How to Write a Research Article

Writers can get lots of work, and students can earn better grades, by developing the ability to become an instant expert on a subject and by then writing evocatively, enthusiastically, and intelligently about it.

For the best success when writing a research paper or research-based article, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Research Smartly and Efficiently. Find several reliable sources, but not too many. Look for authoritative published books, both recent ones that present the most up-to-date information and, where appropriate, those from the period in which your topic first came to prominence. Academic journal articles can be very useful, both for article writers and for students; but don't get too bogged down in academic thought, either.
• Use the Internet Discriminatingly. The Internet can be a tremendous research tool if you use it wisely. Note, however, that many editors and many teachers smartly limit how many Internet sources or how much web research you can use, a reflection of the fact that anyone can publish pretty much anything they want on the Internet without regard for accuracy or truth. Aim to use only verifiably reputable sources.
• Outline. Particularly for a subject about which you started out knowing very little, an outline will help you organize your material coherently. It will also serve as your road map for the writing journey.
• Find an Expert. With research and outline in hand, find yourself one, two, or more experts for very brief interviews to get quotes that can spark up a paragraph or two or provide insight or clarification on key topics. (This isn’t essential, but some publications and some teachers demand it.) If you can't get in touch with an expert live, seek out publications by acknowledged experts and quote them on key points, always making sure that you honestly and clearly acknowledge your sources.
• Have a Point of View. Ponder the material you have gathered, rereading it multiple times if necessary, until some aspect or angle emerges in your mind that expresses your personal take on the subject. If necessary, rework your outline to present and develop your viewpoint more clearly.
• Find a Hook. With your point of view in mind, try to come up with a catchy lead that will draw the reader into your story. It might be a vivid image; or a quote from an interview subject or from Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations (note, though, that some publications and professors don't like articles or essays that start in this way, considering quotes to be hackneyed leads lacking in original thought); or, where appropriate and only if the assignment allows, a personal anecdote to which the reader might be able to relate. Draw a quick conclusion from that opening that leads into the first important piece of information in your outline or essay. (Or rework your outline again so it follows from a dynamite lead you've come up with.)
• Always Keep the Reader in Mind. While maintaining a voice of expertise, don’t get bogged down in minutiae. Cover all the ground you need to cover to explain things clearly; but keep your pace lively. Try to develop a legitimate sense of excitement about the subject, and share that excitement with the reader.
• End at the Beginning. For a nifty ending to your story, try to find a way to echo some striking aspect of your lead in the concluding paragraph or two. This will give the reader the satisfying feeling that you've wrapped up the whole research subject into a tidy, coherent whole.

Pay attention to each of the above tips for writers and your research-based essays will be much better for the effort, and will win praise from editors or earn better grades from instructors. Having learned how to write a research paper, you'll also likely have a much easier, more enjoyable time doing the work! (For more great writing tips, check out "How to Interview: Tips for Writers," "How to Write a How-to Article," and "How to Write Reviews.")

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