Choose a topic. Sometimes your instructor my assign the topic for your research paper. However, especially in upper-level college courses, you must determine the topic and scope of your research. The topic must pertain to the assignment at hand. If the assignment is to discuss how society stereotypes groups and the effects of these stereotypes, your topic might focus on musical stereotypes and hip hop culture. Conduct a quick resource review before committing to a topic. Make sure that there are enough available resources for conducting thorough research.
Once you have determined that there are enough suitable resources on your topic, begin reviewing them in depth. This is a time-consuming process. You want to find the most appropriate sources that support your topic. Good sources are academic journals, books published by experts on the topic and professional websites of organizations related to your topic. Avoid relying solely on electronic sources, but rather find information across a wide spectrum of mediums.
Develop a thesis statement. A thesis statement is your argument, it is what you are claiming about the topic and what your evidence will support. Your thesis should not be an accepted fact, such as "Overeating causes weight gain." Your thesis should claim something that may be controversial which you will prove through careful research. Go beyond the obvious and make a bold statement about why overeating occurs in the first place. Readers should be able to argue both sides of your thesis statement.
Refine your research. With a clear thesis statement in mind, you can narrow your research to find more specific information. You may find that your research has led you somewhere you hadn't planned. Researching should evolve as your thesis statement becomes clear. Allow plenty of time for the refinement of your research tactics. It will demonstrate the careful consideration you take in developing a solid paper.
Prepare a working bibliography. Every resource you touch should be properly documented. Make sure you follow the formatting style set forth by the instructor. Even before you know if the source will be cited in your paper, make a citation of the source on a working bibliography. If you do cite it directly in your paper, make a notation of this. When you are finished, the sources can be divided into a works-cited page for those you quote and a works-consulted page for those you do not.
Create an outline. A good outline will make writing the paper that much easier. The length of the paper will determine the number of needed sections in the outline. Lay out each paragraph and what you hope it will accomplish. Give each paragraph a heading followed by subheadings listing what will be discussed. For example, the first paragraph might be labeled "Introduction" with the subheadings "Define Thesis, Discuss Sources and Explain Importance of Topic."
Write a rough draft. Begin with the body of the paper. Introductions and conclusions are more easily written after the main points of the paper have been explained. Treat each section of your outline as a mini-assignment. When they are all finished, read the paper and add appropriate transitions.
Edit the rough daft. Ask classmates to workshop each other's papers, if time hasn't been given to do so in class. Workshops provide constructive feedback. The more people who read your paper, the better. Most universities offer editing services through a campus writing center.
Prepare the final draft. Taking all the edits into account, go back and make any needed changes. Make sure the paper flows smoothly and the thesis statement is supported throughout. Avoid straying from the main topic anywhere in the paper. Use a variety of sentence structures. Double-check the spellings of book and author names. Ensure the use of proper grammar and punctuation.
Create a title page and finalize format. Whether you are using MLA, APA or Chicago style, make sure it is used consistently throughout the paper. Number the pages properly and make sure your bibliography is in alphabetical order. Your paper appears professional with proper formatting.