Writing a Research Paper
Draft
Draft
After you have gathered all the information you will need for your paper and have
completed your outline, you will proceed to write the draft. Your notes will need
to be arranged according to your outline. Notes that you will not use should be
placed aside. (You may need them later.)
The draft will be written as though it were your final copy. It will have an introduction,
body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The footnotes will be placed at the bottom of
each page. The endnotes will be placed after the conclusion. The bibliography comes
after the endnotes or after the conclusion, if footnotes are used.
The introduction should not be longer than one page. It should consist of a preamble
that will familiarize the reader with your topic and conclude with the thesis statement.
The body paragraphs must each have a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding
sentence. Each body paragraph must be unified (dealing with one topic only) and
coherent (ideas flowing smoothly together).
The conclusion must summarize the main points you made in your research paper and could
have a statement which will linger in the mind of the reader. No new evidence should
be introduced in the conclusion.
For information on writing footnotes or endnotes, see
Bibliography.
For information on the format of the research paper, see
Final Copy.