How to Write a Research Paper That Earns an A

Write a Great Research Paper in 10 Steps

Laptop computer with books, pen and yellow legal pad
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Your assignment is to write a research paper. Do you know how a research paper differs from other papers, say an essay? If you have been out of school a while, make sure you understand the assignment before you waste time you don't have. We'll walk you through the process in 10 steps. 

01
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Select Your Topic

The first place to start is selecting a topic. You may have guidelines from your teacher and a list of choices, or you may have a broad field from which to choose. Either way, choose a topic that lights your fire. If you can't find a topic for which you have a passion, choose the one you're at least interested in. You're going to be spending some time on the topic. You may as well enjoy it.

Depending on how long your paper must be, it's also important to choose a topic that's big enough to fill that many pages.

We've got some ideas for you:

02
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Make a List of Possible Questions

Now that you have a topic, be curious about it. What questions do you have? Write them down. What do you wish you knew about the topic? Ask other people. What do they wonder about your topic? What are the obvious questions? Dig deeper. Think critically. Ask questions about every aspect of your topic.

Make a list of pros and cons, if relevant, controversial sides in the matter, factors, anything that will help you determine possible subheadings. You're trying to break the topic down into smaller pieces to help you organize the paper.

03
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Determine Where You Might Find the Answers

Now think about your topic from every angle. Are there two sides to the issue? More than two?

Look for experts on both sides, if there are sides. You'll want to interview experts to give your paper credibility. You also want balance. If you present one side, present the other too.

Consider all kinds of resources, from newspapers, books, magazines and online articles to people. Quotes from people you interview yourself will give your paper authenticity and make it unique. Nobody else will have the same conversation you have with an expert.

Don't be afraid to go to the very top of the list of experts. Think national. You might get a "No," but so what? You have a 50 percent chance of getting a "Yes."

Why and Where You Should Search Beyond the Net When Writing a Paper

04
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Interview Your Experts

Your interviews can take place in person or on the phone.

When you call your experts, immediately identify yourself and your reason for calling. Ask if it's a good time to talk or if they prefer to make an appointment for a better time. If you make the interview convenient for the expert, they'll be more willing to share information with you.

Keep it short and to the point. Take very good notes. Watch for quotable remarks and get them down exactly right. Ask your expert to repeat a quote if necessary. Repeat the part you wrote down, and ask them to finish the thought if you didn't get the whole thing. Using a tape recorder or recording app is a great idea, but ask first, and remember that it takes time to transcribe them.

Be sure to get the correct spelling of names and titles. I know a woman whose name is Mikal. Don't assume.

Date everything. 

05
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Search for Information Online

The Internet is an amazing place to learn all kinds of things, but be careful. Check your sources. Verify the truth of the information. There is a lot of stuff online that is merely someone's opinion and not fact.

Use various search engines. You'll get different results from Google, Yahoo, Dogpile, or any other of the many engines out there.

Look for dated material only. Many articles don't include a date. The information could be new or 10 years old. Check.

Use reputable sources only, and be sure to attribute any information you use to the source. You can do this in footnotes or by stating, "...according to Deb Peterson, Continuing Education Expert at adulted.about.com...."

06
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Scour Books on the Subject

Libraries are fabulous founts of information. Ask a librarian to help you find information on your topic. There may be areas in the library with which you're unfamiliar. Ask. That's what librarians do. They help people find the right books.

When using printed work of any kind, write down the source -- the author's name and title, the name of the publication, everything you need for an accurate bibliography. If you write it down in bibliography format, you'll save time later.

Bibliography format for a book with a single author:

Last name, first name. Title: Subtitle (underlined). Publisher's city: Publisher, date.

There are variations. Check your trusty grammar book. I know you have one. If you don't, get one.

07
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Review Your Notes and Determine Your Thesis

By now you have notes galore and have started to form an idea of the main point of your paper. What is the core of the issue? If you had to condense everything you learned down to one sentence, what would it say? That's your thesis. In journalism, we call it the lede.

It's the point you're going to make in your paper, in a nutshell.

The more intriguing you make your first sentence, the more likely it is that people will want to keep reading. It could be a shocking statistic, a question that places your reader in a controversial situation, a striking quote from one of your experts, even something creative or funny. You want to grab your reader's attention in the very first sentence and make your argument from there.

08
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Organize Your Paragraphs

Writing-Vincent-Hazat-PhotoAlto-Agency-RF-Collections-Getty-Images-pha202000005.jpg
Vincent Hazat - PhotoAlto Agency RF Collections - Getty Images pha202000005

Remember those subheadings you identified earlier? Now you want to organize your information under those subheadings, and organize your subheadings in the order that makes the most logical sense.

How can you present the information you gathered in a way that best supports your thesis?

At Gannett, journalists follow the First Five Graphs philosophy. Articles focus on four elements in the first five paragraphs: news, impact, context, and the human dimension.

09
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Write Your Paper

Writing by Patagonik Works - Getty Images
Patagonik Works - Getty Images

Your paper is very nearly ready to write itself. You've got your subheadings and all the information that belongs under each. Find a quiet, creative place to work, whether it's in your home office with the door closed, outside on a lovely patio, in a noisy coffee shop, or sequestered in a library carrel.

Try to turn off your internal editor. Write down everything you want to include in each section. You'll have time to go back and edit.

Use your own words and your own vocabulary. You never, ever want to plagiarize. Know the rules of fair use. If you want to use exact passages, do it by quoting a specific person or indenting a specific passage, and always credit the source.

Tie your ending statement to your thesis. Have you made your point?

10
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Edit, Edit, Edit

Student handing in paper by George Doyle-Stockbyte-Getty Images
George Doyle-Stockbyte-Getty Images

When you've spent so much time with a paper, it can be difficult to read it objectively. Put it away for at least a day if you can. When you pick it up again, try to read it like a first reader. We can almost guarantee that every time you read your paper, you'll find a way to make it better through editing. Edit, edit, edit.

Is your argument logical?

Does one paragraph flow naturally into the next?

Is your grammar correct?

Did you use full sentences?

Are there any typos?

Are all sources credited properly?

Does your ending support your thesis?

Yes? Turn it in!

No? You might consider a professional editing service. Choose carefully. You want help with editing your paper, not writing it. Essay Edge is an ethical company to consider.

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Your Citation
Peterson, Deb. "How to Write a Research Paper That Earns an A." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/write-an-a-grade-research-paper-31365. Peterson, Deb. (2023, April 5). How to Write a Research Paper That Earns an A. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/write-an-a-grade-research-paper-31365 Peterson, Deb. "How to Write a Research Paper That Earns an A." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/write-an-a-grade-research-paper-31365 (accessed March 19, 2024).