How to Write My Paper? - Complete Guide with Examples
The art of writing an academic paper is no lost art. There are so many ways you can approach your work that it’s honestly difficult to even say that one method is right and another is wrong. That’s genuinely not the case. You need to figure out what works for you. However, if you really assess the steps involved in greater detail, you’ll realize that the fundamentals don’t really change.
So, what remains constant, and what can I change when I write my paper? Well, when baking a cake, you have the power to choose what toppings to use or decide whether it’s going to be chocolate or strawberry. However, you cannot swap out eggs, flour, butter, or any of those vital ingredients from the cake mixture.
Why is that?
That’s because those are essential for any cake.
Now, on the same note, when it comes to writing academic papers, you can decide many things like –
· The kind of reference materials you prefer to include
· The need for a draft before writing your paper
· The order in which you edit or proofread
However, some steps remain unchanged. In this blog, you’ll cover some of those steps that you need to polish in order to write a top-notch paper.
Choose Reliable Sources for Research
The internet has certainly made your life easier when it comes to researching resources for your paper. However, don't take it easy just yet. There are barely any filters on search engines that separate reliable information from unreliable ones. So, it's your job to act as the filter.
Here are some websites that you can rely on –
Academic Websites | Best For |
JSTOR | Peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources. |
Science.gov | Research papers that are funded by the government. |
ResearchGate | Excellent compilation of open-access research materials. |
When researching materials from this website, you can –
· Make a note of the ideas that catch your eye.
· Keep track of the referencing details for later.
· Summarize the ideas you want to borrow in your own words.
· Ensure to avoid sources that include unsubstantiated and biased claims.
Here’s something to get you more motivated – the more researched your paper is, the more knowledgeable you seem.
Plan Out a Skeleton of the Paper
Reviewing a few research materials and then going right into writing your paper is too daring! Keep this courage aside only when you’ve got your deadline knocking on your door. When you have time on your hands, chalk out a plan. Here are some questions that you can ask –
· What ideas do you want to highlight in your paper?
· Are there enough reference materials for you to substantiate your arguments?
· How do you arrange your points naturally?
· What transitions work best for you?
Figure out the answers to these ASAP to avoid a mess later on.
Edit Your Paper with Zero Mercy
Once you’re done writing your paper, your responsibility does not end. In fact, this is the moment when you need to step up your game and put yourself in the shoes of a professional editor. Don’t have any mercy when checking your paper. Here’s what you should focus on –
· Ensuring that you’ve used logical reasoning to strengthen your arguments
· Eliminating fluff that does not add any value to the paper
· Ensuring that all your points are directly related to proving your thesis statement
· Improving your sentence structuring for easier comprehensibility
Get more editing suggestions from top academic institutes if you don’t know where to begin.
Proofread Like Your Life Depends on It
Want a perfect A on your academic paper? Then, you must have an eagle's eyes when checking for errors. You'd be surprised at how easy it is to miss glaring spelling mistakes and grammatical errors just because your eyes get accustomed to the writing. In such cases, you can –
· Take a break – You’ll be able to detect errors easily when you’re not exhausted.
· Rely on proofreading tools – Using Grammarly or any other similar proofreading tool can certainly make things easier.
However, a word of advice: Tools aren’t 100% reliable. So, it’s always better if you can manually review your paper before submission.
In Conclusion,
Securing top grades in your academic paper requires more than excellent writing skills. You need to be acutely aware of your weaknesses and take the tips highlighted here to heart. Follow them to the T. Your grades are bound to improve in no time.