1. Familiar Yourself with the Assignment

You must understand what your professor is asking of you before you begin writing a research paper. Spend time carefully reading the assignment, grading rubric, and any other material provided. And ask for clarification if you don’t understand what the teacher expects you to write and how he/she will grade you.

2. Pick a Topic

Having understood what you should write in your paper, you can now decide what to write on, preferably something you’re passionate about and find interesting. Regardless, it is easier and recommendable to pick a topic that fits into the guidelines provided by your instructor.

3. Research

People approach research in different ways. The key things to remember are:

Skimming: read through things quickly by identifying key points and arguments without getting bogged down in details.

Find reliable resources: these include your teacher/professor, research librarians, academic databases, and the Purdue University Online Writing Lab.

Don’t ignore information: take time to understand different perspectives and schools of thought on your topic, by say, reading various articles.

4. Organize Your Research

Step four involves organizing all the information you have gathered. There are various ways to organize your research, depending on your preference or assignment requirements. These include creating a bibliography, printing a list of your resources, bookmarking links to your top resource sites, or using notecards or sticky notes.

5. Form a Thesis Statement

Next on the list is to craft a thesis statement, which tells your readers what you are trying to explain or prove. Try writing a one-sentence answer to the question, “what is my paper about?” Your professor can help you determine whether your thesis statement matches the scope of your paper.

6. Create an Outline

An outline is really about structuring your paper. When creating one for your research paper, it makes sense to have an introduction and conclusion. However, the sections that fall between will depend on the contents of your essay. The outlining stage is also a great time to think about logical fallacies you should avoid.

7. Write

Once you’ve completed the above steps, it’s now time to write. It may be helpful to go over your research before you start writing. But don’t go back and forth between your resources and writing your essay since it increases the chances of plagiarism.

8. Edit for Content

Next comes the editing stage, where you first edit your content for structure, organization, wording, and length. Is your paper well developed? Does it communicate what you meant to get across? Is your essay too long or too short? Make all the changes you need to make, then read through the paper again to ensure it all makes sense.

9. Edit for Grammar

The editing stage also involves editing for grammar. Resources like Grammarly and Strunk & White’s Elements of Style can help you correct your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and more. It might take a few run-throughs for you to catch and fix all mistakes.

10. Re-read Your Research Paper Before Submitting

Read through your paper again. Reading your research paper in hard copy may help you spot errors or formatting inconsistencies that you may have missed when reading on screen. Once you have double-checked that your paper meets all the assignment requirements, turn it in.

If you have been having similar problems with figuring out certain parts of the research paper, then please read on.

1. Aim versus Objectives

The aim of your research is the overall goal that you want to achieve. It is what you want to discover. The objectives, however, are the specific actions you will undertake to accomplish your aim. Objectives should be well defined. Here is an example:

Aim: To ascertain whether educational apps can improve the reading skills of first graders

Objectives: 

• To discover what reading apps first graders use.
• To determine if reading apps improve the reading skills of first graders.
• To reveal which reading app is the most effective.

2. Study’s background versus Literature Review

The study’s background can be found in the introduction. Here, the reader is brought up to speed about the topic by providing them with information about what the problem is, how it is affecting society now, and why it is important to study it.

The literature review presents the different theories and studies that you consulted and found important. All of these inform the reader if something similar to what you are doing has been done and what those results were. This will make it easier to understand the purpose of what you are doing.

3. Research Problem versus Research Questions

The research problem is the big issue that your research is trying to address. This might be a challenge society is facing, a theory that needs testing, or doubts about certain accepted practices or views.

On the other hand, the research questions are more specific queries connected to your big issue. These are narrowed down to ensure the study hits each aspect of the research problem.

4. Methodology versus Research Methods

The research methodology is the overall rationale behind the methods the researcher uses. This includes the logic used and the reasons why certain steps and procedures were chosen over others. The research methods, on the other hand, are the techniques involved, such as the use of a questionnaire, an online survey, face-to-face interview, or focus group discussion.

5. Results versus Discussion

These are two separate sections in your paper that are interconnected. The section on results presents all your findings. These may include the survey responses, the results of your experiment, or the highlights of an interview. This part of the paper is usually filled with tables and diagrams where the general trends are shown.

The section for the discussion is where the findings are interpreted according to the different theories and compared against the past studies, which are all mentioned in your literature review. This section is also where you start answering your research questions.

Summary

So those were some areas of confusion that many students encounter when they begin their research papers. Study the differences before you start so that you will not make so many mistakes. Good luck!

• Because family planning is so broad, it is a good idea to limit the topic.
• It is always a good idea to choose three to five topics related to family planning for a research paper.
• Before beginning actual research, the student should do some preliminary research about the topic.
• It is also a good idea to sketch out the topic in order to decide if you are best to write an entire paper.
• The student must have a basic understanding and knowledge of the topic matter for which they are writing.

How do you format a term paper on family planning?

• Research papers should not exceed ten pages.
• These sections must be included in the term paper:
1. Abstract or Introduction
2. Table of Contents
3. Case Study
4. Results
5. Methodology
6. Bibliography
7. Summary of Tests and Study
8. Conclusion
9. Appendix
• The Introduction, or Abstract, will summarise the whole paper and outline what will be discussed.
• The results and case studies sections will provide information about the findings and how they were conducted.
• The methodology section will explain how the studies and tests were conducted.
• Bibliography and appendices will provide details about the sources and resources used in the study.
• The summary of the tests and study sections will give information about how to further research the subject.
• The conclusion summarizes the whole research paper and the writer’s view on the subject matter. It also explains how you can study the subject further.

These are some great family planning topics that you can write about in a research article:

• Is it safe to breastfeed a baby while using contraceptives?
• Is it possible to avoid pregnancy with birth control pills or condoms?
• What are other contraceptives that can be used to prevent pregnancy?
• What are the main reasons women become infertile?
• Are there serious side effects to having a child after the age of 45?
• What was the primary purpose of Planned Parenthood’s inception in the early 1900s
• Does aborting a pregnancy constitute a moral crime?
• Is it legal for a woman in her 20s to terminate a pregnancy?
• Why is it that politicians feel it is their duty to tell women whether they want to have children?
• Does it make sense for a woman not to have children but choose her career?

The research paper is one project that is very difficult to create, especially if you do not like to write, this is why using a research paper writing service is highly recommended. Read on to learn more about this very helpful technique.

How outlining helps

If writing is not your forte, it is easy to lose your way when you write. This may mean forgetting to include important arguments or connecting the wrong details to a particular issue. This may also mean leaving out interesting data or facts to attract the reader’s attention.

But with an outline, everything you need is listed down. All you have to do is follow it as you write.

1. The Introduction

Background details: The background is an important part of the research paper to inform the reader about your topic’s context. List down striking figures, quotes, or anecdotes in your outline to help catch the reader’s attention.

Audience: Write down who may be interested in your paper and why. Your audience may include peers in your field (e.g. teachers, engineers, nurses, business people), corporations, or government institutions.

Thesis statement: This is the position you have chosen for your paper. It is always good to have it written so you can recall what your paper is aiming to prove or disprove.

2. The Body

Your arguments: Write down your top three arguments for your position. For each argument, you should briefly cite the supporting details and facts to prove your point. Things will be easier for you if also include the reference details (the source and page number) so you don’t have to wrack your brain trying to remember them.

The counterarguments: Similarly, the top three counterarguments should also be listed, along with the data to support these views. A strong paper presents all sides of the issue, so it is necessary to have these as well.

3. The Conclusion

Summary: The conclusion is supposed to summarize the main ideas found in the body. Since your outline is not the final paper, you can just remind yourself to do this.

Please remember as well that data is generally not supposed to be placed here anymore unless it is just to highlight something important.

Call to action: This is something very important to think about. A good call to action encourages the reader to do something with the knowledge they have learned from your paper. If you can already think about how to phrase this before you begin your paper, it will be easier once you reach the end, as many students are too tired to think straight when they get there.

Summary

The research paper can be a challenge to accomplish, especially if you are someone who does not like to write or research much. So make life easier for yourself by creating an outline before writing so you have something to follow. Happy writing!

The following are some things to consider when making your paper’s introduction.

1. Clearly present the context of your topic

Not everyone who reads your paper is an expert in the field. Therefore, begin with a general introduction about the issue before narrowing it down to what your paper will focus on.

Although this part of the paper should be informative, ensure you do not go overboard by explaining too much.

2. Add striking information

It helps to add striking facts about the context to capture your reader’s attention. These could be figures about what happened back then and what is happening now, or you may present real stories about how the issue is affecting people’s lives today.

If you are not sure if your data is striking enough, try rereading your work the following day, imagining that you are the reader. If it seems interesting, you may have found what you need. If not, look for something else in your notes.

3. Explain your paper’s aim and significance

Aside from providing a background of what you are researching, your paper needs to inform the reader what you plan on achieving (aim) and why it is so important to know about it (significance). The reader needs to know these so they have an idea of what to expect and whether or not it is useful to continue reading.

4. Mention your limitations

In addition to discussing your paper’s aim, it is necessary to include the limitations. Your paper cannot look into every variable; thus, your intro will also state what you will and will not be studying in the paper.

5. State the research question/s and thesis statement 

Like what was done for the aim and significance, you must clearly state your research questions and thesis statement. The research questions specifically mention what you will be testing, while the thesis statement informs the reader of what YOU are expecting to discover. Do not be worried about coming up with the “wrong” answer to the question. What matters is that you tried to uncover the truth.

6. Keep to the style guide

Research papers often follow a style guide as required by the school or journal you are sending your paper to. Keep in mind at the start whether you need to follow APA, MLA, or some other format, and begin using it in your introduction. Doing so will lessen the revisions you will be forced to make later if you forgot to do this.

Summary

The introduction, just like the other sections, is an important part of the research paper. Take your time making it and be sure to follow the tips above as you do so. Happy writing!

1. Argumentative

An argumentative paper takes a clear position on a controversial topic and backs it up with evidence from reliable sources. Ideally, these source materials have presented logical facts supporting both points of view. And conclude with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each side.

2. Analytical

An analytical paper analyzes points of view of a particular topic as presented in several sources. However, unlike argumentative research papers, analytical papers do not aim to persuade the reader to agree with the author’s standpoint. Instead, they give an overview of the different opinions presented in various sources and reach a logical, unbiased conclusion.

3. Definition

The goal of a definition research paper is to inform. For this reason, you present the information you gather from a factual viewpoint. These facts, which you derive from the findings of various sources, are usually left unanalyzed.

4. Compare and contrast

A compare and contrast research paper briefly describes two elements but mainly compares and contrasts them using examples to support the thesis. These essays are most popular in literature. However, compare and contrast papers can also be assigned in social sciences, philosophy, and business studies.

5. Cause and effect

A cause and effect paper tracks the expected results of a specified action in a logical approach understandable to the reader. They are particularly common in the education and business fields. If applicable, such papers will also show the range of possible outcomes the specified action or situation could cause.

6. Reports

The purpose of a report is to describe a case study situation in a memorandum-like format. Reports involve giving an overview of the current situation, identifying the research problem, analyzing the main elements of said problem, and recommending solutions to the research problem. A report will also contain a management summary and supporting evidence in a table, graph, or appendix form.

7. Interpretive

An interpretive paper is often assigned by teachers/professors in humanities, social science, and literature classes. Students are required to use learned theoretical knowledge in a specified case study. Case studies may include artwork or poetry in literary fields, a psychology case study in psychology or sociology fields, and a business situation in a management course.

Conclusion

The previously mentioned research paper types are just a few of the academic papers you should expect to write while in college. It is, therefore, crucial that you learn to differentiate them. Correctly defining the research paper your professor has assigned you and knowing what it entails can be the difference between a passing or failing grade.

Writing the best coursework

There are many aspects you should consider when writing the coursework.

• Read the instructions

Make sure you understand all the requirements of the question. Do not assume every paper is the same. There are some changes according to the subject each student is doing. That is why you must read and understand the requirements first before you engage in research work.

• Choosing a topic

In case you need to select a topic, do not focus on the simplicity of the subject. Instead, choose the topic that you know you will get more points to help you generate ideas. A question can be simple, but you can get stuck in the middle of writing since you have written all the facts, yet the work isn’t finished yet.

You can take an extra step and reach out to the professor for further guidance. The teachers have adequate knowledge, and they will tell you the magnitude of the topic.

• Create the structure of the coursework.

At this point, you have read all the requirements, and you have the topic. The next thing is to plan how your coursework will look like. As you create the structure, take note of the professor’s guidelines. Different colleges and universities prefer other formats. If you aren’t sure, always consult with your tutor before planning your work.

Note: The structure you create isn’t your final say. You can edit the structure as many times as possible. It all depends on the points you gather as you write. 

• Figure out the research methods

Different questions require different research methods. The methods can be analysis, experiments, polls, observations, and comparisons, among others. Again, you can consult your supervisor at this stage to ensure you are on the right track.

• Gather research materials

You will need the content and points to support your topic. That is why you need to do good research. This means that you must find sources with relevant information according to your question. Do not forget to note down important points when reading through research materials. You will need to re-visit the materials when writing the content.

• Create an outline

You will need an outline that will guide you as you write your work. A plan isn’t the structure. It is a detailed guideline that shows you how to arrange your points and general assignment. Once you have the outline, you can now write the first draft of your paper. Again, you can give your teacher your overview for comments if it makes sense. In every step, ensure you are on the right move. As you write the draft, make as many corrections as possible, and polish up your points.

• Proofreading and editing

It is good to believe in your writing prowess, but you must take the precaution of going through your work before submitting it. Even top authors many the slightest mistakes unknowingly. The same can happen to you in that some mistake can bypass your eye. That is why you need to read through your work and correct grammatical errors and some typos. No matter the case, submit work you are sure of.

Guidelines to Editing Fast

• Do not Stop Editing

When you edit continuously, you will avoid destructions and overanalyzing the content. For you to have a clear scope of view, you must keep going. Although, you can slow down once in a while when you find errors. 

• Cover sentences

When you lose a second here and a second there, time adds up fast. Eventually, you will have lost a lot of time. It helps to save time when you avoid destructions. To concentrate on the parts that need a little improvement, cover the surrounding areas with a paper or your hand. When using a computer, the full-screen mode will help you focus on the article that requires clean up.

• Focus on the long sentences

When writing long sentences, it proves easy to lose the oratorical focus. Thus, approximately 90% of grammar mistakes come in lengthy sentences. You will find that sometimes commas get left out, or too many of them occur in one sentence. 

• Paragraph topic phrases

A topic sentence offers a guide in the organization of a text. When you find that a topic sentence does not make sense, then you need to rephrase it. Checking the paragraph topic phrases proves an effective means of reviewing. It helps you to analyze the general organization and flow of the article. 

• Ask for help

All writers will edit their work to a certain point. But when another person assists you with editing, your mistakes reduce. The finest writers also ask for help when writing their books and articles. Most publications will have editors working alongside the author. Seeking help reveals your humility. It provides you an opportunity to learn from other writers and editors. 

There proves no limit to who can help you. Some will ask for help from friends or family members. But remember, they might not prove an expert in the area. You can have one party proofread the write-up while the other edits it. Editing and proofreading prove different things. Therefore you may require help in both content and grammar.

• Read the article “backwards”

When you read through a text, an author’s mind will most likely anticipate what comes next. Even the pre-eminent writers can become oblivious to their mistakes. It becomes easy to overlook unmistakable errors. One way to avoid these common errors entails going through your text backward. 

Two ways of reading backward. One way entails scanning through full paragraphs commencing from the last and making your way to the beginning. Another way entails browsing through each sentence beginning with the last one and making your way to the first.

• Get professional help

The easiest and most productive way to edit fast entails seeking help from a grammar professional. Try to find an experienced editor who proves efficient in the craft. You will need an editor with special skills to meet your limited deadline with exceptional results. A professional will help you finish on time and with minimal if any, mistakes

Conclusion

Depending on how fast you need to get the work done, you can choose any of the above tips. If you do not know any editor that can assist you, some sites offer proofreading and editing tools for free.

Apart from the research skills, you also understand how to organize your work. A term paper has a standard format that you need to follow. Organize your points well to give the professor an easy time going through your assignments.

As long as you are a student, there will come a moment when you have to write a term paper. That is why this article aims at preparing you as early as possible before you write your paper. But then, do you know what a term paper is? If you don’t have any idea, then read below.

A term paper is an assignment issued to the student to measure their understanding of a given topic at the end of the semester. The term paper plays a significant role in the final grades of the student. This implies that you must prepare to conduct extensive research to write the best assignment. In the end, you need to get the best grades, then graduate and explore your career field.

The standard format of a term paper

As mentioned before, there is a pre-defined format every student needs to follow when writing the term paper. Although some sections might change according to the subject, the following is a universal format. But if you aren’t sure how you should structure your term paper, you can always confirm with your professor.

The title page should be on its own, and it includes the topic, student’s name, course name, professor’s name, and the deadline.

Acknowledgment

The Topic: You need to state the topic you are working on

Rationale: Give reasons why you selected the topic

Additional Information: You include any information you feel relevant to the topic.

Table of Contents

The Abstract– You give a brief overview

Literature Review– Highlight the methods and procedures you use throughout your paper.

Results– Include the conclusion by stating whether the hypothesis is true or not.

Recommendations– Give suggestions and how you view future research on the topic.

Reference list- Highlight the sources you used to generate the ideas in your paper. When highlighting the sources, arrange them in alphabetical order as you follow the professor’s citation style.

When you organize your term paper using the above style, you can quickly write down the content.

Creating a Term paper outline

A term paper outline is a draft that guides you when writing your paper. You put down your points on how you will organize them when writing the final draft. You create an outline for the professor but to simplify your writing process and save more time. However, there are moments when your tutor may request to see your outline first before you continue. There is no big deal since the professor only wants to ensure you are on the right track. If anything is missing, they will correct you before you move further.

The outline should include the following

An Intro: You explain the purpose of the paper to the reader.

The Body: This part has headings and sub-headings that explain points to support the thesis statement.

Conclusion: You explain all the points in the paper in a summary form.

Conclusion

Students usually feel anxious when assigned a task to write the term paper. Students only need to master the whole concept and keep a standard format when writing the term paper. Dedicate enough time to do more research and come up with strong points that support the topic.

Answering The Question, “what Is The Abstract Of A Paper?”

This the very first part that comes before all the others including the introduction. In a research paper, the abstract acts as a summary of the whole work. It touches on the title, the thesis statement, the methodology of the study to the findings. It is usually written at the very beginning to give the reader a taste of the real deal. That said, the paper abstract should be well-done so that it sets the right mood for the reader.

The abstract should not be too lengthy. It is normally in a single paragraph touching only on the main points. Apart from whetting the reader’s appetite for the rest of the work, it also helps in reminding the reader of the key points. Going through a whole research paper can be hectic and the reader may miss some of the main points. The abstract conveniently serves as a reminder.

How To Write A Research Paper Abstract

The format of a research paper is what dictates how the abstract will be written. This is because it determines where the abstract will be on the paper and what will be addressed. In a standard research paper, the abstract comes at the very beginning of the paper. It acts as a bait to capture the attention of the reader and make them want to go further. By the time the reader is done with the abstract, they know what to expect and have probably formed an opinion. Make sure your abstract gives the right impression of your work.

Depending on the length of your paper, you can choose either to have a descriptive or an informative abstract. The latter is lengthier while the former is shorter and is more preferable for short papers. Decide what type of abstract to write by considering any institution rules governing the same as well as the required style and formatting as per your research specifications. In writing the abstract for a paper, make sure you capture the whole of the paper in a manner that is not cumbersome or inadequate.

Correctly answering the question, “what is an abstract in a paper?” is the first step to knowing how to write an abstract professionally. First, understand what you are writing then go ahead and learn how to write it well. There is a lot of legitimate help online for you if only you search right.