{"id":18004,"date":"2017-03-20T11:28:29","date_gmt":"2017-03-20T15:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=18004"},"modified":"2021-05-22T16:52:07","modified_gmt":"2021-05-22T20:52:07","slug":"write-a-research-paper-step-by-step","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/write-a-research-paper-step-by-step\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Research Paper in a Day: Step-by-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As all other students, you put a lot of effort into studying and writing homework assignments. You do your best to complete every single project on time. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not always possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research papers are long-term assignments. Your professors advise you to start early, and you try to do that. However, you have to think about tests and other assignments. Plus, you can\u2019t stay in the library forever when you should also work on your social life. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sooner or later, every student ends up in the same situation:<strong> the deadline is too close and the research paper is nowhere near finished.<\/strong> There are two usual reasons that lead to that scenario:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1) You forgot all about this project. You were too occupied with studying and classes. You didn\u2019t set a reminder on your calendar, and your teacher just reminded you that the deadline is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tomorrow<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2) You kept procrastinating. The topic seemed simple enough, so you thought you had enough time. The day before the deadline, you\u2019re facing the harsh reality: a research paper is more complex than it seems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>1. First Thing\u2019s First: Calm Down!<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s the first thing you do when you realize you have very little time to complete a whole research paper? Panic! It\u2019s the usual reaction. You start saying to yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere\u2019s no way I can do this!\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s just impossible.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOh my God, what am I gonna do?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s the wrong approach to have. Panic will block you from achieving your full potential. The first thing you need to do is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">relax<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You forgot about that paper. Now, you\u2019re left with a tight deadline. That\u2019s okay. You still have time and you can still do something about it. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Then, repeat to yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI can do this. I will research and write whole day. I\u2019ll get it done by tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That positive self-talk will prepare your mind for the challenge that follows. Eat something nice, make yourself some coffee and get to work. If necessary, take a 20-minute power nap before you proceed with the following steps.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>2. Use the Pomodoro Technique<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you have to stay focused on a challenging task, it\u2019s important to have a system. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cirillocompany.de\/pages\/pomodoro-technique\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pomodoro Technique<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a pretty effective method that helps you do more work in less time. It\u2019s based on a simple principle:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You work for 25 minutes straight, with no distractions. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the work session, you take a 5-minute break.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It sounds pretty simple, but it works. Twenty five minutes doesn\u2019t seem like a long time. Your mind can stay focused on the task at hand without much effort. After the short break, you\u2019ll be able to get back to work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you start writing the paper without such system, the task will seem overwhelming. With the Pomodoro Technique, you\u2019re giving yourself small steps towards the ultimate goal. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use a browser extension like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/chrome.google.com\/webstore\/detail\/strict-workflow\/cgmnfnmlficgeijcalkgnnkigkefkbhd?hl=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strict Workflow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep track of your working and resting session. It\u2019s great because it blocks your access to distracting websites during the working session. When you give yourself a break of 5 minutes, you can check what\u2019s new on Twitter. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>3. Start With Brainstorming<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you get to work, you\u2019ll need to get an idea. How do you want this paper to look like? Go through a brief brainstorming stage, so you\u2019ll form an outline to guide you to the process of research and writing. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your teacher gave you a prompt for the research paper. Focus on it. What ideas do you get? <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make a list of a few possible topics. The brainstorming stage doesn\u2019t need much thinking. You just write whatever comes to your mind. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, do a preliminary research on those topics. It shouldn\u2019t take much time. Give 5 minutes to each idea you have. What topic gives you the greatest foundation for research? That\u2019s what you should focus on.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have the topic, you should craft an outline. The outline will keep the research process relevant. It will help you write a focused discussion and be much quicker during the writing stage. You may need to alter the outline as you make progress. But that\u2019s okay; the structure will be flexible. The question is: how exactly do you craft an outline?<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, form your thesis statement. It\u2019s something you will prove throughout the research paper. The preliminary research provided you with enough resources. Keep in mind that professors don\u2019t like broad thesis statement. If, for example, the prompt was related to World War 2, you\u2019ll have to narrow it down. You can opt for a specific event during the war, or even explore the Italian uniforms. Whatever it is, you need to make it very specific. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of at least 3-4 subtopics. When you focus on the main topic, what questions do you have? You\u2019ll want to answer those questions through the subtopics. That will be the body of your research paper.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, the outline should include a conclusion, which will sum up the claims and connect the loose ends.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>4. Now, Onto the Research!<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is an important piece of advice: don\u2019t research as you write. When you\u2019re working on a serious research paper, you need to explore many resources that will help you get ideas and form opinions. This should be a separate stage. Since you have only one day to write this paper, you can give yourself 2 hours for the research. Here are few tips to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/scholar.google.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Scholar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> instead of the usual Google search engine. It gives you access to high-quality scientific and academic sources. Only authoritative sources will make the paper look serious and well-researched.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep track of all online sources you collect. You will need to reference them. Otherwise, you\u2019ll be guilty of plagiarism. You can create a private <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> board, where you\u2019ll collect all materials you plan to use. As for the referencing, you can use a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.citethisforme.com\/citation-generator\/harvard\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free citation generator<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which will save you a lot of time.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take notes! You can\u2019t expect to remember everything you read and all ideas you get during this stage. If necessary, update the outline and make it more detailed.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>5. Write It!<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, you\u2019ve come down to the writing part. You might want to take a break before this stage. Have another cup of coffee and an energizing meal. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again: relax! You have an outline with good ideas. You have enough resources to work with. At this stage, you should just bring everything together, and that won\u2019t take more than 4 hours. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t have to start with the introduction. Many students find it easier to write the thesis and develop the arguments first. Then, it\u2019s easier to explain what the paper is about in the introductory part. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t think much about the style and grammar at first. This is your first draft, which will go through changes later on. Focus on expressing your ideas in a logical way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support your arguments with quotes from the resources you have. They will add strength to the claims.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use simple, clear language. Don\u2019t try to make a good impression by writing endless sentences and using words you just found in the dictionary. You don\u2019t need complex style to show you know what you\u2019re writing about.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t leave the references last. Cite the sources as you go!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep up with the Pomodoro method while you write. If you feel exhausted and you need a longer break, take a power nap and you\u2019ll continue later.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>6. Don\u2019t Forget the Editing<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019re almost done, but it\u2019s not time to celebrate just yet. When you finish writing the research paper, it\u2019s important to take a break. You must be hungry, so get something to eat. Try not to think about the paper for at least one hour. When you go back to it, the mistakes will be more obvious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/top-6-editing-tools-for-college-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Top 6 Editing Tools for College Students<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get rid of sentences and paragraphs that are not directly related to the thesis statement and subtopics. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add more information when you notice gaps in the logical flow. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pay attention to the citations. You have to format them in accordance with the required referencing style. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proofread! Once you\u2019re done fixing the major aspects of the paper, you can do the last reading. At this point, focus on the grammar, spelling, and punctuation. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, you can congratulate yourself. You made it! You wrote an entire research paper in a single day. It\u2019s not smart to procrastinate until the last day. However, it\u2019s not impossible to write a paper in such a short timeframe. Now, have a good sleep. You deserve it. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As all other students, you put a lot of effort into studying and writing homework assignments. You do your best to complete every single project on time. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not always possible. Research papers are long-term assignments. Your professors advise you to start early, and you try to do that. However, you have to think [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":29500,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[586,228],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-school-hacks","category-student-guide"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay.jpg",830,533,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay-224x144.jpg",224,144,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay-300x193.jpg",300,193,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay.jpg",830,533,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay.jpg",830,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay.jpg",830,533,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay.jpg",830,533,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Julie Peterson","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/author\/julie-peter\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"As all other students, you put a lot of effort into studying and writing homework assignments. You do your best to complete every single project on time. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not always possible. Research papers are long-term assignments. Your professors advise you to start early, and you try to do that. However, you have to think&hellip;","featured_media_src_url":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/research-essay.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}