“Every great journey begins with taking a first step, and for beginners in the realm of academic writing, the first step is to understand the basic steps to craft a well-researched paper.” 

What is a research paper? 

An academic piece of writing that is based on extensive analysis, arguments, and interpretations after conducting in-depth independent research is called a research paper. This paper not only showcases your writing skills but is also designed to access your research skills in your academic journey.  

Now, just imagine the satisfaction of presenting your work with confidence backed by effective and logical arguments along with proper research. In this step-by-step guide, you will be able to navigate the secrets of writing a compelling and insightful research paper. 

Steps to write a well-researched paper

For beginners, it can be a daunting task to draft a well-researched academic paper. However, our general step-by-step guidance will ensure that you will be able to produce a high-quality paper. Follow these steps to improve your research paper writing.  

1: Understand the Assignment 

Before starting a research paper, it is necessary to thoroughly understand the assignment task sheet to grasp the requirements.  

• Read the task sheet twice and clarify it with your professors if you have any confusion. 
• Identify the keywords, and write down goals, deadlines, length specifications, word limits, formatting, and submission methods.  
• Make a checklist of key points to cover all aspects of the assignment.  

After these pointers, make proper time to ensure that you research, draft, edit, write, and submit your work within the expected timeframe. 

2: Select your topic 

Whenever you are about to start a research paper, it is important to begin with a topic that aligns with your interest. There are several ways to generate an idea, either by brainstorming or discussing with fellows/professors, or gaining inspiration from others.  

However, your idea should not be a broad topic because it will lack proper argumentation. It is always recommended to narrow down and aim for ideas that are original, relevant to the assignment, and specific.  

For example

(i) “Role of Climate Change in the World”

This is a broad topic as it does not specify the particular impact it has on our planet. You should narrow it down to a specific region or aspect to conduct meaningful research. 

(ii) “Role of Carbon Emissions in melting Artic glaciers”

This is a good research topic as it bolts down a specific region and addresses a critical aspect of climate change. 

3: Conduct preliminary research 

To familiarize yourself with the topic, start your work by conducting some preliminary research. Enlist the questions that you have in your mind regarding your topic and find their answers to ensure a thorough understanding of the topic.  

Use primary and secondary sources like textbooks, journals, books, and reputable websites to gain a broad understanding. However, it is essential that your paper should not be biased but backed by logical arguments.   

To begin writing your research paper, try to follow the rule of How/What/Why. For example, ask yourself the following questions: 

• What are the impacts or consequences of your topic on society or whatever? 
• How is your topic relevant to the contemporary world? 
• Are there any recent developments or heated arguments relevant to your topic? 
• Do you have any unique take on your topic and what are the gaps in your topic? 
• Why is your topic debatable and what makes it unique? 

4: Develop a Thesis Statement 

A thesis statement is the central argument that establishes the purpose of your essay. It mostly included in the introductory paragraph, and it is a concise yet clear idea about the arguments in your essay. Your thesis statement should include the evidence and must be specific and debatable.  

It is advisable to draft your thesis but finalize it after you are done with your essay. Because your thesis statement must support each idea and the central argument of your essay. Therefore, you can edit and revise your thesis after completion of your work. 

For example

(i) Climate Change affects the environment, economy, and society in various ways. 

This statement is vague and too broad. 

(ii) The rising levels of CO2 due to human activities like the burning of fuels have caused severe heat waves, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise, posing a threat to both the global environment and society. 

This statement is specific and presents a clear argument. 

Continue reading to know the major points that will make your research paper a compelling piece of writing.  

However, if you are still struggling, you can use our academic research service and expert guidance to excel in your academic journey and refine your research skills.  

5: Create a Proper Outline 

Organizing your ideas and then creating an outline for an entire essay is the most crucial step for writing a well-researched paper. This outline will serve as a roadmap for your writing.  

Divide your outline into sections and then enlist your arguments or ideas accordingly. It is not important to always start with an introduction when crafting a draft or making an outline, rather it is advised to start writing down the ideas as they come to your mind naturally and then add them to your particular section.  

You can polish your first draft after some clear understanding of the logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences. Then after editing your second draft, work on your final draft for a well-polished research paper.  

Pro Tip:

Never lose or delete large chunks of your researched material or ideas that you find irrelevant or unfit for your paper, instead move them to a different document because you never know if you might need it later.  

6: Gather Research Material 

While finalizing your drafts, it is always important to dive deeper into the research by collecting information from credible sources like journals, websites, newspapers, magazines, books, or articles. Make sure that your research material is credible and relevant to your website. 

But don’t forget to cite your resources. Citation will help you to prevent plagiarism in your paper and enhance your credibility. To get free citations for your work, you can check out our citation generator and make your paper free from any sort of plagiarism.  

7: Structure your Essay 

Well, after collecting enough relevant information, the main task is to properly write your essay with clarity. Structure your essay by dividing it into several paragraphs. Each paragraph must contain a topic sentence and make sure every single paragraph mentions a unique idea or argument with logical reasoning or evidence. 

For Example

(i) Renewable energy is eco-friendly, and we should use it. 

This is a bad argument in a paragraph. 

(ii) Renewable resources like wind and solar power are vital for future sustainability because they are best for mitigating climate change and reducing pollution.  

These arguments are logical and well-structured. 

8: Write Compelling Introduction 

Introduction is the building block of your essay because it is your chance to grab the attention of your reader. Your introduction must mention your thesis statement and introduce your topic. It should be short but informative enough that right after reading it, the reader must know. 

• What is your topic about?  
• Why is your argument worth reading?  
• How are you going to build your essay logically?  

9: Craft Body Paragraphs 

This is where your outline will help you to organize your data. Each Body paragraph should discuss a unique idea and if similar ideas are going to be discussed in two different paragraphs, make sure to change the approach to present similar ideas in two different perspectives.  

Your body paragraphs must support your thesis statement, and arguments with evidence, analysis, logic, and have a concluding sentence. 

Lastly, ensure a smooth transition between paragraphs to maintain the flow of your essay, making it easy for a reader to understand and grasp your idea. 

Pro Tip

One way to ensure a smooth transition between paragraphs is by using connecting words or transition words like however, Although, Since, Nevertheless, etc.  

You can explore our proofreading service to excel in your piece of writing. Our experts can guide you throughout your essay by keeping the originality of your ideas and maintaining academic integrity.  

10: Write the Conclusion 

This final step of writing your essay should include the entire summary of your main points and a restatement of your thesis. You can end it with a rhetorical question but never try to answer it in the concluding statement. Moreover, avoid introducing new ideas in your conclusion but rather focus on proving your thesis statement.  

However, to prevent any sort of accidental plagiarism after completing your research paper, cite your paper well. Our citation generator will help you to organize and properly cite your research sources in any format. 

11: Review and edit your paper 

Most people skip this part and lose the chance to make their paper a compelling piece of writing. Always review and edit your paper after a day of writing your final draft.  But why is reviewing an essay essential? 

• It helps with clarity, coherence, and logical flow.  
• It helps you to track whether your paper still answers the assignment and proves your thesis or central arguments.  
• It helps you to avoid unnecessary information by removing it. 
• It helps to detect any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.  
• It helps you to verify that your citations are properly formatted. 

Also, you might encounter that the best ideas will come into your mind while editing your final draft and then you make them part of your writing. 

Therefore, the goal of reviewing or proofreading is to articulate your essay. Skyline Academic can help you in the editing process with our best editing and Proofreading service to structure your essay with a proper format and make it error-free. 

12: Submit your Paper 

After going through all the above-mentioned steps, you are only left with your submission. Just follow the guidelines of your assignment and format your essay in the expected way. Then hit the submission button and you are good to go.  

But wait, never forget to check for any accidental plagiarism in your work. Your work must be original. Therefore, we provide you with the best service for not only detecting traditional plagiarism but also AI-generated and ChatGPT-generated content using advanced AI and Plagiarism tools.  

Explore our tool and get your paper’s report now! 

If you are looking for quick access to the research paper outline, here is the step-by-step guidance provided:

Conclusion

Writing a well-researched paper is a challenging process. This demands proper time and research to make your paper a strong academic writing. Follow the above-discussed steps of crafting a well-researched paper and never forget to edit it to elevate your writing.  

Lastly, seek assistance to excel in your academic endeavors. This is where Skyline Academic comes in handy and improves your writing, maintaining the originality of your thoughts.