How to Write a Great Research Paper

You will have a research paper assignment in college. It’s inevitable. And, as tedious as they are, they teach you a lot about how to find reliable sources of information.

Since there is no escaping them, I have created a short list to help you successfully complete your first research paper.

Most professors require you to use scholarly, peer-reviewed articles as the basis for your research. Yes, they are as boring as they sound. Your best bet is to start with the abstract, which most of them have. If you can sit through that, you can sit through the rest of the article. Read it in chunks. A few pages at a time, highlighting important information so you don’t ever have to read it again.


Save the article for your citations now. Citation Machine is your friend, your hero and your savior. Choose the format (MLA, APA, Chicago or Turabian) and input the information. BOOM. Citation complete.

Tips for College Research

  • Read the abstract or summary first
  • Read in chunks, taking breaks
  • Highlight
  • Bookmark the article
  • Make your citations now and keep a running bibliography

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