Writing a research paper can be a tough experience. It requires both credible scholarly content and impeccable coherence with academic standards. These two aspects scare students quite a lot.
However, writing a research paper is a really interesting and rewarding experience. This kind of work is based on your understanding of the problem, experiment, and investigation. There is nothing more empowering than learning new things, analyzing and processing them, and making a contribution to the scientific community.
These are academic rules and requirements that make it complicated. These requirements make students anticipate research paper writing with fear. However, there is a way out for this. We asked Lucy Klein who writes for Studyfy to share her tips on turning research writing into a great experience. Here they are.
Read and Comprehend the Instructions
Every research paper comes with its own set of instructions. Your teacher usually either shares some guidance with you or sends the rubric which you should follow. The best thing you can do is to start by reading this document.
These instructions contain excellent tips and suggestions on how to make your paper great. Sometimes they even specify what kind of academic structure changes are acceptable. Moreover, teachers may list recommended sources for you to know what to look for.
These guides are exceptional in helping students set the right study mood. They also explain what it is that your teacher wants. If you succeed in following it, huge chances are that your research writing experience will not be as difficult as you expect.
Arrange a Nice Place for Your Work
Having a cozy place to isolate and focus on your paper is essential for writing a good piece. You should have a room with all the equipment you need to concentrate on your research. Ideally, this place should have everything from books to printers for you to feel equipped.
At the same time, the room should be convenient for you. Take care of lighting, furniture, and other stuff. Having a door that can be locked at any time is also a plus.
The place where you work and study is the place where you spend most of your time. Feeling comfortable and free from all distractions is essential for making your academic writing experience pleasurable.
Take Care of Yourself
Every assignment requires your attention and energy. Many students have a problem with this. They invest too much in studying, forgetting that their mind and body are not machines. Your systems do need fuel to function.
Therefore, do not skip meals or cut your quality sleep time if you want to come up with a great research paper. Do not do that if you want to have a nice time writing it. The quality of your food and sleep has a direct impact on your mood and concentration.
Plan Your Writing
If you do want to have no trouble writing a paper, then make sure you start in advance and get to know everyone’s Studyfy review. Different topics require varying approaches to the research process. The amounts of time spent on writing, the number of sources, and other parameters vary from one paper to another.
Your goal is to measure these factors to plan your writing. This will prevent you from getting extra stressed because of a lack of time. Start researching and writing in advance. Do not leave it until the last minute. Students who write assignments when they are in a hurry usually end up being unsatisfied and worried too much.
Time management and planning are critically important for students working on their writing assignments. Any haste in this matter can add stress and hinder assignment quality. Thus, to have a really great experience while researching, do not delay your writing.
Find Art in Research Paper Writing
To turn your research paper writing into a great experience, try to enjoy every step of the way. Take your time to dive deeply into the topic. Outline your ideas, measure your background knowledge, and define gaps. Investigate more on them since they are the key areas of your research.
Give yourself some time to enjoy the process of getting new knowledge. You can even get yourself lost investigating beyond the topic if time allows. Research is an art, and so is writing. Do not limit yourself. On the contrary, learn to enjoy researching and writing as they are integral for learning.
Know Where to Find the Right Sources
Some students say that filtering credible sources from unreliable ones is tedious and daunting. Of course, it would be much easier to reference Wikipedia every step of the way. Especially taking into account that most of your daily research is probably done using it.
However, credible academic sources are not that hard to find. Even Wikipedia’s references may even help you with that. We recommend creating a referencing list first thing when you start working on your research. It will save you lots of time when writing and formatting.
Google Scholar, online libraries, pdf versions of articles, journals in open access – these all are reliable sources to be used in your paper. If you need something specific, go to official websites or visit libraries for archive documents. It does not take that much time and effort as it may seem.
Find a Friend or a Mentor
Finding someone who can both advise and encourage you to work on your paper is great for the final outcome. A good friend or a mentor can help you manage time better, suggest things that need improvement, and proofread your paper on the final stage.
A mentor actually has a preference over a friend in this matter. They are usually professionals who can see things from a teacher’s perspective. A friend, though, can draw you into a healthy competition. You’ll mentor them, they’ll mentor you. This will keep you motivated to be on time with your project milestones.
Final Words
Writing a research paper is a responsible assignment that influences your final grade. You should definitely take it seriously. However, do not turn it into a life-or-death task. Plan the process to enjoy it and work on it at your own pace. Studying should be a pleasure after all. Do not make yourself trapped.
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