4. What Works on Research Paper and What Doesn't

As I started my research paper, I felt prepared. I had great sources, good ideas, and a decent notion of how my paper would be organized. However, as my writing took me past the introduction, I found that the sources I had didn't quite fit what I had decided to write about. They were related and interesting, but as what I wrote developed organically, I realized I would have to really stretch the subject of my paper thin, thereby weakening the support of my thesis in the body paragraphs.

I found that I would have to come up with ideas of what I wanted to write in the next sentence or paragraph and then search for papers that supported what I was intending to say. As I followed this pattern, it became more natural and the real shape of my paper became clear to me. I quickly discarded what I found before I started my paper and began to develop my ideas and to search for research on those subjects. It took some time and effort, but I was able to find plenty of research which supported my points.

Another important tool I discovered while writing my paper was technology. This was perhaps one of the most important things I learned during the crafting process. Technology helped me to structure my paper with the proper style, it helped me to find the papers I needed to read to support my arguments, and it helped correct the errors in my grammar and in my spelling.

The use of technology, especially in today's world, cannot be understated. Technology will be used by your reader. They will use it to judge your style, your grammar, your information and they can easily locate your sources. If you do not use technology to aid you in your efforts to craft a well-written research essay, you will struggle to satisfy your reader.