How to write a research analysis paper

Analytic paper demands that you perform many tasks: formulate a thesis, gather sources, evaluate them, use them to support your original ideas and meticulously document everything you've done. Be alert to other phrases that limit the scope of your is a sample research assignment, with key terms in bold type:The events that led up to the gulf war included a spirited debate in both houses of congress about whether or not to authorize president bush to use military force in the persian gulf. In a paper of at least 12 pages, discuss your answer and provide ample support for it from a range of scholarly articles and books. You should generally avoid newspaper editorials, newsmagazines, and television broadcasts other than special that the first paragraph here basically discusses the background for the question, whereas the second paragraph delineates the writer's tasks. Assuming you knew something about the topic before you began your research, this may not happen. That can make your task easier, since your paper could find strong evidence on either side of the the authority and expertise of the sources at this point. An editorial writer for the "cornville hooter" usually won't have the expertise of one who writes for "the christian science monitor," nor of a political scientist who publishes in a professional journal. Even if you no longer agree with your original thesis, research and reading may nudge your thesis in a new direction. It is not unusual for writers to begin a paper with one thesis and then go on to prove are now ready to begin the first draft, or you are very close to that to 'first drafts'. S web | writing center | appointment | e to the purdue printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at butors:jack raymond baker, allen brizee, ashley y:this handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding g a research paperthe research will come a time in most students' careers when they are assigned a research paper. Writing a research paper is an essential aspect of academics and should not be avoided on account of one's anxiety.

Writing an analytical research paper

In fact, the process of writing a research paper can be one of the more rewarding experiences one may encounter in academics. What is more, many students will continue to do research throughout their careers, which is one of the reasons this topic is so ng an experienced researcher and writer in any field or discipline takes a great deal of practice. Remember, even the most seasoned academic veterans have had to learn how to write a research paper at some point in their career. And, perhaps most important of all, patience, a student will find that she can achieve great things through her research and handout will include the following sections related to the process of writing a research paper:Genre- this section will provide an overview for understanding the difference between an analytical and argumentative research ng a topic- this section will guide the student through the process of choosing topics, whether the topic be one that is assigned or one that the student chooses fying an audience- this section will help the student understand the often times confusing topic of audience by offering some basic guidelines for the do i begin- this section concludes the handout by offering several links to resources at purdue, and also provides an overview of the final stages of writing a research butors:jack raymond baker, allen brizee, ashley y:this handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding and the research paperresearch: what it is. Research paper is the culmination and final product of an involved process of research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and composition. It is, perhaps, helpful to think of the research paper as a living thing, which grows and changes as the student explores, interprets, and evaluates sources related to a specific topic. Primary and secondary sources are the heart of a research paper, and provide its nourishment; without the support of and interaction with these sources, the research paper would morph into a different genre of writing (e. The research paper serves not only to further the field in which it is written, but also to provide the student with an exceptional opportunity to increase her knowledge in that field. It is also possible to identify a research paper by what it is ch: what it is not. Research paper is not simply an informed summary of a topic by means of primary and secondary sources. The goal of a research paper is not to inform the reader what others have to say about a topic, but to draw on what others have to say about a topic and engage the sources in order to thoughtfully offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand.

This is accomplished through two major types of research major types of research ntative research paper:The argumentative research paper consists of an introduction in which the writer clearly introduces the topic and informs his audience exactly which stance he intends to take; this stance is often identified as the thesis statement. An important goal of the argumentative research paper is persuasion, which means the topic chosen should be debatable or controversial. A better thesis would be the gh it has been proven that cigarette smoking may lead to sundry health problems in the smoker, the social acceptance of smoking in public places demonstrates that many still do not consider secondhand smoke as dangerous to one's health as firsthand this sentence, the writer is not challenging the current accepted stance that both firsthand and secondhand cigarette smoke is dangerous; rather, she is positing that the social acceptance of the latter over the former is indicative of a cultural double-standard of sorts. The student would support this thesis throughout her paper by means of both primary and secondary sources, with the intent to persuade her audience that her particular interpretation of the situation is ical research paper:The analytical research paper often begins with the student asking a question (a. Research may lead him to the following f is a poem whose purpose it was to serve as an exemplum of heterodoxy for tenth- and eleventh-century monastic his topic may be debatable and controversial, it is not the student's intent to persuade the audience that his ideas are right while those of others are wrong. Instead, his goal is to offer a critical interpretation of primary and secondary sources throughout the paper--sources that should, ultimately, buttress his particular analysis of the topic. In fact, the thesis statement in an analytical paper is often more fluid than the thesis in an argumentative paper. Such is one of the benefits of approaching the topic without a predetermined butors:jack raymond baker, allen brizee, ashley y:this handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding ng a topicthe first step of any research paper is for the student to understand the assignment. Student will often encounter one of two situations when it comes to choosing a topic for a research paper. Many first-time researchers appreciate such an arrangement by the instructor because it eliminates the stress of having to decide upon a topic on their r, the student may also find the topics that have been provided to be limiting; moreover, it is not uncommon for the student to have a topic in mind that does not fit with any of those provided. Be respectful, and ask the instructor if the topic you have in mind would be a possible research option for the assignment.

Remember, as a first-time researcher, your knowledge of the process is quite limited; the instructor is experienced, and may have very precise reasons for choosing the topics she has offered to the class. If not, do not take it personally and choose the topic from the list that seems most interesting to second situation occurs when the instructor simply hands out an assignment sheet that covers the logistics of the research paper, but leaves the choice of topic up to the student. Typically, assignments in which students are given the opportunity to choose the topic require the topic to be relevant to some aspect of the course; so, keep this in mind as you begin a course in which you know there will be a research paper near the end. Instead, realize that it takes practice to become an experienced researcher in any a discussion of evaluating sources, see evaluating sources of s for choosing a ng early leads to starting early. Brainstorming is often a successful way for students to get some of these ideas down on paper. Research topics are often fluid, and dictated more by the student's ongoing research than by the original chosen topic. Such fluidity is common in research, and should be embraced as one of its many purdue owl also offers a number of other resources on choosing and developing a topic:Understanding writing ng the writing ion slide butors:jack raymond baker, allen brizee, ashley y:this handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding fying an audienceidentifying an concept of audience can be very confusing for novice researchers. Should the student's audience be her instructor only, or should her paper attempt to reach a larger academic crowd? Therefore, it is important for the student to articulate an audience that falls somewhere in is perhaps helpful to approach the audience of a research paper in the same way one would when preparing for an oral presentation. So it is with writing a research paper (in fact, you may need to transform your written work into an oral work if you find yourself presenting at a conference someday). Instructor should be considered only one member of the paper's audience; he is part of the academic audience that desires students to investigate, research, and evaluate a topic.

Try to imagine an audience that would be interested in and benefit from your example: if the student is writing a twelve page research paper about ethanol and its importance as an energy source of the future, would she write with an audience of elementary students in mind? What is more, she would assume the audience to be at a certain educational level; therefore, she would not spend time in such a short research paper defining terms and concepts already familiar to those in the field. One of the purposes of a research paper is to add something new to the academic community, and the first-time researcher should understand her role as an initiate into a particular community of scholars. Once again, practice lies at the heart of the butors:jack raymond baker, allen brizee, ashley y:this handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding do i begin? Is neither template nor shortcut for writing a research paper; again, the process is, amongst other things, one of practice, experience, and organization, and begins with the student properly understanding the assignment at many college students know, the writer may find himself composing three quite different research papers for three quite different courses all at the same time in a single semester. Each of these papers may have varying page lengths, guidelines, and ore, in order for a student to become an experienced researcher and writer, she must not only pay particular attention to the genre, topic, and audience, but must also become skilled in researching, outlining, drafting, and a discussion of where to begin one's research, see research: ing is an integral part of the process of writing. No drafting should take place without a research question or thesis statement; otherwise, the student will find himself writing without a purpose or direction. The research the student has completed is a vast sea of information through which he must navigate; without a compass, the student will be tossed aimlessly about by the waves of sources. Jack raymond baker, allen brizee, ashley y:this handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding g a research paper: generating questions & topics workshopthis workshop discusses strategies for getting started on a research paper, including generating questions and ideas for topics. A research paper is a piece of academic writing based on its author’s original research on a particular topic, and the analysis and interpretation of the research findings. It can be either a term paper, a master’s thesis or a doctoral dissertation.

The arguments you provide in your paper should be based on this cenral idea, that is why it is so important. Thesis statement should be provided early in your paper – in the introduction part, or in the second paragraph, if your paper is is impossible to create a thesis statement immediately when you have just started fulfilling your assignment. Before you write a thesis statement, you should collect, organize and analyze materials and your ideas. The paper should present something new to the audience to make it interesting and educative to citing other authors in this section. Present your own ideas in your own words instead of simply copying from other writers. Research paper basically has the following structure:Title page (including the title, the author’s name, the name of a university or colledge, and the publication date). Body, which can be broken down in further sections, depending on the nature of research:Materials and s (what are the results obtained). It helps an author to make their key points clear for him/her and arrange mes the students are asked to submit formal outlines with their research a formal outline, numbers and letters are used to arrange topics and subtopics. The topics denoted by their headings and subheadings should be grouped in a logical points of a research paper outline must relate to the same major topic that you first mentioned in your capital roman e of an outline:I. Make the first outline uction – state your thesis and the purpose of your research paper clearly. Is this a factual report, a book review, a comparison, or an analysis of a problem?

Explain briefly the major points you plan to cover in your paper and why readers should be interested in your – this is where you present your arguments to support your thesis statement. Here you will analyze, synthesize, sort, and digest the information you have gathered and hopefully learn something about your topic which is the real purpose of doing a research paper in the first place. You must also be able to effectively communicate your thoughts, ideas, insights, and research findings to others through written words as in a report, an essay, a research or term paper, or through spoken words as in an oral or multimedia presentation with audio-visual not include any information that is not relevant to your topic, and do not include information that you do not understand. Mark each card or sheet of paper clearly with your outline code or reference, e. Ib2a or iic, all your note cards or paper in the order of your outline, e. If using a word processor, create meaningful filenames that match your outline codes for easy cut and paste as you type up your final paper, e. Before you know it, you have a well organized term paper completed exactly as it is helpful to you, use a symbol such as “#” to mark the spot where you would like to check back later to edit a paragraph. Reorganize your outline if necessary, but always keep the purpose of your paper and your readers in mind. Correct all errors that you can spot and improve the overall quality of the paper to the best of your ability. Did i leave a sense of completion for my reader(s) at the end of the paper? This edition recommends a single universal set of guidelines, which writers can apply to any kind of should necessarily ask your instuctor which formatting style is required for your paper and format it accordingly before 8.

Know how your essay will be ead final paper carefully for spelling, punctuation, missing or duplicated words. Make the effort to ensure that your final paper is clean, tidy, neat, and to have your final paper ready a day or two before the deadline. Guideshow to write a research ch, writing and style tation tips for public for a research moreliterature guidesanimal farm. Categories » education and communications » research and review » reviewedwikihow to write an analytical parts:prewriting for your essaywriting your essayfinalizing your essaycommunity q&g an analytical essay can seem daunting, especially if you've never done it before. To do this, you must break the topic down into parts and provide evidence, either from the text/film or from your own research, that supports your claim. It is analyzing a particular text and setting forth an argument about it in the form of a thesis what to write about. If you are writing this for a class, your teacher will generally assign you a topic (or topics) to write about. For example: explore the concept of vengeance in the epic poem you're writing about a historical event, try focusing on the forces that contributed to what you're writing about scientific research or findings, follow the scientific method to analyze your torm. If you're writing a rhetorical analysis, for example, you might analyze how the author uses logical appeals to support her argument and decide whether you think the argument is effective. If you're analyzing research, you may want to consider the methods and results and analyze whether the experiment is a good design. Write down any element or fact that you think of as you examine your up with a thesis statement.

The thesis statement is a sentence or two that summarizes the claim you will make in your paper. It tells the reader what your essay will be 't: write a vague or obvious thesis such as "revenge is a central theme in beowulf. Instructed to write one, avoid the "three-prong" thesis that presents three points to be discussed later. These thesis statements usually limit your analysis too much and give your argument a formulaic feel. Each body paragraph should have 1) a topic sentence, 2) an analysis of some part of the text and 3) evidence from the text that supports your analysis and your thesis statement. Topic sentence: the key to differentiating between the two attacks is the notion of excessive e analysis: grendel's mother does not simply want vengeance, as per the medieval concept of ‘an eye for an eye. A paper that contains many mistakes generally gets a lower grade than one that has been proofread and polished. For example, using a 12-pt standard font (like arial or times new roman) and 1" margins is your paper out loud. Teachers will often mark you down if the name of a main character is spelled incorrectly throughout your paper. Check two or three sources to make sure that you have the correct your paper as if you were your teacher. If not, go back and fix you are writing a formal analysis or critique, then avoid using colloquial writing.

Though informal language may bring some color to a paper, you do not want to risk weakening your argument by influencing it with verbal being too vague. Vagueness leaves room for misinterpretation and in a coherent, analytical essay, leaving room for misinterpretation decreases the effectiveness of your to write a language to begin an to write an to write an essay to write a persuasive to put a quote in an to write a compare and contrast to write a narrative to write a conclusion for a research s and citations. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie version of how to write an analytical essay was reviewed by megan morgan on june 8, 2015. It helped me to write a powerful thesis statement for my paper on suffrage and slavery. I return each time i have to write an analytical, guides you through each step of writing and assists in writing the best essay possible. I still do not know how to write a biblical history analysis stating an argument. Articleshow to write a language analysishow to begin an essayhow to write an essayhow to write an essay text shared under a creative commons d by answer questions.