Don't start your paper without checking and double-checking your comprehension of what is expected in your paper. It can be tempting to assume you should just write generally about your topic; but by doing so, you risk omitting crucial information and damaging your grade. If you're unsure about the instructor's preferences and expectations, schedule a short face-to-face meeting before you start writing. Repeat the expectations back to her for extra clarification. Ask questions until you are clear on what to do.
A research paper is not an opportunity to toss in your own opinions and analysis of the question -- unless specifically requested. Your job is to clearly and succinctly sum up what your research has shown and draw reasonable, supportable conclusions. Don't use 10 words when seven will do. You are writing a research paper, not a novel. Remember that in the business world, your ability to reach the point quickly will work in your favor. Write as if you're preparing a report for a business client that does not appreciate long-winded reports.
Stick to the topic that is assigned. Don't veer off into related topics, just to reach the required word or page count. Before you start writing, make a list of major points that your research has shown you need to address individually. When you finish addressing them all, consider your paper basically finished. Adding conclusions and predictions can help demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, only if you can show clearly and quickly how your research supports them. If the literature has no clear leaning one way or another, do not speculate -- if the experts don't know, you probably don't either.
Your instructor will be reading your paper, but she may require you to write for a different audience; perhaps a business client who knows nothing about the subject, or a supervisor with decades of experience. Keep your audience in mind when you write. Don't include information they already know. Include information they need to know and why it is significant for them in particular. Keep your purpose in mind as well. Providing an overview of the past three decades of business communication for an instructor is far different than writing a financial analysis of the current fiscal year for your supervisor. Tailor your vocabulary, rhythm, syntax and tone accordingly.
You get better at writing the more you do it. Don't wait until the week before it's due to start your research paper. Start with a broad outline, then move to a narrower one -- or more. Write a first draft as soon as possible and follow it with a second, third and fourth. The more you write, the clearer the subject matter and the more concise your ideas will become. When you complete your final draft, you can be confident that it is well-researched and high-quality.