The Crucial Steps in Writing an Academic Paper

Academic writing is a crucial part of learning throughout a scholar’s life. It calls for thorough study, good writing and/communication skills and most importantly good research skills. In order to submit a good paper, a student must commit adequate time in the planning, research and preparation of their academic essays. Research requires the greatest amount of time with writing taking less time depending on the quality of the research conducted. Ideally, proper planning and organization will lead to good quality research and ultimately a well written academic paper.

Difficulties Encountered in Academic Writing

The first step towards writing a good academic paper is to understand the subject matter. Failure to understand the topic results in a poorly written paper and consequently a bad grade. Getting to understand the topic gives the student a sense of direction in terms of the research objectives to be reached. It helps in developing a plan as to how one will carry out the research. Organization and planning is also crucial as it not only saves time but it also delivers high quality results.

The second crucial step in academic writing is conducting a topic oriented research. Research is considered the most taxing exercise in the writing process since it is both time consuming and mentally demanding. However, the aim of an academic paper is to expand the student's knowledge on certain topics therefore reading is unavoidable. The best way to start a research is the internet using such search engines as Google and Yahoo. This gives a person a sense of direction and also helps to better understand the topic under study. The source of the research material must be credible to ensure that the information is accurate. This means avoiding those sites which allow multiple users to modify or edit the information (Elite Editing, 2011). There are some online scholarly databases which avail the latest research in varying fields of study. Peer reviewed sources also enhance credibility of the research materials. The library is a great source of research material and is easily accessible to students. It provides the most credible research information in various disciplines.

The final step is to put the research into writing by using the appropriate writing style and editing. Different academic paper will call for varying writing styles depending on the topic or the lecturer's guidance. The type of writing will also differ depending on the field of study, be it Literature, History or the Sciences. The format of academic papers tends to be similar with an introduction, body and conclusion. However, there are some technical aspects to writing which involve mastering structure and organization. They include; table of contents, acknowledgements, appendices, in text citations, footnotes and references. Academic institutions have their own set of rules and standards of writing academic papers (Blakstad).

It is important for students to acknowledge the sources of their research material by citing the authors. Plagiarized work results in low grades in assignments and may also result to disciplinary action by the learning institution. Proper use of citations ensures that an academic paper is credible. Moreover, academic papers must be proof-read before submission. No matter how well researched a paper is, spelling and grammar mistakes make it less appealing and will result in low grades.

Conclusion

Writing a research paper can be stressful and time consuming. However, with good planning and organization, it is possible to write a good academic paper. Research is the most difficult aspect of academic writing as it takes up most of the time and resources. The key to conducting a good research is getting credible sources to ensure that the information is accurate. Good writing and communication skills are also vital in writing good academic skills. Lastly, an academic paper must be proof-read before submission to avoid spelling and grammatical errors.

References

Blakstad, O. "Explorable Psychology Experimants."

Elite Editing. "Elite Editing."

Student Research Online. Accessed: https://excellenttranslations.com/