THE KESTREL GUIDE TO WRITING YOUR RESEARCH PAPERS

What is a Research Paper?

In simple terms, a research paper is a piece of academic writing on a specific topic, that
analyses existing literature related to the topic, & contributes to it in the form of the authors
original research.
So, the first step towards writing a research paper is to not get overwhelmed by a research
paper. It’s not as technical as people make it out to be.

Where to Start?
You want to find a topic that interests you, as well as challenges you. Also, pick a topic you’re
familiar with if this is your first research paper. Start some preliminary research on the topics
you’re interested in to get an idea of what information already exists on them. Once you’ve
decided on one topic, narrow the topic down to something more specific. For example, if you
want to explore “the effects of the rise of right wing politics”, be more specific & narrow your
topic down to “The effects of the rise of right wing politics ‘on minorities’”. You can also
narrow it down further to “The effect of rise of right wing politics on minorities ‘in Pakistan’”.
So the key is being very specific about what you want to explore. This will not only help in
differentiating your research from existing literature, but will also ensure you don’t get
overwhelmed whilst conducting your research.

What is the Layout for a Research Paper?

Example Topic: A rise in right wing politics & its effects on minorities in Pakistan.

Abstract:
A summary of the entire paper, including its research question. (150-200 Words) Some people
may find it more convenient to write this section after completing the rest of your paper.
However, making a draft for this in the beginning is helpful since it can guide the rest of your
paper. You can always come back to it in the end to make moderations as needed.

Introduction:
Introduce the topic. Start from the larger assumptions, & then funnel down to the specific
thing you want to talk about.
Example: Talk about global shift in politics, citing examples such as Trumps election, & Brexit,
alongside minority rights being infringed globally. Then funnel the discussion down to your
specific case such as minority rights infringements in the country you want to study.
At the end, introduce your research question in a subsection. Your research Question is the
core of your paper. It is a one liner, of the exact thing you want to find out.
Example: “Does a rise in right wing politics translate into minority oppression in Pakistan?”

Literature Review:
Start this section by elaborating on the concepts that are being used. Example: Elaborate on
what we mean by “Right Wing”, & “Minorities”. + What evidence exists to show right wing is
on the rise.
Then, present relevant existing research on your topic. This research is known as secondary
research, and can come from a myriad of resources such as Journals, Newspaper, Magazines,
or even News outlets. Just be sure to save references for all resources you use.
This section can also be divided into further sub-sections for clarity if needed. For Example:
To explore the rise of right wing politics in different countries.

Methodology:
This section is used to elaborate on the type of research you are doing to answer the research
question you posited earlier. Is your research primary or secondary? Is it qualitative or
quantitative? Or even, why you’ve decided to not conduct any primary research yourself, &
use existing research to come to your conclusion.
You will also elaborate on why you chose the methods of research you chose (interview or
survey etc.) Justify the actions you’ve decided to take for your paper.
In case of a scientific research paper, this is where you present the methodology for any
scientific experiments you may have conducted.

Findings/Results:
This section will be used to present your findings from the research that you have conducted.
You will also use this as an opportunity to analyze the data that you have gathered.
Furthermore, a subsection for your own opinion can be added here, where you can present
your opinion + any recommendations you may have.

Conclusion:
This section will be used to wind up the paper. Restate the research question you had, & how
you got to the answers you figured out.
Bibliography:
The section used to cite all the secondary data that you have used. Any newspaper articles,
research papers, websites, interviews etc., will be collated & presented here.
The point of this section is to give credit to anybody whose research, words, & opinions you
have used in your paper.

Key Terms you need to know:

Primary Research: Research that you’ve conducted yourself.
Secondary Research: Research that has been conducted by others that you use.
Qualitative Research: Research that focuses on words & their meanings. (Interviews, Focus
Groups, etc.)
Quantitative Research: Research that focuses on numbers & statistics. (Surveys,
Questionnaires etc.)
Research Question: The main question that you are trying to answer using your paper.
Thesis Statement: The main statement/conclusion that answers your research question.
Should be concise.

Things to remember:
1. Make a separate document & keep noting down information for whatever resource
you are using. Write down authors name, book/journal name, page number, year
published, website link, etc. For some resources you might not always have perfect
information, but try to get as much info as you can.
2. Keep discussing your research paper with a supervisor/mentor at various stages:
Before you start, when you finalize a topic, when you’ve made your first draft etc.
3. Ensure every part of your paper is relevant to answering your research question.
4. Find out which referencing style you want to use, & browse through the links below
to find out how to use different referencing styles.

Useful Links
1. https://www.aresearchguide.com/1steps.html (For More information on research papers)
2. https://essaypro.com/blog/research-paper-format (For different referencing styles)
3. https://libraryguides.vu.edu.au/harvard/journal-articles (For Harvard referencing)

Technical Details:

Font: Times New Roman / Size: 12 / Line Spacing: 2 / Headings: Bold / References/Citations: Hanging Indent /
Word Count: 2000 - 2500 words. For Humanities subjects use Harvard referencing, for Scientific use APA.