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How to write three-page essays Quickly (Plus titles/topics and tips)

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There are many ways to kill a rat (as an adage goes), and so are many ways to write an essay fast. There is no single bullet when it comes to writing essays with different paragraphs and pages. It is not every time that we write essays without a challenge. Instead, we can overcome these challenges by understanding the essay writing process.

Writing a three-page essay faster

Are you assigned to write a three-page paper and need to do it fast but do not know where to begin? Well, you are not alone. Even though at face value, a 3-page essay might appear as though it is the longest task you will ever complete, sometimes in short deadlines, it necessarily does not have to be a struggle writing it.

We come bearing the good news because, in this article, we take you through how to write a three-page essay task faster, especially when you are strapped for time, the deadline is fast approaching, or when it is last-minute writing. We know that most students work better under the pressure of strict deadlines, and if that sounds like you, do not panic.

You can write your essay or research paper with three pages and beat the deadline to score the best mark. The only thing you need to do is to read this article and find out how to produce an excellent paper. And if you need help with writing urgent 3-page essays , you can hire a fast writer on our website. 

How long is a three-page essay or research paper?

Before we understand the practical ways to write a quick three-page paper in the least time possible, say an hour or two, we begin by looking at the bells and whistles.

A three-page essay is sometimes called a 750-word essay because it contains between 750 and 900 words. The rationale is that a typed page can be 250., 275, or 300 words. It is a formal essay for middle school and is also common in high school. We consider a 3-page double-spaced essay as having between 750 and 825 words given that most papers written in APA or MLA are double-spaced.

If you are to write a 3-page essay and the instructions direct that you come up with 3 full pages, ensure that each page with content is filled. It should take you around 300 words per page, meaning 3 full pages would be 900 words long.

In terms of length, three-page essays can have a minimum of three paragraphs. However, the maximum number of paragraphs depends on your ideas, the structure of your essay, and the word count specified in the instructions. However, since a paragraph is between 125 words and 160 words (words to paragraph conversion for essays), the body of a 3-page should have at least 4 or 5 paragraphs long.

When writing a 3-pages essay, your introduction and conclusion should have approximately 10-15% of the word count. This means that they should at least be between 100 and 125 words long. The body should carry 75-80% of the word count, which translates to between 620 and 660 words for a 3-page body paragraph.

The paragraph is longer because it is where you develop the thesis statement by supporting it. The body paragraphs comprise topic sentences , supporting sentences, and concluding sentences.

If you are wondering what a 3-page essay or research paper looks like, it contains at least five paragraphs . As long as it is 750-825 words, written in font size 12, Times New Roman or Arial, and has a 1-inch margin all around, it is a three-page paper.

The time it takes to write a three-page essay or paper

With the understanding of how long a three-page essay is, let us now look at how long it takes to write one. Assuming you have little time and want to complete a 3-page essay or research paper, submit it, and attend to other assignments or personal stuff, knowing the time it will take to complete your essay matters.

The accurate amount of time it takes depends on a hoard of factors such as:

  • The complexity or straightforwardness of your topic.
  • The required length of your essay.
  • Whether you are writing the first or polished draft.
  • The availability of sources to get evidence to use in your essay .
  • Your typing speeds
  • Your organizational and writing skills
  • How fast do you unpack the essay prompt or question?
  • Your experience in writing research papers.

Mostly, your experience and writing skills matter the most when it comes to writing any paper or essay fast. If you have top-notch planning, organization, typing, and writing skills, you rest assured to take the least time to complete your research paper or essay. As you will realize later, writing a 3-page essay is 50% planning and 50% organizing.

An experienced writer should complete a three-page essay in an hour or less if it is not complex and in 2 hours or less if it is on a complex topic. However, a student with entry-level writing skills will take more hours, say 5-6 hours, write the same paper and score a good grade. So, unless you are pressured by the deadline, it is always good to take your time. But that does not mean taking a whole week to write a 3-page essay.

How do you write a 3 Page Essay faster and more accurately? The 6 Steps

If you are assigned a three-page essay or research paper and are supposed to submit it between 2 hours and 12 hours (or before midnight or overnight) tops, follow the steps outlined below. We tested these steps, recommended them to busy students, and got feedback that they worked for successful students in college and university.

Because you already know the number of words and the length of your essay, it should not be a bother. Instead, writing it well should be your top priority. Note that the organizational structure of a 3-page essay is for a shorter essay. When you are used to longer essays, condensing points becomes a challenge. However, follow these steps to write it with ease and faster.

1. Plan out your essay or paper

Planning your time well helps you develop your focus and concentrate on the things that matter. Jumping right into writing could be detrimental, especially if you do not know the scope, direction, or points to lay out. You may end up abandoning the essay halfway and getting frustrated.

The essence of creating a schedule for your paper is to focus on writing, even when you are pressed for time. Besides, it helps you to beat procrastination and writer�s block. You are also guaranteed to get distraction-free environments and times to complete your essay.

If you have 6 hours to complete a three-page essay, spend 3 hours in the preparation stage, an hour on writing, and an hour on editing and polishing (post-writing rituals). If you have two hours, schedule 30 minutes for preparing or the prewriting stage, 45 minutes for writing, and the rest for editing and proofreading. And if you have two days to complete the same, spend 5 hours preparing the essay, an entire day on writing, and another 5 hours polishing, proofreading, and editing.

2. Brainstorm

After you have planned your time, begin by reading the essay prompt or the research paper question. You then need to unpack the question, understand what is required of you, and brainstorm some ideas, topics, and insights to include in your paper. This is also a chance to draw out the main points, anticipate challenges, and come up with solutions.

In most cases, you can use mind maps or concept maps to record your thoughts or take notes as you brainstorm. Develop a perspective, potential solutions, the significance of the topic, or likely research sources/evidence to use. Also, think of the best titles and thesis statements for your essay.

3. Draft an outline

There is no doubt that sketching an outline saves time taken to write. It helps you focus on your writing. For your 3-page essay, develop a point-to-point, topical, or complete sentence outline. You can always change the outline as you write.

Write the best title for your essay and construct a declarative and reasonable thesis statement. You should also map out the topic sentences and rope in some of the evidence to use in your essay.

4. Research

Research either makes or breaks your essay. The more and deeper you research, the more your instructor, professor, or teaching assistant can tell that your essay is loaded with facts, evidence, and a good flow.

To research well, check the insights you developed as you brainstormed. Next, browse through the internet and rove through the related websites, books, journal articles, and periodicals to get sources from where you can extract evidence to support facts and arguments in your essay. Preferably, look at scholarly databases such as EBSCOhost, JSTOR, Science Direct, Web of Science, or ProQuest for scholarly articles.

As you identify the potential sources, organize your bibliography and download and organize the sources. And as you research, stick to your outline. You can tweak the outline if the new information or approach supports the thesis statement better. You can use the librarians to get research materials if you have an extended deadline and little time.

Good research provides fodder for the next step, writing the first draft.

5. Write the First Draft

When writing, focus on writing first and editing later approach. You can easily bring your analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and creativity skills.

Begin by polishing the essay title from the list you developed when brainstorming. The topic should be concise, loaded with information, and related to the thesis and subject of the three-page essay.

Write the introduction beginning with the hook or attention grabber , which can be a fun or shocking fact, statistics, or valuable information. You should then write the background statement that covers the topic, related information, and significance of the paper. Finally, finalize the introduction by stating your focused thesis statement and transitioning to the body paragraphs.

Next, work on the body paragraphs because your essay must have several supporting or developing paragraphs. As mentioned, a three-page paper should have 4-5 body paragraphs. Each should have a topic sentence, supporting sentences (evidence, examples, and commentaries), and closing sentences. The paragraphs should have a balanced number of words, be cited, and be connected to the thesis statement. Again, use transition or linking words and phrases to create a good flow of ideas.

Finalize the essay writing process by concluding your essay. The conclusion should restate the thesis, summarize the body section, and give closure to the essay. You can have a call-to-action for the audience to ensure they remain challenged after being informed.

6. Improve and Polish the First Draft

After completing the first draft, you can take a small break from writing. The essence is developing an objective mind that can see through your writing mistakes.

This post-writing stage begins with editing and revising for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other writing errors, such as typos. Next, proceed to proofread your essay so you can further correct any mistakes, such as the wrong flow of ideas, misplaced ideas, uncited paragraphs, and missing subtitles if any are required. Finally, format your essay in APA, MLA, Harvard, ASA, AMA, or Chicago format.

Read our guide on writing a 3-to-4-page essay or research paper  in case you are confused about what to include when there is the mention of upper and lower limits to the word count.

Best Titles, Topics, and Ideas for a 3-Page Research Paper or Essay

Assuming you have been assigned to write a 3-page essay and do not know what topics to write your essay on, you can pick one from the list below. The list also has prime ideas for your essay titles and topics.

  • How social media prompts anorexia
  • Should people attend college?
  • Should gun ownership by American citizens be banned?
  • Can someone develop skills on their own without college?
  • Has urbanization led to increased pollution?
  • Domestic violence and alcoholism
  • Why can corruption not end in the public sector?
  • People should develop empathy.
  • The plastic ban helps conserve the environment
  • Why drunk driving is dangerous
  • Should children bring their phones and tablets to school?
  • Are self-taught programmers the best at their job?
  • YouTube is a great and accessible university
  • Are there solutions to microplastics in oceans?
  • Should rich countries pay more for pollution?
  • Older people should be allowed to keep pets
  • Benefits of continuing education for nurses
  • Strategies to solve the nursing shortage
  • Electroconvulsive therapy in treating mental health disorders
  • Effectiveness of group therapy in treating mental health disorders
  • How stigma affects the families of those with mental health issues
  • Use of complementary and alternative medicine in mental health disorders
  • Use of telepsychiatry in managing mental health patients remotely
  • How pressure from work causes mental health problems
  • Reasons for increased domestic violence during Covid-19
  • Access to mental health facilities by the Indigenous people
  • Impacts of community policing on prostitution
  • Benefits of GMO plants and animals in food security
  • Impacts of groupware on organizations
  • The uneven criminal justice system in America
  • Impacts of COVID-19 on the tourism industry
  • How to solve conflicts in the workplace
  • Consequences of incivility in the workplace
  • The use of social media to promote physical activity
  • Impacts of Stress on Physical and Mental wellbeing
  • The use of the military in disaster management
  • Impacts of PTSD on Veterans
  • Taking care of autistic children
  • The rich should pay more taxes
  • How to address homelessness and poverty in America
  • Causes and solutions to world hunger
  • Impacts of student burnout
  • Women should not procure abortions
  • Gay couples should not (be allowed) to adopt kids
  • America is not the ultimate superpower
  • The insurrection of gangs and militia in America
  • Impacts of gun violence
  • Benefits of no-kill shelters
  • The ethics of killing stray dogs and cats
  • Euthanasia is a no-kill shelter
  • Causes of teenage pregnancies
  • Why teen suicide on live social media is on the rise
  • Understanding domestic poverty
  • Children should not be jailed
  • Burnout among college athletes
  • Does Going to the Beach Help Relieve Symptoms of Seasonal Depression?
  • Impacts of divorce on children
  • Challenges that single mothers face
  • Benefits of counseling for school children
  • Effects of e-cigarettes
  • Which sport best prepares young people (under 15 years of age) for success in life as an adult and why?
  • The impact of domestic violence on the academic performance of children

Related Reading:

  • How to write an analytical essay.
  • How to use AI to write essays.
  • Steps for a better essay on gun control.
  • How to write a perfect reflective essay.
  • How to organize a movie review essay or paper.

Unbelievably it is just as simple as that. Writing three pages of an essay or research paper can be quick if you plan well. No single formula can work best; all you must do is be prompt and thorough with every step in the writing process.

When assigned an essay that requires three pages of content, breath in, relax, unpack everything, plan, and smash it using the tips we have discussed. The more you practice these steps, the more you learn to write essays fast.

If you have an urgent 3-page essay and need professional writing help , we have writers who can help. Do not struggle to fail when we can write for you a three-page model essay or paper that is 100% original, non-plagiarized, and well-organized/formatted.

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  • How to write a research paper

Last updated

11 January 2024

Reviewed by

With proper planning, knowledge, and framework, completing a research paper can be a fulfilling and exciting experience. 

Though it might initially sound slightly intimidating, this guide will help you embrace the challenge. 

By documenting your findings, you can inspire others and make a difference in your field. Here's how you can make your research paper unique and comprehensive.

  • What is a research paper?

Research papers allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a particular topic. These papers are usually lengthier and more detailed than typical essays, requiring deeper insight into the chosen topic.

To write a research paper, you must first choose a topic that interests you and is relevant to the field of study. Once you’ve selected your topic, gathering as many relevant resources as possible, including books, scholarly articles, credible websites, and other academic materials, is essential. You must then read and analyze these sources, summarizing their key points and identifying gaps in the current research.

You can formulate your ideas and opinions once you thoroughly understand the existing research. To get there might involve conducting original research, gathering data, or analyzing existing data sets. It could also involve presenting an original argument or interpretation of the existing research.

Writing a successful research paper involves presenting your findings clearly and engagingly, which might involve using charts, graphs, or other visual aids to present your data and using concise language to explain your findings. You must also ensure your paper adheres to relevant academic formatting guidelines, including proper citations and references.

Overall, writing a research paper requires a significant amount of time, effort, and attention to detail. However, it is also an enriching experience that allows you to delve deeply into a subject that interests you and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in your chosen field.

  • How long should a research paper be?

Research papers are deep dives into a topic. Therefore, they tend to be longer pieces of work than essays or opinion pieces. 

However, a suitable length depends on the complexity of the topic and your level of expertise. For instance, are you a first-year college student or an experienced professional? 

Also, remember that the best research papers provide valuable information for the benefit of others. Therefore, the quality of information matters most, not necessarily the length. Being concise is valuable.

Following these best practice steps will help keep your process simple and productive:

1. Gaining a deep understanding of any expectations

Before diving into your intended topic or beginning the research phase, take some time to orient yourself. Suppose there’s a specific topic assigned to you. In that case, it’s essential to deeply understand the question and organize your planning and approach in response. Pay attention to the key requirements and ensure you align your writing accordingly. 

This preparation step entails

Deeply understanding the task or assignment

Being clear about the expected format and length

Familiarizing yourself with the citation and referencing requirements 

Understanding any defined limits for your research contribution

Where applicable, speaking to your professor or research supervisor for further clarification

2. Choose your research topic

Select a research topic that aligns with both your interests and available resources. Ideally, focus on a field where you possess significant experience and analytical skills. In crafting your research paper, it's crucial to go beyond summarizing existing data and contribute fresh insights to the chosen area.

Consider narrowing your focus to a specific aspect of the topic. For example, if exploring the link between technology and mental health, delve into how social media use during the pandemic impacts the well-being of college students. Conducting interviews and surveys with students could provide firsthand data and unique perspectives, adding substantial value to the existing knowledge.

When finalizing your topic, adhere to legal and ethical norms in the relevant area (this ensures the integrity of your research, protects participants' rights, upholds intellectual property standards, and ensures transparency and accountability). Following these principles not only maintains the credibility of your work but also builds trust within your academic or professional community.

For instance, in writing about medical research, consider legal and ethical norms, including patient confidentiality laws and informed consent requirements. Similarly, if analyzing user data on social media platforms, be mindful of data privacy regulations, ensuring compliance with laws governing personal information collection and use. Aligning with legal and ethical standards not only avoids potential issues but also underscores the responsible conduct of your research.

3. Gather preliminary research

Once you’ve landed on your topic, it’s time to explore it further. You’ll want to discover more about available resources and existing research relevant to your assignment at this stage. 

This exploratory phase is vital as you may discover issues with your original idea or realize you have insufficient resources to explore the topic effectively. This key bit of groundwork allows you to redirect your research topic in a different, more feasible, or more relevant direction if necessary. 

Spending ample time at this stage ensures you gather everything you need, learn as much as you can about the topic, and discover gaps where the topic has yet to be sufficiently covered, offering an opportunity to research it further. 

4. Define your research question

To produce a well-structured and focused paper, it is imperative to formulate a clear and precise research question that will guide your work. Your research question must be informed by the existing literature and tailored to the scope and objectives of your project. By refining your focus, you can produce a thoughtful and engaging paper that effectively communicates your ideas to your readers.

5. Write a thesis statement

A thesis statement is a one-to-two-sentence summary of your research paper's main argument or direction. It serves as an overall guide to summarize the overall intent of the research paper for you and anyone wanting to know more about the research.

A strong thesis statement is:

Concise and clear: Explain your case in simple sentences (avoid covering multiple ideas). It might help to think of this section as an elevator pitch.

Specific: Ensure that there is no ambiguity in your statement and that your summary covers the points argued in the paper.

Debatable: A thesis statement puts forward a specific argument––it is not merely a statement but a debatable point that can be analyzed and discussed.

Here are three thesis statement examples from different disciplines:

Psychology thesis example: "We're studying adults aged 25-40 to see if taking short breaks for mindfulness can help with stress. Our goal is to find practical ways to manage anxiety better."

Environmental science thesis example: "This research paper looks into how having more city parks might make the air cleaner and keep people healthier. I want to find out if more green spaces means breathing fewer carcinogens in big cities."

UX research thesis example: "This study focuses on improving mobile banking for older adults using ethnographic research, eye-tracking analysis, and interactive prototyping. We investigate the usefulness of eye-tracking analysis with older individuals, aiming to spark debate and offer fresh perspectives on UX design and digital inclusivity for the aging population."

6. Conduct in-depth research

A research paper doesn’t just include research that you’ve uncovered from other papers and studies but your fresh insights, too. You will seek to become an expert on your topic––understanding the nuances in the current leading theories. You will analyze existing research and add your thinking and discoveries.  It's crucial to conduct well-designed research that is rigorous, robust, and based on reliable sources. Suppose a research paper lacks evidence or is biased. In that case, it won't benefit the academic community or the general public. Therefore, examining the topic thoroughly and furthering its understanding through high-quality research is essential. That usually means conducting new research. Depending on the area under investigation, you may conduct surveys, interviews, diary studies, or observational research to uncover new insights or bolster current claims.

7. Determine supporting evidence

Not every piece of research you’ve discovered will be relevant to your research paper. It’s important to categorize the most meaningful evidence to include alongside your discoveries. It's important to include evidence that doesn't support your claims to avoid exclusion bias and ensure a fair research paper.

8. Write a research paper outline

Before diving in and writing the whole paper, start with an outline. It will help you to see if more research is needed, and it will provide a framework by which to write a more compelling paper. Your supervisor may even request an outline to approve before beginning to write the first draft of the full paper. An outline will include your topic, thesis statement, key headings, short summaries of the research, and your arguments.

9. Write your first draft

Once you feel confident about your outline and sources, it’s time to write your first draft. While penning a long piece of content can be intimidating, if you’ve laid the groundwork, you will have a structure to help you move steadily through each section. To keep up motivation and inspiration, it’s often best to keep the pace quick. Stopping for long periods can interrupt your flow and make jumping back in harder than writing when things are fresh in your mind.

10. Cite your sources correctly

It's always a good practice to give credit where it's due, and the same goes for citing any works that have influenced your paper. Building your arguments on credible references adds value and authenticity to your research. In the formatting guidelines section, you’ll find an overview of different citation styles (MLA, CMOS, or APA), which will help you meet any publishing or academic requirements and strengthen your paper's credibility. It is essential to follow the guidelines provided by your school or the publication you are submitting to ensure the accuracy and relevance of your citations.

11. Ensure your work is original

It is crucial to ensure the originality of your paper, as plagiarism can lead to serious consequences. To avoid plagiarism, you should use proper paraphrasing and quoting techniques. Paraphrasing is rewriting a text in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. Quoting involves directly citing the source. Giving credit to the original author or source is essential whenever you borrow their ideas or words. You can also use plagiarism detection tools such as Scribbr or Grammarly to check the originality of your paper. These tools compare your draft writing to a vast database of online sources. If you find any accidental plagiarism, you should correct it immediately by rephrasing or citing the source.

12. Revise, edit, and proofread

One of the essential qualities of excellent writers is their ability to understand the importance of editing and proofreading. Even though it's tempting to call it a day once you've finished your writing, editing your work can significantly improve its quality. It's natural to overlook the weaker areas when you've just finished writing a paper. Therefore, it's best to take a break of a day or two, or even up to a week, to refresh your mind. This way, you can return to your work with a new perspective. After some breathing room, you can spot any inconsistencies, spelling and grammar errors, typos, or missing citations and correct them. 

  • The best research paper format 

The format of your research paper should align with the requirements set forth by your college, school, or target publication. 

There is no one “best” format, per se. Depending on the stated requirements, you may need to include the following elements:

Title page: The title page of a research paper typically includes the title, author's name, and institutional affiliation and may include additional information such as a course name or instructor's name. 

Table of contents: Include a table of contents to make it easy for readers to find specific sections of your paper.

Abstract: The abstract is a summary of the purpose of the paper.

Methods : In this section, describe the research methods used. This may include collecting data, conducting interviews, or doing field research.

Results: Summarize the conclusions you drew from your research in this section.

Discussion: In this section, discuss the implications of your research. Be sure to mention any significant limitations to your approach and suggest areas for further research.

Tables, charts, and illustrations: Use tables, charts, and illustrations to help convey your research findings and make them easier to understand.

Works cited or reference page: Include a works cited or reference page to give credit to the sources that you used to conduct your research.

Bibliography: Provide a list of all the sources you consulted while conducting your research.

Dedication and acknowledgments : Optionally, you may include a dedication and acknowledgments section to thank individuals who helped you with your research.

  • General style and formatting guidelines

Formatting your research paper means you can submit it to your college, journal, or other publications in compliance with their criteria.

Research papers tend to follow the American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), or Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) guidelines.

Here’s how each style guide is typically used:

Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS):

CMOS is a versatile style guide used for various types of writing. It's known for its flexibility and use in the humanities. CMOS provides guidelines for citations, formatting, and overall writing style. It allows for both footnotes and in-text citations, giving writers options based on their preferences or publication requirements.

American Psychological Association (APA):

APA is common in the social sciences. It’s hailed for its clarity and emphasis on precision. It has specific rules for citing sources, creating references, and formatting papers. APA style uses in-text citations with an accompanying reference list. It's designed to convey information efficiently and is widely used in academic and scientific writing.

Modern Language Association (MLA):

MLA is widely used in the humanities, especially literature and language studies. It emphasizes the author-page format for in-text citations and provides guidelines for creating a "Works Cited" page. MLA is known for its focus on the author's name and the literary works cited. It’s frequently used in disciplines that prioritize literary analysis and critical thinking.

To confirm you're using the latest style guide, check the official website or publisher's site for updates, consult academic resources, and verify the guide's publication date. Online platforms and educational resources may also provide summaries and alerts about any revisions or additions to the style guide.

Citing sources

When working on your research paper, it's important to cite the sources you used properly. Your citation style will guide you through this process. Generally, there are three parts to citing sources in your research paper: 

First, provide a brief citation in the body of your essay. This is also known as a parenthetical or in-text citation. 

Second, include a full citation in the Reference list at the end of your paper. Different types of citations include in-text citations, footnotes, and reference lists. 

In-text citations include the author's surname and the date of the citation. 

Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page of your research paper. They may also be summarized within a reference list at the end of the paper. 

A reference list includes all of the research used within the paper at the end of the document. It should include the author, date, paper title, and publisher listed in the order that aligns with your citation style.

10 research paper writing tips:

Following some best practices is essential to writing a research paper that contributes to your field of study and creates a positive impact.

These tactics will help you structure your argument effectively and ensure your work benefits others:

Clear and precise language:  Ensure your language is unambiguous. Use academic language appropriately, but keep it simple. Also, provide clear takeaways for your audience.

Effective idea separation:  Organize the vast amount of information and sources in your paper with paragraphs and titles. Create easily digestible sections for your readers to navigate through.

Compelling intro:  Craft an engaging introduction that captures your reader's interest. Hook your audience and motivate them to continue reading.

Thorough revision and editing:  Take the time to review and edit your paper comprehensively. Use tools like Grammarly to detect and correct small, overlooked errors.

Thesis precision:  Develop a clear and concise thesis statement that guides your paper. Ensure that your thesis aligns with your research's overall purpose and contribution.

Logical flow of ideas:  Maintain a logical progression throughout the paper. Use transitions effectively to connect different sections and maintain coherence.

Critical evaluation of sources:  Evaluate and critically assess the relevance and reliability of your sources. Ensure that your research is based on credible and up-to-date information.

Thematic consistency:  Maintain a consistent theme throughout the paper. Ensure that all sections contribute cohesively to the overall argument.

Relevant supporting evidence:  Provide concise and relevant evidence to support your arguments. Avoid unnecessary details that may distract from the main points.

Embrace counterarguments:  Acknowledge and address opposing views to strengthen your position. Show that you have considered alternative arguments in your field.

7 research tips 

If you want your paper to not only be well-written but also contribute to the progress of human knowledge, consider these tips to take your paper to the next level:

Selecting the appropriate topic: The topic you select should align with your area of expertise, comply with the requirements of your project, and have sufficient resources for a comprehensive investigation.

Use academic databases: Academic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and JSTOR offer a wealth of research papers that can help you discover everything you need to know about your chosen topic.

Critically evaluate sources: It is important not to accept research findings at face value. Instead, it is crucial to critically analyze the information to avoid jumping to conclusions or overlooking important details. A well-written research paper requires a critical analysis with thorough reasoning to support claims.

Diversify your sources: Expand your research horizons by exploring a variety of sources beyond the standard databases. Utilize books, conference proceedings, and interviews to gather diverse perspectives and enrich your understanding of the topic.

Take detailed notes: Detailed note-taking is crucial during research and can help you form the outline and body of your paper.

Stay up on trends: Keep abreast of the latest developments in your field by regularly checking for recent publications. Subscribe to newsletters, follow relevant journals, and attend conferences to stay informed about emerging trends and advancements. 

Engage in peer review: Seek feedback from peers or mentors to ensure the rigor and validity of your research. Peer review helps identify potential weaknesses in your methodology and strengthens the overall credibility of your findings.

  • The real-world impact of research papers

Writing a research paper is more than an academic or business exercise. The experience provides an opportunity to explore a subject in-depth, broaden one's understanding, and arrive at meaningful conclusions. With careful planning, dedication, and hard work, writing a research paper can be a fulfilling and enriching experience contributing to advancing knowledge.

How do I publish my research paper? 

Many academics wish to publish their research papers. While challenging, your paper might get traction if it covers new and well-written information. To publish your research paper, find a target publication, thoroughly read their guidelines, format your paper accordingly, and send it to them per their instructions. You may need to include a cover letter, too. After submission, your paper may be peer-reviewed by experts to assess its legitimacy, quality, originality, and methodology. Following review, you will be informed by the publication whether they have accepted or rejected your paper. 

What is a good opening sentence for a research paper? 

Beginning your research paper with a compelling introduction can ensure readers are interested in going further. A relevant quote, a compelling statistic, or a bold argument can start the paper and hook your reader. Remember, though, that the most important aspect of a research paper is the quality of the information––not necessarily your ability to storytell, so ensure anything you write aligns with your goals.

Research paper vs. a research proposal—what’s the difference?

While some may confuse research papers and proposals, they are different documents. 

A research proposal comes before a research paper. It is a detailed document that outlines an intended area of exploration. It includes the research topic, methodology, timeline, sources, and potential conclusions. Research proposals are often required when seeking approval to conduct research. 

A research paper is a summary of research findings. A research paper follows a structured format to present those findings and construct an argument or conclusion.

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The Length, Tips, and Steps for writing a 3/4 Page Essay or Paper

3-4 page essay or paper guide

High school, college, and university life is rife with writing essays and research papers. In some cases, you will encounter as long as over 10-15-page research paper assignments. And as you might have also noticed, most professors, instructors, and teaching assistants like assigning short papers or essays below ten pages: mostly 3-8 pages long.

A commonly assigned paper is a 3-4-page essay, which falls under the short essays or paper category. We often find questions like “how many paragraphs or how long is a 3-4-page paper?” “What should I include in a 3-4-page paper to get the highest score?” or even “does a 3-4-page paper have an introduction and conclusion?”

If you are among those who often worry about what to include in a three or 4-page paper, this guide speaks directly to you. In a few minutes, you will be a pro at writing a 3 to 4-page essay. Better still, we have included topics and tips to help you ace your essay assignment without worrying whether you overwrote or underwrote your essay.

But before we even delve deeper, if you are running short of time and patience and need a custom-written essay that is 100% original, well-researched, cited, and proofread, do not hesitate to hire an essay writer on our website.

Let’s get started with exploring more about a 3-4-page paper.

What is a 3-4-page Paper or Essay?

As challenging as most students find essay writing, it comes with the gift you will carry through your professional life to your grave. Writing an essay demonstrates that you can comprehensively research, organize, and present facts on a given topic. It is a way of expressing yourself.

Many students, mostly our clients, often wonder what makes a 3 to 4-page essay and are afraid to ask an instructor. The instructor expects that you understand the limits and tests whether you can take instructions on not by looking at the length of your essay apart from the coherence of the content.

A 3-4-page paper is around 825-1200 words long with 4-5 points well-argued and organized in paragraphs, including the arguments and counterarguments. It is a complete essay with a title page, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion paragraph, and reference list. The is typically longer than a typical 5-paragraph essay (250-550 words) and often has more points/paragraphs that are well-balanced, cited, and intertwined. It can be anything between 800 and 1200 words, meaning you can meet the lower threshold but cannot exceed the 1200-word limit.

If you are unsure about the exact word count for your paper, ask your instructor for clarification early enough.

When assigned to write a 3-4-page essay, you can either write a 3-full-page essay or a 4-full-page essay but do not exceed 4 pages or go below 3 pages.

A three-page paper is about 825-900 words long, while a four-page paper is about 1100 and 1200 words. This means that if you decide to meet the lower limit of 3 pages, you can write anything between 825 words and 900 words or even exceed through to any number of words up to 1200 words. Going beyond the word count can attract a deduction of grades, or your professor can mark until the word count is fulfilled, leaving out a potentially marks-rich section of your paper.

Given that a page has 3-4 paragraphs , a 3-page paper will have either 6 or 8 paragraphs, while a typical 4-page paper has 8 and 9 paragraphs, and a 3-4-page paper should have between 6 and 9 paragraphs.

How long it takes to complete a 3-4-page Essay or Paper?

We have mentioned that a 3-4-page essay has between 825 and 1200 words (double-spacing) and comprises 6-9 paragraphs. It is quite a short paper that requires a few hours to complete. Many factors contribute to how long it takes to complete an essay . Such factors include the deadline from class, your motivation, how well you understand the topic, availability of material, expertise in writing research papers and essays, organizational skills, typing speed, and many other factors.

You will most likely be assigned to write a 3-4-page paper in 1-2 days. However, you can complete your paper in a few hours if you plan your time well. For a professional, writing a 3-4 page essay can be done within an hour to three, especially if it is a last-minute writing help request .

A 3-4 double-spaced essay should take 3-4 hours to complete, assuming you write a page per hour. A professional would optimally require 2-3 hours to complete such an essay to the required standards. If it is a single-spaced essay, it will take between 6 hours and 8 hours to complete. The rationale here is that a single-spaced paper contains two double-spaced pages. You should take note of the spacing lest you miss the word count.

We’ve seen students coming to us for a last-minute request for us to fulfill their word count or paraphrase their essays to the right word count because they understood the word count at the last minute.

If you have a day to complete a 3-4 page essay, spend 3-4 hours planning and researching (prewriting process), 6-7 hours writing the essay, and 4-5 hours polishing, editing, and proofreading the essay. If you have two days, your prewriting process should take at least 5 hours, the writing process a day, and the post-writing stage should take at least 4-5 hours before submitting the essay.

Parts of a 3-4 Page Essay: The Structure

A 3-4-page essay or paper has the contents and structure of a typical essay. It comprises a title page formatted in APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago, the introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, conclusion paragraphs, and the reference list in the recommended referencing/formatting style. Let’s clarify the structure of a three- to four-page essay or paper.

  • Title page. This is the first section of any academic paper and does not contribute to the word count. It should contain your details, details of the school, and information about your assignment, such as the title. Format it as required. It can be in APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Turabian, Oxford, or AGLC formatting, depending on what you have been advised to use or your subject.
  • Introduction paragraph. This is the opening paragraph of your paper, and it should have an attention grabber or hook , background information, and the thesis statement . Sometimes, you can also use signposts in this section to let your readers know how your paper is organized.
  • Body paragraphs. These are your essay's main paragraphs where you argue your thesis statement. Each body paragraph has a unique topic sentence followed by supporting details and a concluding sentence. Ensure that you stick to one idea per body paragraph. You should link the paragraphs using transition or linking words for a good flow. The body section comprises 80% of the word count.
  • Conclusion paragraph. This is the last paragraph of your essay, making 10% of the word count and winding up the essay. You should restate your thesis .
  • Reference list (works cited page or bibliography). Here is where you list all the scholarly resources you used in developing the essay. The reference list should be alphabetical as required by the formatting style you have chosen or have been directed to use.

When assigned to write an essay three or four pages long, ensure you have structured your paper as outlined above. Once you have broken down the paper and developed an essay outline , you can brainstorm ideas and write the paper fast.

Tips for Writing a 3/4 Page Essay Fast

In most cases, failing a 3-4-page essay with a 48-72-hour deadline is easier than failing a short or long paper with a longer deadline. Your mind technically sets to panic mode, especially if it is a paper that contributes most to your grades.

If you are assigned to write an essay that is three to four pages long, here are some tips to consider:

  • Begin Early. You must begin the prewriting process after you are assigned the paper. You are still fresh with ideas from class and can brainstorm ideas without the fatigue of research and distractions.
  • Choose a topic you can explore. If you are left to choose a topic on your own, go for an exciting topic you can spend time researching and sharing with anyone without limitations. Also, consider a topic with supporting materials such as books, peer-reviewed journals, and other scholarly resources.
  • Schedule time and focus. You need to concentrate on your paper; the only best way could be to create a schedule. Decide on what you will do, in what order, and within a specific duration. When scheduling, remember to factor in writing and research when you are alert and active. You can do this early in the morning if you are an early riser or late into the night if you are a night owl. Besides, ensure that you reduce any distractions around you. Don’t log into social media, play games, or chat with friends until you finish the paper. You can listen to cool music and find the best place to do your assignment .
  • Brainstorm and Research Widely. Using references, you will present ideas on a topic and need to support your assertions, claims, and arguments. Therefore, you need to brainstorm good ideas to make your paper weighty. Brainstorming helps you save time and write consistently because you develop the bigger picture. As you brainstorm, draw mind maps, concept maps, or flow charts to help you arrange ideas. You can then research and organize your resources before you begin writing. It is best to start by reading the non-scholarly sources to familiarize yourself with the topic before extending to the scholarly sources you can get points to use and cite in your 3-4-page paper. The research should yield enough to develop a preliminary thesis.
  • Write first and edit later. The process will be manageable when writing the paper, courtesy of the previous steps. Assuming you have an outline, compartmentalize the information from the research and develop your paragraphs. Write the body paragraphs first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last, or choose whatever order you wish. Ensure that the body has 6-7 supporting ideas in its paragraphs. The body paragraphs should have a balanced length and must flow into one another. If you need to polish your preliminary thesis into a final one, do so after writing the body paragraphs because it should be the anchor.
  • Polish the essay last. We said you leave editing and polishing for later. Well, take a break after writing to develop an objective mindset and break away from the monotony of writing. Check your paper for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If there are any errors, strive to remove them. You can run the paper through editing software like Grammarly or Hemmingway Editor to spot and correct errors and omissions. Format the paper in APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago format. Ensure that you do a quick proofreading. If possible, read it aloud to yourself to spot more mistakes and make amendments.

Our writers use these tips when writing papers for our esteemed clients. We are a leading fast essay writing service catering to your urgent writing needs. The more you use these tips, the more you become great at writing essays. You can never hate writing essays once you master the entire process.

Topics for 3-4 page Essays that You Can Consider

Consider the topics outlined below if you want a quick topic for a three-page or four-page essay.

  • The impacts of cryptocurrencies on cybersecurity
  • Impacts of youth unemployment on teenage pregnancies
  • Importance of being honest
  • Private prison systems
  • Benefits of the electoral college
  • Importance of global peace on development
  • Benefits of flexible working arrangements
  • Importance of school uniforms
  • How workforce diversity affects organizational Performance
  • How to address work stress?
  • Benefits of training police officers on computers
  • Strategies to support homeless people
  • Benefits of investing in books
  • Children should be taught about investments and personal finance
  • Negative impacts of helicopter parenting
  • How to address mental health issues among school-going girls
  • Social media and academic performance
  • Benefits of pursuing STEM subjects
  • Impacts of GMOs on food security
  • Strategies to overcome homesickness
  • How to overcome culture shock?
  • Consumerism pollutes the planet
  • Talks are better than Wars: Russia-Ukraine Conflict
  • Causes and consequences of infidelity
  • How to maintain a long-distance relationship?
  • Overcoming low self-esteem
  • Homelessness and unemployment
  • Physical activity and obesity
  • Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
  • Consequences of Bulimia
  • Portion control and weight loss
  • Benefits of restriction what we eat
  • Is gut instinct always correct?
  • Disadvantages of birth control
  • Should abandoned kids be adopted?
  • Causes and consequences of police brutality
  • Benefits of being earnest
  • How to manage time as a student?
  • Ways to pay for tuition without a loan
  • Can someone learn programming on their own?
  • Reasons to ban animal testing
  • People should not be forced to get a vaccination
  • How marketers influence what we eat
  • Is Big Pharma controlling our lives?
  • Causes and consequences of corruption
  • Impacts of racism
  • Causes and consequences of hate crimes
  • Recycling should be compulsory
  • Citizens should not be allowed to carry guns
  • Consequences of white privilege
  • Pros and cons of online retail
  • Mobile phones and surveillance
  • Impacts of state surveillance on citizens
  • Should students be taught about taxation?
  • How to prevent ocean pollution?
  • Benefits of conserving endangered species
  • Causes of increasing divorce rates
  • Impacts of violent TV programs and games on the youth
  • How family values influence how a child grows
  • Impacts of stem cell research on chronic diseases
  • The American Judiciary System
  • Causes of the Russian-Ukraine war
  • How to prevent drug trafficking?
  • How human trafficking affects families
  • Prostitution should be legalized
  • Is microchipping a pet illegal?
  • Benefits of keeping pets
  • Consequences of the digital divide
  • Should college education be free?
  • Should students be forgiven their education loans?

There are many more essay topics that you can consider. Check out our list of compare and contrast topics , topics for learning disabilities , nutrition essay topics , social issues, and topics , or argumentative essay topics . Our blog section has an endless list of good topics you can write your 3/4-page essay about. If you need help writing your essay, ask for help from our website.

Parting Words

Writing a three to four-page paper or essay is not without any challenges. Students often find such papers challenging, especially if they do not know the word count and page limits to meet.

If you are working against a deadline, you can now write the paper thanks to the steps, tips, and insights we have shared above. Instead of procrastinating or missing a deadline, plan early, schedule everything, and write the paper without pressure.

To write a 3/4–page paper faster, ensure that you plan everything. And if you need help, don’t hesitate to place an order by visiting our homepage and filling out the order form. With our writing service, you can beat deadlines and produce an excellent paper with suitable marks or higher grades.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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ENGL 101: Academic Writing: How to write a research paper

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How to write a research paer

Understand the topic, what is the instructor asking for, who is the intended audience, choosing a topic.

  • General Research

Books on the subject

Journal articles, other sources, write the paper.

You've just been assigned by your instructor to write a paper on a topic. Relax, this isn't going to be as bad as it seems. You just need to get started. Here are some suggestions to make the process as painless as possible. Remember, if you have any questions ASK .

Is the assignment a formal research paper where you have to do research and cite other sources of information, or is the assignment asking you for your reaction to a particular topic where all you will need to do is collect your thoughts and organize them coherently. If you do need to research your topic, make sure you know what style manual your instructor prefers (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc).

Make sure you keep track of any restrictions that your instructor places on you. If your instructor wants a 4 page paper, they won't be happy with a 2 page paper, or a 10 page paper. Keep in mind that the instructor knows roughly how long it should take to cover the topic. If your paper is too short, you probably aren't looking at enough materials. If you paper is too long, you need to narrow your topic. Also, many times the instructor may restrict you to certain types of resources (books written after 1946, scholarly journals, no web sites). You don't want to automatically lessen your grade by not following the rules. Remember the key rule, if you have any questions ask your instructor!

You will also need to know which audience that you are writing for. Are you writing to an audience that knows nothing about your topic? If so you will need to write in such a way that you paper makes sense, and can be understood by these people. If your paper is geared to peers who have a similar background of information you won't need to include that type of information. If your paper is for experts in the field, you won't need to include background information.

If you're lucky, you were given a narrow topic by your instructor. You may not be interested in your topic, but you can be reasonably sure that the topic isn't too broad. Most of you aren't going to be that lucky. Your instructor gave you a broad topic, or no topic at all and you are going to have to choose the specific topic for your paper.

There are some general rules that you can use to help choose and narrow a topic. Does a particular topic interest you? If you are excited by a particular field, choose a topic from that field. While doing research you will learn more about the field, and learn which journals are written for your topic. Are you answering a relevant question? You and your instructor are going to be bored if you are writing a paper on the hazards of drunken driving. However, it might be more interesting to write about what causes people to drink and drive. The more interesting your topic the more you will enjoy and learn from writing your paper. You may also want to focus on a specific point of view about the topic, such as what teenagers think the causes of drunken driving are.

Do General Research

Now that you have a topic, it is time to start doing research. Don't jump to the card catalog and the indexes yet. The first research that you want to do is some general research on your topic. Find out what some of the terms used in the field are. You will also find that this research can help you further define you topic.

One source of general research is a general encyclopedia. Depending on the encyclopedia, at the end of each entry there may be a bibliography of suggested works. Good encyclopedias to consult are Encyclopedia Britannica , Encyclopedia Americana, and World Book.

You will also want to check to see if your topic is in a field that has a subject Encyclopedia, a Subject Handbook, or a Subject Dictionary. These guides contain information about a wide variety of topics inside a specific field. Generally the information in more detailed that what is contained in a general encyclopedia. Also the bibliographies are more extensive.

Find further information

Now that we have some background information on our topic; we need to find information about our specific topic. Before searching, ask yourself what type of information you are looking for. If you want to find statistical information, you will need to look in certain types of sources. If you are looking for news accounts of an event, you will need to look in other types of sources. Remember, if you have a question about what type of source to use, ask a librarian.

Have you asked your instructor for suggestions on where to look? Why not? This person is experienced in the field, and they have been doing research in it longer than you have. They can recommend authors who write on your topic, and they can recommend a short list of journals that may contain information on your topic.

Books are one type of resource that you can use for your research. To find a book on your topic, you will need to use the online catalog, the CamelCat . Taking the list of keywords that you created while doing general research, do keyword searches in the catalog. Look at the titles that are being returned, do any look promising? If none do, revise your search using other keywords. If one does, look at the full record for that book. Check the subject headings that it is cataloged by. If one of those headings looks pertinent to your research, do a subject search using that particular heading.

Once you've got the books that you want to use start evaluating whether the book will be useful. Is it written by an author who is knowledgeable about that particular topic? Is the author qualified to write about the topic? What biases does the author have about the topic? Is the book current enough to contain useful information?

Once you've answered these questions, use the books that you deem useful for your research. Remember while taking notes to get the information that you need to do a proper citation. Also, pay attention to any bibliographies that are included in the book. These can help you locate other books and articles that may be useful for your research.

The Campbell University Libraries subscribe to a wide variety of Indexes and Journals for the use of students and faculty. Increasingly these materials are provided as Electronic Databases. These databases contain citations of articles and in some cases the full text of articles on a variety of topics. If you don't know which database will be useful for you, ask a librarian and they will be happy to assist you. You can also use the Find Articles link to search multiple databases at one time for information on your topic.

Once you've selected a database to use, use the keywords that you developed from your general research to find articles that will be useful for you. Once you've found one, see which terms the database used to catalog the article and use those terms to find more articles. Don't forget to set limits on the database so that only scholarly articles are returned if your instructor has made that a requirement for your paper.

Look at the journal articles that you have selected, and examine the bibliographies. Are there any authors that are mentioned in more than one article? Are there any articles that are mentioned more than once? You should find those authors and articles and include them in your research.

There are other useful sources that you can use in your research. If your report tends to be on a business topic or if you need company information for your research there are many companies that provide company reports. The contents of these reports differ, depending on which service that you are using. Generally speaking you will find company officers, financial statements, lists of competitors, and stock price.

The Internet is another source for information on a variety of topics. The major problem with the using Internet resources is authority. Anybody who knows HTML can produce a web site that looks pretty decent. However, a website produced by a sophomore in high school on a topic is not going to be useful to you in your research. Before using a website for information, you need to evaluate the site. Here are some questions you will want to ask: Who created the site? (If you can't tell, don't use it.) Has the site been recently updated? Is the site promoting a specific agenda/ does it have a bias? (Bias isn't necessarily bad, but you need to keep it in mind when interpreting the information presented?) Are there any misspellings on the site? (If there is one misspelling careless error more than three, don't use the page) Do the links on the page work? (If a few don't work, not a big problem, if most of the links don't work, the site isn't being maintained, and should not be used.)

You have all of your research, now it is time to write the paper. Don't forget to cite all of the research that you have collected using the preferred citation style of your instructor. If possible try to give yourself a couple of days to let the paper sit before you edit it. Look at a hard copy of the paper and check for mechanical errors (spelling, punctuation). Also try to imagine that you are the intended audience for the paper. Does your paper make sense? Are the arguments logical? Does the evidence presented support the arguments made? If you answered no to any of these questions, make the necessary changes to your paper.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing a Research Paper

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Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The pages in this section provide detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding sources.

The Research Paper

There will come a time in most students' careers when they are assigned a research paper. Such an assignment often creates a great deal of unneeded anxiety in the student, which may result in procrastination and a feeling of confusion and inadequacy. This anxiety frequently stems from the fact that many students are unfamiliar and inexperienced with this genre of writing. Never fear—inexperience and unfamiliarity are situations you can change through practice! Writing a research paper is an essential aspect of academics and should not be avoided on account of one's anxiety. In fact, the process of writing a research paper can be one of the more rewarding experiences one may encounter in academics. What is more, many students will continue to do research throughout their careers, which is one of the reasons this topic is so important.

Becoming an experienced researcher and writer in any field or discipline takes a great deal of practice. There are few individuals for whom this process comes naturally. Remember, even the most seasoned academic veterans have had to learn how to write a research paper at some point in their career. Therefore, with diligence, organization, practice, a willingness to learn (and to make mistakes!), and, perhaps most important of all, patience, students will find that they can achieve great things through their research and writing.

The pages in this section cover the following topic areas related to the process of writing a research paper:

  • Genre - This section will provide an overview for understanding the difference between an analytical and argumentative research paper.
  • Choosing a Topic - This section will guide the student through the process of choosing topics, whether the topic be one that is assigned or one that the student chooses themselves.
  • Identifying an Audience - This section will help the student understand the often times confusing topic of audience by offering some basic guidelines for the process.
  • Where Do I Begin - This section concludes the handout by offering several links to resources at Purdue, and also provides an overview of the final stages of writing a research paper.

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Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Hacks How to Write a 10 and 20 page Paper in One Night

Hacks-How-to-Write-a-10-and-20-page-Paper-in-One-Night

It’s the night before a big paper is due. For whatever reason, you find yourself needing to write an entire research paper in a very short amount of time. While procrastination isn’t ideal, extenuating circumstances may have caused your timeline to get pushed back. So, here you are, looking for how to write a 10-page paper or how to write a 20-page paper in one night.

It goes without saying the best way to write a paper is to give yourself enough time to outline, draft, and edit. Yet, it’s still possible to write in less time. Take heed of these best tips and tricks to organize your thoughts and get your thesis on paper as fast as possible.

Photo by  Adolfo Félix  on  Unsplash

How to prepare before you write, 1. create a schedule to maximize your time.

You’ve likely already spent time panicking. Once you calm yourself of the anxiety of having to finish a 10- or 20-page paper in one night, organize your plan of attack. First, you should designate an area free of distractions so that you can focus. Aside from a few breaks and snacks, it’s best to set up a comfortable place to write. Give yourself some time to outline and find/cite research . Once you know how you’re going to approach the subject, then you can start drafting.

2. Determine your Main Topic

If you’ve been given a prompt, then your topic is clear. However, sometimes you have the freedom to choose what your research will be about. In this case, it’s smartest to choose a topic that you are already knowledgeable about. That way, you will save yourself key time that would have otherwise been spent on research. If you don’t feel strongly about any particular topic, then at least try to pick one that has a lot of information available.

3. Perform Research

Start looking up sources to cite that support your thesis, or main argument. As you research, be sure to take notes. One of the best ways to do this is to use a word processor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word to copy and paste URLs. For each source, it would be best to copy/paste one main sentence that covers its point.

Then, you can write brief notes in your own words that summarize what you have read from that source. While you are performing research, you can start to put together an outline, or the flow of how you will present your ideas broken down by topic and argument.

4. Outline 3-5 subtopics

Once you’ve chosen your topic, then try to pull 3-5 subtopics from it. Each sub-topic should be juicy enough to be able to write a lot about it. The subtopics are your supporting paragraphs which fill the body of the research paper. They should basically be mini essays within themselves.

Writing in One Night

Writing a long research paper in one night isn’t ideal, but it is doable. Some of the best ways to get it done is to follow these 5 tips:

1. Plan and Outline

Take those few extra moments to plan and outline your paper. While it may feel like a waste of valuable time, it is going to help you stay on track. When you have an outline and you get to the middle of your paper, you won’t feel lost as to how to continue. An outline will be useful to you like a map is on a journey.

2. Use Specialized Search

Take advantage of search tools that are designed for scholars. For example, a few of these include: Google Scholar and Elsevier .

3. Leverage Tools

There are citation management tools that will help you find sources for your topic. Mendeley is just one of them. You can type parts of your paper into the tool and find quotes of value. Be sure to cite everything you use to avoid plagiarism .

4. Proofread and Edit

Once you complete writing 10 to 20 pages, you may feel like throwing in the towel and going to sleep for a few hours. However, it is crucial to power through and proofread your paper. If you have anyone available who can read your paper over, that would be best because it’s hard to catch mistakes when you’ve been looking at the same thing for so long. But, if no one is available, try to read your paper back to yourself out loud. This way, you may be able to catch typos better.

5. Check Formatting

Every research paper needs to adhere to a particular format guideline. Whether it’s APA, MLA, or another standard formatting practice, be sure to double check that your layout adheres to the guidelines.

Photo by  Christin Hume  on  Unsplash

When to start writing.

If you have yet to find yourself trying to write a paper at the last minute and all the notes above are scaring you out of procrastination, then that’s a good start! Perhaps you were recently assigned a research paper. In this case, the best way to tackle the project is to do the following:

Start Early

Get started right away. Even if it means just performing early research or writing an outline, starting early is going to save you from having to write a paper in one night down the line. When you start early, you benefit greatly because you can: leverage peers for ideas, take the necessary time to edit and rewrite, and you lower your risk of picking a topic with too little information and having to change topics at the last minute.

Writing in Stages

Starting early also affords you the opportunity to write in stages. You can think of writing as a cycle when you write in stages. First, you can create your outline. Then, you can write the introduction, edit it, and rewrite anything you may need to before moving on to the next piece (or the first body paragraph, in this case).

Use a Timeline

Create a timeline for your writing in stages. If you start four weeks in advance, for example, you have time to do all of the following:

  • Fully understand the assignment and ask any questions
  • Start to read and document sources
  • Create notecards and cite books for sources
  • Write a summary of what you’ve discovered so far that will be used in some of your paper
  • Create 3-5 subtopics and outline points you want to explore
  • Look for more sources on your subtopics
  • Start writing summaries on each subtopic
  • Write some analysis of your findings
  • Start to piece together the research paper based on your notes and outline (almost like completing a puzzle)
  • Edit and proofread / ask for feedback

The Writing Process

The actual writing process is a little different for everyone, but this is a general overview for how to write a 20-page paper, or one that is shorter.

  • Start with a Thesis: Your thesis is one sentence that clearly and concisely explains what you are going to prove with research.
  • Include a Menu Sentence: At the end of your introduction, you will briefly outline your subtopics in what is often referred to as a “menu sentence.” This allows the reader to understand what they can expect to learn about as they continue to read your paper.
  • Create a Detailed Introduction: Your introduction should be detailed enough so that someone with little to no knowledge about your subject matter can understand what the paper is about.
  • Keep References: Be sure to write your references as you go along so that you basically can create your bibliography in the process of writing. Again, this is where a tool like Mendeley may be useful.
  • Write First: Write first and edit later. You want to get all your ideas down on the page before you start judging or editing the writing.
  • Save Often: Create the draft on a cloud platform that is automatically saved (i.e. Google Docs in case your computer crashes) or email the work to yourself as you go.

The Breakdown of a 10-Page Paper

The Breakdown of a 10-Page Paper infographic table

Sources to Consider Using

When writing your research paper and finding sources, it’s best to use a mix of sources. This may include:

  • Internet: The Internet is filled with limitless possibilities. When you use the Internet, it’s best to find credible and trustworthy sources to avoid using fake news as a source. That’s why tools like Google Scholar can be so helpful.
  • Textbooks: It’s more likely than not that you’ll be able to use your class textbook as a source for the research you are conducting.
  • Books: Additionally, other books outside of those you read within your class will prove useful in any research paper.

Final Steps: Editing and Formatting

Once you’ve written all your ideas on the page, it’s time to edit. It cannot be stressed enough that editing is pivotal before submission. This is especially true if you’ve been writing under immense pressure.

Writing a 10- or 20-page research paper in one night is not easy, so there are bound to be mistakes and typos. The best way to catch these mistakes is to follow these tips:

  • Take a break before you edit so you can come back to the page with somewhat fresh eyes and a clearer head
  • Read it out loud to edit and catch mistakes because sometimes your brain will override typos or missing words to make sense of what it is reading
  • If possible, ask someone else to look it over
  • Consider using footnotes or block quotes
  • Format according to how your university asks – MLA or APA, etc.

The Bottom Line

Life throws curveballs your way without warning. Whether you are holding yourself accountable for procrastinating or something out of your control came up, you may find yourself needing to write a big research paper in one night. It’s not the best-case scenario, but with the right tools and tricks up your sleeve, you can surely get it done!

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13.1 Formatting a Research Paper

Learning objectives.

  • Identify the major components of a research paper written using American Psychological Association (APA) style.
  • Apply general APA style and formatting conventions in a research paper.

In this chapter, you will learn how to use APA style , the documentation and formatting style followed by the American Psychological Association, as well as MLA style , from the Modern Language Association. There are a few major formatting styles used in academic texts, including AMA, Chicago, and Turabian:

  • AMA (American Medical Association) for medicine, health, and biological sciences
  • APA (American Psychological Association) for education, psychology, and the social sciences
  • Chicago—a common style used in everyday publications like magazines, newspapers, and books
  • MLA (Modern Language Association) for English, literature, arts, and humanities
  • Turabian—another common style designed for its universal application across all subjects and disciplines

While all the formatting and citation styles have their own use and applications, in this chapter we focus our attention on the two styles you are most likely to use in your academic studies: APA and MLA.

If you find that the rules of proper source documentation are difficult to keep straight, you are not alone. Writing a good research paper is, in and of itself, a major intellectual challenge. Having to follow detailed citation and formatting guidelines as well may seem like just one more task to add to an already-too-long list of requirements.

Following these guidelines, however, serves several important purposes. First, it signals to your readers that your paper should be taken seriously as a student’s contribution to a given academic or professional field; it is the literary equivalent of wearing a tailored suit to a job interview. Second, it shows that you respect other people’s work enough to give them proper credit for it. Finally, it helps your reader find additional materials if he or she wishes to learn more about your topic.

Furthermore, producing a letter-perfect APA-style paper need not be burdensome. Yes, it requires careful attention to detail. However, you can simplify the process if you keep these broad guidelines in mind:

  • Work ahead whenever you can. Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” includes tips for keeping track of your sources early in the research process, which will save time later on.
  • Get it right the first time. Apply APA guidelines as you write, so you will not have much to correct during the editing stage. Again, putting in a little extra time early on can save time later.
  • Use the resources available to you. In addition to the guidelines provided in this chapter, you may wish to consult the APA website at http://www.apa.org or the Purdue University Online Writing lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu , which regularly updates its online style guidelines.

General Formatting Guidelines

This chapter provides detailed guidelines for using the citation and formatting conventions developed by the American Psychological Association, or APA. Writers in disciplines as diverse as astrophysics, biology, psychology, and education follow APA style. The major components of a paper written in APA style are listed in the following box.

These are the major components of an APA-style paper:

Body, which includes the following:

  • Headings and, if necessary, subheadings to organize the content
  • In-text citations of research sources
  • References page

All these components must be saved in one document, not as separate documents.

The title page of your paper includes the following information:

  • 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 order given in the previous list, centered about one third of the way down from the top of the page. Use the headers and footers tool of your word-processing program to add the header, with the title text at the left and the page number in the upper-right corner. Your title page should look like the following example.

Beyond the Hype: Evaluating Low-Carb Diets cover page

The next page of your paper provides an abstract , or brief summary of your findings. An abstract does not need to be provided in every paper, but an abstract should be used in papers that include a hypothesis. A good abstract is concise—about one hundred fifty to two hundred fifty words—and is written in an objective, impersonal style. Your writing voice will not be as apparent here as in the body of your paper. When writing the abstract, take a just-the-facts approach, and summarize your research question and your findings in a few sentences.

In Chapter 12 “Writing a Research Paper” , you read a paper written by a student named Jorge, who researched the effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets. Read Jorge’s abstract. Note how it sums up the major ideas in his paper without going into excessive detail.

Beyond the Hype: Abstract

Write an abstract summarizing your paper. Briefly introduce the topic, state your findings, and sum up what conclusions you can draw from your research. Use the word count feature of your word-processing program to make sure your abstract does not exceed one hundred fifty words.

Depending on your field of study, you may sometimes write research papers that present extensive primary research, such as your own experiment or survey. In your abstract, summarize your research question and your findings, and briefly indicate how your study relates to prior research in the field.

Margins, Pagination, and Headings

APA style requirements also address specific formatting concerns, such as margins, pagination, and heading styles, within the body of the paper. Review the following APA guidelines.

Use these general guidelines to format the paper:

  • Set the top, bottom, and side margins of your paper at 1 inch.
  • Use double-spaced text throughout your paper.
  • Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, in a legible size (10- to 12-point).
  • Use continuous pagination throughout the paper, including the title page and the references section. Page numbers appear flush right within your header.
  • Section headings and subsection headings within the body of your paper use different types of formatting depending on the level of information you are presenting. Additional details from Jorge’s paper are provided.

Cover Page

Begin formatting the final draft of your paper according to APA guidelines. You may work with an existing document or set up a new document if you choose. Include the following:

  • Your title page
  • The abstract you created in Note 13.8 “Exercise 1”
  • Correct headers and page numbers for your title page and abstract

APA style uses section headings to organize information, making it easy for the reader to follow the writer’s train of thought and to know immediately what major topics are covered. Depending on the length and complexity of the paper, its major sections may also be divided into subsections, sub-subsections, and so on. These smaller sections, in turn, use different heading styles to indicate different levels of information. In essence, you are using headings to create a hierarchy of information.

The following heading styles used in APA formatting are listed in order of greatest to least importance:

  • Section headings use centered, boldface type. Headings use title case, with important words in the heading capitalized.
  • Subsection headings use left-aligned, boldface type. Headings use title case.
  • The third level uses left-aligned, indented, boldface type. Headings use a capital letter only for the first word, and they end in a period.
  • The fourth level follows the same style used for the previous level, but the headings are boldfaced and italicized.
  • The fifth level follows the same style used for the previous level, but the headings are italicized and not boldfaced.

Visually, the hierarchy of information is organized as indicated in Table 13.1 “Section Headings” .

Table 13.1 Section Headings

A college research paper may not use all the heading levels shown in Table 13.1 “Section Headings” , but you are likely to encounter them in academic journal articles that use APA style. For a brief paper, you may find that level 1 headings suffice. Longer or more complex papers may need level 2 headings or other lower-level headings to organize information clearly. Use your outline to craft your major section headings and determine whether any subtopics are substantial enough to require additional levels of headings.

Working with the document you developed in Note 13.11 “Exercise 2” , begin setting up the heading structure of the final draft of your research paper according to APA guidelines. Include your title and at least two to three major section headings, and follow the formatting guidelines provided above. If your major sections should be broken into subsections, add those headings as well. Use your outline to help you.

Because Jorge used only level 1 headings, his Exercise 3 would look like the following:

Citation Guidelines

In-text citations.

Throughout the body of your paper, include a citation whenever you quote or paraphrase material from your research sources. As you learned in Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” , the purpose of citations is twofold: to give credit to others for their ideas and to allow your reader to follow up and learn more about the topic if desired. Your in-text citations provide basic information about your source; each source you cite will have a longer entry in the references section that provides more detailed information.

In-text citations must provide the name of the author or authors and the year the source was published. (When a given source does not list an individual author, you may provide the source title or the name of the organization that published the material instead.) When directly quoting a source, it is also required that you include the page number where the quote appears in your citation.

This information may be included within the sentence or in a parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence, as in these examples.

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).

Here, the writer names the source author when introducing the quote and provides the publication date in parentheses after the author’s name. The page number appears in parentheses after the closing quotation marks and before the period that ends the sentence.

Addiction researchers caution that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (Epstein, 2010, p. 137).

Here, the writer provides a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence that includes the author’s name, the year of publication, and the page number separated by commas. Again, the parenthetical citation is placed after the closing quotation marks and before the period at the end of the sentence.

As noted in the book Junk Food, Junk Science (Epstein, 2010, p. 137), “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive.”

Here, the writer chose to mention the source title in the sentence (an optional piece of information to include) and followed the title with a parenthetical citation. Note that the parenthetical citation is placed before the comma that signals the end of the introductory phrase.

David Epstein’s book Junk Food, Junk Science (2010) pointed out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).

Another variation is to introduce the author and the source title in your sentence and include the publication date and page number in parentheses within the sentence or at the end of the sentence. As long as you have included the essential information, you can choose the option that works best for that particular sentence and source.

Citing a book with a single author is usually a straightforward task. Of course, your research may require that you cite many other types of sources, such as books or articles with more than one author or sources with no individual author listed. You may also need to cite sources available in both print and online and nonprint sources, such as websites and personal interviews. Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” , Section 13.2 “Citing and Referencing Techniques” and Section 13.3 “Creating a References Section” provide extensive guidelines for citing a variety of source types.

Writing at Work

APA is just one of several different styles with its own guidelines for documentation, formatting, and language usage. Depending on your field of interest, you may be exposed to additional styles, such as the following:

  • MLA style. Determined by the Modern Languages Association and used for papers in literature, languages, and other disciplines in the humanities.
  • Chicago style. Outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style and sometimes used for papers in the humanities and the sciences; many professional organizations use this style for publications as well.
  • Associated Press (AP) style. Used by professional journalists.

References List

The brief citations included in the body of your paper correspond to the more detailed citations provided at the end of the paper in the references section. In-text citations provide basic information—the author’s name, the publication date, and the page number if necessary—while the references section provides more extensive bibliographical information. Again, this information allows your reader to follow up on the sources you cited and do additional reading about the topic if desired.

The specific format of entries in the list of references varies slightly for different source types, but the entries generally include the following information:

  • The name(s) of the author(s) or institution that wrote the source
  • The year of publication and, where applicable, the exact date of publication
  • The full title of the source
  • For books, the city of publication
  • For articles or essays, the name of the periodical or book in which the article or essay appears
  • For magazine and journal articles, the volume number, issue number, and pages where the article appears
  • For sources on the web, the URL where the source is located

The references page is double spaced and lists entries in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If an entry continues for more than one line, the second line and each subsequent line are indented five spaces. Review the following example. ( Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” , Section 13.3 “Creating a References Section” provides extensive guidelines for formatting reference entries for different types of sources.)

References Section

In APA style, book and article titles are formatted in sentence case, not title case. Sentence case means that only the first word is capitalized, along with any proper nouns.

Key Takeaways

  • Following proper citation and formatting guidelines helps writers ensure that their work will be taken seriously, give proper credit to other authors for their work, and provide valuable information to readers.
  • Working ahead and taking care to cite sources correctly the first time are ways writers can save time during the editing stage of writing a research paper.
  • APA papers usually include an abstract that concisely summarizes the paper.
  • APA papers use a specific headings structure to provide a clear hierarchy of information.
  • In APA papers, in-text citations usually include the name(s) of the author(s) and the year of publication.
  • In-text citations correspond to entries in the references section, which provide detailed bibliographical information about a source.

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Research Method

Home » Research Paper – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide

Research Paper – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Research Paper

Research Paper

Definition:

Research Paper is a written document that presents the author’s original research, analysis, and interpretation of a specific topic or issue.

It is typically based on Empirical Evidence, and may involve qualitative or quantitative research methods, or a combination of both. The purpose of a research paper is to contribute new knowledge or insights to a particular field of study, and to demonstrate the author’s understanding of the existing literature and theories related to the topic.

Structure of Research Paper

The structure of a research paper typically follows a standard format, consisting of several sections that convey specific information about the research study. The following is a detailed explanation of the structure of a research paper:

The title page contains the title of the paper, the name(s) of the author(s), and the affiliation(s) of the author(s). It also includes the date of submission and possibly, the name of the journal or conference where the paper is to be published.

The abstract is a brief summary of the research paper, typically ranging from 100 to 250 words. It should include the research question, the methods used, the key findings, and the implications of the results. The abstract should be written in a concise and clear manner to allow readers to quickly grasp the essence of the research.

Introduction

The introduction section of a research paper provides background information about the research problem, the research question, and the research objectives. It also outlines the significance of the research, the research gap that it aims to fill, and the approach taken to address the research question. Finally, the introduction section ends with a clear statement of the research hypothesis or research question.

Literature Review

The literature review section of a research paper provides an overview of the existing literature on the topic of study. It includes a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature, highlighting the key concepts, themes, and debates. The literature review should also demonstrate the research gap and how the current study seeks to address it.

The methods section of a research paper describes the research design, the sample selection, the data collection and analysis procedures, and the statistical methods used to analyze the data. This section should provide sufficient detail for other researchers to replicate the study.

The results section presents the findings of the research, using tables, graphs, and figures to illustrate the data. The findings should be presented in a clear and concise manner, with reference to the research question and hypothesis.

The discussion section of a research paper interprets the findings and discusses their implications for the research question, the literature review, and the field of study. It should also address the limitations of the study and suggest future research directions.

The conclusion section summarizes the main findings of the study, restates the research question and hypothesis, and provides a final reflection on the significance of the research.

The references section provides a list of all the sources cited in the paper, following a specific citation style such as APA, MLA or Chicago.

How to Write Research Paper

You can write Research Paper by the following guide:

  • Choose a Topic: The first step is to select a topic that interests you and is relevant to your field of study. Brainstorm ideas and narrow down to a research question that is specific and researchable.
  • Conduct a Literature Review: The literature review helps you identify the gap in the existing research and provides a basis for your research question. It also helps you to develop a theoretical framework and research hypothesis.
  • Develop a Thesis Statement : The thesis statement is the main argument of your research paper. It should be clear, concise and specific to your research question.
  • Plan your Research: Develop a research plan that outlines the methods, data sources, and data analysis procedures. This will help you to collect and analyze data effectively.
  • Collect and Analyze Data: Collect data using various methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments. Analyze data using statistical tools or other qualitative methods.
  • Organize your Paper : Organize your paper into sections such as Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Ensure that each section is coherent and follows a logical flow.
  • Write your Paper : Start by writing the introduction, followed by the literature review, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. Ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and follows the required formatting and citation styles.
  • Edit and Proofread your Paper: Review your paper for grammar and spelling errors, and ensure that it is well-structured and easy to read. Ask someone else to review your paper to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.
  • Cite your Sources: Ensure that you properly cite all sources used in your research paper. This is essential for giving credit to the original authors and avoiding plagiarism.

Research Paper Example

Note : The below example research paper is for illustrative purposes only and is not an actual research paper. Actual research papers may have different structures, contents, and formats depending on the field of study, research question, data collection and analysis methods, and other factors. Students should always consult with their professors or supervisors for specific guidelines and expectations for their research papers.

Research Paper Example sample for Students:

Title: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health among Young Adults

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the impact of social media use on the mental health of young adults. A literature review was conducted to examine the existing research on the topic. A survey was then administered to 200 university students to collect data on their social media use, mental health status, and perceived impact of social media on their mental health. The results showed that social media use is positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. The study also found that social comparison, cyberbullying, and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) are significant predictors of mental health problems among young adults.

Introduction: Social media has become an integral part of modern life, particularly among young adults. While social media has many benefits, including increased communication and social connectivity, it has also been associated with negative outcomes, such as addiction, cyberbullying, and mental health problems. This study aims to investigate the impact of social media use on the mental health of young adults.

Literature Review: The literature review highlights the existing research on the impact of social media use on mental health. The review shows that social media use is associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health problems. The review also identifies the factors that contribute to the negative impact of social media, including social comparison, cyberbullying, and FOMO.

Methods : A survey was administered to 200 university students to collect data on their social media use, mental health status, and perceived impact of social media on their mental health. The survey included questions on social media use, mental health status (measured using the DASS-21), and perceived impact of social media on their mental health. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis.

Results : The results showed that social media use is positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. The study also found that social comparison, cyberbullying, and FOMO are significant predictors of mental health problems among young adults.

Discussion : The study’s findings suggest that social media use has a negative impact on the mental health of young adults. The study highlights the need for interventions that address the factors contributing to the negative impact of social media, such as social comparison, cyberbullying, and FOMO.

Conclusion : In conclusion, social media use has a significant impact on the mental health of young adults. The study’s findings underscore the need for interventions that promote healthy social media use and address the negative outcomes associated with social media use. Future research can explore the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing the negative impact of social media on mental health. Additionally, longitudinal studies can investigate the long-term effects of social media use on mental health.

Limitations : The study has some limitations, including the use of self-report measures and a cross-sectional design. The use of self-report measures may result in biased responses, and a cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causality.

Implications: The study’s findings have implications for mental health professionals, educators, and policymakers. Mental health professionals can use the findings to develop interventions that address the negative impact of social media use on mental health. Educators can incorporate social media literacy into their curriculum to promote healthy social media use among young adults. Policymakers can use the findings to develop policies that protect young adults from the negative outcomes associated with social media use.

References :

  • Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2019). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Preventive medicine reports, 15, 100918.
  • Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Escobar-Viera, C. G., Barrett, E. L., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., … & James, A. E. (2017). Use of multiple social media platforms and symptoms of depression and anxiety: A nationally-representative study among US young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 1-9.
  • Van der Meer, T. G., & Verhoeven, J. W. (2017). Social media and its impact on academic performance of students. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 16, 383-398.

Appendix : The survey used in this study is provided below.

Social Media and Mental Health Survey

  • How often do you use social media per day?
  • Less than 30 minutes
  • 30 minutes to 1 hour
  • 1 to 2 hours
  • 2 to 4 hours
  • More than 4 hours
  • Which social media platforms do you use?
  • Others (Please specify)
  • How often do you experience the following on social media?
  • Social comparison (comparing yourself to others)
  • Cyberbullying
  • Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
  • Have you ever experienced any of the following mental health problems in the past month?
  • Do you think social media use has a positive or negative impact on your mental health?
  • Very positive
  • Somewhat positive
  • Somewhat negative
  • Very negative
  • In your opinion, which factors contribute to the negative impact of social media on mental health?
  • Social comparison
  • In your opinion, what interventions could be effective in reducing the negative impact of social media on mental health?
  • Education on healthy social media use
  • Counseling for mental health problems caused by social media
  • Social media detox programs
  • Regulation of social media use

Thank you for your participation!

Applications of Research Paper

Research papers have several applications in various fields, including:

  • Advancing knowledge: Research papers contribute to the advancement of knowledge by generating new insights, theories, and findings that can inform future research and practice. They help to answer important questions, clarify existing knowledge, and identify areas that require further investigation.
  • Informing policy: Research papers can inform policy decisions by providing evidence-based recommendations for policymakers. They can help to identify gaps in current policies, evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, and inform the development of new policies and regulations.
  • Improving practice: Research papers can improve practice by providing evidence-based guidance for professionals in various fields, including medicine, education, business, and psychology. They can inform the development of best practices, guidelines, and standards of care that can improve outcomes for individuals and organizations.
  • Educating students : Research papers are often used as teaching tools in universities and colleges to educate students about research methods, data analysis, and academic writing. They help students to develop critical thinking skills, research skills, and communication skills that are essential for success in many careers.
  • Fostering collaboration: Research papers can foster collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers by providing a platform for sharing knowledge and ideas. They can facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships that can lead to innovative solutions to complex problems.

When to Write Research Paper

Research papers are typically written when a person has completed a research project or when they have conducted a study and have obtained data or findings that they want to share with the academic or professional community. Research papers are usually written in academic settings, such as universities, but they can also be written in professional settings, such as research organizations, government agencies, or private companies.

Here are some common situations where a person might need to write a research paper:

  • For academic purposes: Students in universities and colleges are often required to write research papers as part of their coursework, particularly in the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. Writing research papers helps students to develop research skills, critical thinking skills, and academic writing skills.
  • For publication: Researchers often write research papers to publish their findings in academic journals or to present their work at academic conferences. Publishing research papers is an important way to disseminate research findings to the academic community and to establish oneself as an expert in a particular field.
  • To inform policy or practice : Researchers may write research papers to inform policy decisions or to improve practice in various fields. Research findings can be used to inform the development of policies, guidelines, and best practices that can improve outcomes for individuals and organizations.
  • To share new insights or ideas: Researchers may write research papers to share new insights or ideas with the academic or professional community. They may present new theories, propose new research methods, or challenge existing paradigms in their field.

Purpose of Research Paper

The purpose of a research paper is to present the results of a study or investigation in a clear, concise, and structured manner. Research papers are written to communicate new knowledge, ideas, or findings to a specific audience, such as researchers, scholars, practitioners, or policymakers. The primary purposes of a research paper are:

  • To contribute to the body of knowledge : Research papers aim to add new knowledge or insights to a particular field or discipline. They do this by reporting the results of empirical studies, reviewing and synthesizing existing literature, proposing new theories, or providing new perspectives on a topic.
  • To inform or persuade: Research papers are written to inform or persuade the reader about a particular issue, topic, or phenomenon. They present evidence and arguments to support their claims and seek to persuade the reader of the validity of their findings or recommendations.
  • To advance the field: Research papers seek to advance the field or discipline by identifying gaps in knowledge, proposing new research questions or approaches, or challenging existing assumptions or paradigms. They aim to contribute to ongoing debates and discussions within a field and to stimulate further research and inquiry.
  • To demonstrate research skills: Research papers demonstrate the author’s research skills, including their ability to design and conduct a study, collect and analyze data, and interpret and communicate findings. They also demonstrate the author’s ability to critically evaluate existing literature, synthesize information from multiple sources, and write in a clear and structured manner.

Characteristics of Research Paper

Research papers have several characteristics that distinguish them from other forms of academic or professional writing. Here are some common characteristics of research papers:

  • Evidence-based: Research papers are based on empirical evidence, which is collected through rigorous research methods such as experiments, surveys, observations, or interviews. They rely on objective data and facts to support their claims and conclusions.
  • Structured and organized: Research papers have a clear and logical structure, with sections such as introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. They are organized in a way that helps the reader to follow the argument and understand the findings.
  • Formal and objective: Research papers are written in a formal and objective tone, with an emphasis on clarity, precision, and accuracy. They avoid subjective language or personal opinions and instead rely on objective data and analysis to support their arguments.
  • Citations and references: Research papers include citations and references to acknowledge the sources of information and ideas used in the paper. They use a specific citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago, to ensure consistency and accuracy.
  • Peer-reviewed: Research papers are often peer-reviewed, which means they are evaluated by other experts in the field before they are published. Peer-review ensures that the research is of high quality, meets ethical standards, and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field.
  • Objective and unbiased: Research papers strive to be objective and unbiased in their presentation of the findings. They avoid personal biases or preconceptions and instead rely on the data and analysis to draw conclusions.

Advantages of Research Paper

Research papers have many advantages, both for the individual researcher and for the broader academic and professional community. Here are some advantages of research papers:

  • Contribution to knowledge: Research papers contribute to the body of knowledge in a particular field or discipline. They add new information, insights, and perspectives to existing literature and help advance the understanding of a particular phenomenon or issue.
  • Opportunity for intellectual growth: Research papers provide an opportunity for intellectual growth for the researcher. They require critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, which can help develop the researcher’s skills and knowledge.
  • Career advancement: Research papers can help advance the researcher’s career by demonstrating their expertise and contributions to the field. They can also lead to new research opportunities, collaborations, and funding.
  • Academic recognition: Research papers can lead to academic recognition in the form of awards, grants, or invitations to speak at conferences or events. They can also contribute to the researcher’s reputation and standing in the field.
  • Impact on policy and practice: Research papers can have a significant impact on policy and practice. They can inform policy decisions, guide practice, and lead to changes in laws, regulations, or procedures.
  • Advancement of society: Research papers can contribute to the advancement of society by addressing important issues, identifying solutions to problems, and promoting social justice and equality.

Limitations of Research Paper

Research papers also have some limitations that should be considered when interpreting their findings or implications. Here are some common limitations of research papers:

  • Limited generalizability: Research findings may not be generalizable to other populations, settings, or contexts. Studies often use specific samples or conditions that may not reflect the broader population or real-world situations.
  • Potential for bias : Research papers may be biased due to factors such as sample selection, measurement errors, or researcher biases. It is important to evaluate the quality of the research design and methods used to ensure that the findings are valid and reliable.
  • Ethical concerns: Research papers may raise ethical concerns, such as the use of vulnerable populations or invasive procedures. Researchers must adhere to ethical guidelines and obtain informed consent from participants to ensure that the research is conducted in a responsible and respectful manner.
  • Limitations of methodology: Research papers may be limited by the methodology used to collect and analyze data. For example, certain research methods may not capture the complexity or nuance of a particular phenomenon, or may not be appropriate for certain research questions.
  • Publication bias: Research papers may be subject to publication bias, where positive or significant findings are more likely to be published than negative or non-significant findings. This can skew the overall findings of a particular area of research.
  • Time and resource constraints: Research papers may be limited by time and resource constraints, which can affect the quality and scope of the research. Researchers may not have access to certain data or resources, or may be unable to conduct long-term studies due to practical limitations.

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Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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How Long to Write a 3-Page Essay? A Guide how to write one

how long to write a 3 page research paper

How long to Write a 3-Page Essay

The number of words that a three-page essay should have depends on several factors. The font size, style, and line and margin spacing are some of these factors.

A 750-word essay can fit on three pages if; the font style is Times New Roman, the font size is 12, and the lines are double-spaced. A well-experienced and expert ghostwriter for college papers from our essay writing service tells us that this is the standard formatting for a 3-page essay.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

When the lines are single-spaced, a three-page essay should have a total of 1500 words. Since the two most widely used formats in the world (APA and MLA) require double-spaced lines, Times New Roman font style, and font size 12, it is fair to say that a three-page essay is 750 words long.

A three-page essay is mainly viewed as the standard length required for middle school essays. Three-page high school reports are viewed as short.

Three-page essays require writers to have short introductions and conclusions. This gives the writer a chance to construct and explain arguments effectively in the essay’s body part.

How many Paragraphs should a Three-Page Essay have?

The minimum number of paragraphs an essay should have is 3. No rule governs the maximum number of paragraphs that an essay should have.

pages in a book

Sticking to a certain number of paragraphs should be done if the instructor orders so. Paragraphs in academic essays are shorter than paragraphs in blog posts.

On average, paragraphs should have between 100-200 words.

A three-page essay with an average of 750 words should therefore have 5 paragraphs. This is according to the basic essay word-to-paragraph conversion.

The first paragraph is the introduction. This is where you introduce the subject matter of the essay. The next three paragraphs are the body of the essay.

This is where you build your essay with the main talking points of your topic. The last paragraph is the conclusion, where you conclude with what your essay has been all about.

How to write a 3-page essay fast, in an hour?

The length of your essay should not be a concern when writing. All you have to do is follow the assignment instructions, and your paper will be fine.

Considering the work that is needed to write a good essay eventually, one hour is basically not enough. One can follow the following process to ensure that when they start writing essays, they do it quickly within a short period.

1. Plan your time well

It is not always a good idea to jump into writing your essay. Even if you have the best ideas in your mind, it is always essential to plan your time.

Planning your time helps manage all the steps needed in essay writing, meaning no step will consume more time than planned. Planning your time is the best way to beat the deadlines provided by instructors.

2. Read Extensively

study room

Once you have known the topic and the other requirements of the essay besides the length, examine the topic and conduct research on that topic.

Papers requiring extensive research may require visiting the library or online resources to gain vast knowledge on a particular topic.

Simple essays may only require reviewing your notes or getting quotes from specific books.

When conducting research, you must take notes. Writing down points you have gathered from different resources helps you save a lot of time when you begin writing down your essay. 

3. Formulate a Thesis Statement

A thesis is an argument about your essay’s topic backed by arguments. This gives you time to develop other sections of your paper and use the idea to quickly build a draft of the essay.

The thesis statement also helps you to perfectly organize your paper so that the reader will follow it easily.

4. Use the Thesis to Create Topic Sentences

Around your thesis, formulate topic statements that you will use to build up sentences and paragraphs. A good thesis will help you include the most supportive ideas in your essay.

Good topic sentences are not only the best starting point in your essay paragraphs but also make the format and flow of the essay great.

5. Begin Writing your Essay

There is no need to draft a copy considering the time given. With the above processes already done, writing your essay should be easy and fast.

How to write a 3-page essay fast, in an hour

Always, with a good plan and quality essay, writing your 3-page essay should take at least 40 minutes. This is enough time to wrap up your essay with perfection.

When writing the introduction, always make sure that you catch the reader’s attention.

Begin your essay with something unique, specific, or unusual that will likely interest the reader and continue reading your essay.

After the introduction, moves on to the body paragraphs of your essay. Each paragraph should contain a topic from the thesis.

Each topic should be backed up with evidence too. Evidence usually helps support the arguments you present on a topic.

Evidence can include facts or observations of a phenomenon. Quotes from books and journals can also be presented as evidence.

Essay conclusions should always be brief. The main points should be restated differently than they were in the thesis. Avoid repeating points already stated in your essay in your conclusion.

Conclusions should always be written to leave an impression on readers. Quotes, sarcasm, and wise saying such as proverbs can be used in essay conclusions.

6. Check the Length

To ensure you meet the three-page requirement, it is always advisable to check your length.

If you do not meet the requirement, you should consider extending your essay slightly more. You can add to the introduction, conclusion, or any paragraph you feel you’ve not exhausted. 

7. Proofread and Edit your Essay

Many people prefer writing fast and editing their essays slowly. Read your essay and correct errors that you may have made while writing your essay.

Check word spelling, and tautology, among other grammatical errors. Editing is always easy if the above process is followed to the latter.

It is important to note that writing a good three-page essay is not easy. Only experienced and expert writers can manage.

As a student, if you are at a point of asking yourself if you can complete a three-page essay in an hour, then it means you are rushing to beat the deadline. Writing essays within a short time depends on your ability to understand a topic and formulate a thesis statement.

Your writing skill and the time it will take to find the necessary resources determine how long you will take to write an essay.

Get help from essay writing services, which also charge a high cost on narrow deadlines, if you need an essay in one hour or two and feel you can’t complete it.

Essays that require short research pieces take longer to write than essays that require larger research pieces. The short research pieces are usually hard to find.

8. Use AI Tool for Assistance

using AI to write

The online community seems divided on whether or not to use AI-based tools for writing. The number of users of such tools is increasing daily because these tools make work easy.

This makes it an option for students to use when they want to ace their writing process.

You can use an online paraphrasing tool that works on AI for your assistance. Such a tool becomes an option and can do well if you combine it with your own input.

Please note that you can correct your sentences while following best essay writing practices. This will overall help you write professionally and appropriately.

How Long Does it Take to Write a 3-Page Paper Double-Spaced?

A three-page, double-spaced essay will have approximately 750 words. The time the essay takes to be completed usually depends on several factors:

  • Availability of research materials.
  • Typing or writing speed.
  • Your ability to understand the topic of the easy and break it down.
  • Your ability to make your essay simple and direct. There is no time to change the direction your essay takes.

Skilled and professional writers can complete a 750-word essay within an hour or less.

As a student, you must take more time to write your essay to ensure that you write a good essay that will earn you a good grade. There is no need to hurry.

What does a 3-page Essay look like?

A three-page essay should have five paragraphs. The first paragraph is the introduction. The next three paragraphs are the body of your essay.

The last paragraph is the conclusion. How other inclusions in your essay, such as titles and references, look depends on the writing format used.

3-page research paper examples

  • Effects of social media on the youths.
  • Should higher education be made free?
  • Has the plastic ban made any impact on the country?
  • Urbanization has led to increased pollution.
  • Has the “Black Lives Matter” campaign yielded any fruits?
  • Family planning should be made mandatory in third-world countries.
  • Divisive politics are dragging most states behind.
  • Drug abuse among teenage girls is rising rapidly.
  • Why do early pregnancies represent our rotten societies?

Jessica Smart

Jessica Smart

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How to write a whole research paper in a week

how long to write a 3 page research paper

Writing up a full research article in a single week? Maybe you think that’s impossible. Yet I have done it repeatedly, and so have students in my courses. This is an exceptionally joyful (even if demanding) experience: being so productive just feels great! You are not wasting any time, and a paper produced in one go is typically coherent and nice to read. Even if you are a slow writer, you can write a whole paper in a single week — if you follow my strategy. Read below about what you need to prepare and how to approach this project.

I wrote my first scientific research article in 7 days. It started as a desperate effort to stop my procrastination and “just do it”. But I was surprised what a positive experience it was: focused and efficient, I was making daily progress, feeling motivated and content. Finally, the fruits of my hard work were gaining shape — and they did it so quickly!

I realized it was highly effective to write up a paper like this: writing for the whole day, every day until the first draft was finished. My writing project was firmly present in my mind — I didn’t lose time catching up with what I have written in the last session. Since I was not doing anything else, my wandering mind settled in very fast, and I was getting into a routine. The daily progress was clearly visible and motivated me to continue. And the result was a coherent paper that was easy to revise.

Meanwhile, this paper-a-week approach is my favorite. That’s how I write my papers, and that’s what I teach to students. In on-site courses young scientists draft a whole paper in 5 days, writing one major section per day. At the beginning of the week, many participants have doubts. But at the end of the week, they are all excited to see how much they managed to write in just a single week.

If you would also like to try out this approach, then read on about the necessary preparations, the optimal setting, and a productive writing strategy.

If you would like to get support during the preparation, drafting and revising of your research article, check out my online course Write Up Your Paper .

Prepare well

how long to write a 3 page research paper

  • First, think about your audience and pick a suitable journal . This is an important step because the audience and journal determine the content & style of your paper. As a reference, pick two recent papers on a similar topic published in your target journal.
  • Create a storyline for your paper. What is the main message you want to convey, and how are you going to present your results?
  • Put together all the results that you need to present your story convincingly: collect the necessary data, finish analyses, and create figures and tables.
  • Select and read the relevant background literature as well as studies you want to compare your work with. As you read, note down any point that comes to your mind as something to be mentioned in the Introduction or Discussion section.
  • Draft a preliminary Abstract : it will help you keep the direction and not get distracted by secondary ideas as you write the individual sections.

Depending on how complete your results already are, you might need 2-4 weeks to finish all these preparations. To help you keep an overview, I created a checklist with detailed steps that you need to take before you attempt to write up your paper in a week. Subscribe to our Newsletter and get your copy of the checklist.

Reserve a whole week for writing

Now, writing a paper in a single week is a serious business. You can’t do it if you don’t focus solely on the writing and create good writing conditions. Therefore, I recommend the following settings:

  • Find a place where you can write without distractions. I have written my first paper over the Easter holidays when there was nobody in the office. You might choose to write at home or in a library. Though if possible, the best is to go for a retreat: removing yourself from your everyday settings immensely helps focus on the writing.
  • Cancel (all) social obligations for the week. While it’s crucial to relax in the evening, you want to avoid disturbances associated with social events. Anything that makes your thoughts drift away from your work because it requires planning, exchanging of messages with others, or simply because it’s too exciting is better left for some other week. On the other hand, a quiet meeting with a good friend over a glass of wine or beer might be just the perfect way to unwind and rest after a productive, yet exhausting day of writing.
  • Get support from the partner, family or friends — if possible. It’s best when you don’t need to run errands, cook and clean during this week. If you live alone, you can probably easily arrange yourself for undisturbed work. If you live with other people, ask them for consideration and support.

What I described above are the *ideal* conditions for undisturbed writing. But don’t give up if you can’t create such conditions for yourself. Work with what is possible — maybe it will take you 7-8 instead of 5-6 days but that’s still a great result, right?

Do you need to revise & polish your manuscript or thesis but don’t know where to begin?

Get your Revision Checklist

Click here for an efficient step-by-step revision of your scientific texts.

Maybe you think that you can never ever draft a research article in a single week. Because you write so slowly, producing only few paragraphs per day. Well — I agree that if you don’t optimize your writing strategy, it would be hard to impossible to write up a whole paper in a week.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

  • Separate the processes of writing and revising. That’s the most important principle. Resist the urge to revise as you write the first draft. Moreover, don’t interrupt your writing to look up missing information. Work with placeholders instead. This allows you to get into the state of flow and proceed much faster than you can imagine.
  • Start your writing day with 10 minutes of freewriting . Write without stopping about anything that comes to your mind. This helps you to warm up for writing, clear your head of any unrelated thoughts, and get into the mood of writing without editing.
  • Take regular power breaks. I recommend to follow the Pomodoro technique : write for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. After 3-4 such sessions take a longer break of 0.5-1 hour. During the breaks get up, walk a bit, stretch, look around, and breathe deeply. These breaks help you sustain high focus and productivity throughout the whole day.
  • Eat and sleep well. What you are doing is similar to a professional athlete. So take care of your brain and body, and they will serve you well.
  • Reward yourself. Every day celebrate the progress you have made. You have full right to be proud of you!

Write the individual sections in a reasonable order

If you have written a research paper before, you have probably realized that starting with the Introduction and finishing with the Discussion is not the ideal order in which to tackle the individual sections. Instead, I recommend the following procedure:

how long to write a 3 page research paper

  • Start with the Methods section. This is the easiest section to write, so it’s great as a warm-up, to get into writing without the need to think (and procrastinate ;)) too much. Look at your figures and tables: what methods did you use to create them? Then describe your methods, one after another.
  • Results section: Writing the Methods section refreshes your memory about the research you have done. So writing the Results section next should not be too hard: Take one display object (figure or table) after another, and describe the results they contain. While you do so, you will come across points that need to be discussed in the Discussion section. Note them down so you don’t forget them.
  • Introduction : When your results are fresh in your mind, you are in a great position to write the Introduction — because the Introduction should contain selected information that gives the reader context for your research project and allows them to understand your results and their implications.
  • Discussion : When you have taken notes while writing the Results section, the Discussion section should be quite easy to draft. Don’t worry too early about the order in which you want to discuss the individual points. Write one paragraph for each point , and then see how you can logically arrange them.
  • Abstract and title : On the last day, revise the preliminary Abstract or write a new one. You could also take a break of a few days before tackling the Abstract, to gain clarity and distance. Generate multiple titles (I recommend 6-10), so that you and your co-authors can choose the most appropriate one.

Just do it!

how long to write a 3 page research paper

Once you have written the whole draft, let it sit for a week or two, and then revise it. Follow my tips for efficient revising and get your revision checklist that will guide you step-by-step through the whole process.

Now I am curious about your experience: Have you ever written up an academic article quickly? How did you do it? Please, share with us your tips & strategies!

Do you need to revise & polish your manuscript or thesis but don’t know where to begin? Is your text a mess and you don't know how to improve it?

Click here for an efficient step-by-step revision of your scientific texts. You will be guided through each step with concrete tips for execution.

7 thoughts on “ How to write a whole research paper in a week ”

Thank for your guide and suggestion. It gives to me very precious ways how to write a article. Now I am writing a article related to Buddhist studies. Thank you so much.

You are welcome!

excellent! it helped me a lot! wish you all best

Hi Parham, I’m happy to hear that!

I have never written any paper before. As I am from very old school.

But my writing skill is actually very good. Your help is definitely going to help me as this has inspired me alot. Will let you know, once done. I really like the outline that you have given. Basically you have made it so easy for me .

Hope fully will be in touch with you soon.

Thanks and ki d Regards, Shehla

Dear Shehla, that sounds great! I’m looking forward to hearing about your paper!

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How to Write a 10-Page Research Paper

  • Writing Research Papers
  • Writing Essays
  • English Grammar
  • M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
  • B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A large research paper assignment can be scary and intimidating. As always, this large assignment becomes more manageable (and less scary) whenever you break it down into digestible bites.

Start Early

The first key to writing a good research paper is starting early. There are a few good reasons to get an early start:

  • The best sources for your topic might be taken by other students, or they might be located in a faraway library.
  • It will take time to read the sources and write those note cards.
  • You will find that every rewrite of your paper makes it better. Give yourself plenty of time to polish your paper.
  • If you wait until the last minute, you could find that there is no information available to support your topic or thesis. You might need to find a new topic.

Write in Stages

The timeline below should help you get to the number of pages you desire. The key to writing a long research paper is writing in stages: You will need to establish a general overview first and then identify and write about several subtopics.

The second key to writing a lengthy research paper is to think of the writing process as a cycle. You will alternate researching, writing, reordering, and revising.

You will need to revisit each subtopic to insert your own analysis and arrange the proper order of your paragraphs in the final stages. Be sure to cite all information that is not common knowledge. Consult a style guide to make sure you are always citing properly.

Use a Timeline

Develop your own timeline with the tool below. If possible start the process four weeks before the paper is due.

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  • What Is a Research Paper?
  • Writing an Annotated Bibliography for a Paper
  • What Is a Senior Thesis?
  • The Introductory Paragraph: Start Your Paper Off Right
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  • Tips for Writing an Art History Paper
  • Finding Trustworthy Sources
  • Writing a Paper about an Environmental Issue
  • How to Write a News Article That's Effective
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  • Focusing in Composition

how long to write a 3 page research paper

How Long Does It Take to Write a 3-Page Paper? 

how long to write a 3 page research paper

Writing a research piece could be one of the most challenging things ever. Writing a 3-page research piece can also be one of the most challenging tasks if not adequately planned. But how long does it take to complete a 3-page research article, even when facing challenges?

Understanding the number of words to write in a 3-page work will always provide you with a rough estimation of writing such a kind of research. Within the shortest period, you must ensure you understand all the dynamics for writing the 3-page document, including topic identification, thesis statement development, and creating the thesis itself. Even with that, can help you easily create an article as long as you wish using a service like https://paperwritten.com/history-research-papers.htm .

how long to write a 3 page research paper

What Influences How Long It Takes to Write a 3-Page Paper?

It is generally easier to speculate how long it takes to write a 3-page work. However, you may face some challenges regarding the complexities of reality—all these demands understanding the influences that will establish the duration for writing a 3-page piece. Therefore, different factors have a more significant impact on the duration of writing a 3-page piece. All these factors will establish whether you will complete your 3-paper paper task on time or outside the set time limits. The same factors also apply when writing works of different lengths. It is helpful to consider all the aspects involved in these factors, especially when establishing the duration to take in writing a 3-page research paper. The joint influences involved include:

how long to write a 3 page research paper

The Topic of the 3-page paper

Among the most significant influences on the writing duration of a 3-page paper is the topic of the essay. Topics vary, and each has different writing levels; some can be easier to write than others. The more accessible topics are always the ones a writer is familiar with and understands. When you already understand the basics of any given subject, its ins and outs, you will probably experience the smoothest time completing the work.

A topic you are entirely familiar with takes less time to get started and thus means faster completion. That means you won’t spend much of your time researching the topic as you already have a better understanding of the topic at hand. When you are well versed about a given topic, finding resources for the same topic is much easier, thus enabling you to create solid arguments paragraph after paragraph more easily.

From a different point of view, a topic you are unfamiliar with may pose a challenging experience and thus might take longer. With a new topic, you must research extensively to understand the subject before bringing topical ideas to life. Such topics demand a lot of time in researching the rightful resources.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

The passion for the topics involved

If you want to manage your time well and complete your 3-page article on time, you should always consider topics you are passionate about. If you have a great passion for a given topic, then it is always true that you will be willing to work extra hard researching the topic . A great liking for a given subject will always provide the automatic desire to offer the best in every aspect. You will always be ready to start your work as soon as possible, which is a great time management skill to get your 3-paper completed quickly and on time. Creating your piece earlier helps you finish it faster. A boring topic may give you a difficult time and thus consume much of your writing time.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

Writing speeds

Another crucial influence in completing a 3-page paper is the writing speed. People, indeed, have different writing speeds. Therefore, different writing speeds will lead to other times taken to complete a 3-page work.

A fast writer will always write down most ideas that come up in their mind before they lose them. A slow writer will sometimes get lost along the way, and topical ideas may slip away, bringing in extra time consumption. Thus, it is essential to train writing faster as it ensures you complete your paper on time. To stay within the timeframe of completing a 3-page piece, you have to invest much of your time learning how to write or type faster. Learning to order more quickly comes with trying various typing exercises through games. A proper typing or writing speed will permanently save you a lot in completing a 3-page article in time.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

Timely completion of your 3-page comes easily when you have a proper plan. Therefore, making it a culture planning your report before you start writing it is essential. Planning for article writing cuts across all kinds of papers regardless of their length.

It is always better to start a plan for your paper before writing it. Planning involves writing a proper introduction before heading to critical points you will include in the work.

You will have a smoother planning process with clear instructions your teacher provides. Given a topic, you can always start planning yourself, thus taking a shorter time than possible in writing the actual 3-page paper.

Other crucial influences to completing the 3-page paper on time include the research experience distractions, where fewer distractions will allow faster completion. Reading comprehension, the number of words, and post-writing actions also influence the amount of time the paper takes.

how long to write a 3 page research paper

With an understanding of the critical influences in the paper completion durations, you can quickly establish the average time to complete a 3-page paper. It also helps determine the approaches you can take to complete the papers on time. Some of the time management approaches you can use are starting your research early, maintaining consistent focus in your paper writing sessions, making a proper outline that will save time when writing the actual paper, and brainstorming ideas to include in the paper, among others.

For faster paper completion, you must also establish the number of words to include in each section.

Generally, a 3-page paper takes less time than other lengthy papers. On average, you may require 37.5 minutes to complete the paper when typing. With average handwriting, you may take around 1.3 hours to complete a 3-page paper.

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How to Write a 3 Page Essay Fast

Writing a three page paper is not an easy task, especially when students have to work against a deadline. Most students are used to working to a very tight deadline because of their own procrastination, as in the study by Alison J. Head mentioned there are 73% of such students.

However, it is very possible to write your paper quickly, beat the deadline, and still score good marks for producing an excellent paper. You wonder how it is possible? Read to find out.

This article is written particularly for students who have a lot of projects on their hands and are looking for a way to write a quick 3 page paper at the last moment. If there are dozens of assignments on the list, and you wonder, “ Where can I find a research paper writer? ” this article s just what the doctor ordered. Rest assured, if you follow these steps listed, you are on the way to being rewarded with high marks for your paper. Read on!

How to Write a 3 Page Paper Fast

How Long Does it Take to Write a 3 Page Research Paper?

Well, the exact amount of time depends on so many factors, which may include:

  • the length of the essay,
  • research material and methods,
  • experience in writing research papers,
  • organization skills.

It should be added here that organization skills influence the time taken to finish a research paper. That’s why this article is designed to get to know you how to guide aims to help you perfect your organization skills and show you tips on how to write quickly and smartly too. If you’re one of those students with writing skills that leave a lot to be desired, follow the recommendation below to avoid “ I can’t write my paper! ” thoughts and cope with any task.

To make it easy to understand, let us break down the writing process into three parts: prewriting process, writing process and post writing process. We’ve structured these tips and timing for each of these processes in such a way that they can save time. For example, to write a three page paper in 2 days, timing is as follows:

✏  prewriting process – 5 hours,

✏  writing process – 1 day,

✏  post writing process – 5 hours.

Prewriting Tips

We can’t overstate the importance of concentrating on writing your paper and beating the deadline. To focus and increase concentration, just tell yourself, “ No one is going to write my essay for me ; I can handle that!” and do the following:

  • Create a schedule for your paper. For example, you can decide to give 4 hours a day to write your paper. Or you can schedule a 3 day intense crash writing for your paper.
  • Reduce different distractions. Any form of noise is likely to seize your attention. Also stay away from social media, television and radio. This may be a tough sacrifice, but in the end it always pays. Your brain will be more focused, and least likely to wear out in straining to focus on so many things at once.

#2 Brainstorm

Yes, you have to think about your paper at times. It’s not so hard as long as you know just what to think about. Brainstorming saves your precious time while using pauses to think during the writing process. Brainstorming helps you draw outlines, anticipate challenges and their possible solutions.

In the International Student Blog 2 ways of brainstorming are presented by an international teacher, Bryanna Davis. Just look at them if you want to brainstorm effectively. We suggest you do the following:

  • Brainstorm in a seated position laying back. Or you can also take a walk to keep a clear head.
  • Brainstorm with a pen and a pad. Try to answer as much of these questions in your writing pad:

✏  What personal meaning does the topic have for you?

✏  What perspective do you wish to write from?

✏  What are the challenges of writing such a topic?

✏  What are the possible solutions?

✏  What importance does your topic have to your readers?

✏  Has your topic been written before?

✏  Where are your likely research sources?

Sketching an outline saves you lots of time in the writing process. Your writing is focused and it is easy to know when you derail so you can find your way. Outlining also helps you know how, what and where to do your research.

  • Remember that you can make as many outlines as possible until you are satisfied. Your outline is not a rigid frame. See it as a flexible framework that allows you make necessary adjustments till you find the right fit.

#4 Research

It can be overwhelming if you don’t know how to go about it. An inefficient research method is time consuming and produces little results. You can approach a trusted essay writing service for quick assistance and do these:

  • Start by having a quick interview with your teacher or lecturer. This saves you lots of time as your teacher gives you the necessary tips, resources and direction in writing your paper.
  • Next browse thoroughly on the Internet. The Internet has made research relatively easy, there are lots of journals and articles available online these days.
  • Write your references as you gather research materials. It makes citations and bibliography easy to organise at the end.
  • Don’t bother yourself with journals and articles that don’t support your perspective of writing. There is no time to explore the numerous options available. Just stick to the outline you’ve sketched out.
  • You may want to do some research in the library. However, if you feel you have enough research materials online, then there is no need to do so.

Writing Tips

  • Choose an appropriate title. Titles are usually short and to the point. Avoid long sentences and use of phrases in creating titles. Most times you shouldn’t bother about the title till you are done with the paper.
  • Develop an introduction. Make your introduction to the point. Your introduction should contain a thesis statement.
  • Work on a body. The body of the essay is made up of series of supporting paragraphs. Depending on the font size and line spacing, a three page paper is likely to have about 4-6 supporting paragraphs. Make paragraphs for each point and remember to put your best points forward.
  • Draw a conclusion. Conclude by restating your thesis statement. If there are results of findings, summarise them. You can also conclude by giving a call to action to engage your readers. You can do so by suggesting materials for further reading.

Post Writing Tips

  • Editing. After you wrote, edit and check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Also check for typos.
  • Proofreading. It is better to give a work to a second pair of eyes for a quick proofreading. To speed up the proofreading process, you can offer to read your work aloud to someone and note the corrections while you’re reading.
  • Formatting. Font type, font size, and line spaces are important factors to consider when formatting your work. For example, most lecturers like to see essays in the APA format. There are reference generators that help you with specific formatting: APA Reference Generator (6th Ed), APA Referencing Generator

These tips listed above are quite easy to carry out. The more you use these tips the better you become at writing long papers in shorter periods of time. With urgent tasks you always have a chance to apply to our writing agency where you can be encouraged by the quick professional support. Good luck!

How many paragraphs are 3 pages?

The number of paragraphs in three pages will depend on a range of factors, like the content you include, the spacing, and the font. However, based on a rough estimate, an academic project of 3 pages can include 5-7 paragraphs. Keep in mind that the actual number may vary according to the paper’s content and structure requirements.

How long does it take to write a 3 page paper?

The time needed to create a 3-page paper varies based on a range of factors, like your writing speed, research requirements, your awareness of the topic, the difficulty level of the project, etc. At the same time, as a general estimation, you may need 3-5 hours to produce 3 pages of text. The timeframe involves the time needed to do in-depth research, outline your work, write, revise, and edit it.

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Author: Patricia Jenkins

Patricia Jenkins is the senior writing advisor at FastEssay blog for international students that seek quick paper assistance. In her blog, Patricia shares useful tips on productivity, writing, research, references. Sometimes Patricia goes off topic by sharing her personal experience peppered with lively humor and healthy irony. View all posts by Patricia Jenkins

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  • How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

  • Search for relevant literature
  • Evaluate sources
  • Identify themes, debates, and gaps
  • Outline the structure
  • Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

  • Quick Run-through
  • Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

  • Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
  • Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
  • Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
  • Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
  • Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

Literature review guide

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

  • Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
  • Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
  • Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
  • Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

  • Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
  • Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
  • Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

  • Your university’s library catalogue
  • Google Scholar
  • Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
  • Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
  • EconLit (economics)
  • Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

  • What question or problem is the author addressing?
  • What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
  • What are the key theories, models, and methods?
  • Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
  • What are the results and conclusions of the study?
  • How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

  • Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
  • Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
  • Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
  • Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
  • Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

  • Most research has focused on young women.
  • There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
  • But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

  • Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
  • Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
  • Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

  • Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
  • Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
  • Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
  • Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Sampling methods
  • Simple random sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Cluster sampling
  • Likert scales
  • Reproducibility

 Statistics

  • Null hypothesis
  • Statistical power
  • Probability distribution
  • Effect size
  • Poisson distribution

Research bias

  • Optimism bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Implicit bias
  • Hawthorne effect
  • Anchoring bias
  • Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

  • To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
  • To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
  • To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
  • To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
  • To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved February 25, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/

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