Parts of a Research Paper

Are you facing your first big research paper? It's important to get started early to give yourself lots of time to do a good job. First you should consider the various parts of the paper.

• The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers. Think of your first sentence as a hook that draws your reader in. It is your big chance to be so clever that your reader can't stop.
• No single sentence will pester you quite so much as the thesis sentence. Often you'll find it is both the first sentence you write and the last sentence you re-write while constructing the body of your essay.
• Page numbering can be frustrating and difficult. The first step is to divide your paper into sections that your computer will recognize.
• Your research note cards should include all the information necessary to write your paper. You should take extreme care as you create these note cards.
• If you want to give your research paper a professional look, you may want to insert a table of contents. When you do it right, this is a simple process that takes a few moments, and it makes a world of difference in the look of your paper.
• The MLA style provides a standard for giving your list of sources at the end of your paper. This alphabetical list of sources is called either a bibliography or a works cited list.

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