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Writing the Research Paper
Once you have completed your research and assembled your
resources, you are ready to begin the first draft of the paper:
| 1. |
|
|
REVIEW YOUR OUTLINE AND WORKING THESIS Determine
if you should make any changes to your plan, refining
your thesis, adding or deleting sources. |
| 2. |
|
|
FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF YOUR PAPER In most instances,
the goal of your research paper will be to analyze sources
and state an original thesis -- not simply summarize everything
you have found.
* Concentrate on your thesis and your ideas, not those
of others. |
| 3. |
|
|
CONSIDER APPROPRIATE MODES FOR DEVELOPING IDEAS
Although your goal may be to analyze or persuade, you
may find that some or all of the paper should be organized
using one or more of the other modes: comparison, narration,
or classification. A history paper outlining the development
of the Marshall Plan might be written as an analytical
narrative. You might use comparison and contrast to organize
a research paper discussing different methods of treating
a mental disorder. |
| 4. |
|
|
DEVELOP A STRONG INTRODUCTION & CONCLUSION The
opening of your paper should announce the topic, present
needed background information, clear up any possible misconceptions,
and explain your methods. The paper should end on a strong
note -- a memorable quotation or statistic, a prediction,
or final comment on the topic.
* You may find it easier to develop the introduction
and conclusion after completing the body of the paper. |
| 5. |
|
|
KEEP THE LENGTH OF THE PAPER IN MIND AS YOU WRITE
As you write you will probably come up with new ideas
or discover that it takes longer to fully explain items
on your outlines. If it seems that your ten page paper
will expand to fifteen or twenty pages -- narrow your
topic or discard secondary sources. |
| 6. |
|
|
COMMENT ON THE QUALITY OF SOURCES Evaluate your
sources as you introduce them into your paper, commenting
how statistics were gathered, a writer's possible bias,
or the limitations of a government study. |
| 7. |
|
|
USE QUOTATIONS SPARINGLY Do not feel obliged
to fill your paper with long blocks of quotations -- unless
they serve a key purpose and cannot be summarized. |
| 8. |
|
|
REFER TO YOUR THESIS AS YOU WRITE Make sure that
any new ideas you develop support your thesis and do not
stray from the goal of the paper. |
| 9. |
|
|
ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR FOR HELP IF YOU RUN INTO DIFFICULTIES. |
Return to top
From The
Sundance Reader, Third Edition, Web Site by Mark
Connelly.
|
