A research paper should present your own interpretation, evaluation or thinking about a subject. Although secondary sources, including other people's research, are invaluable resources, your main objective is to present that knowledge in an original way. For example, someone putting forward an argument in his thesis will use evidence from books and published research while approaching the subject from a fresh perspective.
Post-graduate research papers in particular aim to make a contribution to knowledge and learning. Even if you cannot provide definite proof of your scientific hypothesis or literary theory, it might raise important new questions and provide a basis for future academic research. Someone who, for example, writes a research paper about a minor poet could present a convincing argument for the poems to be taken more seriously, based on a fresh analysis of the writer's work.
Presenting a consistent, readable, well-organized and comprehensive study is one of the main objectives of a research paper. To do this, it should state why you are conducting the research, the reasons you think it is important and the main objectives of your research. It should begin with an abstract overview of your work to enable your reader to immediately establish the rationale behind your work, your research methods, important questions raised and pertinent conclusions. Organize it into clearly divided subheadings that enable potential readers to study it selectively.
One of the most important objectives of your research paper is to get results, but these should also be presented clearly and logically. The paper should showcase your results and conclusions. Point your reader to results that are particularly relevant and illustrate with graphs and tables if appropriate. Good presentation makes your findings carry more weight and focuses on your most important achievement --- the fact that your research resulted in a significant and thought-provoking hypothesis or scientific breakthrough.