ENGL000: Pre-College English

What is a research paper?

• A research paper is a written discussion based on an analytical thesis and supported by a collection of ideas and information.
• It is a way of presenting ideas and facts you have found through the reading of various materials.

Why do we write research papers?

• As part of our academic assignments
• To relate information and study findings in a professional manner
• To find answers to academic and scholarly questions
• For master's and doctorate theses

A research paper includes the following parts:

1. Title Page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Literature Review
5. Methodology
6. Results
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
9. References
10. Appendices

1: Title Page

• Choose a comprehensive title for your study.
• Write your title in the middle of the page.
• Below the title, write your name, the name of your instructor, the name of your institution, and the year.
• Somewhere above the title, you write the running head*.
• The running head should be as clear and short as possible.
• The running head should appear on every page with the page number.
• Click here to see a sample title page.

2: Abstract

• Your abstract should be as short and clear as possible.
• While writing your abstract:
  • Give a brief introduction to the general topic of the study.
  • Explain the exact research questions and the aims
  • Give a brief description of the methodology.
  • Give a brief description of the results.
  • Give a brief description of the discussion.
  • In other words, you answer the following questions in your abstract:
    • Why did you do the study?
    • What is the problem being addressed?
    • What did you do?
    • What did you find out?
    • What conclusions do you have?

3: Introduction

• This is the part where you start with a broad basis and then narrow down to the particular field of study, explaining the rationale behind each step.
• You give some background information, the importance of the study, the limitations of the study, and your assumptions.
• Specifically:
  • Set the scene by giving your paper a context and by showing how your study fits in with the previous research in the field.
  • Give the rationale behind the research by justifying why your study is an essential component of research in the field.
  • State the limitations by saying what you could have improved.
  • State your assumptions by giving the reasons.

4: Literature Review

• This is a process of gathering and documenting information from other sources.
• It is a critical, in-depth evaluation of previous research.
• A good literature review:
  • integrates the previous research together.
  • explains how it integrates into the proposed research program.
  • highlights areas of agreement and disagreement.

REMEMBER…

• A Literature Review is NOT a chronological catalog of all of the sources,

OR…

• a collection of quotes and paraphrasing from other sources;

BUT…

• it is an evaluation of the quality and findings of the previous research.
• If your literature review can answer the questions below, it is a good one!

5: Methodology

• This is the core of your paper and demonstrates how you used the scientific method.
• Here, give an accurate description of the equipment and the techniques you used to collect data.
• Explain how your raw data was collected and analyzed.

Specifically:

• Describe the materials and equipment that you used in the research.
• Explain how you gathered the sample:
  • Did you use any randomization techniques?
  • How did you prepare the samples?
• Explain how you made the measurements:
  • What calculations did you make?
• Describe the statistical techniques that you used upon the data.
• You can write this section in subgroups like setting, participants, instruments, and procedure if it is applicable for your study.

6: Results

• This announces your findings to the world.
• In this part, present your findings without interpreting or evaluating them.
• Include graphs, figures, and tables to make your point clear.
• Describe exactly what you observed and found.

7: Discussion

• Here, you add interpretations to your work and comment on the data and your findings.
• Here, you would also criticize your methodology, suggest any modifications or improvements for your design, and give recommendations for future researchers.
• Ask and answer "Do your results agree or disagree with previous research?"
• Ask and answer "Has the experiment contributed to knowledge in the field?"

8: Conclusion

• This is the final part of your research paper.
• You should consider the following questions while writing your conclusion:
  • What has your research shown?
    • Give a brief description of the results
    • Give a brief summary of the discussion
  • How has your study added to what is known about the subject?
    • Point out the significance of your study
    • Discuss how your study relates to the field
  • What were the shortcomings?
    • Explain how any deficiencies may affect your results
  • Has your research left some unanswered questions?
    • Do the findings open up any suggestions for future research?
  • Are the results of any use in the real world?
    • Can you suggest any practical uses for the findings?

9: Reference

• This part is also called "the citation list".
• It is very important because it helps you:
  • prevent any accusations of plagiarism.
  • give fair credit to the work of previous authors in the field.
• It must include all of the direct sources referred to in the body of the paper.

Enjoy your writing!

Adapted from https://yuwritingcenter.wikispaces.com/How+to+Write+a+Research+Paper
 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.