The Everything Guide To Writing Research Papers Book: Ace Your Next Project With Step-by-step Expert Advice!

Introduction

WHEN YOU ARE FIRST ASSIGNED a research paper, you will probably have one of two reactions. On the one hand, you might dread the whole process, feel overwhelmed, or turn into a nervous wreck. On the other hand, you might be excited, looking forward to the opportunity to fully explore a topic that really appeals to you. If you react the second way, you are ready to get started. You already have the positive attitude that will help you achieve your goals. If you react the first way, you’ll need to take another look at the situation. You are capable of completing this assignment, and with some guidance along the way you can stop fearing the process and instead work your way through it step by step. As you progress, you just might find yourself enjoying the challenge.

A research paper can be a very intriguing project. You are usually given at least partial freedom to select your own topic. Therefore, you can pick something that you find personally fascinating. You can conduct research on a topic that you feel strongly about or that you have a desire to learn more about. And you will learn much, much more about it than you otherwise would. Because you will collect research from such a wide variety of sources, and then compare and analyze it using your own opinions and ideas, you will gain a mastery of your topic. Instead of the paper being a dull and boring report on a topic that doesn’t interest you, you’ll be inspired to write an interesting and fun paper because you really care about the topic.

This book guides you through every phase of the project and explains in detail how to accomplish each task. If you don’t know how to get started or what to do along the way, you can simply follow the sequence of steps. Those of you who have some experience with research projects can just go to the section or chapter that pertains to your needs.

As you read through this book, you will learn exactly what a research paper involves, how to choose a suitable topic, and how to schedule your time so that you complete the paper by the due date without a last-minute panic. You will learn how to make full use of all research sources, including traditional reference materials, the Internet, films, television, radio, music recordings, museums, and government institutions. After that you will find out how to conduct an interview, and with whom. You will learn how to take good notes and how to format your research sources for the bibliography. You will learn how to prepare an outline and how to organize your notes into the best order for writing the draft versions of your paper. You will find out how to check your facts, spelling, and grammar, and ensure well-crafted writing. You will be shown which graphic elements could be included in your paper to improve its value. You then will learn how to produce your final draft of the research paper, how to present it orally, and how to publish it. The last chapter discusses the new skills you acquired through this process, and other ways in which you can apply them.

Throughout school you have had to write reports, including numerous book reports, reports about countries, and reports about important historical people and events. Now it is time to use all of those research skills and much, much more to produce your own research paper. Although it may be intimidating at first, this is an opportunity to totally immerse yourself in a subject that interests you. Writing a research paper is a project that enables you to learn more about a topic than the average person typically knows.

What a Research Paper Is and Is Not

Many people have only a vague idea of what a research paper is. They know it involves research, so material about a specific topic needs to be gathered. They also know it is a paper, which is a written assignment involving a significant amount of homework. If the thought of writing your research paper makes you cringe, it might help to clarify your understanding of what a research paper is (and isn’t).

What It Is

A research paper is an in-depth study of a specific and distinct topic. It includes not only factual research from a wide variety of sources, but also the writer’s interpretation of that research. This interpretation is a key element of the true research paper.

Make sure you fully understand what is expected in your paper before you begin your research, because each instructor has certain expectations. On the one hand, you don’t want to waste your time going into more detail than is needed. On the other hand, you don’t want to complete your paper only to find that you neglected to include everything that is required.

Writing a research paper gives you a chance to debunk popular myths or convince others to consider new and different ways of looking at an issue. However, you must be careful to back up your perspective with facts that show how you reached your conclusions.

Though a research paper covers the topic in question completely, it is centered on a specific and distinct topic as opposed to a general one. Suppose that you want to write a paper about dogs. Dogs by itself is a very general topic and much too broad to cover completely. A better topic for a research paper might be to explore how proper exercise and nutrition contribute to a dog’s longevity.

What It Is Not

A research paper is not just a factual report, although facts are a part of the paper. Nor is it an editorial, or simply an expression of the writer’s opinions, although that too is part of the paper. A simple collection of information does not constitute a research paper. It is the personal perspective that distinguishes a research paper from any other type of report.

How Research Papers Differ from Reports

All those reports you wrote in the past gave you an excellent background in researching facts, but now you understand that a research paper is much more than a collection of facts. Unlike a report, a research paper does not just describe something. It compares, persuades, or analyzes. To fully understand what a research paper is, you need to know how it differs from a regular report.

Take care not to choose a topic that is too narrow in focus. If you do, you will discover that not enough information is available, and what information there is will be hard to find. Although you can often supplement the available information by conducting numerous interviews or doing surveys, be aware that these all take time.

To begin with, a research paper has a much narrower focus than does a report. While a report might describe a particular country in general terms, a research paper delves deeper, discussing how the people of that country are preserving their customs or language, or whether the natural resources of that country should be exported. This narrower focus means that, as the researcher, you go deeper into the topic. Rather than simply finding and presenting facts, you develop a fuller understanding of your topic and an informed opinion about the issues involved.

Including Your Own Thoughts and Opinions

What makes a research paper truly unique to you is that it includes your own thoughts, perceptions, and ideas about your topic. In some papers, you form an opinion through your research. In other cases, you may change your opinion during the course of your research. If you are writing a persuasive paper, you try to convince others to agree with that opinion. For analytical papers, you make comparisons between your interpretations and the facts.

Question the Facts

As you gather material, you must question the facts, dissecting each and every piece of information to discern whether it is true and reliable. Obviously, some facts are straightforward. Suppose your paper is titled Does Requiring School Uniforms Reduce Incidents of Bullying? You uncover the facts that a particular school of 800 students had forty reported cases of bullying in one school year. After uniforms became mandatory, the number of reported cases of bullying dropped to thirty-two cases. The number of students is a fact, as is the number of reported cases of bullying. But when working on a research paper, you must question all aspects of the data. How many people do the reported cases of bullying involve? Were there repeat offenders (and victims)? Did some of those students involved leave the school once uniforms were required? What is the process for reporting bullying? Have any changes been made to this process? Once you start to question the facts, you begin to realize how to approach this important aspect of your research paper and let your own unique voice shine through.

Will I be able to do all my research in the school library?

Probably not, although much of the information is available there, particularly if your library offers Internet access. Some of it won’t be, and you’ll uncover the rest of the information by conducting personal interviews and visiting museums or other historical sites.

Use Many Sources

When you last wrote a report, you quite possibly used an encyclopedia, surfed the Internet for further information, and maybe found an additional book or two to round it out. You will use those same sources for your research paper, but you will also use many more. Your research will include checking trade journals, visiting historical places of interest, and even conducting interviews. While this may sound like a lot of work, you are simply going to where the information is. In order to truly dig into a topic, you need as much information as possible, and from as wide a realm as possible. Using the many other sources available opens up the topic to you and ultimately makes the final paper easier to write. Once you gather all the information you can find from every possible source, the information will be easier to interpret. Because you have such a wide range of information and such detailed data, you will find that it all fits together logically.

Critical Thinking Skills

Instructors assign research papers for a good reason, even if that reason isn’t readily apparent to you right now. Not only will you learn how to research a topic in depth and use resources that you have previously left unexplored; the new skills you learn or develop from writing your paper also will serve you throughout school and in the workplace, because the project will nurture your critical thinking abilities.

Typical major research papers are twenty pages long, typed, double-spaced, and one-sided. However, a recent study of secondary school history teachers revealed that many don’t assign papers beyond about eight pages in length because they don’t have the time to mark them properly.

Critical thinking is one of those catchy phrases educators are fond of using. What it really means is the process of gathering information and then dissecting and analyzing and evaluating it to arrive at your own conclusions. Not only is this important in future schooling; it is a key life skill. Unfortunately, it is not something you can learn at one sitting. Critical thinking skills must be practiced, and a research paper is an ideal vehicle for developing these skills.

Fully Understand Your Topic

Research projects are assigned to ensure that you learn your topic inside and out. You can’t possibly write a research paper about a topic with which you are only halfway familiar. You need to dig up every piece of information you can find on your topic. You have to learn your topic in depth. By the time you are finished, you will be the class expert on that subject.

Obviously, you cannot cut corners and still write a good research paper. Nor can you copy from someone else or delegate some of the work to another student, because you would not both have the same views. The only way to be successful on a project of this scope is to put a full effort into the entire project so that you end up fully understanding everything you researched. This type of research work tends to remain with you. Years later, you may still be able to vividly recall parts of a research paper, whereas dry facts from an ordinary report are long forgotten.

Think Independently

Because your paper must include your own perspective on a particular topic, thoroughly researching the available information about that subject enables you to sort out your personal feelings about it. The degree to which you express those opinions in your paper depends on the type of paper you are writing. You also have to decide what you think is believable and what should be questioned. It is up to you to determine how you think one event has affected another, and whether that effect has been negative or positive. You cannot completely form your view until you have done all the research yourself. The opinions you form show that you can think independently and that you can analyze all aspects of a situation to arrive at your own conclusions.

Communicate Clearly

It is not enough just to research facts and form your own opinions; you also must learn how to communicate clearly to the reader. Your thoughts must be organized, and the paper must flow from one section to the next. Whereas in the past you have presented facts, now you will combine those facts with your own analysis. Your efforts should result in a research paper that is free of errors and interesting to read, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of what the paper is about and where you stand on the issues it raises.

Analytical Research Papers

One of two main types of research papers, an analytical paper closely scrutinizes, or examines, a given topic. Although it still involves critical thinking skills, the analytical research paper differs from the general research paper described in the previous section.

Maintaining Neutrality

When you write an analytical research paper, you remain neutral. Although you may develop a feeling for one position or the other, your paper never shows this. You avoid defining anything as better or safer or more important. You present all aspects of your topic, but do not show whether you agree or disagree with them. Suppose your paper is on The Effect of Part-Time Jobs on a Student’s Education. You could discuss both the benefits of holding a part-time job (job experience, unique skills learned) and the drawbacks (incomplete homework, tired students), but at no time would you say whether students should or should not have part-time jobs.

It can be difficult to remain neutral, especially as your research progresses. If you find this to be the case, consider switching to a persuasive research paper. Of course, this is only an option if your instructor has indicated that a persuasive paper is acceptable.

Historical and Current Events

An analytical research paper can examine the effect of an event on other events. The events can be in the past, present, or future. For example, you can do a what if exercise: imagine how things would be different if President John F. Kennedy hadn’t been assassinated, or if women around the world had never been allowed to have more than one baby. Each event that occurs sets off a chain of other events. If your paper is centered on an event or a person, you can talk about how that event or that person’s actions changed history. What would be different if that event hadn’t happened at all? What effects are we still going to feel years from now? How have that person’s actions (or inventions, or lack of action) affected our lives?

Pick Out Key Issues

An important part of the analytical research paper is determining the key issue or issues. In some cases these are easy to find, but in others you may have to look a little harder. You don’t want to miss a glaringly obvious point, which is why you will do extensive research. If you gather sufficient information, you will be able to choose the main points to analyze further.

Persuasive Research Papers

When you write a persuasive research paper, you attempt to persuade the reader to agree with you. This is an ideal type of research paper for those of you who like to debate.

Take a Position

In a persuasive research paper, you take a stand either for or against an idea or an issue. Usually you begin the paper by stating your position. This is commonly known as the thesis statement. Whole books have been written about how to write a thesis statement, but it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Basically, it should sum up, usually in one sentence but occasionally in two, what your paper is about and what you are trying to prove. The conclusion of your paper is a restatement of your main thesis, showing how you have proven it. Your entire paper supports your position and and attempts to convince others that you are right. Be very clear about which side you take in a persuasive paper. Your purpose is not to look at both sides, as you would in an analytical paper, but to prove that your side is correct.

Gather Arguments from Others

The research you gather for a persuasive paper reinforces your stance on the issues. You will uncover supporting arguments from other people and events that support your position. You also will uncover arguments against your position, which are just as important as those that support it, because they help you to clarify and refine your position.

For example, if your chosen topic were Are Commercial Trucks Making Our Highways Unsafe? you might take the position that truckers are driving too fast and not getting enough sleep. You would gather statistics on accidents involving commercial trucks, read through government regulations regarding time spent driving, and interview truck drivers, police, and accident victims. Though the accident victims might support your position, it is unlikely that all, if any, of the truck drivers would. However, their opinions and arguments would become part of a well-rounded discussion.

In some cases, you may not be able to find others who agree with your position. Maybe you are the first person to openly question something, or the first to disagree with the status quo. If this happens, your own arguments must be very strong. You must uncover concrete evidence to back up your case.

Add Your Own Arguments

Your own feelings about the issue lend further strength to the argument. You may have new ideas that no one else has presented previously. Christopher Columbus could have written a persuasive research paper for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to convince them that the earth was round. His conviction that he could sail around the world, backed up with his experience as a sailor and navigator, could have convinced them to finance his voyage. You won’t be expected to come up with anything quite so grandiose, but presenting something new and different is a vital aspect of your paper. You may have heard many references to thinking outside the box. This is exactly what you do when you write a persuasive research paper.

Present Your Case Persuasively

You need strong, well-developed arguments in order for your paper to be effective. State what you think, and then back it up with reasons why you think that way. Use examples that show the reader a real-world application of your position. Suppose your paper were about the effects of living near high-voltage power lines. Your position is that living in close proximity to these power lines causes many serious health problems. You could find some news stories or interview some residents in these areas to show concrete examples of the health problems people do experience when they live near high-voltage lines. Explain what evidence you have that leads you to believe you are right. It is not enough to explain how you feel or what you think. A reader, and your instructor, cannot be convinced of your position unless you demonstrate why you think the way you do.

In a persuasive research paper, you do not present both sides of a debate extensively; you present just the side you are defending. To do this, though, you have to outline the opposing side so the readers get a clear picture of what the other option is.

Stage an Imaginary Debate

In a real-life debate, someone would provide a rebuttal to your case no matter how well thought out it was. Your opponent would never simply hear you out and then say, Okay, you’re right! As you write your paper, try to imagine what a reasonable rebuttal would be. Which points could be attacked? Where are the weaknesses in your arguments? Think of objections that could be raised, and be ready to provide answers to them. Reinforce your points with more evidence or further ideas. You must leave readers with no doubt that you have provided a thorough argument for your case, even if the readers totally disagree with you.

The first step in writing a research paper is deciding what it will be all about. This is a vital step. Your paper will be a central thought in your mind for the next few weeks or months or however long you have to complete the assignment, so you want to make a wise choice. The steps outlined in this chapter will help you to choose a topic that both suits you and satisfies your instructor’s requirements.

Assigned Topics

In some cases your instructor assigns your topic to you. Rarely are these rigid topics. The very nature of research papers calls for some personalization, so usually you have some options within the topics provided. Occasionally the instructor provides a list of specific topics, and you choose from that list.

Choices Within the Assigned Topic

Sometimes an instructor assigns a general topic, but it is up to you to make a choice within that topic. For instance, the assignment could be to write a research paper about a composer from any time in history, which is a fairly broad topic. Suppose, for example, you chose Franz Liszt. Because this is a research paper, you still have many options within your topic. This is not a report, so you won’t just present a timeline of the events in his life or write about the various pieces of music he composed, though you will include some of that information so that readers who are not familiar with his life or his music can follow your paper. Perhaps in your research you learn that he was the first pianist who seemed to have a sort of celebrity status. You learn that women screamed and rushed the stage when he played. A good research paper topic would compare the fans of Franz Liszt back in the 1800s to those of today’s rock stars. From the initial general assignment of a research paper about a composer, you have chosen your own unique topic.

Make sure you know just how much choice you have within the assigned topic. Some instructors will let you do your paper on anything that is even remotely related to the assigned topic, while other instructors have much stricter guidelines. If in doubt, run your choice past your instructor for approval before you get too far into the project.

Be Unique

Although one of the reasons why instructors allow for some choices within a topic is because they want to avoid correcting a classful of research papers on the exact same topic, it is also to give you the opportunity to show your personality in your paper. Your choice of topics is a direct reflection of you, so try to narrow the topic to one that is unique to you. This is not just for your instructor’s sake. If you do your research paper on the same topic as do other students, your paper will be compared to theirs. A paper that is the only one on its particular topic will stand alone, and therefore will be marked on its own.

Brainstorming for Topics

If you have the opportunity to choose your own topic with no restrictions, the options can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, brainstorming can help you through your dilemma. If you use the steps outlined in the following sections, you will have a topic in no time.

Write Down All Your Ideas

The first step is to get comfortable. Sit down either with a full-sized piece of paper and a pen, or at the computer. Clear your mind and workspace of all distractions. Then, write down every conceivable topic that comes to you. The important thing now is to write down every one. Don’t do any editing right now. Write down the excellent ideas, the ridiculous ideas, the ones that seem too broad, and the ones that seem too difficult. Often, what you write down will bring to mind further related ideas. If you really allow the ideas to flow, you should be able to fill a