How To Start Your Research Paper

If you've ever read a research paper that had you head-bobbing after the first sentence, then you know how important the introductory paragraph is.

Pick something that is engaging in its own right, but that also creates a connection to your research paper's central thesis.

You may draw, for example, from a legend or myth that seeks to answer the same question you did or share the experience of a famed researcher in your field.

—Wichita State University Department of English Although we’ll focus more on the organization and writing of a research paper in this article, the research process is an important first step.

Research will help you in several ways: As you read and evaluate the information you discover, take notes.

For example, you may state what a long-standing theory holds, then transition, with a word like "however" or "but," to describe the contrasting conclusions your research leads to.

This technique is particularly useful in argumentative essays or if you will be presenting your paper in a setting where alternate conclusions will also be proposed.Frame your conclusion as a simplified hint about the direction in which you will be moving, rather than a detailed or technical statement.Make sure that the conclusion of your paper adds more information and develops the results you hint at in the introduction.The best introductions start in a way that creates a connection between the reader's interest or experience and the research and conclusions you intend to present.In a paper that deals with a particularly specialized topic or a term your audience is unlikely to be familiar with, you can start your introduction by defining a central word or phrase.If your topic has multiple components, such as "teaching math to developmentally disabled kindergarten students," you can start with a sentence about one component and narrow it by adding another component in each sentence.In this example, you might start with a broad statement about teaching math, then teaching math in kindergarten, then state your full thesis.Pay attention to any how-to handouts you’ve received, and don’t forget to check your university’s writing lab for more resources.A research paper is different from a research proposal (also known as a prospectus), although the writing process is similar.Think of the proposal as the pitch and the paper as the finished product.A prospectus is a formal proposal of a research project developed to convince a reader (a professor or research committee, or later in life, a project coordinator, funding agency, or the like) that the research can be carried out and will yield worthwhile results.