Choose a topic you are interested in, that you will be motivated to research and write about. Depending on the professor, your topic may be assigned to you, but most often there is some degree of choice as to the topic of your paper.
Research the topic of your paper. This involves more than searching the internet. Get an overview of your topic online and then go to the library and read books, periodicals and academic journals. Aim for a general understanding of the topic, rather than a minimal amount of information. Document all of the sources you use.
Develop a thesis for your paper, based on your research. Your thesis statement should be a specific, clear and concise presentation of what you will discuss in your paper. As you write, the topic of your paper may change. Be sure to revise your thesis at all stages of the writing process to encompass your entire paper.
Make an outline for your paper, based on your thesis. This is done through the process of brainstorming ideas, organizing and grouping those ideas, putting them in an effective order and labeling them with headings. An outline will help you keep track of large amounts of information and organize the body of your paper.
Write the body of your paper using the outline you created. Writing the body of the paper first is helpful because the introductory and concluding paragraphs must present and reflect on all of the main points presented in the paper. Be sure to fulfill any length requirements of the assignment and cite research sources throughout the paper.
Write the introduction of your paper. The introductory paragraph begins with a few general statements related to the topic. The statements should be progressively more specific in focus, culminating in the thesis statement of the paper as the last sentence of the introduction.
Conclude your essay with a summary of the main ideas of your paper, either point-by-point or in a restatement of the thesis in different words. Show how your findings fit together and make a final piece of commentary with a statement, recommendation or question that leaves the reader thinking. New information should not be introduced in the conclusion.
Compile all of the research sources you used into a works cited page. The assignment should specify the format for documenting sources. Documentation styles each have their own printed manuals or can be found online, using resources such as Research and Documentation Online.
Edit each draft of your paper for content and grammar until it is finalized. This can be done through a peer editing process, or by yourself, depending on the assignment. You may need to edit a couple of drafts before reaching your final draft.
Structure your paper by putting the introduction first and the body paragraphs in the most effective order, followed by the conclusion and the works cited.
Format your paper according to the specifications of the assignment. This includes the proper font size and type, size of margins, spacing and section headings. Depending on the requirements of the professor, a title page and table of contents may also be necessary.