RESEARCH PAPER

Writing a Research Paper

English

The purpose of a research paper is, quite simply, to present an investigation and inquiry into a question, answering it with detailed, substantiated information. Research paper writing is an individual investigation carried out on a topic of specific interest, unless specifically assigned by a teacher. It is not a one-hour task. The idea, topic, and the sources have to be researched and selected accurately and agreed upon with the tutor. Before writing a research paper, decide whether you are going to persuade or to examine. According to the goal you choose, a research paper has to be either analytical and informative or argumentative.

There will come a time in most students' careers when they are assigned a research paper. Such an assignment often creates a great deal of unneeded anxiety in the student, which may result in procrastination and a feeling of confusion and inadequacy. This anxiety frequently stems from the fact that many students are unfamiliar and inexperienced with this genre of writing. Never fear—inexperience and unfamiliarity are situations you can change through practice! Writing a research paper is an essential aspect of academics, and should not be avoided on account of one's anxiety. In fact, the process of writing a research paper can be one of the more rewarding experiences one may encounter in academics. What is more, many students will continue to do research throughout their careers, which is one of the reasons this topic is so important. (Graff 2006: 49)

A research paper is the culmination and final product of an involved process of research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and composition. It is, perhaps, helpful to think of the research paper as a living thing, which grows and changes as the student explores, interprets, and evaluates sources related to a specific topic. Primary and secondary sources are the heart of a research paper, and provide its nourishment; without the support of and interaction with these sources, the research paper would morph into a different genre of writing (e.g., an encyclopedic article). The research paper serves not only to further the field in which it is written, but also to provide the student with an exceptional opportunity to increase her knowledge in that field. It is also possible to identify a research paper by what it is not.

A research paper is not simply an informed summary of a topic by means of primary and secondary ...