RESEARCH PAPERS: WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY YOU MIGHT NEED HELP

When your professor announces that you will be writing a custom research paper, you will definitely hear the audible groan that will rise collectively from the class (unless of course your professor is a bit scary, then you might only think the groan!).

Why? Because a research paper is a lot of work, and to do one well, you need not only a lot of time, but a range of skills too.

WHAT IS A RESEARCH PAPER?

A research paper is a paper that presents the student’s own twist on the current understanding of a subject.

As the name suggests, it requires a lot of research. Custom research paper writing is a skill unlike what’s needed for any other academic paper.

You will need extremely good research skills to find the most academically accepted arguments. You will then need some logical thinking skills to decide whether or not you agree with those theories and why. You will need expert writing skills to present the paper in such a way as it doesn’t read like a simple rehashing of the facts (or someone else’s truth). And naturally, you will need to be able to effectively cite your sources.

A research paper isn’t the sort of assignment you can wing – you need credible sources and finding them isn’t always easy depending on your topic. You will need plenty of time – it’s not the sort of paper where you can wait until the deadline is urgent and write the paper in a couple of hours. You will need time to research, then time to completes several reviews of your research. And that’s before you even get on to the writing, editing and proofreading side of things.

HOW TO DO THE BEST CUSTOM RESEARCH

How deeply you need to research for your paper will largely depend on your academic level. For example, a high school research paper will be nowhere near as detailed as a doctoral paper, which in turn will be much more detailed than a college paper.

The trick to the research element of the paper is knowing where to look. You will find reams of information on various websites, but how reliable are they? For example, unless you want to be laughed at, you would never use a site like Wikipedia for a master’s degree source (probably best to avoid it even at an undergraduate level really).

If you’re at university, chances are, you were given a reading list. That could be a good place to start. Those books are there for more than just to pass the time until you graduate!

For the best custom research paper, find some research by a recognised academic in your field that isn’t as well known. It will show that you’ve dug deeper than the minimum requirement.

HOW TO WRITE THE PAPER

Once the research is complete and you have your notes and know what you want to talk about, that’s the hard part done right? Wrong.

Now you have to write the paper. You want to come across as someone who is qualified to talk about the subject which means you need to know it inside and out.

You have to present your research, along with your take on it in a cohesive way that gets across the information and sounds interesting too. You want someone reading the paper to take a legit interest in what you have to say.

You should start by outlining your key points. The main body of the paper should cover each of those points in detail; presenting the research and your thoughts (don’t forget to cite your sources!).

Once your first draft is complete, you can edit away. Re-write the paper cutting out filler words and irrelevant information. Keep it clear and concise. Finally, proofread the paper.