Decide on a clear and specific topic that interests you. Writing about something you care about will assist your drive to finish and perfect the paper. Find an interesting topic in the required subject which would be fun and exciting to research and begin work from that point.
Look up sources for the research topic you intend to write about. Make sure there is enough information to discuss. A lack of information to cite may result in a rambling paper. While doing this, double check that all the sources are academic and your professor or supervisor allows them. For instance, some may not allow Wikipedia as a source.
Create an outline for your research paper. The outline keeps you focused and prevents you from repeating information. In addition, the outline is a low-risk method to confirm you have enough topics of conversation for the paper. A research paper should contain an introduction, at least three paragraphs, with details explaining the central topic, and the conclusion. The outline should reflect this.
Create a rough draft from the outline. The rough draft helps to place all your ideas on paper and indicates if more research will be needed. You may find that a new topic may be necessary after writing the draft. The rough draft could contain spelling or grammatical errors, so don't be too concerned about making the draft flawless. This draft is used to flesh out your topic and should not be submitted.
Edit your rough draft. Read through the draft several times. Make note of spelling and grammatical errors. While reading the paper make note of any potential additions or deletions needed to give the research paper more meaning and accurately describe your selected topic.
Create your final draft. After editing your rough draft, insert all changes and additions into a new draft. Read through your paper at least once more to verify that you have pinpointed your research paper subject and no errors are remaining.