I'm a junior and I have my first real research paper due in a month—12 pages on the socioeconomic impacts of the New Deal. I've written essays before, but nothing this long or research-intensive. I'm staring at a blank document and a pile of sources I've collected but haven't read, and I have no idea where to start. I need someone to explain how to write a research paper like I'm five—step by step, no skipped steps. From what I've gathered online, the process is much more structured than just 'write an essay but longer.' First, you need to understand the assignment—read the prompt carefully, note the requirements, and ask your professor questions early . Then you need to choose a topic that's not too broad (not 'the New Deal' but maybe 'how New Deal housing policies affected racial segregation in Chicago') . After that comes the research phase—finding scholarly sources, evaluating them, and taking organized notes with citation information so you don't have to hunt for it later .
Then apparently you're supposed to develop a thesis statement that actually argues something, not just states a fact . That's where I always get stuck. My thesis is usually something like 'the New Deal had many effects' which is useless. After the thesis comes an outline to organize your arguments and evidence . Only then do you actually start writing, beginning with body paragraphs (not the introduction) because the intro is easier to write once you know what you've actually said . Then you write the conclusion, then the introduction, then the title, then revise, edit, and format citations .
This seems like a lot. For people who've done this successfully: does this process actually work? How long should each phase take? What's the biggest mistake first-time research paper writers make? I'm trying to plan my month so I'm not pulling all-nighters at the end. Any advice would be life-saving right now.
Then apparently you're supposed to develop a thesis statement that actually argues something, not just states a fact . That's where I always get stuck. My thesis is usually something like 'the New Deal had many effects' which is useless. After the thesis comes an outline to organize your arguments and evidence . Only then do you actually start writing, beginning with body paragraphs (not the introduction) because the intro is easier to write once you know what you've actually said . Then you write the conclusion, then the introduction, then the title, then revise, edit, and format citations .
This seems like a lot. For people who've done this successfully: does this process actually work? How long should each phase take? What's the biggest mistake first-time research paper writers make? I'm trying to plan my month so I'm not pulling all-nighters at the end. Any advice would be life-saving right now.