How to write a research paper?

By Priya Chetty on April 7, 2016

Research paper writing is a challenging task. You have to deal with criticism as sportingly as you accept compliments. Writing a research paper is not like bulk content writing or general promotional or blog writing. It’s not free-flow writing; you have to do a lot of research to produce a few 100 words. Research is more important than writing which is why it is known as a Research Paper. Say you have to write a 1000-word paper on “Labour market in China”.

  1. You will first do preliminary research on the pros and cons of the labor market,
  2. Identify 3-4 main characteristics,
  3. then do in-depth research on them.

Decide the objectives before you look for sources and references

You can get the right sources for your paper if you know what and where to look for them. For this, the objectives of your research project must be very clear. Before you start looking for relevant sources, divide your research into headings and sub-headings and revise the research objectives. When you are looking for definitions, theories, models, or principles, Google books can prove helpful.

Nothing goes unsupported in a research paper

No matter how many dramatic words you make use of, your essay will be hollow and worthless if you don’t have concrete support to back your statements. Every claim must be supported with a reference, or the paper loses its credibility.

Never rush

Give yourself time to learn new concepts, even if you are experienced in the subject. Research and writing take patience, but once you learn the skill, it’s impossible to dislike it. Here are a few points you should keep a tag on:

  • Structure of your paper,
  • Referencing style,
  • The format of the paper and word limit.
  • Grammar, language, punctuation, and vocabulary.

Get technological help

There are applications to help you simplify the writing process, like online libraries to store your papers, mind map software to help you design the flow of content, etc. The ones I recommend the most are Mendeley for referencing/ citation and XMind for mind maps.

I am a management graduate with specialisation in Marketing and Finance. I have over 12 years' experience in research and analysis. This includes fundamental and applied research in the domains of management and social sciences. I am well versed with academic research principles. Over the years i have developed a mastery in different types of data analysis on different applications like SPSS, Amos, and NVIVO. My expertise lies in inferring the findings and creating actionable strategies based on them. 

Over the past decade I have also built a profile as a researcher on Project Guru's Knowledge Tank division. I have penned over 200 articles that have earned me 400+ citations so far. My Google Scholar profile can be accessed here. 

I now consult university faculty through Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) on the latest developments in the field of research. I also guide individual researchers on how they can commercialise their inventions or research findings. Other developments im actively involved in at Project Guru include strengthening the "Publish" division as a bridge between industry and academia by bringing together experienced research persons, learners, and practitioners to collaboratively work on a common goal. 

 

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