Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Research Papers
Writing your first research paper can be exciting as well as a daunting task to complete. It might prove an unnerving experience yet doing extensive efforts will rather prove a rewarding and satisfactory experience as well. Writing a research paper does not involve just typing out as many words on a topic as you can possibly think of. By taking guidance and support from professional Academic Research Paper Writing Services, you can make the task easier for you. So, keep in mind the below mistakes to avoid while writing research papers.
It should be noted that a research paper is a big deal in the academic arena due to having the power to excel in students’ careers. Indeed, a research paper is a piece of academic writing that hone the research and thinking abilities of students. Berkeley describes nine basic ways to improve academic writing style. Academic Writing is always based on the writer’s original research on a particular topic or theme.
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Writing a research paper, especially for reputed academic journals is a highly competitive task to complete. Even if you have generated a unique and valuable idea for your research, then what to include in your paper, where to put it, how to write effective phrases and how to sum it up in a way that will capture the interest of reviewers are some of the vital questions that you should have in your mind. From Dissertation Writing services to SOP Writing services and or Case Study Writing services, you should have a basic framework in mind and access to experts to guide you further.
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15 Most Common Research Paper Writing Mistakes to Avoid
Let’s break the process down of writing an ace research paper. Below is a comprehensive list of 15 common mistakes that must be avoided while writing an outstanding research paper. Keeping them in mind is a must to avoid all sorts of mistakes that can prove blunders the moment your research is reviewed by experts:
1. Choosing the wrong topic
Choosing a topic that is not of your choice or you dislike perhaps will be the first step towards your ultimate failure to push you downwards in writing a research paper. You should, therefore, ensure choosing a topic in which you have an interest and your efforts can easily justify coming up with robust academic research work. Working on the topic that holds your interest will ensure that you will be excited to research that and so you definitely give your 100% to it. Chisel the topic by narrowing it down. Focused and specific topics will aid you in structuring your research paper far better than broad and vague topics.
2. Not following the Journal guidelines minutely
Every research paper has to be written as per the instructions and guidelines of the specific journals for which it is written. Journals of high repute provide a comprehensive template for paper crafting and styling. Such templates consist of the style of referencing, word limit, font size style, and so on.
Moreover, journals also provide detailed guidelines for drafting different research papers – reports, case studies, papers with quantitative data, etc., as per their set parameters. Thus, it becomes a prerequisite to follow such instructions minutely while writing a research paper that merits a maximum acceptance chance.
3. Constructing a weak research question
A well-drafted research question is the moving force of your research paper. The research question represents the significance of the research you would take up and also the novelty of your research work. It also deals with the contributions which your research will provide to the existing literature, and so will act as a base for future research. If your research paper has a feeble question, then it will certainly lack structure, and carrying out research on that will be an extremely difficult task. Remember, a strong research question is pivotal for a good research paper to get noticed with its potentiality of valid research questions raised.
4. Lack of proper research
Research is an extremely crucial step in the process of writing a research paper. You must approach this step with great care. Neil Armstrong emphasized that “Research is creating new knowledge”. Research helps in understanding a concept better and will make you think out of the box. Good research involves referring to multiple sources. It includes the use of various books, interviews, newspapers, journal articles, government documents, as well as Internet sources amongst others. Take your time to carry out extensive research for this purpose. It will ultimately enhance your knowledge. And, good knowledge will lead you to write a great research paper.
5. Not having an organized outline
An outline is the skeleton of any research paper. It should map out the main ideas and key points that you will use to prove your research question. One of the easiest ways to create an outline is to first brainstorm and then list the ideas that you want to include. Further, organize related ideas together by grouping them and lastly, if necessary arrange them into sections and subsections.
Walden University thoroughly explains how to move ahead in outlining strategies for your research. A chaotic and poor outline will take you nowhere. On the other hand, a working outline will help you in creating a logical flow of information giving coherence to your research paper. Moreover, don’t create a long outline as it will only create confusion.
6. Poor Abstract
Every research paper starts with an abstract. It is basically a short capsule of your entire research paper. An ideal abstract must clearly state the purpose of your study, the methodology undertaken, and what conclusions are derived from that study. Thus, a good and relevant abstract is important to create a positive first impression. Whenever a research paper is received by an editor of a journal, he/she first checks the abstract and references of the paper. If your abstract is top-notch and compelling as well, then only it will go further in the reviewing process. Otherwise, if it is not suitable, then even without reading your whole paper it will get rejected.
7. Improper referencing and citations
Proper references and citations are yet another important aspect of the writing process that cannot be ignored while preparing a research paper. A paper’s acceptance and rejection are solely dependent on it. As stated above, proper referencing is the deciding factor of your research paper. Accurate references demonstrate that the work is free from plagiarism and is well-researched. Each journal has different citation styles so follow the style as laid in a journal you are approaching to get your research published.
8. Plagiarism
A research paper must be original work. You can obviously read, take notes and extract information from other research papers too. But the content you write in your research paper must be precisely yours. Whether in part or whole, a paper if plagiarised will only earn you a failing grade or rejection and might land you in big trouble. Therefore, keep this important aspect in mind.
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9. Ineffective language
Proper use of academic language is the key to creating a stellar research paper. Language plays a crucial role in delivering the right message you are willing to convey through your research paper. Use the words according to parlance but avoid too much technical jargon. Enrich your research paper by using appropriate and crisp language so that your language becomes coherent, neat, and easily understandable.
10. Lack of proofreading
All the research is done and all the text was written, but still, it’s far from ‘ready to be shown’. Proofreading might be the final step in writing a research paper but it is certainly the most important one that can’t be ignored. Read through the texts multiple times to make sure that they flow well and are grammatically sound. Cut out the extra words and phrases which are making the text redundant. The final text must be legible, clean, and comprehensive.
11. Failure to Emphasize “Why” the Problem You Are Trying to Solve is Important
This fact is accepted everywhere in the academic circle and the introduction sets the tone of the entire research paper. It has often been witnessed that authors usually utilize this section to talk about the study’s objectives and enunciate the problem they are addressing. But at the same time, it has also been found that many authors leave it entirely up to the reviewer to comprehend it minutely “why” the problem is of so much importance and challenge. It is a big mistake and needs to be avoided.
While writing a research paper, as an author, you must take the responsibility of convincing the reviewer about the intensity of the problem to give a compelling start to your paper. Don’t forget to use data to state why the problem attains so much importance, how the current solutions are insufficient to solve it, and why the answer seems to be so difficult. To make your explanation compelling enough, you should give detailed arguments to explain.
It will significantly help if you also try to explain the limitations of the current solution and the challenges you faced in solving the problem, as these are supposed to be effective ways to impress the reviewer. For example, if you are optimizing a current solution, you should better show the impact of those optimizations on the outcome, as it has all the elements that can help make a good case for your solution.
12. Lack of solid thesis statement
Creating a solid thesis statement is the next important step after you select the subject. For a successful paper, this is considered a critical and foundational element. It should also be kept in mind that “taking a stand” or a definite point of view is the benchmark of a successful thesis statement. The clarity of the thesis statement and expressing one main idea work a great deal in writing your research paper. It should also be centered around a topic with no further discussions. A thesis statement that is genuine and compelling makes the reader continue reading.
13. Inability to make suitable connections between the thesis and supporting statements
As the best research papers are supposedly in effect a sustained inquiry and a stimulating discussion of a well-defined topic, your paper must have a smooth transition from your thesis statement to your supporting statement.
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14. Lack of robust and relevant data
You must ensure that your supporting statements flesh out your original thesis statement and incorporate robust and factual data you cite that the reader can verify easily. So, keep in mind all the mistakes to avoid while writing research papers.
15. Failure to cite sources properly
Whether you are using the MLA style or some other format, each style has specific guidelines and parameters for citing sources, which must be adhered to. Cite sources within the required procedures, so check with your instructor for specifics.
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Mistakes are fatal in writing a research paper as a single flaw can ruin the entire piece of work. Try avoiding the mistakes by focusing on all the above-mentioned points while writing your next research paper. We are sure you will be glad of the outcome.
Conclusion – Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Research Papers
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Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Research Papers
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