How to Write a Research Paper

1. 2. 3. 4.

STEP1 - CHOOSE A TOPIC STEP 2 - FIND INFORMATION STEP 3. STATE YOUR THESIS STEP 4. MAKE A TENTATIVE OUTLINE

1. STEP 5. ORGANIZE YOUR NOTES 2. STEP 6. WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT 3. STEP 7. REVISE YOUR OUTLINE AND DRAFT 4. STEP 8. TYPE FINAL PAPER

How can I find a good idea?

‡ Focus on an area that Already interests you ‡ It must be manageable ‡ It must be well-defined ‡ Brainstorm with friends ‡ Use Wh-questions ‡ Frewrite ‡ Create an Ideal Web

How to narrow down the topic

‡ Focus your topic down to a manageable size ‡ Break down the topic into subtopics ‡ Think of QUESTIONS about these narrowed topics (subtopics) ‡ Chose the best ONE

Structuring Your Report Paper

‡ Chapter 1
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ In which you outline: 1. the context of your thesis 2. your research question(s) 3. your approach to investigation 4. the content of your thesis

‡ Chapter 2
‡ In which you review previous work pertaining to this questions. ‡ 1. research findings ‡ 2. theory construction

‡ Chapter 3
‡ In which you discuss questions arising from previous work and develop the argument of the present study

‡ Chapter 4
‡ In which you outline the findings, your research methods and their application in the present study

‡ Chapter 5
‡ In which you outline the findings of the present study ‡ 1. the information ‡ 2. your analysis and interpretation of this information

‡ Chapter 6
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ In which you review: 1. your question(s) 2. Your procedures 3. your findings and interpretations 4. your contribution to theory 5. and suggest implications for research, theory or practice