Writing a Research Paper guides students to wise use of the free scholarly resources available on the Internet, new ways of using libraries online, and the latest academic requirements for research and citation. Beginning with choosing a topic, this useful manual leads students through each step of the research paper process. Examples of actual student papers are used to demonstrate differing approaches for each subject discipline.

Writing a research paper is not a single action but a series of interlocked steps, a process. The aim of Writing a Research paper is to define this process and to give reasons for including each step. The students who use this manual thoughtfully, understanding and mastering each stage of the paper-writing process, should acquire a tool they can employ in any discipline that requires written work. The goal is for students to discover that a system, a structure, can liberate rather than restrict, for mastering the means of communication is but a step toward a more important goal – the free exchange of ideas.

Table of Contents

The Research Process
I.        Selecting a Worthwhile Subject
II.       Finding and Evaluating Sources
III.      Making a Bibliography
IV.      Making Card Notes
The Writing Process
V.       Planning the Paper
VI.      Writing the First Draft
VII.     Preparing the Final Draft