If you are not sure how to start a research paper, here are some tips to help you get started. You can use them to write a thesis statement or find evidence that supports your argument. Once you have these three steps down pat, you can move on to the next steps. Listed below are some examples of the best ways to start a research paper. Hopefully, these tips will make the process a bit easier for you.
Finding credible sources
The first step to writing an excellent research paper is to find credible sources. The best sources are recent and come from well-known sources. A trustworthy source will include an author byline and acknowledgement of their qualifications. Most websites belonging to governmental institutions are considered credible. Other sources to consider include the Library of Congress, a government website that contains a lot of information and is regarded as a credible resource.
The best sources for research papers are not necessarily scholarly publications but news sources. You can also check Wikipedia or scholarly databases, but these are less credible than a scholarly article or a news article. Wikipedia is easy to edit and you can’t be certain of the facts. Instead, you should look for articles, books, and government pages published by credible organizations. However, a library is still an important resource. Many times, you can find great facts and data by visiting it. Learning how to find credible sources is essential to writing an excellent paper.
Creating a thesis statement
Writing a research paper usually requires you to write a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a document that makes a claim, usually a position, which you wish to support with facts, evidence, or reasons. The statement should also be short and concise, but it should contain useful information. You should use the thesis statement as the basis for your arguments for and against. Besides, it should be backed by facts and logic.
A thesis statement should cover the scope of the essay. If you are writing an essay about the topic of gangs, your thesis statement should be specific and state the topic of the essay. For example, you may argue that the most effective way to prevent youth from becoming involved in these criminal activities is to implement early prevention programs in schools. Likewise, a thesis statement should be flexible and can be revised as you write and research.
Finding supporting evidence
There are some essential criteria for supporting evidence. First, it must be relevant to the research topic and should strengthen your argument. It can also support the opposite side of an argument. However, you should be careful when choosing sources for supporting evidence. It is essential that you understand each source and make sure that they are unbiased, authorized, and relevant to your topic. It should also be current and relevant to your topic. If you are unsure about what constitutes credible evidence, try using a handout.
Once you’ve chosen your topic, the next step is to find some supporting evidence. The most common sources of evidence are books, journals, and websites. You can read a library tutorial about evaluating print sources and websites. Also, you can seek out librarians to assist you in finding appropriate evidence for your paper. Visit the Davis reference desk or the Undergraduate Library or send IM messages to them. If you’re not sure what type of evidence is needed, consider talking to someone who can provide the information you need.
Writing an introduction
Writing an introduction is crucial to your research paper. It sets the tone for your paper and paves the way for the subsequent parts of the paper. Without a solid introduction, an otherwise excellent study could be rejected by a journal. To avoid this, the introduction should be simple and present tense, as many terms will be introduced during the paper. Some of these terms will also require abbreviations later.
When writing an introduction, consider the limiting steps that led to your choice of topic. Your first decision may have been a subjective one, but consider the impact it had on other research. Using citations from famous authors can help show the validity of your statement. Also, include some historical background and other research that may have influenced the current situation. You can also use other theoretical frameworks to support your hypothesis.