Research Paper Drafting
Draft a research paper with a meaningful thesis, source integration, citations, transitions, and sustained reasoning.
A lesson of English 11, in Research Project, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to draft a full research paper, integrate sources effectively, maintain a clear line of reasoning, and structure the paper for a college-level academic audience.
The Research Paper as Argument
A research paper is not a report. It does not simply gather information — it makes a claim and defends it with evidence from credible sources.
Your thesis drives everything. Every paragraph should advance your argument. If a section doesn't, it should be cut.
Before You Draft: The Reverse Outline
Before writing, build a reverse outline:
- What is my thesis?
- What are the three to five main points that support it?
- For each point: what evidence do I have? Which sources?
- What is the strongest counterargument? How do I respond?
- In what order should these points appear to build logically?
Introduction Strategy for Research Papers
Academic introduction:
Hook: a specific, counterintuitive finding, a telling anecdote, or a key statistic — not a generic statement.
Context: what is the debate? What is already known? Where is the gap?
Research question/problem: what question will this paper answer?
Thesis: your specific, arguable answer to the research question.
Body Section Structure
A research paper has longer body sections than a five-paragraph essay. Each section (often marked with a subheading) develops a major point:
Section opening: topic sentence (your claim for this section).
Evidence introduction: context for the source.
Evidence: integrated quotation or paraphrase.
Analysis: what does this evidence mean? How does it support your claim?
Synthesis: how does this evidence relate to other evidence?
Section conclusion: how does this section advance the overall argument?
Integrating Sources at Research Paper Level
Avoid: long stretches of quotation (more than 4 lines) unless the exact wording is crucial.
Prefer: paraphrase + brief quotation for key phrases.
Always: analyze after every piece of evidence.
Balance: no more than 30-40% of the paper should consist of direct quotation.