Ten Steps to Writing a Research Paper

Choose a topic - To begin the process, you should choose a topic NOT a subject. Topics are focused aspects of a subject, often with a specific bias or slant. Depression, substance abuse, and welfare reform are broad subjects. Examples of specific research topics are . . . What contributes to failure in substance abuse treatment programs? What are the indicators used in judging the success of welfare-to-work programs?

Background reading - Find information that gives you a broad overview of the topic. Obtaining background information on your subject can provide you with a context for your research and help you narrow your focus. Examples of resources to use are general encyclopedias, specialized encyclopedias, handbooks, or almanacs.

A preliminary outline - Next, you are ready to organize the points or parts of the background information into a working outline, then create a list of key word unique to the selective topic. An outline is a road map that will guide you in writing your paper.

Develop a working bibliography - Use the key words identified to do a search in the online catalog for books, etc. to find material on the selected topic. Use the link Databases to search for articles on your topic. An electronic database is a tool from the LRC that organizes articles from different types of periodicals.

Located sources listed in bibliography - Go to all locations and retrieve from the shelves all books and other materials and determine if articles are in full-text databases or in print journals in the periodicals area.

Ready and take notes - There are no short cuts. As you read, you will begin to access the authority of the authors, and themes should develop. The focus of the selected topic may change as you begin to find more articles on one aspect of your topic are found over another.

Organize your notes and prepare a final outline - You are ready to combine the opinions of various authors and sort and group similar research ideas together (look for patterns).

Write, revise, rewrite - At this stage, it is time to write or type your paper then revise (more revise), proofread, and rewrite.

Prepare footnotes and references - The last stage is to gather all of your references for your bibliography page. If you have used a quote or an idea from someone else, this should be included on your bibliography page. Most students use the MLA format for Humanities courses or the APA for Science or Social Studies courses.

Type and submit final copy - If the ten steps above were followed, the assignment is now complete and the final paper is ready to be submitted.