Library Research Paper
Research Paper
The format of the research paper will be more formal than the essays you have written and much
greater consideration should be given to evidence to support the ideas or opinions. It is essential that you
demonstrate an informed knowledge of your topic based on sources you have researched in the library.
The primary objective in writing a research paper is the clear communication of ideas expressed orderly,
smoothly and in a precise manner. By developing your ideas clearly and logically, your reader is able to
follow you from one thought to the next, without confusion or ambiguity. Be precise in your word usage.
The aim of research writing is the efficient communication of ideas. Don't use long technical phrases just
to sound scientific, especially if you do not understand what they mean.
A research paper is usually written in the past tense, but there are times when present tense may
be called for. It is a good idea to use one tense or the other consistently within the paper. In striving to
achieve readable prose, avoid both strings of short, choppy, declarative sentences and interminably long
sentences with innumerable clauses.
Pitfalls to watch for:
1. Avoid the use of colloquial expressions or slang such as “awesome”. They are usually too
informal and sound juvenile.
2. Avoid references to yourself such as "I believe," "I hate it," "I think," "in my opinion” etc.
3. Try to be clear and be economical in the use of words in the sentence. However, this does not
mean you should be so cryptic that it is difficult to discern the meaning of your ideas.
4. Avoid the use of too many qualifiers, e.g. "totally awesome."
5. Expressing strong personal opinions without supportive evidence.
Format of your paper
You should have at least 12 references from academic journals and books cited in your paper.
The paper must be typed with one inch margins, double spaced, using a 12 pt New Times Roman font
should contain approximately 8 pages of text, excluding references.
Introduction
The introductory paragraph should convey to your reader what you are going to cover in your paper.
Usually an introduction will have a thesis or focus, or a generalization that will be proved or developed in
the body of the paper. A good introduction will provide a smooth transition for the reader into the body
of your paper, and should make the reader want to continue to read your paper.
Body of the paper
In the body of your paper, present and develop your thesis in an organized logical manner. Be
sure to review specific concepts and ideas that are relevant to your thesis, and provide your readers with
enough background knowledge so that they will have a clear understanding of what you will be
discussing. Pay special attention to overall organization and make smooth, logical transitions between
paragraphs. Headings are often very useful to provide your paper with an organization.
Summary and conclusions
The final section of your paper is the summary and conclusions which provides your reader with a
transition out of the paper. You should remind your reader of your initial thesis, summarize the major
issues raised in the body, and state your conclusions. A good concluding section should leave the reader
satisfied with your summary and conclusions even though they may disagree with them.