Determine what topic you want to discuss in the research paper. Depending on the course and the teacher, you may be given a specific topic or subject to work with. Narrow down what you would like to discuss in the paper.
Research the topic extensively. Use credible online sources, your local library and consult library databases for literary and scholarly articles that have been published in the field. Ask a librarian for help in seeking for good resources if you are having trouble.
Compile your research and study it for themes related to your topic. Pinpoint the specific themes and how they tie into the topic and what you discussed in class. Prepare an outline to indicate your topic and the thesis statement in the introduction as well as a paragraph to accompany each topic that you will discuss. Each topic in the body of the paragraph should relate to the thesis statement, which is the argument or statement that you plan to propose in your paper.
Start writing your essay. Make sure the thesis statement supports a point and clearly expresses the point of view that the body of the essay will support. In the body of the essay, discuss the themes that support the thesis statement.
Use quotes from reputable sources obtained from scholarly journals and make sure to reference your work and include footnotes. You should have a nice balance of your own ideas in the essay body, which are supported by information in the references.
Write the conclusion. The conclusion should reiterate the thesis statement and your take or view on the topic.