Select what kind of paper you need, or want, to write. Expository, persuasive, narrative, research and creative papers each call for different tones and purposes. An exposition paper, for example, explains a topic to readers with an authoritative voice, while a narrative tells a story without explanation. Understand which kind of paper to write. If the paper is a school or work assignment, ask for all the paper requirements -- such as whether you can provide quotes -- before starting the project.
Create a visual outline. Set out the main ideas, or points, you wish to present in the paper. Use a sheet of loose-leaf paper or plain drawing paper to make the outline. For visual learners and organizers, draw a web showing the ideas you will present. For example, draw a circle in the middle of the page with the central theme inside, such as "Human Rights in Venezuela." Draw branches out of the circle that detail more micro-themes, such as "dictatorship" and "imprisonment." If you would rather not draw, write out the ideas in steps or Roman numerals.
Write a strong thesis statement. Communicate to readers the topics you will discuss and synthesize the topics into an intriguing idea. For example, if you are writing about the emotional impact being drafted into war has on family members, state the areas you will cover in you paper. Note what your belief, or conclusion is about the research, such as families suffer anxiety disorders when a family member parts. Place a conclusion sentence, which summarizes your ideas about the subject, in the the first or final sentence of your last paragraph.
Communicate in clear, complete sentences. Lead readers from one thought or fact to the next fluidly. Write unambiguous sentences your audience will understand. Avoid run on sentences, incomplete thoughts, too many slang words and scholarly jargon, all of which gets in the way of what you wish to communicate. Use segues, such as "because," "although," "however," "unlike" and "on the other side," in academic papers to move to the following concept. In creative papers, keep the tone the same, or similar, when moving from one part of the story or account to the next.
Read the paper aloud to yourself. Mark any areas of the paper you find confusing or off-topic. Edit problematic areas. Read the edited paper to a friend or family member. Print a copy of the paper for the reader and yourself. Give the reader her copy and read from your print out. Ask the reader to point out confusing parts in the paper that stray from the topic as you read. If you or the reader find scattered ideas or phrases, highlight those problem areas or underline them with a pen. Wait to fix them until the reader completes the paper; answers to the queries may appear in a later portion of the paper. Edit those mistakes. Keep a rough draft and a final draft of the paper to show a professor or to keep for your files.