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Contributor: Elephango Editors. Lesson ID: 11704
Get ready to kick off your research writing journey! Learn how to spot reliable sources and dig into research like a pro.
Dive In or Dread It?
Imagine this: you’re assigned a research paper. You either roll up your sleeves and get to work... or you stare at a blank page, thinking, “Where do I even start?”
Some students love writing. Others would rather clean their room, do the dishes, and walk the neighbor’s dog—twice—before writing anything.
No matter how you feel about it now, this lesson is here to show you that writing a research paper doesn’t have to be scary or confusing. In fact, it can be pretty rewarding once you understand the steps.
What Is a Research Paper, Anyway?
Before writing, take a few minutes to complete the worksheet Introduction to Research Writing, which can be found under Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar.
It’s a quick survey that helps you reflect on your experience, confidence, and knowledge of research writing.
Look at question 6 on the worksheet. It asks you to list the steps for writing a research paper. Once you’ve answered, compare your list to this one.
Steps to Writing a Research Paper
Understand the available resources.
Select a topic.
Conduct preliminary research and create source cards.
Formulate a thesis statement.
Make a preliminary outline.
Take notes.
Prepare to write.
Write the rough draft.
Revise and proofread.
Prepare the works cited page.
Sure, that looks like a lot. But it’s just like any big project—you take it one step at a time.
And you’ve already started by reading this lesson, which focuses on the first step.
Step One: Understanding the Available Resources.
The internet is probably your first answer—and it’s a good one—but it’s not the only one. Great research pulls from three sources: print, non-print, and electronic.
Print Resources
Libraries are more than just shelves of books. They’re packed with reliable, organized, and often overlooked information.
When you go, start at a computer to search the online catalog. You’ll find books, reference materials like encyclopedias and almanacs, and even back issues of magazines and newspapers.
If you get stuck, the librarian is your secret weapon.
Non-Print Resources
These include things you don’t read—like videos, audio recordings, artwork, interviews, and photographs.
For example, a documentary on climate change or an interview with a World War II veteran could be valuable sources for certain topics. These can often be found in libraries, online archives, or by contacting experts directly.
Electronic Resources
Not all websites are created equal. Anyone can publish anything online, so you’ll want to focus on credible sources.
In general, look for websites that end in .org, .edu, or .gov. These tend to be more trustworthy.
Try Google Scholar—it filters out unreliable sites and only shows you peer-reviewed articles and academic papers.
Even better, most libraries subscribe to research databases you can’t access through a regular search engine. Databases like EBSCO, CQ Researcher, and ProQuest give you access to journal articles, books, and reports written by experts in every field.
Ask your librarian how to access these through your school or local library.
Libraries also offer access to digital encyclopedias and archived news sources that are more accurate and in-depth than most general websites.
The truth is, there’s no shortage of information out there. The real skill is learning how to find the good stuff—and that’s exactly what you’ll practice next.
In the Got It? section, you’ll review what you’ve learned and practice identifying strong resources you can trust for your own research papers.
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Additional Resources
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