Homeschooling and Education

There is no one particular way to write a research paper. I learned this back in college from a very gifted writing professor. He squashed many assumptions I originally had about being a writer. I’m sure you’ve probably noticed in the things you’ve read over the years that people don’t always follow certain rules. And they shouldn’t! So the next time you’re assigned a paper or a short essay, keep in mind that there can be variation in your writing. I may have learned a distinct method regarding how to write a research paper, but I’ve definitely evolved my own writing methods since my college days. For those who like things simple, I will lay out a basic format showing you how to write a research paper. Start with your topic. You either choose one or it was assigned to you. Now, what do you want to say about this topic? Create a brief outline, breaking your paper down into sections. You should naturally have an introduction and a conclusion. But what about everything else? Are there certain points you wish to elaborate on? Do you want to compare the topic or contrast certain points? Depending on the length of the paper, you should try and come up with at least three separate sections for the body of your research paper. Then it’s time to gather sources. The library and/or the Internet is generally your best bet to do so.