Learn to Write

What is Research Writing?

Research writing answers a research question by analyzing or evaluating a topic using evidence (Ellis, 2023). It is used in assignments like research papers, reports, and informative and argumentative essays.

Key definitions

• A research question is what you are trying to find out or prove about a topic. Check out this NorQuest Library resource on how to create a research question.
• A thesis statement is your main claim or argument. It also answers your research question.
• Analyzing means looking closely at something (ex. a topic, a text, a data set etc.) to identify its key elements, structure, patterns, importance, or meaning. You might be asked to analyze a primary source (like a photograph, diary entry, or a letter) or a secondary source (a scholarly journal article, a chapter in a textbook, or a YouTube video).
• Evaluating means making a judgement about something: ex. right or wrong, biased or unbiased, effective or not effective. This video will teach you more about evaluating information.
• Evidence is quotes or ideas from a source (ex. an article, a text, a data set) that you use to prove that your analysis or evaluation is correct.

Research writing is much more than just copying and pasting evidence into your document. As a researcher, you analyze or evaluate other scholars’ work to support your thesis statement. The sources you read will not give you all the answers to your research question; instead, they will give you information that you will organize, report, and analyze to answer your research question.

Research Paper Structure

Research papers often include sections like

• Title page
• Abstract (a brief summary of the key information in your paper)
• Introduction
• Body paragraphs
• Conclusion, and
• References or Works Cited