Writing a research essay requires you to conduct research on a particular topic and provide evidence-based information and analysis of the topic. A research essay mainly requires you to analyze a specific point and give various viewpoints about it. This article focuses on how to write a research essay.
A research essay coursework assignment requires you to conduct in-depth research on the topic using credible academic sources. These sources include books, journals, theories, and internet articles. Carrying out thorough research helps you to gather adequate information for your research essay thus writing an evidence-based coursework paper.
Step-by-step guide for writing a research essay
Below is how to write a research essay:
- Choose a good topic
When writing a research essay, you should brainstorm various topics and choose the one you are interested in. You should ensure the topic you choose aligns with the requirements of the assignment. You also ensure you understand and can interpret the topic you choose.
- Conduct research
After choosing the topic, you should conduct an extensive research about it. Gather background information to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. To properly conduct the research, you should formulate various research questions.
- Formulate the thesis statement
The thesis statement describes the research essay’s main purpose. The thesis statement should be concise, controversial, and coherent. This means that it should have a succinct summary of your argument in one or two sentences, a claim that needs more support or analysis, and a cohesive point that connects to every section of the research essay.
- Create an outline
Before you start writing the research essay, you should create an outline that helps you to properly organize your ideas for the essay. On the outline, you should note down the key points of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Once you start writing the research essay, use the outline as a point of reference.
- Write the introduction
How do you start a research essay? You start a research essay by writing an engaging introduction. You should start your introduction paragraph with a hook, this could be a rhetorical question or an interesting fact. Then give an overview of the topic and state its significance. Complete the introduction paragraph with a strong thesis statement that describes your research essay’s main idea.
- Write the body paragraphs
The body paragraphs should provide arguments that support the thesis statement. Each paragraph should have a unique key point and well-defined evidence-based information. You should also give an analysis and interpretation of the key point.
You should write well-structured paragraphs that have a logical flow of information. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the paragraph’s main idea, write the middle sentences giving evidence-based information or examples that support the paragraph’s main idea, and finally write the concluding sentence giving your analysis of the paragraph’s key point.
- Write the conclusion
The conclusion is a summation of the entire essay thus you should not bring new ideas to it. You should restate the thesis statement and give a summary of the research essay’s key ideas. Describe the implication of your research and make recommendations for future research.
- List the references
After completing the research essay, you should list all the sources you cited in your work. When writing the references, you should follow the instructed essay writing format. This could be APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, or Turabian.
- Proofread the research essay
After completing the first draft, you should proofread it severally to remove any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. You should also run the research essay on Grammarly to check if you omitted all the errors when proofreading. Edit and submit the research essay.
What is the basic structure of a research essay?
Similar to writing a documented essay, a research essay usually consists of a few essential elements that come together to offer a comprehensive and solid examination of a particular subject. The particular components could change according to the academic discipline, writing format, and assignment specifications. Below is what is included in a research essay:
a) Title page
The title page contains the research essay’s title, the author’s name, their institutional affiliation, the course description, and the submission date.
b) Abstract
The abstract offers a summary of the research essay, and a succinct synopsis of the research question, methodology, and the findings. It is written after completing the research essay.
c) Introduction
The introduction provides background information on the topic and its significance. It presents the thesis statement which describes the research essay’s main idea. You can also write the research questions in the introduction.
d) Literature review
A critical analysis of previous studies and scholarly publications about the research topic is conducted in the literature review. It highlights knowledge gaps, highlights important conclusions from earlier research, and provides background information for the next investigation.
e) Methodology
The research design, strategy, and techniques for data collection and analysis are described in depth in the methodology section. It contains details about the participants, protocols, tools, and methods of data analysis. The intention is to give enough specifics so that other researchers can reduplicate the work.
f) Results
The research’s conclusions are given in the results section. It consists of raw data, statistical analysis, and graphical data in the form of charts, graphs, or tables. The research findings are presented objectively in this part.
g) Discussion
The discussion part interprets the results within the framework of the research question and the existing literature. It addresses the limits, looks at the implications of the findings, and describes the research’s overall significance.
h) Conclusion
The research essay’s conclusion highlights the most important findings, restates the thesis or research question, and summarizes the key points of the paper. Based on the implications of the study, it can recommend future research directions.
i) Work cited or references
This part contains a list of all the sources you cited in the research essay. You should write the references in the instructed writing format. This could be MLA, APA, Harvard, Chicago, or Turabian writing format.
j) Appendices
Appendices contain extra materials, such as survey instruments, transcripts of interviews, supplemental data, or other supporting paperwork, that are too long or detailed to be included in the main text.
It’s crucial to remember that the format could vary depending on the assignment’s particular criteria or the academic institution’s chosen style. Always check with your instructor or refer to the assignment specifications to make sure your research essay satisfies the requirements.
What is a short research essay?
A short research essay is a concentrated, condensed academic document that addresses a research issue or thesis in a restricted number of words or pages. The word “short” denotes how brief this essay is in comparison to longer research papers. According to the academic level and the instructor’s recommendations, the exact length can change, although it usually ranges from 1,000 to 2,500 words.
A short research essay should be written concisely and with concentration due to its limited length. Key information should come first for writers, and extraneous details should be avoided. Every part should make a direct contribution toward strengthening and expanding the central claim or research issue.
It is imperative that you closely adhere to the assignment criteria concerning length, writing format, and any particular needs that the instructor may have specified. Even if they are shorter, well-written short research essays need extensive study, critical analysis, and clear presentation of their findings.
Research essay topics
When writing a research essay, you are assigned the topic or you are required to choose the topic. If you are required to choose the topic, you choose one that you comprehend and can write a good research essay about it. Below are various research essay topics to choose from:
- The role of artificial intelligence in the education system
- Impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector
- Mental health benefits of physical exercise
- Economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic
- Challenges of renewable energy
- Importance of E-commerce
- Strategies to reduce air pollution
- The function of women in leadership positions
- Social Determinants’ Effect on Health Inequalities
- The connection between diet and mental health
- Effects of menstruation on young girls
- Causes and impacts of domestic gender violence
- Effectiveness of birth control methods
- The impacts of sleep deprivation
- Effects of terrorism on businesses
- Causes and prevention of procrastination
- Effects of global warming on wildlife
- Advantages and disadvantages of global citizenship
- Strategies to stop bullying in schools
- Significance of branding in a business
Summary
Writing a research essay requires you to carry out extensive research on a topic and then write a paper that contains fact-based information and your analysis and interpretation. This article gives you a guide on how to write a research essay. Do you need help writing your research essay? Use our coursework writing services today and get an A-grade research essay.
