Your research paper is a conversation between you and your reader. Who is your reader? In reality it is your instructor, but you should write your paper as if the reader were a fellow classmate; you will get the tone of the paper right and will be less worried that about how much more your instructor knows about your topic. In this conversation between you and your reader, you must anticipate what questions the reader will ask about your topic and answer them in your text.
Unless you are assigned a topic, you will need to select your own; let the subject matter of your course and your own interests guide you. Once you have a topic you will likely need to narrow it down, because if it sounds like an encyclopedia entry your topic is too broad. Try to express your topic in at least nine words. Once you have narrowed your topic, you need to turn it into a research question that you can answer. The final step in this process is to identify a research problem connected to your questions or identify what cost is associated with not answering it.
Once you have identified a research question and problem you can start identifying sources, whether they are books, articles, primary documents or websites. A good way to identify potential articles and primary documents is to read the footnotes in relevant secondary sources. Be sure write down all the bibliographic details for each source, as it will be needed for citations and the bibliography. Check with your instructor about which citation methods are required for your paper, as they differ by discipline.
Once you have completed a substantial amount of research, you will likely begin to have an to have an answer to your research question. While drafting your paper you will make claims and support them with the evidence you have collected. For example, your research might lead you to make the claim that the Vikings were violent, and support it with the evidence that they routinely attacked and killed unarmed monks.
In the context of a research paper, writing is more than connecting subjects and verbs in sentences; it really means figuring out what it is you want to say. Start with a blank piece of paper or computer screen and simply write without referring to your notes. By writing only what you remember, you will be less likely to inadvertently plagiarize your material. From this first draft, you can identify your main claims, arguments and evidence and ensure that they are presented in the right order. In subsequent drafts you can flesh out the examples, add direct quotations and cite your sources.
Once you have finished writing your paper, you are not done. Put it aside for at least a day. so that you can assess it with fresh eyes. Double check the flow of the argument, check grammar and spelling (spellcheck is not infallible) and make sure you have used the active voice as much as possible. Another way to check for little mistakes is to read the paper aloud. It will slow you down and force you to pay attention to the words on the page.
Make sure to use all the time allowed for your research paper so that you can complete the assignment to your best ability while doing your other coursework. Instructors routinely assign research papers at the beginning of the semester and request that they be turned in near the end ; a ten-week timetable allows for two weeks to find a topic, three weeks to do the research, a few days each to refine your research question and outline your paper, three weeks to write the first draft and a week for revisions.