A research paper is one of the most common types of papers given out in high school, college and university. They are meant to demonstrate a student’s knowledge of a subject, as well as their ability to write eloquently and cite resources properly.
Before You Write
Researching is the most important element of writing a research paper. You need to use proper sources from books, online references, academic journals and encyclopedias. The sources will vary depending on the subject area and the grade level.
After you have gathered your research and created an outline, you need to get to work writing the paper.
This is where the rules come in.
The Five Rules of Writing a Research Paper
There are five standard rules one must remember when actually writing the paper.
The first is, always use third person point of view. Avoid opinions such as “I think” or indications such as “You will see.”
Second of all, remember to use full words rather than contractions. For example, instead of “can’t” use “cannot”.
Third, check for grammatical errors such as incorrect diction, run-on sentences, lack of parallelism, misused words, and so forth. This is extremely important, as it is very easy to
change the intended meaning with only one incorrect word.
Fourth, many teachers prefer that you do not overuse the verb “to be”. This may seem impossible, but instead of consistently using “is” and “was” use different verbs such as “appears” and “seems”. Or, change your sentence around so you do not even need the verb “to be.” For example, “Charles Dickens is a novelist. He was born in England. He is one of the most read writers in the world.” can be switched to “Hailed as one of the most read writers in the world, novelist Charles Dickens began his life in England.”
And finally, check for spelling. This seems quite basic; however, it is surprising how many spelling errors are missed by both students and computer spellcheckers.
Additional Rules to the Perfect Research Paper
The best way to make sure all paragraphs flow smoothly without any grammatical or spelling mistakes is to proofread. Swap papers with another student to get another set of eyes on the paper. There is nothing worse than losing a mark because of the wrong “there.”
It is also important to ensure that your research paper contains the necessary documents. First, there should be a title page, which includes the title, the student’s name, the date, the course and any additional information that the teacher requests. Next will be the actual research paper, numbered for convenience. And, finally, there should be a works cited or a references page, depending on the citing format required.
No one ever said that writing a research paper would be simple. However, it can be made easier and even fun if one knows the basic rules involved.
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