There are a variety of places to look for research paper samples, as well as a multitude of possible high-quality subjects to choose from, depending on your field of study.
As any excellent research paper sample will demonstrate, producing a superb paper is far more than merely typing a load of text and citations into a word processor and hoping for the best.
A passing score requires not just comprehensive research and precise citation of all sources, but also proper formatting of your research essay.
Depending on whatever style guide you’re using, the formatting of a research paper will change. APA, MLA, and Chicago all have different format standards for things like citations and references.
- Font choices
- Page layout
- Format of headings
- Format of the reference page
APA Format
APA style is used by writers in fields as diverse as astrophysics, biology, psychology, and education.
Title:
The title page must include –
- Title of the paper
- Author’s name
- Name of the institution with which the author is affiliated
- Header at the top of the page with the paper title (in capital letters) and the page number (If the title is lengthy, you may use a shortened form of it in the header.)
List the first three elements in the above list’s order, centered about one third of the way down the page. Add the header using your word processor’s headers and footers tool, with the title text on the left and the page number in the upper-right corner.
Headings:
Section headers are used in APA style to arrange material, making it simple for the reader to follow the writer’s thinking process and to see what key subjects are addressed right away.
The primary portions of the document may be split into sub-sections, sub-sub sections, and so on, depending on the length and complexity of the work.
Various heading styles are used in these smaller sections to represent different levels of information. In essence, you’re creating a hierarchy of information with headers.
- The section titles are typed in a centered, boldface font. Title case is used in headings, with keywords capitalized.
- Subsection headers are boldface and left-aligned. The title case is used in headings.
- The type on the third level is left-aligned, indented, and boldface. Only the first word in a heading is capitalized, and it is followed by a period.
- The fourth level uses the same style as the previous level, but with boldfaced and italicized headers.
- The fifth level uses the same style as the previous level, with the exception that the headers are italics rather than boldfaced.
Citation:
The name of the author or authors, as well as the year the material was published, must be included in in-text citations. If a source does not mention an individual author, you might substitute the title of the source or the name of the organization that produced the content. When citing a source directly, you must additionally mention the page number on which the quote occurs in your citation.
This information might be provided in the sentence itself or as a parenthetical reference at the conclusion.
Example-
Epstein (2010) points out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).
Basic APA Guidelines:
- Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial.
- Set 1-inch page margins.
- Apply double line spacing.
- If submitting for publication, insert a running head on every page.
- Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.
MLA Format
Instructors and educational institutions have extensively embraced the MLA format to standardized manuscript formatting, making it easier for instructors to evaluate papers and theses and for writers to focus on their research, ideas, and prose.
Margin:
One-inch margins should be left at the top and bottom, as well as on both sides of the text.
Text Formatting:
Unless your instructor recommends a different font size, always choose a readily readable typeface (Times New Roman is a good example) with a strong contrast between the normal and italic type styles.
Set the font size to anywhere between 11 and 13 points. Throughout the paper, utilize the same typeface and size of type.
Title:
Type your name, your instructor’s name (or instructors’ names, if there are more than one), the course name and number, and the date on separate double-spaced lines one inch from the top of the first page and flush with the left margin. Center the title on a new double-spaced line.
Your title should not be italicized or underlined, put in quotation marks or boldface, or typed in all capital characters. Follow the capitalization rules in 2.90 and italicize just the words in the text that you would italicize.
Citation:
The author-page method of in-text citation is used in MLA style. This implies that the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is derived must appear in the text, and your Works Cited page should have a comprehensive citation.
The author’s name can be included in the sentence or in parenthesis after the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always be in parentheses, not in the sentence itself.
For example-
- Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263).
2. Romantic poetry is characterized by the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263).
MLA Basic Guidelines:
- Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times, New Roman.
- Set 1-inch page margins.
- Apply double line spacing.
- Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.
- Use title case capitalization for headings.
Chicago Format
Title:
Class papers will either include a title page or the title will be on the first page of the content, according to Chicago style. If your teacher or context requires a title page, follow these guidelines:
- A third of the way down the page, the headline should be centered.
- A few lines later, your name, class details, and the date should appear.
- For subtitles, use a colon at the end of the title line and the subtitle on the line below the title.
- Each line of the title page should be double-spaced.
Reference:
- Label the first page of your back matter, your comprehensive list of sources, “Bibliography” (for Notes and Bibliography style) or “References” (for Author-Date style).
- Leave two blank lines between “Bibliography” or “References” and your first entry.
- Leave one blank line between the remaining entries.
- List entries in letter-by-letter alphabetical order according to the first word in each entry, be that the author’s name or the title of the piece.
- Use “and,” not an ampersand, “&,” for multi-author entries.
Basic Guidelines of Chicago Format:
- Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
- Use 1-inch margins or larger.
- Apply double line spacing.
- Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.
- Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center.
Conclusion
Each research paper’s topic is inherently different, and even similar topics might appear to be unique depending on the author’s opinions and educational degree. A research paper outline may help you write a superb essay regardless of your grade level or the topic you’ve been given.
It should have a bulleted list of subheadings and headers, with as much information as possible. Proofreading and editing of your research paper is the last and most crucial step. Do not forget it!
-Isabell S.
