Main components of the Research Paper Structure

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 in Research Paper Writing Guide by EssayCapital | No Comments |

Research paper writing is a process which is best when learned from the basics. Nobody can learn to write a good research paper overnight. There are various aspects to learn and understand about a research paper before attempting to write one. One of the basic things to learn is the research paper structure and the contents which go into each part of the structure. The structure is what holds the research paper together and for the same reason you have to be very careful about what you put into each of the structural elements of a research paper assignment.

• The introduction: This paragraph is the first one and its objective is as the name indicates. This section introduces the audience to the topic and the perspective taken for the upcoming discussion. You will address the research problem also in this paragraph. The subject area should also be mentioned as the same topic is dealt with from different angles from the view point of different subjects. The last line of the introduction is supposed to be the thesis statement where you will state the theory you are going to present in the body paragraphs. The thesis is the focus of your research paper and hence, should be stated clearly. It is one of the most important parts of the research paper structure. The way you state it matters a lot as your audience will be looking at your research paper from the perspective of the thesis you state.

• The body paragraphs: The longest portion of the research paper would be occupied by the body paragraphs. You will be elaborating all the points mentioned in the introduction, in the body paragraphs. It is ideal to allot one paragraph to each point but when it comes to less important points you may include two or three in one paragraph. The main challenge with the body paragraphs is to organize the points in smooth way. The transition from one point to the other, in the body paragraphs, if not smooth enough, will distract the readers and make your research paper sound unfocused and confusing. Hence, it is always better to develop the body paragraphs from an outline instead of doing it directly from the roughly noted points.

• The conclusion: It is the final part of the research paper structure which is as important as the first one. It will wind up the discussion after giving a summary of the main points. In this paragraph you must reinstate the thesis you stated in the introduction. Even though ‘winding up’ sounds like an easy job, doing it effectively and impressively is not easy. You must summarize the main points in the research paper, put them together in such a way that it will collectively point to the fact that the thesis has been proved successfully.

The research paper structure is one of the most crucial elements of a research paper. The way you frame your research paper will give your teachers a very clear idea of your writing and presentation skills. If you are not confident about your skills in structuring a research paper, you may opt to get it done by our professional academic writers. They can prepare a custom research paper for you, as per your requirements and specifications.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


An effective Argumentative Research Paper Conclusion

Sunday, February 14, 2010 in Research Paper Writing Guide by EssayCapital | No Comments |

The conclusion is the last paragraph of a research paper which often gets somewhat ignored. By the time the students reach the concluding paragraph they would have been through a very long process of research and research paper writing. They will be too tired and in a hurry to wind up the process. Also, as all the points have all been discussed elaborately, it leaves the feeling of having written as much as was necessary. But a research paper conclusion is as important as an introduction. The nature and style of the conclusion varies according to the type of assignment. An argumentative research paper conclusion must wind up the argument effectively and impressively.

The importance of the conclusion of your argumentative research paper rests on the fact that an argument which has not been closed cannot be considered proved. A successful argument will be completely and neatly wound up. Hence unless you put together a conclusion which is good enough, your argumentative assignment may not manage to make the impact you hoped for.

The conclusion of your argumentative assignment would emphasize on the fact that the details given in the body paragraphs are good enough to prove your theory. It will reinstate the thesis stated in the introduction of the research paper with much more authority and confidence. It will also make it clear to the audience that you are through with all that you have got to say and there is nothing more to add. The worst thing you can do to a research paper is to leave the reader looking for the rest of the pages after you have concluded it.

Considering the fact that you cannot add post scripts in a research paper, the conclusion becomes your final chance to emphasize upon your theory. But do not misunderstand that you can dump all the forgotten points in the conclusion. There are certain very important aspects which apply to all the conclusions including that of an argumentative research paper.

1. It should not contain any fresh points
2. It should be a short paragraph of not more than five to six lines.
3. It should contain a summary of the main points in the research paper.
4. It should reinstate the theory stated in the introduction.
5. It should wind up the discussion fully.
6. The final line should clearly possess a ‘final’ tone.

While summarizing the main points for your research paper conclusion, remember that you cannot stretch the paragraph too long. It must be short, precise and crisp. In the conclusion, the thesis should be stated with enough supporting points unlike the introduction where the research thesis will be stated plainly.

An effective argumentative research paper conclusion will not leave anything more to be argued on about your theory. It will clearly indicate that the discussion has been successfully proved. It is necessary to know the basics of research paper writing, to be able to frame the various parts of the research paper structure impressively. If you are not confident with your writing skills, you can also opt to get a custom research paper written according to your preferences.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


The Importance of an Outline in an Argumentative Research Paper

Friday, February 12, 2010 in Research Paper Writing Guide by EssayCapital | No Comments |

A research paper outline is very important in all types of writing assignments. But it is most necessary when it comes to an argumentative research paper. To understand the importance of an outline, you need to know its purpose. It is one stage of the research paper writing process which gets ignored by most students. Since it is not something that can be added to the final draft, it gets forgotten most of the time. But once you understand how useful it can be, you will never imagine writing a research paper without it.

Even though an outline is not attached to the completed document, it cannot be considered a waste. A draft developed from an outline will be much more neat and organized. As you know, presenting an argumentative research paper involves arguing on a debatable topic. It will require you to argue with the objective of convincing the reader of your argument. And it is clearly not an easy task to make someone see things through your eyes.

Having a good knowledge of the topic alone is not enough to write an argumentative research paper. You must make your audience know that you know the topic and the subject well enough to place an argument on it. For that purpose, you must have an impressive introduction, perfectly organized body paragraphs and an effective conclusion. This is where the outline will come to your help. It will help you frame the structure of your research paper in a perfect way. It will help you arrange the points easily and effortlessly into the various parts of your research paper structure.

If the points are scattered all around, the readers will find it difficult to follow your argument. Poorly organized points can be quite distracting and unimpressive as the readers will have to struggle to find the link between them and put them together. But why should they go to that trouble? It is your paper and not theirs. They have no reason to bother themselves with your part of the job. And they most certainly won’t. So if your argumentative essay or research paper is to be effective, you must take the trouble to organize the points perfectly. There is no easier way to do it than with an outline.

An argument which is not properly arranged will not be able to make an impact. The advantages of developing the research paper from an outline is that it will give you an overview of the points gathered. Missing points can be found and irrelevant ones edited. These tasks are possible even after you prepare the rough draft but the trouble involved would be double.

The job of a research paper outline is to make the process easier. It will also help you to understand how to use the points most effectively. In an argumentative research paper, the outline will also serve the purpose of giving you an idea of how effective the gathered points and your argument are. Through the outline, you will easily be able to evaluate how strong your points are and how well they can support the thesis of your research paper.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


The Body Paragraphs of an Argumentative Research Paper

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 in Research Paper Writing Guide by EssayCapital | No Comments |

Some students misunderstand the purpose of an argumentative research paper. They mistake that the word ‘argumentative’ only means that you should argue your theory. But if you reconsider it, you will realize that all research papers require you to argue your point. The specialty of an argumentative assignment is that everything starting from the topic to the style of writing would be of argumentative nature. The introduction gives you only just enough space for introducing the topic. And the conclusion, an equally short paragraph lets you do nothing more than conclude the research paper. On the other hand, the body paragraphs, which occupy most of the space in your sheets, would be where you will do all the explanation and justification required to prove your theory.

While preparing the first body paragraph of your argumentative research paper, link it to the introduction. You can link it either to the thesis statement or any of the other relevant points mentioned in the introduction. This will also help you open up your discussion. In the first paragraph you can either explain your theory or straight away get to the bottom of the topic being discussed. Slowly develop your argument. The best way to convince someone about your argument is to cover all the aspects one by one and slowly progress towards the conclusion.

Since the theory is of argumentative nature, you will need to present many pieces of strong evidence which covers all the aspects of the theory. So, first organize the points, ideally using the outline. Most points in an argument will need elaborate description and discussion. Hence dedicate one paragraph each for the points you have collected. This will make it look neat and avoid any possible confusion to the reader.

Once you have decided what content should go into each one of body paragraphs of your argumentative research paper, the next task is to arrange them perfectly. While at it, remember that smooth transition between paragraphs is absolutely important for the reader to be able to follow your argument. And for the purpose of transiting smoothly, you should arrange the points in such a way that the discussion on one point leads to the one discussed in the next paragraph. If there are individual points which cannot be linked so, use one of the generalized aspects to link it together. Isolating points will not add to the appeal of a research paper.

Discuss all the points you have collected, in the body paragraphs. Do not leave out anything as the conclusion will not be able to accommodate the discussion of a fresh point. Be legible in the discussion of the points in the body paragraphs. Do not ask the reader to “go back and refer to the point mentioned in the first body paragraph”. Instead mention it briefly again. But do not elaborate as it will sound repetitive.

An argumentative research paper is not about arguing on just about anything but it is about arguing on an arguable point. And the focus must be on the main purpose of the assignment, which is to argue to prove an argumentative theory. And only by skillfully framed body paragraphs, will you be able to accomplish the task of proving your argument effectively.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


How to Write a Good Research Paper Abstract

Friday, January 22, 2010 in Research Paper Writing Guide by EssayCapital | No Comments |

A research paper abstract serves the purpose of giving the committee a precise but clear idea of the contents of the research paper. They determine the worthiness of your research paper by reading the abstract. That makes it important for you to be very clear about the information you give in the abstract. In certain cases your research paper would be accepted only after your abstract manages to pass through certain judging criteria. Hence the abstract of your research paper should be prepared very carefully.

The objective of an abstract doesn’t end with that of giving the reader an idea of the contents. In the modern age, where information is stored electronically, an abstract makes it easier for others to find the relevant information for their purposes. Especially while searching among endless collections of documents, people tend to study the abstracts instead of going through the complete document to find out if it suits them. This also needs to be remembered while writing your research paper abstract.

The main challenge of writing an abstract is its word limit of around 250-300 words. While compressing matter for the purpose of an introduction or conclusion, you can make do with picking certain specific data which is mandatory for these parts. But an abstract needs to contain all the important aspects of your research paper. This includes:

1. The topic: Your research paper topic and the particular aspect of the topic you are dealing with have to be specified in the abstract. The perspective from which you handle the topic changes according to the subject you are pursuing. Hence you need to mention which subject forms the perspective of your topic. But do not elaborate. This bit of information is partially understood.

2. The thesis: Consider the focal point of your research. Your thesis statement is expected to be just a single line. But the preciseness of your thesis is even more important while including it in the research paper abstract.

3. The method: The research method should most necessarily be mentioned in your abstract. Different methods of research reveal different aspects of the same topic even if the conclusion might be the same. Hence your abstract should tell the reader what method was used for your research.

4. The sources: The impressiveness of the document relies largely upon the sources which were used for the research. The relevance and credibility of the sources count to a big extent. This determines the need of letting your reader know of the sources you used for your research, in advance.

5. The verdict: The conclusion of your research must be reinstated in the abstract after mentioning the other aspects of the research.

6. The key words: Considering the electronic storage preferred by the modern world, you need to include the key words which would best describe your research topic and the theory in your abstract, to make it easier to spot.

Including so much information into 250 words will not be very easy. But research paper abstracts cannot be stretched any longer than that. But since the document is of so much importance, you have to manage an impressive one. If you are not good with words, consider getting professional help with preparing the abstract of your research paper.


Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


Writing an Effective Research Paper Conclusion

Friday, December 25, 2009 in Research Paper Writing Guide by EssayCapital | No Comments |

The conclusion of a research paper, even though it is the last paragraph, is as important as the rest of the paper. It is one of the inevitable parts of the research paper structure. An effective research paper conclusion will not only enhance the theory you are projecting but it will also leave a lasting impression in the audience.

Conclusion is one part that mostly gets ignored only because of the fact that it comes towards the end of the research paper. Students mistake that it is just ‘the last paragraph’. But it is not. Any last paragraph can’t be a conclusion. A conclusion skillfully ends a discussion without leaving it abrupt or incomplete. Hence it is not to be ignored or taken lightly. Each part of the structure of a research paper is equally important. The conclusion is as important as the introduction; if the introduction is your first chance to talk about your work, the conclusion is the final chance you have, to prove your point.

The research paper conclusion is supposed to be as brief a paragraph as the introduction. It will make the entire paper look unfocused if the conclusion is not a precise one. It should not only be precise but it should also contain the main points in the research paper, all put together to establish the research conclusion.

The matter in your thesis statement should be mentioned again in the conclusion but in a format different from that in the introductory paragraph. In the introduction you just state your theory. But in the conclusion, you should repeat your thesis statement, with the support of the main points. First you should understand that the purpose of a conclusion is to declare the successful outcome of your research. Your body paragraphs are all aimed at a successful and strong conclusion. Hence, the tone used in the concluding paragraph should be bold and confident. The best and strongest points should be picked from all the body paragraphs and put together in one sentence which unquestionably points to the conclusion.

You should not include any new points in the concluding paragraph. Bringing up a new point will again require the necessary explanation which will, in turn, make the paragraph too long to be a concluding paragraph. Even the research method need not be repeated unless it is necessary to prove the point. A good conclusion should only have the facts that have already been discussed elaborately and the theory which was presented in the beginning of the research paper.

An effective research paper conclusion will not leave any questions unanswered. Here you will boldly announce the outcome of your research. There should not be any suggestion of a doubt or uncertainty about the stated facts.

Writing an effective research paper conclusion involves as much effort and focus on your part as the rest of the assignment. If you are not sure of how to frame a strong conclusion to wind up your research paper, consult your advisor or someone knowledgeable, instead of risking your entire research paper.


Tags: , , , , , , , ,


Newer Entries »
« Older Entries
Order Now