Writing a quality research paper in a STEM field like biology, chemistry, physics, or computer science takes time and effort. As a STEM student, research is a major part of your academic experience and learning how to write effective research papers is an essential skill. This guide will walk you through the entire research paper writing process from start to finish.
Choosing a Topic
The first step is to choose a topic for your paper. At the beginning of the semester, your professor may provide a list of suggested topics for you to choose from related to material being covered in class. Otherwise, you will need to come up with your own topic idea. When choosing a topic, make sure it is:
Narrow enough to be addressed adequately within the length requirements of the paper. Broad topics are harder to thoroughly cover.
Interesting to you so that you are motivated to research and write about it. You don’t want to be stuck writing a paper on a boring topic.
Something original that has not already been heavily researched and written about by others. Choosing an original angle will make your paper stand out.
Relevant to the course objectives and material. Pick something on topic that relates back to what you are learning.
Has sufficient available research sources to draw from for your paper. You need background sources to cite and build your argument upon.
Conducting Research
Once you have selected your topic, it’s time to conduct research. Schedule regular research sessions where you can dedicate uninterrupted time to investigating your topic. Familiarize yourself with the research databases and journals relevant to your field. Some key steps in the research process include:
Searching online library databases and catalogs for scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles, studies, and reports on your topic. Look for recent and high quality sources published within the last 5-10 years.
Searching general search engines like Google Scholar to find additional sources. Be wary of using non-academic websites as your main sources.
Skimming sources to identify the most relevant ones to your specific research question or thesis statement. Take detailed notes on the key information and arguments presented.
Reading your source material carefully while annotating and highlighting important quotes, statistics, and conclusions that relate back to your research.
Keeping detailed and organized records of your sources in a citation manager as you go along. Proper citation is important for avoiding plagiarism.
Developing an Argument
Once you have a solid foundation of research, it’s time to start developing your paper’s central argument. Review your notes to identify common patterns or themes across the literature on your topic. Look for any gaps, limitations, or disagreements in the existing research that you could build upon. Then:
Formulate a clear, focused thesis statement that presents your overall position or unique perspective on the topic and previews the major points you will defend. Avoid broad, vague theses.
Organize your research and notes under main topic headings that work toward supporting your thesis. Group related ideas and sources together under each point.
Weave quotes, examples, studies, and data from your sources into your writing to integrate supporting evidence under each point. Thoroughly cite all information using correct in-text citations.
Note any counterarguments to your position raised in the literature and consider how you might address these opposing views in your own paper. Present a well-rounded perspective.
Structuring the Paper
Now is the time to construct the full outline of your paper based on the argument developed during research. Most STEM research papers follow the same basic structure:
Introduction – Introduce the topic, provide background context, state your thesis, and preview your main points.
Body – Present your main points that support your thesis in individual paragraphs or sections. Each point should have a clear topic sentence stating the argument followed by supporting evidence.
Methodology – If conducting an original experiment or study, describe your materials, methods, and measures here.
Results – If conducting an experiment, present your results and data analysis here in figures, tables, or descriptions.
Discussion – Analyze your results and relate them back to the existing literature and research questions. Note any limitations, implications, or possibilities for future research.
Conclusion – Restate your thesis and main findings. Discuss the overall significance and impact. Leave the reader with final thoughts.
References – List all sources cited in the paper alphabetically by author’s last name. Use correct citation format.
Outline each section and its subpoints to plan how sources and facts will support the overall argument structure before drafting. Leave space for additions later.
Drafting and Revising
With research outlined and structured, your next step is to write the first full draft. Start with your introduction to establish context and thesis, then fill in each body section, results, discussion etc. Keep referring back to your source notes as you compose. Some best practices for drafting include:
Write actively in the present tense for descriptions and methods. Use past tense to describe previous work and findings of others.
Use clear, direct language without unnecessary words. Precise scientific terminology is expected.
Integrate cited facts into sentences and not just listing quotes side by side. Introduce, discuss, and conclude each citation used.
Leave space for cited sources if drafting without having references prepared yet. Go back later to correctly insert citations.
Stay focused on addressing your thesis and not going on unrelated tangents. Keep paragraphs topic-focused.
Once the initial draft is complete, set it aside for a few days before carefully revising and editing. Check for: logical argument flow, clarity, grammar mistakes, citation errors, consistency in verb tense and style, and adherence to formatting guidelines. Have other students or your professor review drafts for additional feedback. Revising is the key to improving the overall quality and impact of your research paper.
Proper Formatting and References
The final stage is proofreading, formatting citations correctly in-text and in the references page, and checking formatting guidelines. Note any specific rules your professor provided for:
Font size, spacing, margins
Section headings and subheadings
Figure and table placement, numbering and captions
Equations and chemical structures
Reference style (APA, MLA, etc.)
After your paper is fully edited, proofread one last time before final submission. Proper technical writing requires adhering to certain formatting standards. Your hard research work deserves to be professionally presented.
Follow this comprehensive research paper writing process, whether assigned a short lab report or lengthy thesis project. Proper research methods, strong argument development, coherent organization and formatting are key to any persuasive STEM writing assignment. Manage your time wisely throughout the process. With practice, you will develop valuable technical communication skills to carry through future coursework and your career.
Andrew Stroud