A research paper presents an argument or an answer to a question and supports it with evidence from sources you have found and read. It differs from an opinion essay mainly in how much of its weight rests on those sources (more in research paper vs essay).
What are the steps to write a research paper?
Most guides, including the Purdue OWL, describe the same core process. Here it is in eight steps, using one running example: a 10-page paper for a first-year psychology class on sleep and grades.
Read the assignment and turn your topic into a question
Underline the length, citation style, number and type of sources and the deadline. Then narrow the topic until it fits in one question you could answer in the page count, such as "How does sleep duration affect first-year college students' grades?"
Find scholarly sources
Search your library's databases and Google Scholar with two or three keyword combinations. Skim abstracts, keep the sources that speak to your question, and save the full citation details right away. See how to find scholarly sources.
Read and take notes with page numbers
For each source, note its main claim, its evidence and the exact page of anything you may quote or paraphrase. A simple table (source, claim, evidence, page, your comment) saves hours later.
Write a working thesis
Answer your question in one or two sentences that make a claim someone could dispute. You can sharpen it later; you need it now to decide what goes into the paper. Examples: thesis statement examples.
Make an outline
List the sections and, under each, the point it makes and the sources that support it. Every body section should move the thesis forward. Template: research paper outline.
Draft the body, then the introduction and conclusion
Write the body sections first, one claim per paragraph, each backed by evidence and your analysis. Write the introduction and conclusion last, when you know what the paper actually argues.
Cite as you write
Add the in-text citation the moment you use a source, with the page number for quotations, and build the reference list as you go. See APA 7 citation examples.
Revise in two passes, then proofread
First pass: does every section support the thesis, and is anything missing or off-topic? Second pass: clarity, transitions, citations and format. Proofread last, ideally on paper or read aloud.
What are the parts of a research paper?
The exact sections depend on your field and assignment. A typical undergraduate research paper in the humanities or social sciences has these parts; papers that report your own study (lab reports, empirical papers) use the IMRaD structure in the right column.
| Part | Literature-based paper | Paper reporting your own study (IMRaD) |
|---|---|---|
| Title page | Title, your name, course, instructor, date | Same |
| Abstract | Often not required for class papers | A short summary of every section; the assignment or journal sets the length |
| Introduction | Context, the question, your thesis | Context, gap in research, hypothesis |
| Body | Thematic sections, each supporting the thesis | Method, Results |
| Discussion | Counterarguments and their limits | Meaning of results, limitations |
| Conclusion | What the evidence shows and why it matters | Often merged into Discussion |
| References | Every cited source, alphabetical | Same |
Check your syllabus first: if your instructor gives a structure, use theirs.
How long does it take to write a research paper?
It depends on the length and on how much reading the topic needs. For a 10-page undergraduate paper, a realistic plan gives about three weeks of part-time work. The table is a planning suggestion, not a rule:
| Week | Steps | What you should have at the end |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Question, sources, first reading | A focused question and 8–12 promising sources |
| 2 | Notes, working thesis, outline, start drafting | A thesis, an outline with sources mapped to sections, half the body drafted |
| 3 | Finish draft, citations, two revision passes, proofread | A complete, cited, proofread paper |
If you only have a week, compress each block, but keep the order. Skipping the outline usually costs more time in revision than it saves.
How do you choose a good research question?
A good question is narrow enough to answer in your page count, open enough that sources disagree or leave gaps, and answerable with sources you can actually get. The Purdue OWL notes that phrasing your topic as a question helps you focus it and makes sure it is arguable (Purdue OWL).
| Too broad | Better | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep and students | How does sleep duration affect first-year college students' GPA? | One population, one measurable outcome |
| Social media | Does daily TikTok use predict lower reading time among US high school students? | Specific platform, group and behavior |
| Climate change | How have US coastal cities paid for flood-protection projects since 2012? | Bounded in place, topic and time |
What makes a strong thesis statement?
The UNC Writing Center describes a thesis as an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself; it makes a claim that others might dispute and is usually a single sentence near the beginning of the paper (UNC Writing Center). For the running example:
- Weak: This paper is about sleep and grades. (a topic, not a claim)
- Better: First-year students who sleep less than seven hours a night earn lower grades, and the effect is large enough that colleges should move exams out of early-morning slots.
More patterns and rewrites are in thesis statement examples.
How do you use sources without plagiarizing?
Cite every idea, number or wording that is not your own, both where you use it (in-text citation) and in the reference list. When you paraphrase, change the structure and the words, not just a few synonyms, and still cite. APA Style does not require a page number for a paraphrase, but you may add one when it helps readers find the passage in a long or complex work such as a book; for direct quotations it is required (APA Style). The rules for page numbers, "et al." and block quotes are in APA in-text citations.
How should a research paper be formatted?
Use the format your instructor asks for. If it's APA 7, the student-paper defaults are:
| Setting | APA 7 student paper |
|---|---|
| Margins | 1 inch on every side (APA Style) |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout, including the reference list, no extra space between paragraphs (APA Style) |
| Font | For example 12-pt Times New Roman, 11-pt Georgia, 11-pt Calibri, 11-pt Arial or 12-pt Aptos (APA Style) |
| Reference list | New page titled "References", alphabetical, hanging indent |
Want to know how many pages your draft fills in each font? Use the words to pages converter.
Final checklist before you submit
- The thesis answers the question in the assignment, and every section supports it.
- Each paragraph makes one point, backs it with evidence and explains what the evidence shows.
- Every quotation has a page number; every source in the text is in the reference list and vice versa.
- You used the required number and type of sources (how many sources do you need?).
- Format matches the assignment: font, spacing, margins, title page, headings.
- You read the whole paper once aloud or on paper, start to finish.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 5 main parts of a research paper?
Most class research papers have an introduction (with the thesis), a body of several sections, a conclusion and a reference list, plus a title page. Papers that report your own study often add an abstract and use Method, Results and Discussion sections instead of a single body.
How many sources should a research paper have?
Follow your assignment first. Without a requirement, a common rule of thumb for undergraduate papers is roughly one scholarly source per page, so 8 to 12 for a 10-page paper. Details: how many sources for a research paper.
Should I write the introduction first?
Usually not. Write a working thesis first, then the body. Write the introduction and conclusion last, when you know what the paper actually argues; that saves rewriting them.
Can I use ChatGPT to write a research paper?
Check your instructor's and school's AI policy first; many restrict it. Chatbots can also invent sources that don't exist, so verify every citation in the original before using it, and cite or disclose AI use the way your course requires.
What is the difference between a research paper and a research proposal?
A research paper reports what the sources (or your study) show. A proposal argues that a study is worth doing and explains how you will do it: question, method, timeline and expected contribution.
Sources
- Purdue Online Writing Lab. Writing a Research Paper. owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/index.html
- Purdue Online Writing Lab. Research: Where to Begin. owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_research/research_overview/index.html
- The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Thesis Statements. writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
- APA Style (American Psychological Association). Paraphrasing. apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/paraphrasing
- APA Style (American Psychological Association). Margins. apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/margins
- APA Style (American Psychological Association). Line Spacing. apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/line-spacing
- APA Style (American Psychological Association). Font. apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/font
Written and checked by the Paperspring Editorial Team against the sources above. Found a mistake? Tell us.