the internet sites.

How to critique a research paper

You critique a research paper by analyzing it and disapproving the contents of the paper. Essentially, you will be going through all the parts of the paper and discerning areas that are not done or presented correctly. For example, your criticisms can be directed to the introduction of new materials that have not been captured in the initial layout of the research project, deviating from the objectives of the paper, not being able to use resources from previous researches done by other people in the same area of study, not giving limitations and assumptions in your research project, arguments presented not connected to the main idea, not offering new insights, the abstract having irrelevant information, and contradictions related to standards and norms of writing a research paper. Therefore, you will critique the paper by forming questions whose answers may lead to the disapproval of the research paper.

How to analyze a research paper

Unlike critiquing the research paper, analyzing it means breaking down the whole paper into parts or its components and singly scrutinizing them to ensure they comply requirements of a good research paper. You will apply your critical thinking skills as you answer questions that will ensure the paper meets all the required standards. Check for some of the following issues in analyzing the research paper: –

Abstract: – it should be clear and precise in describing the objectives of the paper. What you write here should correspond to what is investigated in the chapters of the research project.

Introduction: – should clearly present reasons why the research is being conducted. The thesis statement is clear portraying the main points and you should provide enough background information and prerequisite knowledge of the research.

Methodology: – the procedures, standard research methods, limitations and assumptions should be well documented here. You should endeavor to give previous research works from as many sources as possible to support the concept of the project.

Results: – check that your research findings are adequate and logical. The data you have present must be accurate helpful in your research. The tables and drawings you have given can be understood and accurately depict your topic of research.

Discussion: – is your discussion addressing the objectives of the research? This is the main question to answer here. Your explanations to the research must be clearly stated. Interpret your findings and display your innovations. Show the confidence and significant levels of the research findings.

References: – ensure all sources are cited including your own works. One style of referencing must be followed.

Why is it important to have a research paper outline?

The importance of the research paper outline is to provide an initial framework and foundation which can be used to organize the final write up in a logical and sequential manner. The outline or the first draft you have written helps you to critically think and thoughtfully focus on the best way to deliver your research project. You will use the outline rectify and modify your design to come up with a thorough final research paper that can withstand challenge. Use the outline to brainstorm and ensure that you have captured every necessary detail for the research paper before writing the final copy.

Is it a must to have a literature review in a research paper?

In most cases, our ideas are not spontaneous. They are always pegged on something or a phenomenon in our daily lives. It is not easy to have a research paper that is wholly original. A research project will always refer to what others have done in the same field of study and even if you come up with new ideas, they cannot be fully isolated from ideas of other people. Therefore, it is a must to have literature review in a research paper. Through the literature review, inconsistencies, study conflicts, contributions of other researchers, weaknesses and justifications for your research project can be discerned and these will enhance your research paper. You cannot avoid literature review in your paper.

How do I know the referencing style to use in a research paper?

In most cases, the referencing style of your paper will be given as part of the project instructions. However, it will also depend on the type of research that you are undertaking. The most common styles are the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Modern Language Association (MLA) styles. You will use APA referencing style when writing a research paper in social sciences, education, engineering and any science- oriented paper. MLA style will be used in humanities, literature, history, and any language-oriented paper. Other styles include the following: –

Chicago, Harvard, American Chemical Society (ACS), American Medical Association (AMA), American Sociological Association (ASA), Council of Science Editors (CSE), Institute of Electrical Engineering Engineers (IEEE) and Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA).

Which are the methods of data collection for writing a research paper

Data collection for your research is a process that aims at ensuring that all relevant information is collected in order to help in answering the research question and support the thesis statement. There are several methods that can be used to collect data and it all depends on the type of research you are doing. Some of the methods are conducting interviews, carrying out a survey, performing experiments, case studies, focus groups, and making observations. The methods are achieved through the use of research tools such as questionnaires, checklist, online surveys, one on one interview and recordings. The most suitable method of data collection is the one that will address your ideas and test your hypothesis.

What is the importance of revising and editing a research paper?

You can only end up with a polished and quality research paper by revising and editing it as much as possible. Revision helps you to look at the paper once again so as to ensure that the goals have been achieved and are clearly presented. You can challenge yourself over and over again so as to refine the paper logically hence making a strong defense of your findings. In editing the paper, typing errors, grammatical mistakes, poor sentence structures and lack of phrasal transitions are eliminated. These result into a research paper that is focused and achieves its target.

Can my research paper be published in a journal?

Certainly, your paper can be published in a journal. However, there are journal requirements that must be met before publication is done. For example, the paper must be original and the results and conclusions must have never been published before. Your paper must be outstanding and pass the challenges of the peer review process of the particular journal. The research should be valid and of great significance to the study field. It must be free of plagiarism and of high integrity. Once you meet all other journal requirements, then your research paper will be published in the relevant journal