A guide to writing an academic paper: why do we write so many papers?

Writing academic papers is a distinct experience compared to writing essays in high school. Being a student in college comes with a lot of experiences that help you build a better version of yourself. They help you hone your skills and enlarge your knowledge and vocabulary. So why not take the chance to do it the best way you can?

Academic papers are one way to do this. If you are a student in college and didn’t have written one yet, for sure this task follows. Academic papers are more complex than those written in high school. But through their complexity, they help you become better at writing, researching, and communication. So, how to write an academic paper? What are the things you need to pay attention to? Here is a short guide that will help you do this easily.

Topic Papers versus Research Papers

First, we need to make the difference between topic papers and research papers. These two types of papers are among the most popular tasks for students who study in college. So, you need to be aware of the requirements for each of them. For example, in the case of research papers, you need to choose a topic and start your research on it.

You can search for sources everywhere, both online in scientific journals or libraries. In the case of topic papers, things are a little bit different. You are usually given a topic. Or, you can choose your own topic but you have only a few options to choose from. On top of this, for this type of paper, you should use only the bibliography the professor gave to you. Of course, all these details are mentioned in the guidelines you will get. But it is essential to be aware of these differences so that you will approach the task in the right way.

Crafting a Thesis Statement

One of the most important parts of an academic paper. You may wonder why we write so many papers. But these help students hone a lot of their skills, without even realizing it. Everyone wants to achieve career success easily. But for this, you need well-developed skills. Communication and conveying the message so that it reaches others are some essential skills. And you can boost them by writing academic papers and, more importantly, crafting a compelling thesis statement. You can buy college papers online and get a glimpse of what a powerful paper and thesis statement look like. How should the thesis statement be? It’s easy!

You need to keep in mind that it should be concise. It presents the main argument of your paper. But it should tell enough to catch the attention of the reader and have it reading the arguments too. It should be debatable, as this catches the interest instantly. There will always be two sides to the story. And last but not least, it should be specific, not general. Do not forget that the thesis statement should be included in the first part of the paper, mainly after the introduction.

Never Forget About Citation

In your journey toward creating an excellent academic paper, you will do a lot of things. And the main one, you will do research. Research involves reading and meeting a lot of new ideas, some of which you will want to mention in your paper. There might be stats or experiments, findings, and conclusions that support your point of view and could be powerful arguments. Well, whenever you come across a nice idea you want to talk about or mention, it would be useful to note its source. When you use it in your academic paper, you have to use the appropriate citation method.

Not mentioning that some ideas are not yours and presenting them as your own conclusions is not ethical and moral. Plagiarism is something all universities keep an eye on and it comes with severe consequences. So, make sure you never forget about citations. There are many citation styles, but the one you should use is mentioned in the guidelines or requirements from your professor.

Final Thoughts

Writing an academic paper might feel like a burden, especially when they start piling up on your desk. However, approaching each task calmly will help you solve it successfully. Make sure you understand the requirements and build a powerful thesis statement. Never forget about citation, as plagiarism comes with severe consequences for students. Approach the process step by step and you will hone your writing, communication, and research skills tremendously.

About Author: Robert Griffith is a content writer and blogger. Writing has been his passion since he was ten. Robert loves reading historical fiction books and writing short stories.