How to Start a Research Paper

A research paper is essentially an academic paper that looks at a particular area of interest. The paper analyzes that area by coming up with a thesis, examining various resources on that specific area, conducting empirical studies, doing analyses, and writing the findings in support of the thesis statement. Unlike other academic essays or writings, a research paper is more comprehensive and requires its fair share of effort from the writer.

Formulate a Topic

When coming up with a research paper in a particular area of interest, you need to come up with a topic that will help to guide your paper. The topic will also help to condense all those aspects in that particular area of interest into some few words that will help to give the research paper meaning and form.

The topic should reflect that area of interest in the most accurate way possible, and should also be relevant. In the eyes and perspectives of readers and reviewers, the topic speaks much about the paper than other areas of the paper, and this shows that you should come up with a solid topic for your research paper.

Form a Thesis

After coming up with a topic, you need to come up with a thesis statement. The thesis statement will help to guide you in writing the paper, and it will be the main point of contention, focus, or argument throughout the research paper.

All research papers have a thesis statement since this primarily controls and directs the entire direction and content that will feature in the paper. It is, therefore, essential to develop a thesis statement when you intend to write a research paper.

Conduct Research and Consolidate the Findings

You need to do some research in that particular area of interest, and mainly, the area covered by the topic of your essay. The research will help you to come up with relevant information and content that will shape up your content, and generally, your paper.

Consolidate your findings – and these could be facts and figures, as you will use these in the writing process or when coming up with references to back up your arguments.

Devise a Writing Approach

Different research papers in various areas of interest follow different approaches. For instance, a research paper in a scientific area will most likely differ from a research paper in Arts. Therefore, it is important to get right the classification of what you are doing. This will help you to accordingly come up with an approach that will best suit your paper and your work in general. This is appropriately done before the start of a research paper.

Work on the Introduction

Like any other writing work in any other field, the introduction is the make-or-break phase. The introduction is the first area that readers will encounter. You, therefore, need to ensure that it is worth it if you want readers to keep reading your research paper. Write it in such a manner that it will capture the reader’s attention, and simultaneously make it difficult for them to drop your research paper. You can do this by writing a solid opening statement reinforced by your thesis and how your work adds value to that particular area.

Write the Paper

After working on all prerequisites in the research paper writing process, you should start writing your Research paper. Organize your thoughts well and factor all the steps above if you want to start a research paper most appropriately.

To sum this up, unlike other papers, a research paper has a different writing approach and methodology. From the research paper introduction to conclusion, you need to work on essentials before the writing process so that you get it right when it comes to the actual writing process.

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