As an adult returning to school, it may have been a while since you've written a research paper. It can be an overwhelming experience when you worry you do not have the tools you need to write a successful research paper that will meet the standards of your professor. However, once you know the steps you need to take, you will find that writing a research paper is not such a daunting task.

First Things First

Before you pick up a pen to begin writing or log onto the Internet to begin researching, be sure that you understand the assignment and what your teacher expects of you. You should read over the assignment several times and ask the professor any questions you may have.

Once you are sure you understand the assignment, you will want to do some preliminary research to find your topic. Sometimes your teacher may give you a topic to write your paper on, but often you must come up with your own subject. Begin your early research by writing down what you already know about your topic, as well as a list of questions you would like to have answered by your research.

It is wise to begin your research early so that you will not fall behind in the process of writing your paper. When searching out a topic, try to choose one that interests you. The topic you choose should not be too broad or too narrow. Finding your topic will lead you to developing a clear thesis statement on which you will base your research paper.

Your thesis statement is the center of your research paper. It will become the first line in the first paragraph of your paper. Your thesis statement will argue your beliefs, and in your paper you will make arguments to support your idea. Look for "evidence" that backs up your thesis statement as you do your research. You will want to include only information that is relevant to your topic and thesis statement.

Research Right

When you begin your research, you can use your local library or the Internet. The Internet has a wealth of information right at your fingertips, but you should be sure that the websites you use have a good reputation. You will not want to use the information you find on personal websites. Several online encyclopedias and dictionaries exist on the Internet, as well as other sites that can provide you with information you can trust. Your school library likely subscribes to many useful academic databases, and reference librarians can guide you quickly to the proper resources for your research.

As you research, print out information or take good notes. You should keep track of the bibliographical information of the sources you locate during your research. Bibliographical information includes author, title, date and location of publication, publisher, page numbers and URLs.

When you write your paper, it's important that the words be your own, and not words taken directly from your research sources. Your professor will expect you to cite your sources, which includes documenting all the ideas you have borrowed from your sources. Quotations should be directly attributed to the source you found them in. If you quote material directly, you need to attribute or name your source in the same sentence or sentences (as well as repeating that information in your footnotes and bibliography). If you fail to document your sources, you may be guilty of plagiarism, which can result in a failing grade, or worse.

Structure

You may want to use an outline to organize your ideas once you have identified your thesis statement and done your research. You can use Roman numerals or letters in your outline. Divide your outline into three main sections: introduction, body and conclusion. These are the three main parts of your research paper.

Your introduction will state your thesis, and will briefly explain the main ideas and points you will be covering in your paper. The introductory paragraph is your chance to hook the interest of your readers. It tells them what to expect in the rest of your paper, and it is important that your introductory paragraph be clear and concise.

The body of your paper is the largest portion. In the body, you will make arguments that support your thesis statement. You should try to find at least three supporting arguments for each of your main positions. Begin with a strong argument and try to make each argument that follows even stronger.

The conclusion paragraph ties your whole research paper together. In this paragraph, you will restate your thesis and summarize the arguments you have made in the paper to support that thesis.

And you will face a final challenge of answering in an emphatic way your reader's question, "So what?" What is the value of your findings, of your argument in the paper? This is a difficult task-answering the "So what?" question-but doing so will help you strengthen your thesis and understand better what you are driving at in your paper.

Putting it All Together

Now that you have your research paper mapped out, it is time to write your first draft. Using your outline and notes, begin to put the paper together, filling in the gaps between the sections in your notes. Once you have finished writing the first draft, put it away and take a break so that you can return to it with a refreshed mind.

When you return to your research paper, begin editing by making sure that all your points are clear. As you edit and proofread, use the spellchecker on your computer and check your grammar as well. Often it helps to read the paper out loud to find mistakes or parts of the paper that could be stronger. You should also check that you have smooth transitions between sentences and especially between paragraphs, and that your format and spacing is correct.

When you are ready to check your citations, you will want to use a style guide (MLA or APA, for example), which will depend on your teacher's preference. Don't forget to write a bibliography that lists your sources-the style guide you're using will also help you compile the bibliography. When you have finished with your editing and proofreading, show your final draft to someone else. Another set of eyes on your paper could pick up on some mistakes you missed. Once you are comfortable with your final draft, you are ready to hand in your paper!