Research the material. Psychopathology is a difficult subject and research should span everything from psychopathic behavior in young children to extreme cases of psychopaths such as serial killers. The material will often be disturbing because psychopaths are those without regret for even the most harmful actions.
Take careful notes. Notes should properly cite where you found the information, even if you paraphrase rather than copy verbatim. These citations will make it easier to avoid accidentally plagiarizing.
Form an opinion. A good research paper doesn't just present information. It states an opinion, supports the opinion, cites an argument against the opinion and culminates in a conclusion about why the stated opinion is correct. Research reports should present all of the information on the subject while also telling the reader why one idea is better than another.
Write your argument. It is important to present both an opinion and an opposition to the opinion in a research report on psychological studies. A subject like psychopathies can be controversial due to the methods used to treat and handle the individuals, so following your opinion with an argument shows the reader you did the proper research.
Write the paper in APA format. The only exception would be if you were writing the paper for an English class rather than a psychology, social work or sociology class. Psychological documents always employ APA style to avoid confusion by readers who will primarily be psychologists, social workers and sociologists.
Use APA citations for any quotes or paraphrases. It is important to cite quotes or tell the reader where information was obtained in the case of paraphrases. Not only does it inform the reader that the idea is unoriginal, but it also gives credit where it should be, with the original author.
Edit the paper. Editing should not only ensure that the paper flows well, but also that citations are in the correct places and that no citations have been left out.