Writing A Top-Quality MLA Style Research Paper

When it comes to writing a research paper in MLA style, the key is to begin early. Writing takes time, and the easiest way to ensure that the assignment is handed in by the due date is to finish it in advance. To get a top score on this writing assignment, students should use the following guide.

Selecting a Topic

The first step in the writing a research paper is to choose a topic. The actual thesis statement can be refined later on, but the student will need to have at least a general idea of what they will be writing about in order to begin. Students can try brainstorming topic ideas, asking their professor for help or looking online for interesting topics. Ideally, the topic should be broad enough to fill up the word count, but narrow enough to be adequately covered in the assignment.

Start Gathering Sources

The next step in the process can be exceptionally time consuming. Students will need to find books, academic journals and websites that support their thesis statement. As the student finds new information, they should write down the bibliographical information. This will make it easier to write the bibliography later on, and it also ensures that the student will be able to remember where they found each quote or statistic.

Build an Outline

An outline is an integral part of the writing process. By creating an outline, the student ensures that they have a coherent, logical argument that is backed by solid research. To build the outline, the student should start by creating an introduction and a conclusion. The body paragraphs that make up the remainder of the outline will each consist of a topic sentence and two or three pieces of supporting evidence. As the student constructs the argument, they should make sure that it makes logical sense. If it is not necessary or it does not further the argument, the student may have to remove that paragraph from the outline and focus on the other sections of their assignment.

Get a Writer's Manual

If a teacher or a professor wants the assignment written in MLA style, the student will have to use specific types of citations, bibliographical sources and formatting. The only way to make sure that the research paper actually uses MLA style properly is to use a writing guide. Students can also get examples of this writing style to make sure that their finished assignment matches up with what the teacher is expecting.