How to do a Research Paper without External Help

If you are facing the task of writing a research paper without any external help, the more organized you are at the beginning of the process the easier the paper will be. Organization means more than knowing what resource should be credited for what information or reference, it involves creating a map of the entire process. If you have a map to follow, it will be easier to reach your goal.

Start with the right questions

The questions you need to answer are:

  • What is the thesis?
  • Where did you look to find an answer?
  • What methods did you use to value the information?
  • What conclusions did you draw from the information?
  • Did your conclusions support or negate the thesis premise?

You also need to answer the following:

  • How much time do I have for research and when can I do it?
  • How long do I need to write the outline, rough draft and final draft?
  • Where will my research materials come from?
  • What format does the paper have to be in?
  • What are the milestone deadlines for the paper and the final due date?

With answers to all of those questions, you have a realistic idea of what you need and when you need it done by to successfully write your paper.

Identify your resources

The next thing you need to do is to identify your resources. You need to document each resource according to the format the paper is to be written in, such as the MLA style. You have to know the preference of the assignment for reference within that style, such as inline citation, footnote or bibliography list. Once you know this, make a list of your resources with the appropriate citation information.

Organize your process

Now it is time to organize your process. By matching the schedule of milestones for completion with your schedule of available work times, you can progress in an orderly fashion to gather notes, document the references, and organize your rough draft. Once you have the rough draft completed it is time to make a map of logic. The map is more of a list, assign each point a number and write one cohesive sentence as a summary for each section of the paper. Put them together to see if the paper maintains logic in its argument and make adjustments accordingly. During the final editing process, make sure to read the paper aloud to check for any missed words or awkward phrasing.

 
 
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