What to Write My Research Paper on Text

Jonathan Friesen - Writing Coach

This handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding sources. Writing a research paper the research paper 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 mdash 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.

What is more, many students will continue to do research throughout their careers, which is one of the reasons this topic is so important. Becoming an experienced researcher and writer in any field or discipline takes a great deal of practice. Remember, even the most seasoned academic veterans have had to learn how to write a research paper at some point in their career. Therefore, with diligence, organization, practice, a willingness to learn and to make mistakes! , and, perhaps most important of all, patience, a student will find that she can achieve great things through her research and writing. This handout will include the following sections related to the process of writing a research paper: genre this section will provide an overview for understanding the difference between an analytical and argumentative research paper. Choosing a topic this section will guide the student through the process of choosing topics, whether the topic be one that is assigned or one that the student chooses himself.

Write My Essay for Money

Choosing a topic this section will guide the student through the process of choosing topics, whether the topic be one that is assigned or one that the student chooses himself. Identifying an audience this section will help the student understand the often times confusing topic of audience by offering some basic guidelines for the process. Where do i begin this section concludes the handout by offering several links to resources at purdue, and also provides an overview of the final stages of writing a research paper. 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. 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.

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. A research paper is not simply an informed summary of a topic by means of primary and secondary sources. It is neither a book report nor an opinion piece nor an expository essay consisting solely of one's interpretation of a text nor an overview of a particular topic. Instead, it is a genre that requires one to spend time investigating and evaluating sources with the intent to offer interpretations of the texts, and not unconscious regurgitations of those sources. The goal of a research paper is not to inform the reader what others have to say about a topic, but to draw on what others have to say about a topic and engage the sources in order to thoughtfully offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand.

The goal of a research paper is not to inform the reader what others have to say about a topic, but to draw on what others have to say about a topic and engage the sources in order to thoughtfully offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand. Argumentative research paper: the argumentative research paper consists of an introduction in which the writer clearly introduces the topic and informs his audience exactly which stance he intends to take this stance is often identified as the thesis statement. An important goal of the argumentative research paper is persuasion, which means the topic chosen should be debatable or controversial. For example, it would be difficult for a student to successfully argue in favor of the following stance.

For example, it would be difficult for a student to successfully argue in favor of the following stance. Cigarette smoking poses medical dangers and may lead to cancer for both the smoker and those who experience secondhand smoke. Perhaps 25 years ago this topic would have been debatable however, today, it is assumed that smoking cigarettes is, indeed, harmful to one's health. Although it has been proven that cigarette smoking may lead to sundry health problems in the smoker, the social acceptance of smoking in public places demonstrates that many still do not consider secondhand smoke as dangerous to one's health as firsthand smoke. In this sentence, the writer is not challenging the current accepted stance that both firsthand and secondhand cigarette smoke is dangerous rather, she is positing that the social acceptance of the latter over the former is indicative of a cultural double standard of sorts. The student would support this thesis throughout her paper by means of both primary and secondary sources, with the intent to persuade her audience that her particular interpretation of the situation is viable. Analytical research paper: the analytical research paper often begins with the student asking a question a.k.a. He has read the poem intently and desires to offer a fresh reading of the poem to the academic community.

He has read the poem intently and desires to offer a fresh reading of the poem to the academic community. How should one interpret the poem beowulf ? his research may lead him to the following conclusion. Beowulf is a poem whose purpose it was to serve as an exemplum of heterodoxy for tenth and eleventh century monastic communities. Though his topic may be debatable and controversial, it is not the student's intent to persuade the audience that his ideas are right while those of others are wrong. Instead, his goal is to offer a critical interpretation of primary and secondary sources throughout the paper sources that should, ultimately, buttress his particular analysis of the topic. The following is an example of what his thesis statement may look like once he has completed his research. Though beowulf is often read as a poem that recounts the heroism and supernatural exploits of the protagonist beowulf, it may also be read as a poem that served as an exemplum of heterodoxy for tenth and eleventh century monastic communities found in the danelaw. This statement does not negate the traditional readings of beowulf instead, it offers a fresh and detailed reading of the poem that will be supported by the student's research.

This statement does not negate the traditional readings of beowulf instead, it offers a fresh and detailed reading of the poem that will be supported by the student's research. It is typically not until the student has begun the writing process that his thesis statement begins to take solid form. In fact, the thesis statement in an analytical paper is often more fluid than the thesis in an argumentative paper. Such is one of the benefits of approaching the topic without a predetermined stance.

Such is one of the benefits of approaching the topic without a predetermined stance. Choosing a topic the first step of any research paper is for the student to understand the assignment. If this is not done, the student will often travel down many dead end roads, wasting a great deal of time along the way. Do not hesitate to approach the instructor with questions if there is any confusion. A clear understanding of the assignment will allow you to focus on other aspects of the process, such as choosing a topic and identifying your audience. A student will often encounter one of two situations when it comes to choosing a topic for a research paper. The first situation occurs when the instructor provides a list of topics from which the student may choose. These topics have been deemed worthy by the instructor therefore, the student should be confident in the topic he chooses from the list.

These topics have been deemed worthy by the instructor therefore, the student should be confident in the topic he chooses from the list. Many first time researchers appreciate such an arrangement by the instructor because it eliminates the stress of having to decide upon a topic on their own. However, the student may also find the topics that have been provided to be limiting moreover, it is not uncommon for the student to have a topic in mind that does not fit with any of those provided. If this is the case, it is always beneficial to approach the instructor with one's ideas. Be respectful, and ask the instructor if the topic you have in mind would be a possible research option for the assignment. Remember, as a first time researcher, your knowledge of the process is quite limited the instructor is experienced, and may have very precise reasons for choosing the topics she has offered to the class. If she likes the topic, great! if not, do not take it personally and choose the topic from the list that seems most interesting to you.

Write My Essay Zucchini

If she likes the topic, great! if not, do not take it personally and choose the topic from the list that seems most interesting to you. The second situation occurs when the instructor simply hands out an assignment sheet that covers the logistics of the research paper, but leaves the choice of topic up to the student. Typically, assignments in which students are given the opportunity to choose the topic require the topic to be relevant to some aspect of the course so, keep this in mind as you begin a course in which you know there will be a research paper near the end. Do not be anxious on account of a perceived lack of authority or knowledge about the topic chosen.

Do not be anxious on account of a perceived lack of authority or knowledge about the topic chosen. Instead, realize that it takes practice to become an experienced researcher in any field. If the student begins thinking about possible topics when the assignment is given, she has already begun the arduous, yet rewarding, task of planning and organization. Once she has made the assignment a priority in her mind, she may begin to have ideas throughout the day.

Write My Economics Paper