Writing a research paper in the UK is no more a major challenge as we are facilitating many students with proper guidance to write one.
In this article, we’ve prepared a step-by-step guide for writing a research paper, categorically meant for students instead of professional researchers. Though a few steps could be inapplicable for your specific assignment, consider this to be more of a general guideline to stay on track.
- Know Your Assignment
We have observed that many students begin their research papers without even reading the assignment guidelines. That’s why, at the very outset, review the assignment and properly read the writing prompt. Look for technical requirements in particular, like length, formatting requirements, and citation style. Concentrate on the particulars, for example, if you have to write an abstract or include a cover page.
- Select Your Topic
The student has to decide on the topic of their choice in open-ended assignments. Though it may appear quite easy, selecting a topic happens to be the most important decision to make while writing a research paper, as it determines everything that follows.
To choose a topic for a research paper you should prioritize whether it will provide sufficient content and substance for a complete research paper. Select a topic with sufficient data and complexity for an enriching discussion. Avoid general topics and opt for topics specific enough to cover all the relevant information without cutting too much.
- Collect Data from Preliminary Research
The sooner you begin researching, the better. Clarify your topic and prepare your thesis statement to find the available research for your topic at the earliest. Initial research can help eliminate all myths you have about the topic and reveal the best paths and approaches to gather extra material.
Usually, you can either collect sources online or in a library. While searching online, ensure that you use credible sources such as academic papers or science journals.
- Write a Thesis Statement
Based on your findings in your preliminary research, write a thesis statement that summarizes what your research paper will be about. Being the first sentence in your paper, introduce your reader to the topic.
A thesis statement is the best answer to begin a research paper. Apart from making your reader prepared, the thesis statement makes it convenient for other researchers as well to assess if your paper is useful for their research. Similarly, read the thesis statements of other research papers to decide their utility.
- Determine Supporting Evidence
At this stage of writing an academic research paper, it’s time to settle down for the basic research. Go through all the resources collected earlier and figure out the particular information you wish to use in your paper.
Usually, you find your supporting evidence by reading each source and taking notes. Mark the information that’s exclusively relevant to your topic. Write down page numbers, not just to find the information later, but also because you require them for your citations in the future.
- Write The Outline
Apart from informal essays, research papers necessitate a methodical and systematic structure to ensure that all issues are addressed, and to make outlines particularly important.
Initially, you need to prepare a list of all the important categories and subtopics to be covered. Consider all the accumulated information while compiling your supporting evidence and find the best way to separate and categorize everything.
Finalize the best order to present the information. When you find that your information is too straightforward, then we suggest taking a chronological approach and presenting the information in the order it took place.
If you can break your outline into paragraphs, then this helps you stay organized when you have a lot of information to cover, especially as a beginner. You also enjoy greater control over the flow and direction of the research paper.
- Write the First Draft
After completing your outline, you should start writing your research paper. This happens to be the longest and most involved step. However, if you’ve properly prepared your sources and written a detailed outline, everything should run smoothly.
The beginning can be confusing when you don’t know how to write an introduction for a research paper. So, it’s important to write your thesis statement beforehand. Start with your thesis statement and then fill out the rest of your introduction with the secondary information.
The details should be in the body of your research paper, which comes next. It contains the bulk of your research paper. Unlike the best essay writing services in the UK., we recommend that research papers should divide the body into sections with different headers to make browsing and scanning easier. Utilize the divisions in your outline as a guide.
- Cite Correct Sources
Citing your sources validates your data as well as links your research paper to the greater scientific community. Due to their significance, citations must follow specific formatting rules, though there’s more than a single set of rules!
- Edit and Proofread
Finally, go through your research paper to rectify all the mistakes by proofreading. Our recommendation is to revise it twice. First, it should be for structural issues like adding/deleting parts or rearranging paragraphs. Secondly, it should be for word choice, grammatical, and spelling mistakes. Two different editing sessions will help you focus on a specific area at a time rather than doing them both at once.
Conclusion
The above guideline has helped a lot of our students. If you wish to be another lucky student, then get in touch with us.