Writing research papers
College is an exciting time, filled with all kinds of challenges and experiences that will shape your future as an adult. Along with the challenges come papers, papers, and more papers. Some might call it torture; you call it an opportunity to prove yourself to teachers and future employers. No matter how you look at it, college papers can be challenging to write, especially if you don’t know what to focus on when crafting your paper’s introduction, main body, and conclusion! Here are seven tips that will help you ace your college papers as it helps me write my research paper.
1) Start Early
The earlier you start, the more time you have to work on your essay and make it perfect. Start by doing research. Identify a topic that interests you and do your best to be as knowledgeable about it as possible. Next, write an outline for your paper, make sure to include a thesis statement in the first paragraph which will state the main argument of your paper. Finally, once you feel confident in your outline and know what information is going into each paragraph, start writing!
2) Do Your Research
Carry out a research paper, but be sure to take the time to find sources that will help you develop your argument and make your paper credible. Make sure that all of your sources are from credible publications. Ensure that you’re citing your sources correctly. Double-check for grammatical errors before turning in your final draft. Edit Your Paper: Once your final draft is complete, go back through it again and edit it for any grammar or spelling mistakes
3) Know Your Audience
Your audience will be your professor and fellow students. Another helpful tip is to ask your professor or TA before submitting a paper for review whether you are meeting the expectations for the assignment. If there is anything unclear, feel free to ask questions. And don’t forget that there’s no shame in using references from other students if they can help with understanding the material!
4) Create an Outline
Creating an outline before you start to write your paper will help you stay on track and get your paper done faster. You want to organize the ideas in your head so that they are easy to put onto paper. One way to do this is by writing a thesis statement, or a one sentence summary of the main point of your essay. You can also make an outline with bullet points for each point you want to discuss in your paper.
5) Write a First Draft
Your first draft should include all your ideas. You can always go back and edit later. This also gives you a chance to get your thoughts down on paper, which helps with the process of revision because it is much easier to cut unnecessary information if it’s not there in the first place. Revise As You Go: There are many great editing resources out there like Grammarly that help you fix errors as you write rather than having to fix them after you finish writing a paper.
6) Edit & Revise
Editing your paper will ensure that it is the best it can be, and a good way to start is by reading your work aloud. Reading aloud can help you hear any unnecessary words, and make it easier to find places where you need more detail or support. The first step of editing your paper should always be proofreading; this process will catch any typos and grammatical errors that may have been missed in your initial draft. You can also use tools like Grammarly to do some of the heavy lifting for you!
7) Get Feedback
Feedback is important in writing, so talk to your professor or TA. Ask them if they would be willing to take a look at your paper and give you feedback. If they agree, ask what types of comments they might want you to incorporate into the paper. Make sure that you make all changes that are asked for before handing it back in so that the professor will have time to review it before the due date.
