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Study Skills Handout: How to Write a Research Paper
Step 4 -- Drafting the Paper

The handout below is just one of the many study skills handouts available through the Tutoring Center. If you are having trouble with study skills of any kind, or if you have questions about study skills that are not addressed here, stop in the Student Commons Building, Room 1300, at the Normal campus and talk to a tutor. He/she can provide additional handouts, help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses and help you formulate a plan to develop effective study strategies. To find out when tutors for various courses are available in Pontiac or Lincoln contact the receptionist in Pontiac (815-842-6777) or Lincoln (217-735-1731).

How to Write A Research Paper
A Guide for Tutors and Students

Heartland Community College Academic Support Center
Prepared by Carol Baker, Melissa Clark, Nancy Mazur and Ellen Vogel

Guidelines on How to Write a Research Paper are broken down into the following steps.

• Introduction
• Checklist: Scheduling Your Research Paper
• Step 1: Getting Started
• Step 2: Collecting Data
• Step 3: Taking Notes
• Step 4: Drafting the Paper
• Step 5: Revising the Paper
• Step 6: Preparing the Final Draft
• MLA
• APA

Step 4: Drafting the Paper

Complete a first draft or discovery draft. (See Step 3: Avoid plagiarism.)

(See handouts: Coordination/Subordination and Patterns of Organization.)

• Start writing from your outline to organize your thoughts and to get a broad view.
• Use word processing program on the computer to save time in writing and rewriting each version.
• Create a line of discussion in your own voice. (See handout: Creating your own Voice)
• Remember your role as a writer. (See Step 3: Decide on audience, purpose and role as a writer.)
• Consider how you will sound to your audience.
• Establish your credibility on your topic.
• Maintain originality.
  

Write your introduction paragraph. (See handout: Sentence Structure/ Paragraphs.)

Note: Some writers find it more effective to create the introduction after the body has been planned.

• Engage readers interest and attention through explaining what is at stake for them.
• Establish the tone.
• Provide the context and background information to set up your thesis.
• Include preview of points that will support your topic.
• Avoid the obvious, too broad, or too general statements.
  Define key terms.
• Include your thesis statement as a central focus for the entire paper. (See handout: Thesis Focus Statement.)

Write the body of paper.

• Develop the body according to your outline.
• Include main points that support your thesis.
• Provide supporting evidence for the main points.
• Use details, facts, and examples.
• Remember direct quotes go in quotation marks.
• Link each paragraph with the previous and following paragraphs. (See handout: Options for Connecting Words.)

Write a conclusion.

• Rest your conclusion on evidence presented in the paper.
• Remind readers of your purpose.
• Restate your main idea and key points.
• Use different wording.
• Sum up the information.
• Present ideas about what your thesis implies for the future.
• End with a quote, question or suggestion that leaves the reader thinking.
• Make sure there is a sense of closure.
  

Create bibliography for works cited or reference page.

• Use format assigned; usually APA or MLA and current citations for electronic sources.
  
  

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