Brainstorming & Preliminary Research
A research paper is an academic piece of writing that involves discussion and argumentation aimed at extracting certain findings. It involves an analysis of other researches as well as the writer’s experiments. Today this write-up is going to be about an ultimate guide to writing effective research papers. However, you can also consult an essay writing service in this regard. Many platforms are operating online.
Learning techniques and skills related to research papers are highly important. Research papers are an integral part of an educational career. So, we are going to proceed step by step. It is suggested that students focus on each step carefully and note down essential details. Without proper note-taking, students tend to forget things.
First of all, you should always pay attention to the rubric and instructions given by your course instructor. For instance, they include font size, cover page requirement, citation style, spacing, and research topics. Not paying heed to the rubric spoils your hard work and dedication.
You should always make plans regarding your academic activities. Due to the immense workload, students can not submit assignments on time. The same goes for a research paper. Certain mobile applications can help you manage your workload and plan everything. Research paper takes quite a long time, so it should be started after thorough planning.
Now that you have planned everything, it is time for some hard brainstorming. You should just take a sheet of paper and write down all the relevant details that come to your mind. The details are regarding the exact research topic, the reference material, methodology, and some questions that you might have. In addition, it is better to check out online sources for your initial research. You can also take help from an essay writer.
After thorough brainstorming and preliminary research, you should narrow down your thoughts on a single research question. That would be the center of your research. However, you can have another research question under your sleeve if the first one does not go ahead. Here are some examples of research questions:
- How did the military-industrial complex influence the global dominance of the US?
- What are the legal flaws in the UN Charter?
- How are social relations influenced by modern technology?
- Why is there a need for more renewable energy projects?
Some students do not appreciate the value of the outline. The outline is highly necessary for writing a research paper. It helps you keep track of your thoughts. Moreover, an outline enables you to be an organized academic writer. Keeping in mind all the requirements, make a comprehensive outline. It should include everything from introduction, literature review, methods, findings, and conclusion.
Now that you are done with the basics, this is the time to turn to some intellectual pursuit. You can visit online libraries or google scholar to do thorough research for your paper. When you come across scholarly works, just go through the abstract, introduction, and findings. Take a note of all the works that are relevant to your study.
Before citing your sources, it is better to know different citation styles. Some students mix up citation styles which leaves a very bad impression at the end. It is advised that you visit online guides for learning citation techniques. However, you can also consult an expert essay writer to help you out. It takes some burden off your shoulders.
Students should especially know the techniques of in-text citation. Some famous citation styles are APA, MLA, AMA, Chicago, and Harvard. However, it always depends on the rubric.
While writing the first draft, you ought to pay attention to good writing techniques, proper grammar, and relevant transitions. While writing, you might feel the need to add some more sources. Along with peer-reviewed sources, you can also add government statistics and news reports. However, it is reiterated that you pay attention to the directions issued by the instructor.
After you are done with your first draft, you should take some time to edit it. Editing is done for the purpose of refinement. If you feel that some essential details have been left out, then you should add them. On the other hand, if you think that there are some additional or irrelevant details, then you should remove them.
After you have gone through your paper, try to have a second opinion on it. It is wise to get your draft reviewed by a friend or a senior. This always helps because sometimes your personal biases take away the objectivity of the research.
After going through all the hard work, it is time to develop the final draft. It would not be much different but there is always a space for improvement. Make adjustments related to sentence structure, citation style, and grammatical errors in the final draft. Some online tools can help you in terms of sentence structure and grammar.
Academic writing is an art. When I was instructed to write my essay, I found it quite difficult. Thus, I took some online platforms. Writing a research paper requires focus, diligence, and a certain skill set. If you do not follow the academic rules, you will not get a good score. In addition, objectivity is the essential feature of all research papers. You should stay true to your research and remove all the biases that might hinder your findings.
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