To write a research paper, you pose a focused question, gather and evaluate credible sources, and present an argument or findings in a clear structure with full citations. Precision at each step is what separates a strong paper from a long one.
This page walks through the process, explains the IMRaD structure used for empirical papers and the thesis-led structure used for argumentative ones, and ends with a checklist.
The Research Paper in Seven Steps
Choose and narrow a topic, write a research question, search for and evaluate sources, build an outline, draft the body, write the introduction and conclusion, then revise and check citations.
Write the abstract and title last, once you know exactly what the paper says.
Forming a Research Question
A research question turns a topic into something you can answer with evidence. It should be focused, researchable in your time frame and arguable or testable.
Topic: remote work. Too broad: What are the effects of remote work? Focused: How does fully remote work affect the career progression of early-career employees in professional services firms?
Finding and Evaluating Sources
Search subject databases and your library catalog rather than general search engines. Combine keywords with AND and OR, and follow the reference lists of strong articles to find more.
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Authority | Who wrote it, and what is their expertise? |
| Peer review | Was it published in a peer-reviewed journal or by a scholarly press? |
| Currency | Is it recent enough for your field? |
| Method | Is the evidence gathered and analyzed soundly? |
| Relevance | Does it address your question directly? |
Distinguish primary sources, such as original studies, data or texts, from secondary sources that discuss them. Build your argument mainly on primary and peer-reviewed evidence, using textbooks and reviews for background and orientation.
Two Common Structures
Your discipline and brief decide the structure. Empirical papers that report a study usually follow IMRaD; argumentative or review papers in the humanities and social sciences are organized around a thesis.
| IMRaD (empirical) | Thesis-led (argumentative or review) |
|---|---|
| Introduction: background, gap, question or hypothesis | Introduction: context and thesis statement |
| Method: design, participants or materials, procedure, analysis | Body sections: each develops one part of the argument with evidence |
| Results: findings without interpretation | Counterarguments and responses |
| Discussion: meaning, comparison with literature, limitations | Conclusion: restated thesis, implications, further questions |
Many papers in both formats include a literature review, either within the introduction or as its own section.
What Each Section Needs
Introduction
Move from the broad context to the specific gap, then state your question, hypothesis or thesis. End with a brief road map in longer papers.
Literature Review
Synthesize sources by theme, evaluate their strengths and limits, and show how they lead to your question.
Method
Describe what you did precisely enough to be repeated: design, sample, tools, procedure and analysis, plus ethical approval where relevant.
Results
Report findings in the order of your questions, using tables and figures for detail. Leave interpretation for the discussion.
Discussion and Conclusion
Explain what the findings mean, compare them with earlier research, acknowledge limitations and state implications. The conclusion answers the research question directly.
Using Sources Well
Integrate sources into your argument instead of stacking quotations. Paraphrase most of the time, quote only when the exact wording matters, and always add your own analysis after the evidence.
Early-career remote workers report fewer informal learning opportunities than office-based peers (Lopez, 2022), and their promotion rates lag in firms without structured mentoring (Ahmed & Ruiz, 2023). Together, these findings suggest that the career cost of remote work is not inevitable but depends on whether firms replace the informal contact the office once provided.
Referencing and Citations
Cite every idea, statistic or quotation you take from a source, in the text and in the reference list. Use the style your brief requires, such as APA, MLA, Chicago or Harvard, and apply it consistently. A reference manager such as Zotero saves time and prevents errors.
Common Mistakes and a Checklist
- A topic too broad to cover in depth.
- Sources summarized one by one rather than synthesized.
- Results mixed with interpretation.
- Claims stronger than the evidence supports.
- Missing or inconsistent citations.
Before You Submit
- Is the research question or thesis clear in the introduction?
- Does every section serve that question?
- Are sources credible, current and synthesized?
- Does the conclusion answer the question directly?
- Are formatting and citations correct throughout?
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Frequently Asked Questions
IMRaD stands for Introduction, Method, Results and Discussion. It is the standard structure for papers that report an empirical study.
Student papers range from about 1,500 to 6,000 words or more. Your brief sets the length.
It depends on length and level. A rough guide is one credible source per 200 to 300 words, but always follow your brief.
Many writers draft the body first, then the introduction and conclusion, so they frame the paper you actually wrote.
A research paper relies more heavily on sources or original data and usually follows a formal structure. An essay may be shorter and more argument-driven.
Many styles, including APA 7, allow first person to describe what you did. Check your tutor's preferences.
Only if your brief or style guide asks for one. Empirical papers and longer projects usually include one.
A custom paper is for study and reference. Use it to understand structure and argument, then write your own paper under your institution's rules.