How To Write A Research Paper

A research paper demonstrates a student’s knowledge and understanding of a particular subject. Most students find it hard to write a good research paper. However, this should not be the case if they know how to structure the paper. Although the structure of the research paper is the most crucial part, the first step to writing an excellent paper is the research process. Research helps in many ways; first, it helps in understanding the subject. It also helps to formulate ideas for the paper, develop a thesis statement, and speak about the subject with confidence. 

During the research process, researchers are required to gather source materials and evaluate them. Some of the reliable information sources are Google Scholar, newspapers, online encyclopedias and databases, government publications and reports, and books. Students need to take notes as they review the discovered information to help organize their thoughts. A thorough research will spawn numerous ideas that can be put down in the research paper. A well-organized presentation will have a focus with a flow of thoughts; ensuring the paper’s success.

Once the researcher has defined the research question and found the relevant information, writing the paper becomes easier. A student will write a successful paper if they get the structure right. The basic structure of a research paper includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, and conclusion. The objectives addressed in each section are different. In the introduction, the researcher states the problem they want to address. The author explains the background of the research and says why it is important to ask the research question. The literature review part covers all the written publications relevant to the topic. It not only states what is lacking in the existing knowledge but also justifies the need for additional research to be done on the subject, placing the research within the current studies.

The methods section should be fairly detailed and concrete as it gives the readers the study methods used to reproduce the study. It describes the methods of data collection used, study setting, instruments, analysis strategies, and sampling strategy. Additionally, this section links research goals with the methodological strategies used. Results are another section of a research paper. It should be factual and straightforward; giving in detail all the results relating to the research question, including figures and percentages. 

Furthermore, it should also include tables and charts with essential data relating to the study conducted. After this section, there is a conclusion with several subdivisions; the main findings of the research, a discussion of the results concerning previous studies and the result’s policy implications, an analysis of the strengths and limitations of the study, and perspectives for future research. The conclusion section offers researchers freedom because there is no clear structure for the sub-sections, but following the subsections outlined above helps maintain a clear writing path.

Writing a research paper is easy if proper and detailed research is done and the paper is structured correctly. When writing the paper, the researcher should ensure all the relevant sections of the study are included, that is, the introduction, literature review, methodology, results, and conclusion.