You should also use this time to revisit your thesis statement. As your paper develops, it is possible for it to shift away from the original focus that was established in the thesis statement. If this has happened, you should rewrite your thesis to match your paper more closely.
There are also proofreading services offered online that can help you determine the quality of your paper. These services are similar to grammar checkers, but you are working with a real person rather than a computer program. The proofreaders can offer notes and insight for your paper, allowing you to make those last-minute changes that you may have missed.
Once you have written your final draft and done a final grammar check, it is time for the last proofread. This is your last chance to find and correct any mistakes in your paper. Do not skip this step as even online grammar checkers can and do make mistakes. The checkers often miss simple mistakes that a human proofreader can easily spot.
Research papers are a simple fact of life for high school and college students alike. No one likes writing them, but they serve to further educate students on the subject matter. Writing a successful research paper can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Several universal steps can be followed when writing any research paper. By following these steps, you ensure that the final product is high-quality and sure to impress your teacher as well as get you a good grade.
3 Write Your Final Draft
The next step in any research paper is the actual research. When researching a topic, it is important to get your information from good sources, not junk websites. Anyone can make a website and publish anything they want and claim it is true. This is why it is up to you to filter out the junk from the factual.
When proofreading your final paper, have a paper copy and a red pen. Use then red pen to mark any errors in the paper. You want to grade your paper in the same way that your teacher is going to. This can give you the best insight into your grade, as well as help you identify errors that you may have missed otherwise. When proofreading a paper, it is best to follow a checklist. The checklist allows you to make sure that you have not overlooked anything before you turn in your paper. It is easy to overlook certain items in the paper, especially by the time you get to the final proofread, so a checklist can help keep you on track.
When researching your topic, be sure to watch out for poor quality sources. Be particularly wary of bold statements made without any proof. If you cannot find anything corroborating it, dismiss the source as unreliable. While Wikipedia is never an acceptable source, the sources used in the articles can be. If you use Wikipedia for research and want to source it, simply use the sources mentioned in the entry. The sources are always listed at the bottom of the page.
Your first draft should allow the paper to flow more naturally than your outline. It is acceptable for you to change directions when going from one section to another drastically. The same is true for paragraphs, so long as they are on the same subject. It is important that your sentence structure flow naturally, however.
If you are in a class that requires a research paper on something you’re not interested in, then at least write the paper on something that will benefit you in the future. For example, if you are in an economics class and have to write a paper, but find economics incredible boring, try writing the paper on how to make a budget, or current economic events in your country.
The first, and arguably most important, step to writing a research paper is deciding on the topic. Of course, if your professor gives you your topic, that makes things much easier, but usually you will not be that lucky.
At this point, you have your question and are educated on the topic. The rest of the process should be easy. All you have to do now is show your professor that you know what you are talking about in an organized fashion.
Before you write a single word of your paper, you need to educate yourself on the topic. A good place to start your research is online. Avoid websites that can be easily edited by the public, as well as any social media sites. The best online sources have references for all of the information. The websites of established research journals will also have good information, as well as websites run by professors. Another good place to do your research is university or college libraries. Most schools offer temporary library cards to high school students. These libraries offer much more information than your local public libraries, so take advantage of this if possible.
2. The Question
Before you begin teaching students how to research, outline what strong research looks like. You might consider these questions:
A feeling I always hated as a student was the unknown. Sure, part of the learning process is not knowing everything and making mistakes. I, as the teacher, don’t want to be the source of frustration though. I never want students to wander down a path that won’t advance them toward our end goal: a well-researched paper. Part of teaching research skills to high school students is providing clear expectations.
I cover grammar with students (all year), and I always make the connection for them to implement those lessons. Teaching students to write a research paper requires some focus on writing skills. Primarily, students will work on strong verbs and syntax.
Often, I turn the basics of research into a writing mini lesson. Modeling ethical research is a very specific part of ELA classes. I understand that other classes require research and that parents might teach research skills as well. Still, to have a functioning society, students must view resources with critical eyes. Teaching students how to write a research paper includes clear guidelines for research and one-on-one conferencing.
Research overview
All parts of an ELA classroom fit together like puzzle pieces, and when teaching research papers, that neatly assembled puzzle sits on display. By giving students clear expectations, you are ready to guide them through ethical research and through strengthening their writing. Teaching the research paper is a large task, so you should know what you want to accomplish.
Sentence structure is also part of teaching students how to write a research paper because the information must be factual. Sometimes students report information incorrectly, and sometimes, their sentence structure is to blame. Focus on a return to simple syntax for ethical research, and then work on sentence diversity if possible.
Students possess strong verbs in their vocabularies. Sometimes in writing, humans get lazy, myself included. Every verb is a linking verb, and every sentence reads subject + linking verb + predicate adjective. (Nothing is wrong with a linking verb, but students should break from the mold.) When I see that a paper can be improved with strong verbs, we conference about ways to improve the verbs without thesaurus abuse.
When you write a research paper, you are basing it off an initial question, which will be the title of your paper. This question should give the reader a general idea of what the focus of the paper will be. For example, instead of writing your paper on “Flavors of ice cream,” write it on “What are the preferred flavors of ice cream among a focus group?” Instead of “Elephant behaviors,” write it on “What are the normal behaviors of African elephants during the African dry season?”
Of course, not all research papers are the same. You may feel the need to combine your discussion and conclusion, or have the topic of your paper not be formatted as a question. Always look to your teacher if you have a specific question about the format of your paper, and if your topic is acceptable. Other than that, these steps to writing a research paper will get you on the right track!
The first, and arguably most important, step to writing a research paper is deciding on the topic. Of course, if your professor gives you your topic, that makes things much easier, but usually you will not be that lucky.
Most people do not write research papers for fun. So, in order to make this assignment easier on you, select a topic that you enjoy. For example, if the paper is for an English class and your favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird, write it on that. If your favorite animal is giraffes and the paper is for a biology class, write it on the behaviors of giraffes.
2. The Question
Starting as early as middle school, students are writing research papers. The first time your teacher asks you to write a research paper, you might have no clue where to start. This article will give you systematic instructions for writing a research paper.
- Introduction: State your question, introduce your argument (if you have one), mention some of your sources, and give the reader a general idea of what the paper will be about
- Background: Explain all of the general knowledge you gained about this topic (this should be multiple paragraphs)
- Method: Only include this if you performed an experiment in order to gain information for your paper — list all of the steps you took in your experiment
- Results/analysis: Same as above, only include this if you performed an experiment — include data or charts and any statistical analysis
- Argument: Only include this if your paper is argumentative — present your standpoint on the topic and explain why you think you are correct
- Discussion: If your paper is based off an experiment, explain your results
Worried about an upcoming writing assignment? Here, Tampa, FL tutor Anna M. reviews the steps to writing a research paper that will help you earn an “A”…
A good topic will:
• Be interesting to you
• Be relevant to your class
• Have several legitimate sources related to itEven after teaching for a decade, I sometimes overwhelm myself with this duty. I handle teaching research papers with these three ideas in my mind.
Providing students with a sustainable foundation is a humbling responsibility. Teachers know that teaching students how to write a research paper is important. While teaching students how to research, I share those sentiments with them. I want students to know I take research seriously, and my expectation is that they will as well. My research paper lesson plans take into account the seriousness of ethical research.
Teaching research papers with high school students? Teaching students how to write a research paper is an important part of an ELA class. Here are guidelines to make this writing unit a success.
What do you focus on with when teaching research papers? Read how Melissa from Reading and Writing Haven differentiates when teaching research writing.
Writing overview
Sentence structure is also part of teaching students how to write a research paper because the information must be factual. Sometimes students report information incorrectly, and sometimes, their sentence structure is to blame. Focus on a return to simple syntax for ethical research, and then work on sentence diversity if possible.
Ask students to pick their least favorite paragraph in a research paper and to highlight every verb. Chances are, they are not conveying their message because of weak verbs. Help them turn the predicate adjectives into verbs or think of an action that will convey their meaning. Additionally as you continue teaching students how to research, you’ll cross strong verbs in research. Point out those verbs to students.
Just as every sentence shouldn’t contain a linking verb, not every sentence should be a simple sentence. Sentence syntax takes practice, and often teamwork! Ask students to provide a sentence that needs improvement. Break the sentence down into phrases and clauses. (If it is a simple sentence, ask for another sentence to attach.) What is the best arrangement? What is the student’s goal? Would a conjunctive adverb lead readers to a conclusion? What if a subordinating conjunction started the sentence, or, should the dependent clause come second in the complex sentence? Play with the language of students’ papers! By connecting grammar to writing, you have empowered students to improve their writing.