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How do I write a research paper?
Writing a research paper can appear to be a challenge for students who have never written one before. However, it is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. Things can become much easier if you organize your work appropriately.
The following instructions are intended primarily for undergraduate students at the University of Pittsburgh who are taking courses on Western Europe and the European Union and are required to write research papers as part of those courses. We hope that students with different interests and from other colleges and universities will find this information helpful as well.
Here, students can find some general information about how to organize their research projects. In addition, some basic resources are provided that can help students get started with their research. For more specific inquiries students are encouraged to call or e-mail the library research advisor at the Center of West European Studies and the European Union Center of Excellence to schedule an appointment.
Step 1: Select a paper topic
It is important that you select a paper topic which is of interest to you. Please, consult the instructor of the course for which you are writing the paper before you see the library research advisor. The instructor is the expert who has the knowledge and the experience to guide you to select a topic that is relevant to the scope of the course you are taking. There is an additional reason: your instructor will give you a grade at the end of the term! You want to make sure that your topic satisfies the expectations of the course you are taking.
Step 2: Locate Relevant Academic Literature
This is a step with which the undergraduate advisor can help you. The purpose of this step is to help you deepen your understanding of your chosen topic. Reviewing the existing literature, that is, reading the work of scholars and other experts who have conducted research on the topic you have chosen, enables you to do this. You need to be aware of the views these experts have expressed and informed about their conclusions before you start writing. Be careful to review scholarly publications, mainly books and academic journal articles. The local paper or popular magazines and web-sites will not qualify! Below are some resources that can help you locate books and academic journals and start with your literature review.
A. ELECTRONIC DATABASES AVAILABLE TO PITT STUDENTS
University Library System Databases A-Z: The University of Pittsburgh provides access to a large collection of electronic databases which contain citations of academic literature and news articles. Access is limited to Pitt affiliated individuals and it is provided through computers connected to Pitt's network. Databases are listed in alphabetical order. These databases contain titles of journal articles, books and book chapters.
Recommended databases:
WorldCat
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
University Library System- West European StudiesB. BOOKS
PittCat is the electronic catalogue of the University of Pittsburgh's libraries, which feature one of the largest collections of literature on Western European and European Union affairs in the United States.
WorldCat is a major database for citations to academic literature. You can use its search engine to locate book and book chapter titles among the thousands contained in this database. Just enter keywords for your topic and perform a search. Titles are accompanied by short descriptions of the content. Therefore, you can sort through the results in order to find the most appropriate literature for your paper.The University Library System makes a large number of academic journals available to the Pitt academic community, either in hardcopy or online or both. In order to determine whether a journal is available in hardcopy or online, you will need to look it up in PittCat, the university library catalogue. The journal's catalogue record will indicate whether it is available online, in hardcopy or both.
Journals in Hardcopy
The majority of journals to which the university subscribes is available in hardcopy on the fourth floor of Hillman library, where they are sorted in alphabetical order. Note, however, that some journals may be available in some specialized collections, such as that of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)/ Economics Library or the Information Sciences Library. PittCat records always indicate the location of a journal.
Understandably, a lot of members of the academic community prefer the convenience of using library resources which are available online instead of hardcopy. However, do not assume that Pitt libraries do not subscribe to a journal just because it is not accessible online. It may be available in hardcopy only.
In addition, keep in mind that only certain issues of a journal may be accessed by Pitt affiliated individuals online. The rest of them may be available only in hardcopy. Check the journal's PittCat record to determine whether the specific issue that you are looking for is available. You need to give appropriate credit to all the authors of ideas or quotes that you use in your paper. Failing to do so is called plagiarism. Not only is plagiarism an ethically unacceptable practice for anyone who conducts academic research, but your instructor will penalize you for it. Therefore, your ultimate attention is required when you use ideas and quotes from the academic literature.
For the Univerisity of Pittsburgh policy on plagiarism, check out the following page from Pitt's English Department: Dealing with Plagiarism
For instructions on how to cite other people's work, including guidelines for different citation styles (Chicago, APS, MLA etc) check out the following webpage located on the University of Pittsburgh Library System website: Citing Resources
VERY IMPORTANT: If you try to access online journals from an off-campus location you will need to be connected to the internet either through a Pitt dial-up connection or, if you are a home DSL/Cable user, you will need to log on to the Pitt network through the Pitt online resource portal.
FOLLOW THE CITATIONS! Once you have located and reviewed some basic readings (books or articles) for your paper, don't put them aside before you have a look at the references cited in those readings. Chances are that many the articles and books cited there are also relevant to your topic. Therefore, references can be an invaluable resource for locating secondary literature.
Step 3: Make an Argument
This is the core of your paper. You need to propose an insightful idea. Just as when you select your paper topic (See Step 1.), it is a good idea to consult your instructor about the soundness of your argument.
Step 4: Support your argument with evidence
Coming up with an interesting argument is essential for a good research paper, but an argument is only as good as the evidence that supports it. Therefore, finding evidence that justifies your argument is absolutely essential for completing a successful research paper. This is another part of your paper the library research advisor can assist you with.
What counts as evidence? Transcripts of interviews and speeches by officials, statistics, legislative acts, official reports, court decisions, internal memos, and other official documents are some of the most popular examples of evidence to support an argument.
If you are writing a paper on the European Union, visit European Union Resources at Pitt
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