Research Paper

Research papers make an assumption and set out to support it. You hear the results of research papers in the news all the time. Have you heard a headline like this?

"Study Links Epilepsy Drugs to Suicidal Thoughts" or
"Despite Frustrations, Americans Are Pretty Darned Happy"

These headlines are the result of research papers. Research papers give the public a well-balanced view on a selected topic and draw conclusions that have a bearing on society. You may not intend for your paper to make the newswires but you do want to make the grade.

Before you get started make sure you know what kind of research paper you're writing. Research papers come in two varieties: argumentative research papers or analytical research papers. Both require the same type of legwork but are composed with slightly different goals in mind.

The analytical paper takes an objective look at a topic based on a stated research question. In order to answer the question, hit the library and get comfortable amassing critical reading materials. Unlike the argumentative paper, analytical papers should come from a strictly heuristic interest. The research question for an analytical paper should not have an agenda to "prove" right or wrong but to allow the research to objectively guide conclusions.

An argumentative paper wants to persuade the reader to agree with the writer. In this paper, you'll take a stand and dig your heels in to support it. In contrast to the objectivity of the analytical paper, an argumentative paper takes a more subjective treatment of the selected topic.

The research paper can be one of the most challenging papers to execute. As with most tasks, break the process down and take baby steps. Put yourself on a schedule to build your paper and follow these steps for a successful writing experience:

• Evaluate Your Sources:
  Would you build your home on quicksand? Of course not, nor can you write a research paper based on unreliable sources or your conclusion means nothing. Focus on scholarly publications like journals and encyclopedias for credible sources of current information and observations.
• Take Good Notes:
  Take strong, concise notes on the content of each source, whether you use a pencil and paper, copy/paste or the index card system. Save yourself from a bibliography nightmare by making notations of sources for each set of notes.
• Create an Outline:
  The outline is a blueprint for organizing ideas and parts of your paper. Start with your thesis statement. Brainstorm ideas, organize them, put them in order and assign labels to them. With a strong outline at your side, the paper writing process becomes a process of stringing together the pieces of the paper.
  Organize your outline based on the parts of a research paper. They include: Introduction: A research paper leads off with a brief but informative section that presents the general intent of the paper. Use this section to pull the reader in and motivate them to keep reading or develop an interest in your topic.
• Body Paragraphs:
  A simple research paper uses three body paragraphs. More complex research papers use a longer form but essentially follow the same flow. The first of the body paragraphs gives the most important reason this topic is worthy of study. It should solidify your position and offer relevant, current research on your topic. The second paragraph should continue to support your position. Naturally flow into one or two more ideas the support your thesis statement. The third paragraph has the job of tying together all the ideas presented and your thesis statement with a bow. The conclusion is the final section of the research paper. It summarizes the paper and ties up any loose ends.