Step By Step Directions For Writing A Research Paper

You certainly can’t start writing a research paper a few hours before it’s due and expect to write an “A” paper. So if writing a research paper can take so much time and can be so hard, what can you do to make the entire process a little less painful? All you need to do is follow this step-by-step guide, and you’ll learn how to write a research paper in no time.

If you don’t at least develop a working thesis before you begin researching, you’ll lack direction, too.

(But you’ll have no lack of frustration.)Still don’t believe me that you need a working thesis?

Look at this example: Let’s say you decide to write about social media. “Social media” is too broad of a search and doesn’t include any focus.

(Note: you’re starting your search here without a thesis.)Typing “social media” in a search box will produce a list of all kinds of results, from a list of different types of social media sites, to social media in the news, to social media in schools. Try the search again with a working thesis, such as “Social media can cause teens to feel isolated.”Suddenly, your results change.

Check out 10 Thesis Statement Examples to Inspire Your Next Argumentative Essay No, you won’t find sources under your bed with the dust bunnies and that half-eaten candy bar you somehow forgot about.

Most likely, you won’t find them all through a Google search, either. You can’t just grab a few random sources and try to make them work. True: Writing a research paper can be difficult and can seem overwhelming. It takes time and effort to find and evaluate sources, organize your information, and write the paper. True: Writing a research paper is very time consuming.If you want to be stressed out, over-worked, and frustrated beyond belief because you just can’t find any “good” sources, then feel free to start researching without a working thesis.If you want to work harder than you have to, then start researching without a thesis. Here’s why: A thesis is the controlling idea of your paper.But if you want to make your life less stressful, develop a thesis before you begin researching. It provides readers (and you) with a road map of your paper.Without a strong thesis, your paper lacks direction.You want to find detailed, in-depth articles written by experts.And no, you still won’t find them lingering under your bed, and you won’t find them by staring mindlessly at the screen watching a Game of Thrones marathon. Don’t worry, though, you can still keep Your first instinct might be to use the first handful of sources you find and cite them in your research essay.Sure, it can be easy to read an assignment and think you understand exactly what you should be writing.But what happens when you’re supposed to write a historical overview of the Vietnam War, and you decide to write an historical overview of World War II because you thought you were supposed to write about any war.