¶ … professional standpoints, and assessment of results. Several approaches have been identified for carrying out researches

Research findings can be documented in several ways

Researching your Paper

Planning ahead:

Device a step-by-step method

Make use of a calendar or some kind of timeline

Ensure your schedule is a feasible one

Understand the assignment

Choose a topic that most interests you

Do online searches and engage in preliminary reading

Get the instructor's approval

Get your Thoughts to Focus:

Formulate the thesis statement

Pay attention to your audience

Prepare a General Outline

Outlines give you a good structure as you carry out research

The outline should cover

Major points you intend to cover

Paper format

How supporting details and main points relate

Create a Rough Draft

Sort note cards into separate piles

Compose the draft

Compose the list of outside sources (bibliography)

Carry out further research

Proofread and Edit your Paper

Correct confusions and errors

Check the Content

Run a thorough accuracy check

Check the flow in your writing

Read the paper aloud

Do a consistency check

Check the Form

Read the paper several times

Ensure all your instructor's specifications and requirements have been met

Plagiarism

Plagiarism means taking (or stealing) someone else's ideas and content and presenting them as one's own

It is considered a grave offence in writing

It breaches academic integrity

It is considered unethical and comes with grave consequences for the student and institution; hence, it must be avoided.

Introduction

Writing a research paper could be likened to the work of a sculptor who chisels an amazing work of art from a large stone. As information is gathered and unwanted data removed by the writer, he starts carving his massive research materials into one beautiful piece that could be likened to a piece of art. By definition, a paper is termed a research paper when it deals with a particular topic and relies on information assembled from books, documents, videos, periodicals, internet resources, CD ROMS and interview with a specialist in a certain field of knowledge (Edward).

Research papers basically are thorough expository type of essays which enables the writer to investigate a particular problem or issue, evaluate the opinion of several professionals on that very topic, and make an assessment of results. The issue or problem a researcher chooses to concentrate on is always a part of a political, historical, scientific, social or literacy context. What is required of you is to produce a written broad expository essay that either explains the topic or provides information about it.(Edward).

If you are writing a research paper for the very first time, it can look like a very daunting task at first, but with a well-organized plan and focus, the whole process can become a lot easier for you. It is not possible for the paper to write itself, but it is expected that you make adequate preparations to ensure the whole writing falls into place practically (University of Oxford).

A number of approaches have been identified for carrying out researches on a topic and your findings can be documented in several ways. The library contains several resources that explain how researches should be approached and their writing format (Edward).

Researching your Paper

Plan ahead; once you have been assigned a research paper by your instructor, it is essential for you to device a step-by-step method to enable you know how long it will take before you can complete each of the steps included in the entire process of creating a good research paper. You can try to make use of a calendar or some kind of timeline to enable you plan ahead of time. You must ensure your schedule is a feasible one, which is why you must be realistic because you are working with a deadline: the delivery date for the research paper. A number of students make schedules on their calendar, to help them indicate when every step of the entire research and writing process will begin or end by displaying the right activity to be embarked on daily. The other students could possibly find it a lot more beneficial to come up with a timeline to help them know when to begin work on each of the steps daily. No matter the method you choose, working in the backward direction beginning from the due date is probably the easiest method, helping you figure out the...

Failure to do this before any other thing will see the student travelling along a number of wrong roads, and end up wasting a substantial amount of time in the process. If there is any confusion, never hesitate to approach the instructor and ask your questions. Gaining a very clear knowledge of what the assignment is about helps you focus more on other parts of the entire process, like selecting a topic and recognizing your target audience (Edward).
Choose a topic that most interests you. It should have something to do with one question you want answered, one condition you want investigated, and one issue you hope to investigate-something you are likely to enjoy studying about. If you develop a keen interest in what you are studying, you are likely to do a much better job. You must ensure adequate availability of information on the topic you are writing on. Visit different libraries to enable you know if you can lay your hands on enough materials you can use in writing your paper. Make sure the exact sources you are hoping to use can be found in the libraries; relying on the periodical guide or card catalog won't help you. Do online searches to see if there are relevant resources you can use without your instructor rejecting your work (Mark).

At this juncture, engaging in a preliminary reading will also help you. The implication is that you will be required to read some books, articles, journals or some book chapters that are relevant to the topic you are working on. These readings enable you formulate a good thesis statement after you have a clearer idea about the material (Mark).

Get an approval from your instructor. Once you decide on the topic, discuss with the instructor assigned to you to enable you know if the topic you have chosen meets their expectations. You can also get some help from your instructor concerning the next step which is to define the thesis statement you formulated or can help you get hold of some materials you make use of.

Get your Thoughts to Focus; It is the right time to get your thoughts focused by coming up with a perfect thesis statement, with limiting questions, and paying attention to your audience. Each of these factors has a role to play in providing a guide for your work.

The first thing you must do is to develop a provisional thesis statement -- a single sentence or one whole paragraph that states the entire idea of the research paper you are working on. Get your thesis stated in one straightforward sentence. This statement is aimed at helping you concentrate on the topic you are working on, find relevant materials, and provide guidance for your reading (Edward).

Prepare a General Outline

The very next step you must take is to come up with a fundamental outline to enable you plan the format of your paper well and act as a guide as you search for materials. This outline gives you a good structure as you carry out research and also helps you gather information in one place for the initial draft. The major points you intend to cover, the format you wish to use to cover them and how supporting details and main points relate should be indicated in your outline. Don't forget that you could be required to alter your original outline while carrying out your research as you discover new ideas or decide you won't write on any of your topics (Mark).

Create a Rough Draft

Get your note cards sorted into different piles depending on the different sections the paper contains. Make sure the note cards are organized within each of the sections. Get your draft written, making use of appropriate documentation for each of the materials which does not belong to you originally (borrowed ideas, direct quotations, etc.). Then, get your bibliography page(s) written, making use of the format your instructor requires. Make sure you have disks for backups to enable you save as you work on the paper (Mark). Then carry out further research to be sure you have adequate materials to write with (Edward).

Proofread and Edit your Paper

Once you are done writing the paper, the next thing is to proofread and edit it. (Even when you gave it for someone else to type, proofreading and editing the paper to correct confusions and errors are your sole responsibilities. Don't forget we are talking about your academic grades here!).

Check the Content

Run a thorough check on what you have written for accuracy. Make sure each question, statement and reference is double-checked, to ensure nothing was incorrectly copied, and no vital information was omitted, or given improper documentation or wrong facts. Check the bibliography page(s)…