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How to Write an 8 Page Paper: Time Needed for Fast Research

How to Write an 8 Page Paper: Time Needed for Fast Research

How to Craft an 8-Page Paper

How to Craft an 8-Page Paper

An 8-page paper is a short type of essay, written on a topic or an issue. The paper explores the issue or subject matter analytically organizing it in one significant movement. It moves forward intending to substantiate the main point with facts, opinions, ideas, and logical explanations.

The paper intends to prove that the point of view held by the author is valid regardless of the counterarguments by opposing views.

how long to write an 8 page research paper

Before starting your 8-page paper, consider using these tips to build a paper that is concise and well-written.

How to Write an 8 Page Paper

1) choose an interesting topic.

writing pages

Choose a topic that interests and challenges you. Your attitude towards the topic may well determine the amount of effort and enthusiasm you put into your research. Focus on a limited aspect, e.g. narrow it down from “Religion” to “World Religion” to “Buddhism.”

Obtain teacher approval for your topic before embarking on full-scale research. If you are uncertain as to what it entails to complete the assignment or project, re-read your assignment sheet carefully or ask your teacher.

Select a subject you can manage. Avoid subjects that are too technical, learned, or specialized. Avoid topics that have only a very narrow range of source materials.

2) Write your thesis

Your thesis statement is also where you state your position on the topic of your essay. Write your thesis statement in a separate sentence. It should be clear and specific. If it is not clear and specific, you will have difficulty writing your paper and supporting your argument.

Because this is a research paper, there should not be any remarks that you make that cannot require the support of facts from your research. To correct this, you need to limit your thesis statement.

3) Do research

Before you can write your paper, you have to have something to write about. Start with a general idea, then start researching it. It is much easier to write a paper if you already have a topic picked out.  So, pick one that catches your attention and has good sources available.

Doing research means doing experiments and analyzing data that you collect during these experiments or by literature review and analysis of previous works made by other authors on the same topic.

Go online, head to the library, search an academic database, or read newspapers. You can also ask a reference librarian. Know which sources are acceptable to your teacher.

Does your teacher want a certain number of primary sources and secondary sources? Has your teacher indicated the age of your references ? Is your teacher picky about what’s considered reliable sources? Can you use Wikipedia? Wikipedia is often a good starting point for learning about a topic, but many teachers will not let you cite it because they want you to find more authoritative sources.

4) Create your outline

write essay outline

The purpose of an outline is to help organize your thoughts so that you can present them clearly and coherently. Without an outline, you might find yourself rambling or going off-topic. Outlines can help you structure information into categories that make it easier to process and recall later on.

The outline does not have many details, and it can change as you do more research.  Better yet, you should have a clear idea of what information will go in each section.

Write short notes in the margins that highlight the main points you want to cover in each section. Don’t worry about perfect grammar or spelling at this point; just get ideas down on paper.

5) Write an introduction

The introduction should grab the reader’s attention and prepare for an explanation of the topic. The reader should finish the introduction thinking that the essay is interesting or has some sort of relevance to their lives.

A good introduction is engaging; it gets the audience thinking about the topic at hand and wondering how you will be proving your argument.

A good way to convince your reader that your essay is worthwhile is to provide information that the reader might question or disagree with. Once they are thinking about the topic and wondering why you hold your position, they are more likely to get engaged in the rest of the essay.

A good introduction provides the reader with a brief overview of your topic and an explanation of your thesis. A good introduction is fresh, engaging, and interesting.

6) Set up body paragraphs

Include your topic sentences and some supporting detail for each body paragraph. You should have at least three body paragraphs; you can add more if you want. Make sure that the flow of the paragraphs is logical, and that the transitions between paragraphs are smooth. A rough outline might look like this:

Body Paragraph 2: [Introduce your second main point here.

The body of your paper will contain all of the important information. You should have at least three supporting details for each topic sentence that you write. Each of these supporting details should be a separate paragraph.

7) Conclusion

Needless to say, it is quite important to know how to write a conclusion. No matter what type of paper you are working on, the conclusion recaps all of its major points. In other words, all points that you made in your introduction and body paragraphs should be in the conclusion.

writing essay conclusion

Usually, this section is only one paragraph long, but if permitted by your instructor or your topic is complex, you might make it longer.

At this point, you do not need to mention any new arguments to avoid confusing the reader.

If a certain phrase seems unnatural and difficult for you to write down or if you simply cannot find any worthy words for your work, then use some of the conclusion transition words.

They will help keep everything clear and concise for readers.

8) Cite sources accordingly

Citing sources properly is essential to avoiding plagiarism in your writing. Not citing sources properly could imply that the ideas, information, and phrasing you are using are your own, when they originated with another author.

Citing sources properly can also help readers find the information you used to write your paper and can give credit to the authors of that information?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 8-page paper word count.

The length of an 8-page paper could vary depending on several factors, such as font size, space between lines, and margins. If you need to use Times New Roman 12 point’s font, it will take approximately 2 pages for 1,000 words and 8 pages for 4000 words.

You will easily calculate how many words you need to write on a specific subject.

Can you write an 8-page paper in 3 hours?

You may write an 8-page paper in 3 hours. Brainstorm for just 10 minutes. Then, organize your thoughts into an outline. Next, write your first draft in 1 hour.

Also, revise and edit your paper in 1 hour. Finally, write your second draft in 30 minutes.

How long does it take to write an 8-page paper double spaced

We believe that anywhere from four to eight hours is pretty good for double spaced, 12-point type, Times New Roman or Arial font, 1-inch margins.

If you are using a font other than Arial or Times New Roman, you will notice a difference in the number of pages you write as well.

8-page essay example topics

  • The Growth of Language and its impact on Culture in the USA
  • Forbidden Love: A Study of Relationships in Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Persuasion.
  • An Analysis of Consumer Behavior concerning Marketing Of Mobile Phones and Youngsters

Josh Jasen

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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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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  • How to Develop a Research Paper Timeline
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  • What Is a Research Paper?
  • Writing an Annotated Bibliography for a Paper
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Focus: Education — Career Advice

How to write your first research paper.

Writing a research manuscript is an intimidating process for many novice writers in the sciences. One of the stumbling blocks is the beginning of the process and creating the first draft. This paper presents guidelines on how to initiate the writing process and draft each section of a research manuscript. The paper discusses seven rules that allow the writer to prepare a well-structured and comprehensive manuscript for a publication submission. In addition, the author lists different strategies for successful revision. Each of those strategies represents a step in the revision process and should help the writer improve the quality of the manuscript. The paper could be considered a brief manual for publication.

It is late at night. You have been struggling with your project for a year. You generated an enormous amount of interesting data. Your pipette feels like an extension of your hand, and running western blots has become part of your daily routine, similar to brushing your teeth. Your colleagues think you are ready to write a paper, and your lab mates tease you about your “slow” writing progress. Yet days pass, and you cannot force yourself to sit down to write. You have not written anything for a while (lab reports do not count), and you feel you have lost your stamina. How does the writing process work? How can you fit your writing into a daily schedule packed with experiments? What section should you start with? What distinguishes a good research paper from a bad one? How should you revise your paper? These and many other questions buzz in your head and keep you stressed. As a result, you procrastinate. In this paper, I will discuss the issues related to the writing process of a scientific paper. Specifically, I will focus on the best approaches to start a scientific paper, tips for writing each section, and the best revision strategies.

1. Schedule your writing time in Outlook

Whether you have written 100 papers or you are struggling with your first, starting the process is the most difficult part unless you have a rigid writing schedule. Writing is hard. It is a very difficult process of intense concentration and brain work. As stated in Hayes’ framework for the study of writing: “It is a generative activity requiring motivation, and it is an intellectual activity requiring cognitive processes and memory” [ 1 ]. In his book How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing , Paul Silvia says that for some, “it’s easier to embalm the dead than to write an article about it” [ 2 ]. Just as with any type of hard work, you will not succeed unless you practice regularly. If you have not done physical exercises for a year, only regular workouts can get you into good shape again. The same kind of regular exercises, or I call them “writing sessions,” are required to be a productive author. Choose from 1- to 2-hour blocks in your daily work schedule and consider them as non-cancellable appointments. When figuring out which blocks of time will be set for writing, you should select the time that works best for this type of work. For many people, mornings are more productive. One Yale University graduate student spent a semester writing from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. when her lab was empty. At the end of the semester, she was amazed at how much she accomplished without even interrupting her regular lab hours. In addition, doing the hardest task first thing in the morning contributes to the sense of accomplishment during the rest of the day. This positive feeling spills over into our work and life and has a very positive effect on our overall attitude.

Rule 1: Create regular time blocks for writing as appointments in your calendar and keep these appointments.

2. start with an outline.

Now that you have scheduled time, you need to decide how to start writing. The best strategy is to start with an outline. This will not be an outline that you are used to, with Roman numerals for each section and neat parallel listing of topic sentences and supporting points. This outline will be similar to a template for your paper. Initially, the outline will form a structure for your paper; it will help generate ideas and formulate hypotheses. Following the advice of George M. Whitesides, “. . . start with a blank piece of paper, and write down, in any order, all important ideas that occur to you concerning the paper” [ 3 ]. Use Table 1 as a starting point for your outline. Include your visuals (figures, tables, formulas, equations, and algorithms), and list your findings. These will constitute the first level of your outline, which will eventually expand as you elaborate.

The next stage is to add context and structure. Here you will group all your ideas into sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion/Conclusion ( Table 2 ). This step will help add coherence to your work and sift your ideas.

Now that you have expanded your outline, you are ready for the next step: discussing the ideas for your paper with your colleagues and mentor. Many universities have a writing center where graduate students can schedule individual consultations and receive assistance with their paper drafts. Getting feedback during early stages of your draft can save a lot of time. Talking through ideas allows people to conceptualize and organize thoughts to find their direction without wasting time on unnecessary writing. Outlining is the most effective way of communicating your ideas and exchanging thoughts. Moreover, it is also the best stage to decide to which publication you will submit the paper. Many people come up with three choices and discuss them with their mentors and colleagues. Having a list of journal priorities can help you quickly resubmit your paper if your paper is rejected.

Rule 2: Create a detailed outline and discuss it with your mentor and peers.

3. continue with drafts.

After you get enough feedback and decide on the journal you will submit to, the process of real writing begins. Copy your outline into a separate file and expand on each of the points, adding data and elaborating on the details. When you create the first draft, do not succumb to the temptation of editing. Do not slow down to choose a better word or better phrase; do not halt to improve your sentence structure. Pour your ideas into the paper and leave revision and editing for later. As Paul Silvia explains, “Revising while you generate text is like drinking decaffeinated coffee in the early morning: noble idea, wrong time” [ 2 ].

Many students complain that they are not productive writers because they experience writer’s block. Staring at an empty screen is frustrating, but your screen is not really empty: You have a template of your article, and all you need to do is fill in the blanks. Indeed, writer’s block is a logical fallacy for a scientist ― it is just an excuse to procrastinate. When scientists start writing a research paper, they already have their files with data, lab notes with materials and experimental designs, some visuals, and tables with results. All they need to do is scrutinize these pieces and put them together into a comprehensive paper.

3.1. Starting with Materials and Methods

If you still struggle with starting a paper, then write the Materials and Methods section first. Since you have all your notes, it should not be problematic for you to describe the experimental design and procedures. Your most important goal in this section is to be as explicit as possible by providing enough detail and references. In the end, the purpose of this section is to allow other researchers to evaluate and repeat your work. So do not run into the same problems as the writers of the sentences in (1):

1a. Bacteria were pelleted by centrifugation. 1b. To isolate T cells, lymph nodes were collected.

As you can see, crucial pieces of information are missing: the speed of centrifuging your bacteria, the time, and the temperature in (1a); the source of lymph nodes for collection in (b). The sentences can be improved when information is added, as in (2a) and (2b), respectfully:

2a. Bacteria were pelleted by centrifugation at 3000g for 15 min at 25°C. 2b. To isolate T cells, mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes from Balb/c mice were collected at day 7 after immunization with ovabumin.

If your method has previously been published and is well-known, then you should provide only the literature reference, as in (3a). If your method is unpublished, then you need to make sure you provide all essential details, as in (3b).

3a. Stem cells were isolated, according to Johnson [23]. 3b. Stem cells were isolated using biotinylated carbon nanotubes coated with anti-CD34 antibodies.

Furthermore, cohesion and fluency are crucial in this section. One of the malpractices resulting in disrupted fluency is switching from passive voice to active and vice versa within the same paragraph, as shown in (4). This switching misleads and distracts the reader.

4. Behavioral computer-based experiments of Study 1 were programmed by using E-Prime. We took ratings of enjoyment, mood, and arousal as the patients listened to preferred pleasant music and unpreferred music by using Visual Analogue Scales (SI Methods). The preferred and unpreferred status of the music was operationalized along a continuum of pleasantness [ 4 ].

The problem with (4) is that the reader has to switch from the point of view of the experiment (passive voice) to the point of view of the experimenter (active voice). This switch causes confusion about the performer of the actions in the first and the third sentences. To improve the coherence and fluency of the paragraph above, you should be consistent in choosing the point of view: first person “we” or passive voice [ 5 ]. Let’s consider two revised examples in (5).

5a. We programmed behavioral computer-based experiments of Study 1 by using E-Prime. We took ratings of enjoyment, mood, and arousal by using Visual Analogue Scales (SI Methods) as the patients listened to preferred pleasant music and unpreferred music. We operationalized the preferred and unpreferred status of the music along a continuum of pleasantness. 5b. Behavioral computer-based experiments of Study 1 were programmed by using E-Prime. Ratings of enjoyment, mood, and arousal were taken as the patients listened to preferred pleasant music and unpreferred music by using Visual Analogue Scales (SI Methods). The preferred and unpreferred status of the music was operationalized along a continuum of pleasantness.

If you choose the point of view of the experimenter, then you may end up with repetitive “we did this” sentences. For many readers, paragraphs with sentences all beginning with “we” may also sound disruptive. So if you choose active sentences, you need to keep the number of “we” subjects to a minimum and vary the beginnings of the sentences [ 6 ].

Interestingly, recent studies have reported that the Materials and Methods section is the only section in research papers in which passive voice predominantly overrides the use of the active voice [ 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. For example, Martínez shows a significant drop in active voice use in the Methods sections based on the corpus of 1 million words of experimental full text research articles in the biological sciences [ 7 ]. According to the author, the active voice patterned with “we” is used only as a tool to reveal personal responsibility for the procedural decisions in designing and performing experimental work. This means that while all other sections of the research paper use active voice, passive voice is still the most predominant in Materials and Methods sections.

Writing Materials and Methods sections is a meticulous and time consuming task requiring extreme accuracy and clarity. This is why when you complete your draft, you should ask for as much feedback from your colleagues as possible. Numerous readers of this section will help you identify the missing links and improve the technical style of this section.

Rule 3: Be meticulous and accurate in describing the Materials and Methods. Do not change the point of view within one paragraph.

3.2. writing results section.

For many authors, writing the Results section is more intimidating than writing the Materials and Methods section . If people are interested in your paper, they are interested in your results. That is why it is vital to use all your writing skills to objectively present your key findings in an orderly and logical sequence using illustrative materials and text.

Your Results should be organized into different segments or subsections where each one presents the purpose of the experiment, your experimental approach, data including text and visuals (tables, figures, schematics, algorithms, and formulas), and data commentary. For most journals, your data commentary will include a meaningful summary of the data presented in the visuals and an explanation of the most significant findings. This data presentation should not repeat the data in the visuals, but rather highlight the most important points. In the “standard” research paper approach, your Results section should exclude data interpretation, leaving it for the Discussion section. However, interpretations gradually and secretly creep into research papers: “Reducing the data, generalizing from the data, and highlighting scientific cases are all highly interpretive processes. It should be clear by now that we do not let the data speak for themselves in research reports; in summarizing our results, we interpret them for the reader” [ 10 ]. As a result, many journals including the Journal of Experimental Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Investigation use joint Results/Discussion sections, where results are immediately followed by interpretations.

Another important aspect of this section is to create a comprehensive and supported argument or a well-researched case. This means that you should be selective in presenting data and choose only those experimental details that are essential for your reader to understand your findings. You might have conducted an experiment 20 times and collected numerous records, but this does not mean that you should present all those records in your paper. You need to distinguish your results from your data and be able to discard excessive experimental details that could distract and confuse the reader. However, creating a picture or an argument should not be confused with data manipulation or falsification, which is a willful distortion of data and results. If some of your findings contradict your ideas, you have to mention this and find a plausible explanation for the contradiction.

In addition, your text should not include irrelevant and peripheral information, including overview sentences, as in (6).

6. To show our results, we first introduce all components of experimental system and then describe the outcome of infections.

Indeed, wordiness convolutes your sentences and conceals your ideas from readers. One common source of wordiness is unnecessary intensifiers. Adverbial intensifiers such as “clearly,” “essential,” “quite,” “basically,” “rather,” “fairly,” “really,” and “virtually” not only add verbosity to your sentences, but also lower your results’ credibility. They appeal to the reader’s emotions but lower objectivity, as in the common examples in (7):

7a. Table 3 clearly shows that … 7b. It is obvious from figure 4 that …

Another source of wordiness is nominalizations, i.e., nouns derived from verbs and adjectives paired with weak verbs including “be,” “have,” “do,” “make,” “cause,” “provide,” and “get” and constructions such as “there is/are.”

8a. We tested the hypothesis that there is a disruption of membrane asymmetry. 8b. In this paper we provide an argument that stem cells repopulate injured organs.

In the sentences above, the abstract nominalizations “disruption” and “argument” do not contribute to the clarity of the sentences, but rather clutter them with useless vocabulary that distracts from the meaning. To improve your sentences, avoid unnecessary nominalizations and change passive verbs and constructions into active and direct sentences.

9a. We tested the hypothesis that the membrane asymmetry is disrupted. 9b. In this paper we argue that stem cells repopulate injured organs.

Your Results section is the heart of your paper, representing a year or more of your daily research. So lead your reader through your story by writing direct, concise, and clear sentences.

Rule 4: Be clear, concise, and objective in describing your Results.

3.3. now it is time for your introduction.

Now that you are almost half through drafting your research paper, it is time to update your outline. While describing your Methods and Results, many of you diverged from the original outline and re-focused your ideas. So before you move on to create your Introduction, re-read your Methods and Results sections and change your outline to match your research focus. The updated outline will help you review the general picture of your paper, the topic, the main idea, and the purpose, which are all important for writing your introduction.

The best way to structure your introduction is to follow the three-move approach shown in Table 3 .

Adapted from Swales and Feak [ 11 ].

The moves and information from your outline can help to create your Introduction efficiently and without missing steps. These moves are traffic signs that lead the reader through the road of your ideas. Each move plays an important role in your paper and should be presented with deep thought and care. When you establish the territory, you place your research in context and highlight the importance of your research topic. By finding the niche, you outline the scope of your research problem and enter the scientific dialogue. The final move, “occupying the niche,” is where you explain your research in a nutshell and highlight your paper’s significance. The three moves allow your readers to evaluate their interest in your paper and play a significant role in the paper review process, determining your paper reviewers.

Some academic writers assume that the reader “should follow the paper” to find the answers about your methodology and your findings. As a result, many novice writers do not present their experimental approach and the major findings, wrongly believing that the reader will locate the necessary information later while reading the subsequent sections [ 5 ]. However, this “suspense” approach is not appropriate for scientific writing. To interest the reader, scientific authors should be direct and straightforward and present informative one-sentence summaries of the results and the approach.

Another problem is that writers understate the significance of the Introduction. Many new researchers mistakenly think that all their readers understand the importance of the research question and omit this part. However, this assumption is faulty because the purpose of the section is not to evaluate the importance of the research question in general. The goal is to present the importance of your research contribution and your findings. Therefore, you should be explicit and clear in describing the benefit of the paper.

The Introduction should not be long. Indeed, for most journals, this is a very brief section of about 250 to 600 words, but it might be the most difficult section due to its importance.

Rule 5: Interest your reader in the Introduction section by signalling all its elements and stating the novelty of the work.

3.4. discussion of the results.

For many scientists, writing a Discussion section is as scary as starting a paper. Most of the fear comes from the variation in the section. Since every paper has its unique results and findings, the Discussion section differs in its length, shape, and structure. However, some general principles of writing this section still exist. Knowing these rules, or “moves,” can change your attitude about this section and help you create a comprehensive interpretation of your results.

The purpose of the Discussion section is to place your findings in the research context and “to explain the meaning of the findings and why they are important, without appearing arrogant, condescending, or patronizing” [ 11 ]. The structure of the first two moves is almost a mirror reflection of the one in the Introduction. In the Introduction, you zoom in from general to specific and from the background to your research question; in the Discussion section, you zoom out from the summary of your findings to the research context, as shown in Table 4 .

Adapted from Swales and Feak and Hess [ 11 , 12 ].

The biggest challenge for many writers is the opening paragraph of the Discussion section. Following the moves in Table 1 , the best choice is to start with the study’s major findings that provide the answer to the research question in your Introduction. The most common starting phrases are “Our findings demonstrate . . .,” or “In this study, we have shown that . . .,” or “Our results suggest . . .” In some cases, however, reminding the reader about the research question or even providing a brief context and then stating the answer would make more sense. This is important in those cases where the researcher presents a number of findings or where more than one research question was presented. Your summary of the study’s major findings should be followed by your presentation of the importance of these findings. One of the most frequent mistakes of the novice writer is to assume the importance of his findings. Even if the importance is clear to you, it may not be obvious to your reader. Digesting the findings and their importance to your reader is as crucial as stating your research question.

Another useful strategy is to be proactive in the first move by predicting and commenting on the alternative explanations of the results. Addressing potential doubts will save you from painful comments about the wrong interpretation of your results and will present you as a thoughtful and considerate researcher. Moreover, the evaluation of the alternative explanations might help you create a logical step to the next move of the discussion section: the research context.

The goal of the research context move is to show how your findings fit into the general picture of the current research and how you contribute to the existing knowledge on the topic. This is also the place to discuss any discrepancies and unexpected findings that may otherwise distort the general picture of your paper. Moreover, outlining the scope of your research by showing the limitations, weaknesses, and assumptions is essential and adds modesty to your image as a scientist. However, make sure that you do not end your paper with the problems that override your findings. Try to suggest feasible explanations and solutions.

If your submission does not require a separate Conclusion section, then adding another paragraph about the “take-home message” is a must. This should be a general statement reiterating your answer to the research question and adding its scientific implications, practical application, or advice.

Just as in all other sections of your paper, the clear and precise language and concise comprehensive sentences are vital. However, in addition to that, your writing should convey confidence and authority. The easiest way to illustrate your tone is to use the active voice and the first person pronouns. Accompanied by clarity and succinctness, these tools are the best to convince your readers of your point and your ideas.

Rule 6: Present the principles, relationships, and generalizations in a concise and convincing tone.

4. choosing the best working revision strategies.

Now that you have created the first draft, your attitude toward your writing should have improved. Moreover, you should feel more confident that you are able to accomplish your project and submit your paper within a reasonable timeframe. You also have worked out your writing schedule and followed it precisely. Do not stop ― you are only at the midpoint from your destination. Just as the best and most precious diamond is no more than an unattractive stone recognized only by trained professionals, your ideas and your results may go unnoticed if they are not polished and brushed. Despite your attempts to present your ideas in a logical and comprehensive way, first drafts are frequently a mess. Use the advice of Paul Silvia: “Your first drafts should sound like they were hastily translated from Icelandic by a non-native speaker” [ 2 ]. The degree of your success will depend on how you are able to revise and edit your paper.

The revision can be done at the macrostructure and the microstructure levels [ 13 ]. The macrostructure revision includes the revision of the organization, content, and flow. The microstructure level includes individual words, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

The best way to approach the macrostructure revision is through the outline of the ideas in your paper. The last time you updated your outline was before writing the Introduction and the Discussion. Now that you have the beginning and the conclusion, you can take a bird’s-eye view of the whole paper. The outline will allow you to see if the ideas of your paper are coherently structured, if your results are logically built, and if the discussion is linked to the research question in the Introduction. You will be able to see if something is missing in any of the sections or if you need to rearrange your information to make your point.

The next step is to revise each of the sections starting from the beginning. Ideally, you should limit yourself to working on small sections of about five pages at a time [ 14 ]. After these short sections, your eyes get used to your writing and your efficiency in spotting problems decreases. When reading for content and organization, you should control your urge to edit your paper for sentence structure and grammar and focus only on the flow of your ideas and logic of your presentation. Experienced researchers tend to make almost three times the number of changes to meaning than novice writers [ 15 , 16 ]. Revising is a difficult but useful skill, which academic writers obtain with years of practice.

In contrast to the macrostructure revision, which is a linear process and is done usually through a detailed outline and by sections, microstructure revision is a non-linear process. While the goal of the macrostructure revision is to analyze your ideas and their logic, the goal of the microstructure editing is to scrutinize the form of your ideas: your paragraphs, sentences, and words. You do not need and are not recommended to follow the order of the paper to perform this type of revision. You can start from the end or from different sections. You can even revise by reading sentences backward, sentence by sentence and word by word.

One of the microstructure revision strategies frequently used during writing center consultations is to read the paper aloud [ 17 ]. You may read aloud to yourself, to a tape recorder, or to a colleague or friend. When reading and listening to your paper, you are more likely to notice the places where the fluency is disrupted and where you stumble because of a very long and unclear sentence or a wrong connector.

Another revision strategy is to learn your common errors and to do a targeted search for them [ 13 ]. All writers have a set of problems that are specific to them, i.e., their writing idiosyncrasies. Remembering these problems is as important for an academic writer as remembering your friends’ birthdays. Create a list of these idiosyncrasies and run a search for these problems using your word processor. If your problem is demonstrative pronouns without summary words, then search for “this/these/those” in your text and check if you used the word appropriately. If you have a problem with intensifiers, then search for “really” or “very” and delete them from the text. The same targeted search can be done to eliminate wordiness. Searching for “there is/are” or “and” can help you avoid the bulky sentences.

The final strategy is working with a hard copy and a pencil. Print a double space copy with font size 14 and re-read your paper in several steps. Try reading your paper line by line with the rest of the text covered with a piece of paper. When you are forced to see only a small portion of your writing, you are less likely to get distracted and are more likely to notice problems. You will end up spotting more unnecessary words, wrongly worded phrases, or unparallel constructions.

After you apply all these strategies, you are ready to share your writing with your friends, colleagues, and a writing advisor in the writing center. Get as much feedback as you can, especially from non-specialists in your field. Patiently listen to what others say to you ― you are not expected to defend your writing or explain what you wanted to say. You may decide what you want to change and how after you receive the feedback and sort it in your head. Even though some researchers make the revision an endless process and can hardly stop after a 14th draft; having from five to seven drafts of your paper is a norm in the sciences. If you can’t stop revising, then set a deadline for yourself and stick to it. Deadlines always help.

Rule 7: Revise your paper at the macrostructure and the microstructure level using different strategies and techniques. Receive feedback and revise again.

5. it is time to submit.

It is late at night again. You are still in your lab finishing revisions and getting ready to submit your paper. You feel happy ― you have finally finished a year’s worth of work. You will submit your paper tomorrow, and regardless of the outcome, you know that you can do it. If one journal does not take your paper, you will take advantage of the feedback and resubmit again. You will have a publication, and this is the most important achievement.

What is even more important is that you have your scheduled writing time that you are going to keep for your future publications, for reading and taking notes, for writing grants, and for reviewing papers. You are not going to lose stamina this time, and you will become a productive scientist. But for now, let’s celebrate the end of the paper.

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How Long Should A Research Paper Be?

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You must have known what research looks like. It has a particular structure that should be followed at any cost since it is the criteria for  writing a research paper . Several questions come into the mind of students such as how to write a research paper, how long should a research paper be, etc.

That’s why we have brought a series of research writing and addressing different questions related to it. This blog aims to answer queries about the duration your research should ideally take, including insights on how to write an 8-page paper effectively. Although it depends upon the guidelines given by your teacher, there is also a standard length of research writing. Let’s dive in and learn everything about the ideal word count of any research.

Table of Contents

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is an essay that is based on your investigational work you have completed or will complete on just one or many specific topics of a specific discipline. Research or investigation essays are lengthy depending on the scope and extensive nature of the topic.

It’s just an analysis of the topic from your own perspective. A student or a reader present facts and their theories in front of the audience to inform them about the specific subject matter. If you dont know how long is a research paper, here we will take you on a deeper tour to help you understand these essays thoroughly.

What is the Standard Length of a Research Paper?

Discussing the standard length of a paper, it’s important to note that it varies depending on the specific instructions given to each student and the structural requirements related to their chosen finance research topics . It is never a fixed one for all types of papers yet, there are some conditions and possibilities because of which the word count varies.

Research that has a thesis statement only requires 2 to 3 arguments to be proved and will be summed up in 500 to 700 words. After providing the introduction and a little background on the research, you can directly shift to mentioning the arguments and claims so you may prove the statement and complete the research.

Some research requires detailed analysis and interpretation of the findings. This kind of paper has several stages such as introduction, background, thesis statement, objective, research questions, literature review, research methodology, data collection, discussion, findings, conclusion, and bibliography. Such research easily crosses 5000 words because it is important to discuss everything about the topic.

So it entirely depends upon the structure you are following to write the research. It could be as long as just 500 words, or 5000 words, and even more. It all varies therefore you must be prepared for writing a paper no matter how long it should be.

How long is introduction in research paper?

Many students wonder how long should an introduction be in a research paper? The simple answer to this query is as short as possible that justify the requirements and employ all the methods that are necessary for coveying your message.

Typically, a standard length of introductory paragraph is 300-500 words. If your topic needs more than the standard word count than always ask for suggestion from your professor on first priority. We hope now you know how long should an introduction be for a research paper. 

Why Considering Length of a Research Paper is Important

Identifying the length of research is important because of so many reasons. You might have never realized the significance of considering how long a paper should be, so here we go with some of the vital reasons.

1. Going Extra May Ruin Your Research

You cannot write more than is required in research. If you are doing so then you are automatically ignoring the quality measures of writing a paper. If you are writing more than words than is required then there are chances you are going to submit a poor quality research work.

2. Sticking to the Guidelines is Important

When your guidelines have mentioned 1000 words maximum and you are submitting research of 2000 words, you already know what wrong you have done. If you are not sticking to the guidelines it will result in deduction of marks, fall in grades, and repetition of the class course.

3. Having a Balance is Good

It is necessary to keep a balance between the word count of all the headings. Without this much-needed balance, you might end up submitting a poor paper that has a longer introduction, and a shorter explanation of the findings. That’s why attaining a balance is important in your research word count.

4. Delivering Quality Research is the Criteria

When you are delivering quality content, you will be appreciated no matter what. If you consider the length of your research, you are one step forward in delivering quality research work to your teacher.

How Long Should a Research Paper Be?

This question is valid and one of the frequently asked questions by the students of high school and college. It is also important to know before you start working on your paper. Don’t forget to read the instructions provided by your teacher, however, we have more suggestions for you regarding the length of the research.

how long should a research paper be

1. It All Depends On Your Teacher First

Your teacher indeed decides what should be the ideal length of your research. They have given some guidelines to you and you need to follow them. The teachers always know the best and they will suggest to you how long your essay should be.

Some teachers have kept a certain word limit for the paper while others provide you complete freedom to write as long as you want. It is necessary to figure out what’s best for your research. In high schools, a standard length of any research is a maximum of 7 to 8 pages while the minimum should be 5 pages.

2. Check How Much Length is Required to Justify Your Statement

Sometimes it is based on the  thesis for research paper . From the part of the abstract to the conclusion, there must be a balance between the word count of every heading. It is your responsibility as a writer to track the word count when you are trying to justify your thesis by giving several arguments and claims.

If you have decided how many arguments it will take to prove your thesis, then you have already finalized the length of your research. All you have to do is prepare everything in advance and see if you are proving your point within 5 or 8 pages.

3. It Shouldn’t Miss Any Point

A researcher must be discussing all the standard details that could justify the purpose of writing the paper. It must have all the headings properly discussed. Since all the points must be 100% clear in the research, deciding on a word limit in the very beginning could be a little hard.

But it is not impossible to identify by making an outline and checking how many pages will be covered in writing about a certain topic. All you have to do is take care that no point is missing in the research. Cutting the research short and trying to discuss facts to the exact point won’t help unless you are entirely explaining every aspect as required.

How Long a Research Paper Should be in Words?

You have learned something about the ideal length of research. When it comes to the word count, the criterion is a bit different. For example, if you need a  Ph.D. research paper help , you must know the word count, typically between 70,000 to 80,000 words. As you suggest a specific word count for every heading, it is easier to guess how many words are required to summarize every title.

1. Assign Word Count To Each Heading

It is easier to assign a specific word count to every heading and then see what’s the total word length of the paper. For instance, you have to decide how many words will be used to cover your introduction section. A literature review is a second longer part after the discussion in every research so it is necessary to make an outline in advance and see what is the ideal length of every heading.

By giving a suggested word count to each heading you will make a clear pathway to follow during the complete research. It will be automatically easier for you to see how many words will be written to explain everything in your research thoroughly.

There are several sections in research that require certain word counts. Let’s see what word count is usually subjected to every heading.

An  abstract for a research paper  is the first main part that summarizes the research from the beginning to the conclusion. It contains the thesis, methodology, findings, and conclusion. So to explain the complete research in a few sentences, roughly 100 to 200 words will be required. So you may keep in mind the word count for an abstract is a maximum of 200 words.

● Introduction

An introduction is also a major part of the research and it is easily covered within 300 words maximum. Nothing else is required to explain terminologies or theories in this section.  However, there are many opinion on this topic and each have different answers. That’s the prime reason students spend day and night on google looking for answers on their questions such as how long should introduction be for research paper. In short, 300 to 500 words are more than enough to state your thoughts in an into section and persuade your readers.

● Literature Review

The literature review is the second-longest section in any research. It contains a reference to the past research done in a similar field by other researchers. Every research must have 5 to 8 or even more past papers discussed in it. Therefore the ideal word count for this section is 500 to 1000 words.

● Methodology

The methodology section also has subcategories in which you have to explain the method of research, data collection, population, research implications, research Instrument, etc. It will take around 300 to 400 words and 100 words extra if you are discussing a theoretical framework too.

● Discussion and Interpretation

This is the longest part of any research since you have to explain all the findings and tell your readers how successfully you have managed to prove your thesis. This part is as long as 500 to 1000 or even 1500 words depending upon the results and the explanation required.

● Conclusion

A conclusion is a not so lengthy part of the paper. It is usually done within only 100 or 150 words maximum. It is that simple and thus it doesn’t need so many words to finish the argument and put a full stop.

2. Form a Paper Outline

Forming a paper outline in advance will also help you in understanding how many words you may need to cover every heading. This is one of the best ideas for assigning a particular word count to every heading of the paper.

As you’ll create a paper outline, you will get an instant idea of how many words you have to write in total to complete the research. Following this strategy will surely help you won’t be puzzled later during the writing process.

3. Ask Your Instructor

It is always a good idea to ask your teacher or instructor before following any word count technique. They have assigned you a paper so they can provide you with a better guideline to write your paper. It is the easiest method of identifying the word count of your research as it’s something recommended by an expert. Your job will become much easier and simpler by just seeking advice from your teacher.

How Long a Research Paper Should be for Middle School?

A middle school student is just starting with the research work and they are at the initial stages of learning how to conduct research. To understand how long a paper should be for middle school, you need to do some work.

1. Seek Expert Help

It is always better to seek help from an expert to decide the word limit of your essay when you’re a high school student. It could be your teacher or any senior student who will help you and guide how many pages you should write for your research. It is suggested to write 4 to 5 pages when you are a middle school student in writing a paper.

2. Do Research

It is always important to do some research and find out what’s best for your paper. Google is always open to helping students in learning new things without any limit. You can open the Google search engine, write down your query in the search bar and click on it.

Next, you will have everything to read and understand how a paper for middle school will work. By doing so you will automatically get an in-depth idea of crafting research for the initial level project.

After analyzing everything you can easily guess what should be the length of any research written by a middle school student. In pages, it is suggested to write 3 to 5 pages, but in words, it is recommended to write  400 to 500 words only. You can also hire a professional paper writing service to aid you in the process.

As it’s a new thing for the students to perform, they might get nervous easily. That’s why starting slow and taking baby steps towards learning research writing will help a lot.

How long Should a Research Paper be for High School?

High school is a different stage than middle school. You are mature, better at studies, and even more creative than before. This stage comes with its challenges and one of them is writing the research. If you are a new high school student we bet you don’t know much about paper writing at this level.

When a high school student writes a research paper, it’s usually written within 500 to 1000 words. It could be more than this word count or just 5 to 6 pages. The teacher’s instructions do matter a lot in this aspect and without them, you can’t understand the criteria of research writing. It takes a lot of research, consultation, and creativity to write a paper that stands out. The competition is even tougher in high schools so you know how tough it can get to  write a research paper fast .

Your research will decide if you are going to pass the school or not. Many students stay stuck in a class because they are incapable of submitting a brilliant research paper. Most of the time it’s because they don’t know the standard guidelines for writing a paper.

They usually end up ignoring the pattern, writing incorrect information, or exceeding or limiting the length assigned for the research. So it’s better to keep in mind what is the better approach for research writing and how a high school student can learn to write it.

How Long Should a Research Paper be for College?

Have you ever thought about how long your research should be when you have finally reached college? It is the final stage of your education and writing research in this phase will require a lot of preparation. In college, you have to write the longest research papers because it is the standard of a paper written by a college student.

So how exactly long should research be for college? It starts with roughly 3000 words and goes up to 15000 words. 15000 words is a lot but students who are working on their thesis need a lot of details to justify and complete their research. Without doing this they are not getting passed at any cost so now you know why it is so important.

Different sections of the paper require their particular word count. It is sometimes difficult to identify but your teachers will always be there to guide you. Sometimes students are given the entire freedom to keep their essay length on their own. It helps them understand how easily they can prove their thesis either in a few or a lot of pages.

For newcomers in college unsure about the ideal length for research papers, utilizing Google is a great option to delve deeper into the nuances of research writing. It’s particularly helpful in exploring various guidelines related to history research topics . A lot of content is already published on the web which teaches the students almost everything they need.

We hope you know how long is a research paper, no matter if you are writing one for your middle school, high school, or college. All of them have different requirements and basic criteria that should be followed. We also hope this blog has helped you learn everything about deciding the word count or overall length of your research.

Our comment section is always open for your discussion and feedback. If you want to  get in touch  with us or discuss the topic more, just leave a comment in the given box. We would love to hear from our readers and see what they have in their minds after reading our blog.

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Research Paper Guide

Nova A.

Research Paper Writing - A Step by Step Guide

14 min read

Published on: Nov 23, 2017

Last updated on: Oct 25, 2023

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the prospect of writing a research paper? Do complex guidelines and the sheer volume of work leave you feeling stuck?

The pressure to produce a well-researched paper can be daunting, often overshadowing the excitement of exploring new ideas.

But fret not! 

In this blog, we'll guide you through the research paper writing process with simplicity and clarity. We'll also provide you with step-by-step instruction and valuable insights to how to write an effective research paper.

Let’s get started.

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What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is a scholarly document that presents a systematic and structured exploration of a specific topic, issue, or question. 

It is a formal academic piece of writing that synthesizes existing knowledge, incorporates original research or analysis, and offers well-supported conclusions or insights. 

Research papers are typically written by students, academics, or researchers and serve to contribute to the body of knowledge in a particular field of study.

How Long Should A Research Paper be?

Generically,  a research paper typically falls within the range of 6,000 to 8,000 words, which is equivalent to approximately 15-20 pages double-spaced with standard formatting. 

However, for different academic levels, here is a general idea:

  • Undergraduate Research Paper : Around 10-15 pages (double-spaced).
  • Master's Thesis : 50-100 pages or more, depending on the institution and discipline.
  • Doctoral Dissertation : 150-300 pages or more, depending on the field and research depth.

How to Write a Research Paper?

Writing a research paper is a structured and methodical process that involves several essential steps. 

Following these guidelines will help you produce a well-organized and academically sound research paper.

How to Start a Research Paper?

A good research paper must follow a proper structure and format. The first important step in the writing process is to start your paper perfectly. 

1. Understand the Research Paper Requirements

To succeed in your research paper assignment, it's crucial to comprehend the topic and the paper's structure requirements fully. Here are key steps to enhance your understanding:

  • Read Instructions : Thoroughly read assignment instructions. Seek clarification from your professor if any parts are unclear.
  • Identify Purpose : Understand the main purpose of your research paper, whether it's informing or persuading readers.
  • Note Key Details: Take note of essential details, including the deadline, word count, submission method, and required formatting style.
  • List Key Points : Create a list of key points you need to cover in your paper.
  • Set a Timeline : Plan a schedule for starting, writing, and editing your research paper.

2. Consider the Target Audience

Consider your audience's knowledge and expertise level as it influences writing style, word choice, and the depth of information required:

  • For master's level research, expect an expert audience.
  • Undergraduate papers can cater to both general and expert readers.

3. Choose the Right Research Paper Topic

Selecting the right topic is crucial. If you have the option to choose, follow these steps:

  • Brainstorm Ideas : Generate ideas for your topic. Seek input from professors or specialists for a unique approach.
  • Freewrite : Use freewriting to narrow down a broad topic.
  • Review Research Work : Find inspiration in other research papers, especially in their discussion and recommendation sections.
  • Challenge and Interest : Choose a challenging research paper topic that piques your interest and can engage your audience.
  • Specificity : Avoid overly technical or general topics. Opt for an original, specific idea aligned with your research paper's criteria.

4. Conduct Thorough Research

Thorough research is vital for finding relevant ideas, focus, and direction. Ask these questions:

  • Gap in Research : Is there a gap in previous research on your topic?
  • Recent Developments : Are there recent developments in your subject?
  • Debates : Are there ongoing debates related to your topic?
  • Unique Perspective : Do you possess a unique perspective on the topic?

5. Developing a Strong Thesis Statement

After research, create a strong, concise thesis statement . It should serve as the central argument, stating the purpose and position of your paper. 

Support it with solid evidence and reasoning. Ensure your thesis is clear concise, and guides your writing throughout the research paper process.

Preparing a Research Paper Proposal

A research proposal is vital for framing your research project. To create an effective research proposal, address these key questions:

  • What is your research objective
  • Why is this research necessary
  • How will you approach it?

A well-structured research proposal includes these sections:

  • Table of contents
  • Introduction
  • Background and significance
  • Literature review
  • Research design and methods
  • Hypothesis and discussion

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Writing the First Draft

In the first draft, your focus is on:

  • Translating ideas into arguments
  • Adding detail and structureUnderstanding the paper's overall flow
  • Adhering to the research paper format
  • Maintaining clear organization
  • Properly explaining ideas and findings
  • Ensuring flexibility for future adjustments
  • Providing proper citations

1. Create a Research Paper Outline

An organized outline is crucial for planning your paper's structure and content. It serves as a roadmap for your writing process. Here are some components of an effective research paper outline :

  • Table of Contents
  • Literature Review
  • Bibliography

2. Writing an Abstract

The abstract is a concise summary of your paper. Keep it between 150 and 250 words, highlighting key points from each section.

3. Writing a Research Paper Introduction

The introduction should answer 'What,' 'Why,' and 'How' questions:

  • What : Clearly specify the topic, historical context, and key terms.
  • Why : Discuss the significance of your research.
  • How : Outline the main elements to be covered.

4. Crafting a Literature Review

In the literature review , discuss existing research on your topic. Locate and analyze scholarly articles, highlighting their relevance to your study. Present the past, present, and expected future of the issue.

5. Methodology

Methodology outlines how you conducted your research and collected data. It should be detailed enough that another researcher could replicate your study. In this section, you should include:

  • Study Design : Describe the type of study (e.g., experimental, observational, survey) and its rationale.
  • Participants : Provide information about the number, characteristics, and selection criteria of the participants.
  • Data Collection: Explain the instruments, tools, or techniques used to gather data. Include details such as questionnaires, surveys, interviews, or experiments.
  • Procedure : Describe the step-by-step process of your research, including how data was collected and any ethical considerations.
  • Data Analysis: Specify the statistical or analytical methods used to process and interpret the data.

The Results section presents the findings of your study. It should be factual and data-driven, without interpretation. Include:

  • Data Presentation: Use tables, figures, and charts to present your data clearly.
  • Descriptive Statistics : Report essential statistical measures like means, standard deviations, or percentages.
  • Inferential Statistics: Use appropriate statistical tests to analyze your data.
  • Textual Description : Summarize the key findings and refer to tables or figures where necessary.

7. Discussion

This is where you interpret your results, discuss their implications, and relate them to your research question. Include:

  • Interpretation : Explain the meaning and significance of your findings.
  • Comparison to Existing Research : Compare your results to previous studies and explain how they align or differ.
  • Limitations : Address the limitations of your study and potential sources of bias.
  • Future Research : Suggest areas for future research or improvements to your methodology.

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8. Writing a Research Paper Conclusion

In the conclusion:

  • Summarize your paper
  • Reiterate how you addressed the main idea and research questions
  • Avoid introducing new information
  • Suggest potential future research

9. Bibliography

The Bibliography (or References) section lists all the sources you cited in your paper. It should follow a specific citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Arrange your sources alphabetically and format them according to the style guidelines.

10. Appendix

The Appendix is an optional section where you can include supplementary material that supports your research but is too detailed or extensive to include in the main body of the paper. 

Examples of content for the appendix might include raw data, additional charts, questionnaires, or extended descriptions of methods.

Writing the Second Draft

Once you've roughly organized your thoughts in the first draft, proceed to craft the second draft of your paper. 

Consider the following aspects to perfect your second draft:

  • Effectively Address the Main Argument : Review your paper to ensure you've effectively addressed the main argument or thesis statement.
  • Identify Assumptions : Identify any assumptions that may need inclusion or clarification in your paper.
  • Logical Structure : Rearrange and structure your ideas logically to enhance the paper's flow.
  • Trim Irrelevant Ideas : Remove any outdated or irrelevant ideas from the first draft and introduce fresh, unique approaches.
  • Create a Work Cited List : Start compiling a list of works cited according to your chosen citation style guide.

Revising and Proofreading

The final step in the writing process involves revising and proofreading to ensure your paper is well-developed and error-free. 

Confirm the following aspects:

  • Meeting Requirements : Verify if your paper meets all the specified requirements.
  • Logical Paragraph Order : Check for a logical order of paragraphs and ideas.
  • Eliminate Irrelevant Details : Remove any irrelevant or extra details.
  • Grammar and Punctuation : Look for grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.
  • Sentence Structure : Identify and rectify any issues with sentence structures.
  • Consistency : Ensure consistency in font, headings, page numbers, and formatting throughout the paper.
  • Proper Referencing : Confirm that all sources are correctly referenced following the guidelines of your chosen citation style.

Research Paper Examples

Examples serve as valuable templates and guides, showcasing various formatting styles, organization, and approaches to research paper writing. 

In this section, we will provide you with research paper examples for your reference and a deeper understanding of how to structure and present your own research. 

Research Paper Example

Research Paper Sample

APA Style Research Paper

MLA Style Research Paper

If you want more examples for research papers, check out our blog about research paper examples !

Research Paper Writing Checklist

This stage often refers to the phase of conducting research for your paper. This checklist will help you ensure that you cover all the necessary steps during this phase:

In summary, this guide will assist you in writing a perfect research paper. However, we understand that it may be quite challenging for students who lack strong writing and research skills.

The above-mentioned complete guide will help you write a perfect research paper. However, we understand that it is quite difficult for students who lack good writing and research skills.

If you're in search of the best paper writing service , MyPerfectWords.com stands out as the prime choice. We are a legitimate writing service, where you can hire an expert writer for your research papers.

Feel free to contact us without hesitation to discuss your custom research paper requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main purpose of a research paper.

The main purpose of a research paper is to bring together different views, evidence, and facts from books, articles, and interviews. It will interpret the information into your own writing so that you can share these with other writers as well as an audience of readers. 

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How Long Does It Take to Write 8 Pages?

Writing 8 pages will take about 1.7 hours for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 3.3 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 13.3 hours.

Typical documents that are 8 pages include college dissertations, theses, and in-depth blog posts and journal articles. A typical single-spaced page is 500 words long.

You may write faster or slower than this depending on your average writing speed. Adults typically type at about 40 words per minute when writing for enjoyment and 5 words per minute for in-depth essays or articles. They can handwrite at 20 words per minute. College students typically need to be able to write at 60-70 words per minute in order to quickly write essays.

Writing Time by Word Counts

The table below will tell you how long it will take to write typical word counts. If you want to know how long writing an essay or book will take, check out the table below:

Writing Time by Page Counts

The table below will tell you how long it will take to write typical page counts. If you want to know how long writing an essay or book will take, check out the table below:

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How long it Takes to Write an Essay (Word and Page Count)

How long to write an essay

Writing essays or assignments is a tricky undertaking for most students. Time is ever not enough when writing an essay. For some, it takes little time to complete certain pages, while others might find it harder to achieve the same pages unless they have more time. To craft classy and A+ grade essays, you need to understand how long it takes to write an essay.

This article comprehensively answers the main question of how long it actually takes to write a standard essay, research paper, or assignment, which is a common question among students from every academic level.

Whether you take less or more time to write an essay, as long as you submit your essay on time and score the best grade, that’s it! However, knowing how much time it takes helps you plan your schedule, especially if you have little time in your hands to complete essays and other school assignments.

So, how long does it take to write an essay? We share with you some critical insights below.

How long Does it take to write an essay?

Writing an essay is not like wearing a pair of socks where you just do it. Instead, the process requires adequate planning, the actual writing, and polishing what you have written.

In a nutshell, although estimating the most ideal time to complete an entire essay is impossible, we can infer or estimate it based on the optimal time it takes.

The total time it takes to write an essay, research paper, term paper, or complete an assignment varies depending on a myriad of factors such as required length, writing and research skills of the writer, and the technicality of the subject or topic. It is possible to write a simple 500 to 600- word essay or paper in 2 hours or less for an average writer. However, it will take you almost 5-6 hours if you are a slow or inexperienced writer.

If you are writing a 1500-word essay, you can take 4-5 hours or even a day, depending on how complex the content is and your writing skills.

We have seen writers devour 20-page research papers in a day and 10–15-page essays in less than 15 hours.

Beginning with a 40-page thesis or research paper, we will break down how long it ideally takes to complete an essay or research paper up to the smallest assignment assigned to students, usually 2 pages or 500 words.

As we advance, refer to our article : The ideal length of a comprehensive essay for the exact word count and the number of pages.

40-Page Thesis or Research paper

For an experienced writer, writing 40 pages, including research work, will take 2.5 to 3 days or 50-72 hours. This is considering that they will be taking breaks in-between or attending to personal issues. However, if research is done and only typing remains, it can take 8-12 hours to complete.

For a slow writer, you can complete writing 40 pages in 6-8 days. Some people take ten days or more, but the assumption is that they have little time to write the paper as they have other commitments.

A 40-page research paper is 11000 words, which can be achieved by writing 3600 words or 12-pages per day. However, considering that sections such as introduction, discussion, and conclusion are easy to tackle, the saved time is pushed to the complex parts of the research paper.

Anything you do, resist the temptation of using an online paraphrasing tool or w writing a bot to achieve the word count within the shortest time. A paper written after researching, reading, and critically reasoning sounds better than that spun by a bot.

To write such a paper within those three days, research well, take notes and organize your research. Then, you can use online bibliography organizers and download the peer-reviewed journals into a folder for easy access.

Rationally, professors assign more time to complete the long papers. Avoid the last-minute rush because you procrastinated. Begin early enough so that each part is not rushed and that you can cover all the required details.

30-page Research Paper/Thesis

If you are assigned a 30-page thesis or research paper, you can still complete it in under 2.5 days. Assuming you are writing 15 pages per day, it will only take you two days. However, if you are a slow writer, you will need to take up to 5 days to complete a 30-page research paper.

As a student with much time, planning, writing, and polishing, a 30-page paper should be in less than a week. If your deadline is 2 weeks, ensure that you are done in the first week so that you’re left with enough time to rest, research further, and refine ideas in your paper.

Again, you need to plan your research, writing, and revision processes. Ensure that you take notes, have an organized list of bibliography, and have downloaded the online peer-reviewed articles to use.

20-Page Research Paper

This is about 5000-5500 double-spaced paper.

A fast, accurate, and experienced professional writer can take a maximum of 2 days to complete a 20-page paper. However, a slow writer will take up to 4 to 5 days to complete 20-pages. We have experimented with this with our writers internally and conducted online surveys with clients and students.

We can say that the writing and research skills, typing speed, and organization define how fast you nail that 20-page research paper. If you are writing by hand, which is unlikely in this era, you will take more than 2 weeks.

The ultimate plan is to spend 30% of the time researching, 50% writing, and 20% editing and polishing. Once the writing process is organized, completing a 20-page research paper will be smooth, easy, and fun.

12-Page Essay, Term paper, or Research Paper

We have seen writers complete 12-page papers in under 12 hours. All we can say is that skills, the complexity of the subject, typing speed, and experience matter.

Ideally, writing 12 pages needs between 12-20 hours. An advanced writer will complete a 12-page essay in 8-10 hours, while a slow writer will take as much as over 12 hours but not more than 20 hours.

The trick is to plan, research, and organize your research thoroughly, then write the paper. You better use mind maps or concept maps to organize your thoughts around the paper. It makes it easy to own and achieve the vision of the paper. Also, try to limit your distractions and focus on achieving the most in your paper.

A 10-page essay or Research paper

So, you have 2500 to 2750 words or 3000 words to write an essay, research paper, or term paper, and you wonder how long that will take? Well, writing a 10-page paper should take you 5-10 hours.

If you are a slow writer, it will take more than 12 hours but not a day. This is the typical length of most assignments given in class as part of coursework. However, it is an ideal length for you to critically and comprehensively explore a given topic. This counts for a 2500-3000 double-spaced paper or five pages of single-spaced paper.

To complete a 10-page paper faster, you need to begin by reading the prompt. It would help if you then chose a good topic and researched to familiarize yourself with it. Next, write a clear thesis statement and refine it as you organize your research. Finally, write the paper and then edit it later.

Our professional paper writing service has writers who can complete your 10-page paper within a day or in 12 hours. Our experts draw from their experience, pro writing skills, research experience, and ability to organize thoughts faster. They have been doing this for the longest time and can complete your paper fast.

5-page double-spaced essay

A five-page essay is by far the most common assignment in tourism, management, leadership, anthropology, nursing, sociology, education, and many other disciplines.

The duration to complete depends on how complex the topic is, the depth of research required, and the actual deadline of the paper. It is about 1500 to 1650 words in length.

In a 5-page double-spaced essay, the introduction and conclusion comprise 20%, which leaves you with 80% of the word count for the body paragraphs. An expert writer can do the same in 3-4 hours if it is not complex. However, slow writers will take up to a day or two to complete the same length.

A standard 5-page paper can be written in 4-5 hours.

1000-word essay

This is a 4-page double-spaced paper. Depending on the extent of research required, special instructions, and skills of the writer, you can take 2-4 hours.

An essay pro will take 2 hours to complete a standard 1000-word essay , while a slow writer will need up to 7 hours. This is because they are each writing a 1000-word essay graded an A+ at the end of the day.

The trick is to familiarize yourself with the topic, write an outline, organize your research, and write the essay, then edit it after taking a short break.

500-word essay

Writing a standard 500-word essay, which is two pages, takes 2 hours or less. Therefore, a standard writer will take 2-3 hours while an expert writer will take one and a half hours tops.

Once you get such an essay, write it faster, spend a few minutes understanding the gist of the essay, familiarizing yourself with the topics, and planning the paper. Often, it needs you to strikingly hook your readers and conclude the essay in a bang.

This is one of those essays you write as you cite and read internally as you listen to ensure that everything is well written. Again, you will need to have fast typing skills to achieve the page count in an hour or less.

Factors that Determine the time you take to write an essay

As we mentioned before, a hoard of elements defines the time you will take to write an essay. Here are some of the vital factors:

  • The technicality of the content –the time you take to complete an essay depends on how complex the content is. For instance, if you are writing an argumentative or informative essay, you’d probably take less time compared to when writing a technical essay on biology, nursing, physics, or geography.
  • Special guidelines from class– if there are special requirements from class, such as using the class text, you’d take less time writing your essay. However, suppose the special requirements need you to focus on an area or structure specifically. In that case, you will probably take more time to write the essay.
  • The extent of Research– an essay requiring in-depth research, reading, and critical analysis will take more time than a descriptive or explorative essay. The complexity of the subject defines the extent of research. If your essay is on science and other technical subjects, it definitely requires more research and time.
  • The time you have –the deadline of your essay defines the time you have to complete your essay. However, your personal schedule also determines how long you have to complete an essay. Generally, the more time you have, the more time it takes to write an essay. To avoid writers’ block, consider finishing your essay on time within the standard time it takes to complete an essay. It makes you professional, timely and leaves you with more time to polish it.
  • Experience with writing–  experienced writers will take less time writing an essay compared to average or novice writers. For instance, our fast essay writers take an hour or less to write a one-page essay of 275-300 words. Equally, they can complete a 10-page essay in under 12 hours.
  • Writing Skills –your writing skills also determine how quickly you write an essay. If you are skilled enough to plan, research, and write, you will complete your essay in the shortest record time.
  • Research Skills –the research strategies you used to get familiar with the topic, develop arguments, and offer examples also define how long you’ll take to complete an essay or research paper. Besides, if you are organized enough, you will take less time researching and writing an essay.
  • Front and Back matter requirements– if your essay requires a special cover page and references page or appendices, it might take slightly more time compared to an essay with a standard cover and title pages.

How the writing process affects the time you take to write an essay

Do you know that the writing process and how you apply it defines the time it takes to complete an essay? Well, it does. Before we tell you how-to, let’s re-cap the essay writing process.

The essay writing process entails three main stages:

  • Preparation/pre-writing : Here, you decide on the topic, do in-depth research to familiarize yourself with the topic, choose a tentative thesis statement, and create an essay outline.
  • Writing : Here is where the rubber meets the road. You develop your arguments in the body of your essay, provide evidence in the body paragraphs, and write the conclusion and introduction of your paper with the hook and thesis statement being prominent features.
  • Revision/post-writing : You revise for content, grammar, spelling, formatting, and organization.

This simple three-step writing process applies whether you are writing a case study, a term paper, a research paper, or any form of assignment.

Note that taking these steps becomes seamless as you practice and write more papers. You do not have to beat yourself up as they are not systematic. You can choose to begin with any step. However, ensure that the paper you write at the end will be worth the best grades.

Time-wise, the pre-writing or preparation stage should take 20% of the total time you have. Writing should always take 50% of the total time you have. Finally, you should spend 30% of the time in the post-writing stage.

 So, if you have 24 hours to complete a 5-page essay, spend 5 hours brainstorming, outlining, and researching. You should then spend 12 hours writing the paper, inclusive of breaks. Note that you will be writing as you refer from sources, compare ideas, give examples, and offer evidence while citing the respective sources. The process is tedious but should be meticulous as it either makes or breaks your grade. Finally, you will spend the remaining 7 hours polishing the essay.

As you can see, this gives you ample time to run personal errands, attend to other personal issues, and complete your assignments on time.

Therefore, to write an essay fast, accurately, and efficiently, you need to plan your time against the structure of your essay.

How to improve your essay writing speed

In our article, we have used terms such as slow and novice writers to refer to average writers. It is not bad to be one. However, everyone aspires to be the best version of themselves. Writing challenging essays sucks, and the sooner you do away with them, the sooner your school life becomes less stressful. Here are some seven best strategies you can use to improve your essay, assignment, coursework, or research paper writing speed.

1. Read and understand the instructions

A common mistake students make is casually reading the instructions and assuming that they can head straight into writing a paper. If you want to write an essay fast , concentrate on what your professor wants before deciding how you meet these requirements. It cuts the time you would have wasted when you discover that you would have done it the other way round while in the middle of your writing.

2. Plan your essay/research paper

To write any paper faster, you have to plan adequately. Planning helps allocate time and spend time on the things that matter. Failing to plan is equal to failure. Therefore, write a great outline for your paper. Know what falls where. For instance, write a tentative thesis statement , plan what essay hook to use in your intro, and decide what the main message that supports the thesis each of the body paragraphs will harbor.

3. Conduct research

After planning your research, you need to conduct thorough research. The aim of the research is to familiarize with the topic, collect views and perspectives on the topic, and refine the thesis statement. While researching, ensure that you take notes.

It would be prudent if you also take note of what other scholars have discussed your topic. Refine the scope of your paper and the focus of each paragraph. While researching, you can refine the outline to ensure that everything flows. Find evidence, examples, and quotes from books and scholarly articles to defend your thesis.

4. Organize your research

When you research and leave it at that – it is a recipe for failure. Instead, organize your research effectively. Here is the trick: download the downloadable scholarly articles and save them into a folder on your computer. You can also bookmark books. As you do so, use the digital bibliography or citation tools to organize the sources in alphabetical order as would appear on your reference page.

5. Find a suitable place to write it

Do not just write your paper anywhere. After all, you cannot do homework in the club, café, train or bus. Instead, it would help if you found a distraction-free place to do your homework . A place without distractions lets you sink in the mood of your assignment.

If your roommates are noisy, try the library or find an excellent place to complete your essay without distractions. Avoid noisy and busy places as they will steal away your concentration.

If you find yourself working well with music, find some slow music that does not distract your concentration. As well, have some water to replenish yourself as you write. Finally, have a spot with good, reliable, and safe internet so that you can research online, write, and countercheck facts without having to read hardcover books.

6. Break the paper into sections

When writing, a paper with some structure or skeleton will be completed much faster than that whose parts are not broken.

Breaking your essay into sections helps you know what areas to focus on the most. Besides, you can jump sections and complete the easier ones without disturbing the flow of your essay or research paper.

Writing the paper as a block denies you the chance to be creative. Ideas tend to get to us when we are busy elsewhere. When you have a section, you can quickly incorporate the idea and return to the previous section, and the essay will still flow, regardless.

After finishing a section, take a break so that you return fresh to complete the next one until your essay or research paper is completed.

7. Write fast, then polish later

Instead of being a perfectionist as you write, focus on just writing. Leave the editing and polishing for later.

To write an essay or research paper faster, you need to write, flow your ideas, and maintain the gist of the essay. Then, you can correct the typos, errors, and omissions later. Doing so saves you the stress of rushing through polishing, which is integral for the best grades.

Parting Shot!

The truth on the ground is that writing an essay, research paper, term paper, or assignment suck. To write an essay or any assignment, the writing process entails preparation, writing, and revision. Following these three main steps ensures that you end up with a good grade on your assignment.

Time is money, and if you learn how to manage it, the better. To write a great essay, you need to be diligent, patient and committed. Typically, you will be developing ideas about a topic right from the introduction to the conclusion. In between, you have the body paragraphs that take time and skill. Therefore, it is critical to understand the ideal time it takes to write a comprehensive essay.

how long to write an 8 page research paper

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WORRIED ABOUT HOW TO WRITE AN 8-PAGE RESEARCH PAPER? RELAX…YOU GOT THIS

Research paper assignments are nothing new. And usually, the instructor gives a general length requirement. You’ve written 10, 12, and 15-page papers – these are pretty common numbers. But once you get below 10 pages, let’s say an 8-page research paper, things do change up a bit.

Man sitting in front of notebook

Shorter Research Papers are Tougher

Just why is an 8-page research paper  harder than a 15-page (or longer) paper ?

  • Topic selection for an 8-page paper is harder. It has to be narrow and very specific. A 15-page paper can handle a more general topic
  • It can be hard to find primary resources for a narrow topic of an 8-page essay. A more general topic of a larger essay will have more similar resources and be easier to find.

If you are worried about how to write an 8-page paper, don’t. You will actually write it the same way you write any research paper. It’s just the early part – topic and research – that can be a bit tough.

Getting to that Topic

It’s hard to know what topic will “fit” an 8-page essay or paper. But there are a couple of ways to find one, once you have the larger topic area. Let’s take the Great Depression as an example.

  • It’s a large topic, so narrow it down into some sub-topics, such as the causes, government intervention to “fix” it, urban and rural differences, etc.
  • Get online and take a look at some existing papers and essays on these narrower topics, and see if others have “covered” them in about 8 pages. If so, you probably have a “winner.”

The other way to choose a topic that will fit is to choose an event or person to write about. In that U.S. history class, for example, Prohibition would be an ideal topic for an 8-page paper.

Now the Research

It is not unusual for a shorter research paper to actually have more resources than a longer one. This is because a narrow topic is often covered as a small part of a larger work, so you will have to find a number of those larger works to use.

Let’s take the example of the Great Depression. You have narrowed your topic down to one cause – banks’ lending practices during the 1920s. As you look for resources, you will find smaller sections in those resources on banking practices that resulted in “runs on banks” and bank failures. But you may have to access a number of resources to get enough information for your paper.

Again, you can speed up your search for resources in the following ways:

  • Conduct a basic Google search with the right keywords
  • Look at resources that were used by others who have written papers or journal articles on this specific topic.

A big part of figuring out how long it takes to write an 8-page paper will involve how long it takes to find the right resources. BestSchoolNews can help with that.

Now, How to Write an 8-Page Research Paper

Follow the same  procedure that you would with any research essay or paper  you might write. You know you have to do the research; you know you have to organize that research into sub-topics. You know you have to decide in what order you are going to cover those sub-topics; and you know that you will have to come up with a thesis statement – perhaps something like, “If there had been regulations on lending practices in place during the 1920s, it is possible that we might have avoided the worst of the Great Depression.” If possible, insert some cool drawings , charts and tables. It’ll add up to your credibility.

There is Help Out There

If you are still struggling with how to write an 8-page research paper, any part of it, you can get professional help from  writers’ services  online. Be careful, though – there are thousands and thousands of them, and not all are good. You want to find one that is reputable. Read some reviews of writing services and make a selection based upon those reviews.

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How to Create a Structured Research Paper Outline | Example

Published on August 7, 2022 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on August 15, 2023.

How to Create a Structured Research Paper Outline

A research paper outline is a useful tool to aid in the writing process , providing a structure to follow with all information to be included in the paper clearly organized.

A quality outline can make writing your research paper more efficient by helping to:

  • Organize your thoughts
  • Understand the flow of information and how ideas are related
  • Ensure nothing is forgotten

A research paper outline can also give your teacher an early idea of the final product.

Table of contents

Research paper outline example, how to write a research paper outline, formatting your research paper outline, language in research paper outlines.

  • Definition of measles
  • Rise in cases in recent years in places the disease was previously eliminated or had very low rates of infection
  • Figures: Number of cases per year on average, number in recent years. Relate to immunization
  • Symptoms and timeframes of disease
  • Risk of fatality, including statistics
  • How measles is spread
  • Immunization procedures in different regions
  • Different regions, focusing on the arguments from those against immunization
  • Immunization figures in affected regions
  • High number of cases in non-immunizing regions
  • Illnesses that can result from measles virus
  • Fatal cases of other illnesses after patient contracted measles
  • Summary of arguments of different groups
  • Summary of figures and relationship with recent immunization debate
  • Which side of the argument appears to be correct?

A faster, more affordable way to improve your paper

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how long to write an 8 page research paper

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Follow these steps to start your research paper outline:

  • Decide on the subject of the paper
  • Write down all the ideas you want to include or discuss
  • Organize related ideas into sub-groups
  • Arrange your ideas into a hierarchy: What should the reader learn first? What is most important? Which idea will help end your paper most effectively?
  • Create headings and subheadings that are effective
  • Format the outline in either alphanumeric, full-sentence or decimal format

There are three different kinds of research paper outline: alphanumeric, full-sentence and decimal outlines. The differences relate to formatting and style of writing.

  • Alphanumeric
  • Full-sentence

An alphanumeric outline is most commonly used. It uses Roman numerals, capitalized letters, arabic numerals, lowercase letters to organize the flow of information. Text is written with short notes rather than full sentences.

  • Sub-point of sub-point 1

Essentially the same as the alphanumeric outline, but with the text written in full sentences rather than short points.

  • Additional sub-point to conclude discussion of point of evidence introduced in point A

A decimal outline is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline, but with a different numbering system: 1, 1.1, 1.2, etc. Text is written as short notes rather than full sentences.

  • 1.1.1 Sub-point of first point
  • 1.1.2 Sub-point of first point
  • 1.2 Second point

To write an effective research paper outline, it is important to pay attention to language. This is especially important if it is one you will show to your teacher or be assessed on.

There are four main considerations: parallelism, coordination, subordination and division.

Parallelism: Be consistent with grammatical form

Parallel structure or parallelism is the repetition of a particular grammatical form within a sentence, or in this case, between points and sub-points. This simply means that if the first point is a verb , the sub-point should also be a verb.

Example of parallelism:

  • Include different regions, focusing on the different arguments from those against immunization

Coordination: Be aware of each point’s weight

Your chosen subheadings should hold the same significance as each other, as should all first sub-points, secondary sub-points, and so on.

Example of coordination:

  • Include immunization figures in affected regions
  • Illnesses that can result from the measles virus

Subordination: Work from general to specific

Subordination refers to the separation of general points from specific. Your main headings should be quite general, and each level of sub-point should become more specific.

Example of subordination:

Division: break information into sub-points.

Your headings should be divided into two or more subsections. There is no limit to how many subsections you can include under each heading, but keep in mind that the information will be structured into a paragraph during the writing stage, so you should not go overboard with the number of sub-points.

Ready to start writing or looking for guidance on a different step in the process? Read our step-by-step guide on how to write a research paper .

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How long does it take to write a Research Paper: 5 or 30 Pages

  • by Joseph Kenas
  • February 24, 2023
  • Writing Tips

time to write a Research Paper

You may be wondering how long it might take one to come up with a research paper and well, research papers do not have a definite time required to be written as they vary from writer to writer depending on speed and ability.

It should be understood that the time taken to write a research paper is reliant on a number of issues such as the technicality of the research paper, the extent of the research and the timeframe given for the research paper among other factors.

How long does it take to write a Research Paper?

time you need

The time taken to write a research paper depends on the skills, length of the paper, the technicality of the topic plus the speed of the writer and therefore it is not easy to get the exact time that a research paper might take apart from having estimates.

It might take you two hours or less as an average writer for a 500-600-word research paper. For instance:

  • A 1500-word paper might take you four hours or so depending on the complexity of the work and your writing skills while a 5-page research paper of about 1500-1650 words might take you four to five hours for a slow writer while a fast writer might require three hours for the same.
  • A 10-page research paper which mostly includes class assignments might take you five to ten hours as a fast writer since it ranges from between 2500-2750 words while a slow writer might take twelve hours or even a day.
  • A 20-page research paper may take 4-5 days for a slow writer while the same can take 2 days for a fast writer depending on the organization, speed and research skills of the writer.
  • A 40-page research paper might take a fast writer three to three and half days while a slow writer might take six to eight days.

What Factors determine the time you use to write a Paper?

Technicality of the research paper.

The time taken on a research paper depends on the technicality and complexity of the content.

Technical topics from fields such as biology, physics, nursing and geography will most likely take most of your time to write as compared to less technical areas like sociology and art topics.

doing research

The Extent of the Research

A research paper that is in-depth and requires critical analysis normally requires a lot of time due to thorough research.

This means that the more complex the subject the greater extent the research will be. Research papers on topics science will definitely fall into this category.

The Timeframe given for the Research Paper

Your personal schedule, the deadline of the research paper and timeframe for your research paper will determine the time you will take to complete it.

The more time at your disposal means the longer you will take to complete the paper and therefore you should strive to complete the paper as fast as possible in order to have more time to polish it and make it better.

How to Speed up your Writing

One of the key ingredients in trying to write a research paper using the shortest time possible is speed.

It will come as no surprise that the faster you organize yourself in terms of looking for relevant information for your paper, piecing information together in proper flow and writing it, the shorter the time your paper will take.

To write Faster strive to type faster

You surely need to Train yourself to type faster so as to increase your writing pace. This can be achieved through thorough typing exercises and habitual playing of typing games that will boost muscle memory in the fingers.

speed chart

It is also important to learn how to type without looking at the keyboard in case you are that type that does so and also try to avoid the hunt and peck technique which entails not using all the ten fingers in typing.

This will train you to become a faster, efficient and stronger typist.

You can also turn to websites and sites that can guide you on how fast or slow your typing is and also provide you with tips, lessons and exercises on how to increase your typing speed in terms of words per minute since typing faster in essence means writing faster.

Keep on writing without worrying about mistakes 

In order to write fast, one of the cardinal rules is to keep on writing without editing. This is because if you edit as you write, your brain will be distracted from the actual task of writing and this will ultimately slow you down.

In as much as you might see obvious mistakes as you write, try and edit the work after you are done with the draft on a page or so.

Optimize the Flow of your Work

If you want to write fast, another quick way is to be in an environment that is set up to facilitate quick writing. This implies that you should not have any distractions, have a good sitting posture and arm yourself with an outline and notes on the topic you are writing about.

It does not mean that in order to optimize the flow of your work you create a flawless environment; it implies that you make your writing environment as conducive as possible. 

Avoid Distractions

In the event that you are writing using your phone, it is advisable that you have it on a do not disturb mode in order to bar any notification which may impede your fast writing.

In case you are on a computer, browser extensions such as Leechblock and Pause can help you to deal with the temptation of peeping at distracting websites, an act that will slow down your concentration and speed.

Imagine telling yourself that you will glance at twitter or Facebook for seconds…never will that happen, just block them out and write.

Proper Sitting Posture

sitting posture

If you want to write faster, a proper sitting posture will be essential because it means being in a comfortable position on your desk as you write.

You will also need to sit up straight with your forearms resting comfortably on your desk. This reduces the strain that is put on your arms, hands, back and neck while typing.

At times you might find yourself writing while in a public place, while traveling on public transit or even in a park that might force you to sit and work in a not so comfortable position, try your best to get close to the best kind of posture needed.  

Reduce Distractions 

Having notes and an outline can prove handy when you want to cut down on the chances of distraction during writing. You can decide to have them on printed paper or rather open a tab on whatever gadget you are using.

Ultimately they will go a long way in helping you to save time as you write instead of wasting your time looking for them when need arises.

how long to write an 8 page research paper

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

How to Write a Research Paper Introduction

Matt Ellis

As the saying goes, You only get one chance at a first impression, and research papers are no exception. It’s the first thing people read, so a solid research paper introduction should lay the groundwork for the rest of the paper, answer the early questions a reader has, and make a personal impact—all while being as succinct as possible.

It’s not always easy knowing how to write introductions for research papers, and sometimes they can be the hardest part of the whole paper. So in this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know, discussing what to include in introductions to research papers and sharing some expert tips so you can do it well.

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What is a research paper introduction?

A research paper introduction is an essential part of academic writing that explains the paper’s main topic and prepares the reader for the rest of the paper. After reading the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, what point it’s trying to make, and why it matters.

For scientific and data-heavy research papers, the introduction has a few more formal requirements, such as briefly describing how the research was conducted. We’ll explain more on those in the next section.

The role of the research paper introduction is to make sure the reader understands all the necessary preliminary information before they encounter the discoveries presented in the body of the research paper. Learning how to write an introduction is an important part of knowing how to write a research paper .

How long should a research paper introduction be?

There are no firm rules on how long a research paper introduction should be. The only guideline is that the length of the introduction should be commensurate with the length of the entire paper. Very long papers may have an introduction that spans more than one page, while short papers can have an introduction of only a paragraph.

What to include in introductions to research papers

Generally speaking, a good research paper introduction includes these parts:

1 Thesis statement

2 Background context

3 Niche (research gap)

4 Relevance (how the paper fills that gap)

5 Rationale and motivation

First, a thesis statement is a single sentence that summarizes the main topic of your paper. The thesis statement establishes the scope of the paper, defining what will and won’t be discussed.

You also want to provide some background , summarizing what the reader needs to know before you present new information. This includes a brief history of the topic and any previous research or writings that your own ideas are built on.

In academic writing, it’s good to explain the paper’s niche, the area of research that your paper contributes to. In formal research papers, you should describe the research gap, a particular area of a topic that either has not been researched or has inadequate research. Informal research papers without original research don’t need to worry much about this.

After establishing the niche, next you explain how your research paper fills that niche—in other words, your paper’s relevance. Why is this paper important? What does it teach us? In a formal research paper introduction, you explain how your paper and research attempt to close the research gap and add the missing data.

Last, mention the rationale and motivation for why you chose this topic for your research. This can be either a personal choice or a practical one, such as researching a topic that urgently needs new information. You can also mention what you hope your research accomplishes—your goals—to round out your motivations.

What to include in introductions to scientific research papers

Scientific research papers, especially if they present original research and new data, have some additional requirements for their introduction:

  • Methodology
  • Research question or hypothesis
  • Literature review (previous research and current literature)

The methodology describes how you conducted your research, including which tools you used or the procedure for your tests. This is to validate your findings, so readers know your data comes from a reliable source.

A research question or hypothesis acts similarly to the thesis statement. A research question is simply the question your research aims to answer, while a hypothesis is your prediction, made before the experiments begin, of what the research will yield. By the end of the paper, your hypothesis will be proven right or wrong.

Given the nature of scientific papers, the background context is more detailed than in other research papers. A literature review explains all the research on your particular topic that’s relevant to your paper. You outline the major writings and other research papers your own research is based on, and discuss any problems or biases those writings have that may undermine their findings.

The literature review is the perfect place for establishing the research gap. Here you can explain in your own words why the current research on your topic is insufficient, and why your own research serves to fill this gap.

If you’re writing a casual paper that relies only on existing research, you don’t need to worry about these.

How to write introductions for research papers

1 use the cars model.

The English scientist John Swales devised a method known as the CARS model to “Create A Research Space” in introductions. Although it’s aimed at scientific papers, this simple, three-step structure can be used to outline any research paper introduction.

  • Establishing a territory : Explain the background context of your topic, including previous research.
  • Establishing a niche : Explain that one area of your topic is missing information or that the current research is inadequate.
  • Occupying a niche : Explain how your research “fills in” that missing information from your topic.

Swales then suggests stating the outcome of the research and previewing the structure of the rest of the paper, although these don’t apply to all research papers, particularly informal ones.

2 Start broad and narrow down

One common mistake in writing research paper introductions is to try fitting in everything all at once. Instead, pace yourself and present the information piece by piece in the most logical order for the reader to understand. Generally that means starting broad with the big picture, and then gradually getting more specific with the details.

For research paper introductions, you want to present an overview of the topic first, and then zero in on your particular paper. This “funnel” structure naturally includes all the necessary parts of what to include in research paper introductions, from background context to the niche or research gap and finally the relevance.

3 Be concise

Introductions aren’t supposed to be long or detailed; they’re more like warm-up acts. Introductions are better when they cut straight to the point—save the details for the body of the paper, where they belong.

The most important point about introductions is that they’re clear and comprehensible. Wordy writing can be distracting and even make your point more confusing, so remove unnecessary words and try to phrase things in simple terms that anyone can understand.

4 Consider narrative style

Although not always suitable for formal papers, using a narrative style in your research paper introduction can help immensely in engaging your reader and “ hooking ” them emotionally. In fact, a 2016 study showed that, in certain papers, using narrative strategies actually improves how often they’re cited in other papers.

A narrative style involves making the paper more personal in order to appeal to the reader’s emotions. Strategies include:

  • Using first-person pronouns ( I, we, my, our ) to establish yourself as the narrator
  • Describing emotions and feelings in the text
  • Setting the scene; describing the time and place of key events to help the reader imagine them
  • Appealing to the reader’s morality, sympathy, or urgency as a persuasion tactic

Again, this style won’t work for all research paper introductions, especially those for scientific research. However, for more casual research papers—and especially essays—this style can make your writing more entertaining or at the very least interesting, perfect for raising your reader’s enthusiasm right at the start of your paper.

5 Write your research paper introduction last

Your introduction may come first in a research paper, but a common tip is to wait on writing it until everything else is already written. This makes it easier to summarize your paper, because at that point you know everything you’re going to say. It also removes the urge to include everything in the introduction because you don’t want to forget anything.

Furthermore, it’s especially helpful to write your introduction after your research paper conclusion . A research paper’s introduction and conclusion share similar themes, and often mirror each other’s structure. Writing the conclusion is usually easier, too, thanks to the momentum from writing the rest of the paper, and that conclusion can help guide you in writing your introduction.

Research paper introduction FAQs

For academic writing like research papers, an introduction has to explain the topic, establish the necessary background context, and prepare the reader for the rest of the paper. In scientific research papers, the introduction also addresses the methodology and describes the current research for that topic.

What do you include in an introduction to a research paper?

A good research paper introduction includes:

  • Thesis statement
  • Background context
  • Niche (research gap)
  • Relevance (how it fills that gap)
  • Rationale and motivation

Scientific research papers with original data should also include the methodology, a literature review, and possibly a research question or hypothesis.

How do you write an introduction for a research paper?

There are a few important guidelines to remember when writing a research paper. Start with a broad overview of the topic and gradually get more specific with the details and how your paper relates. Be sure to keep your introduction as succinct as possible, as you don’t want it to be too long. Some people find it’s easier to write the introduction last, after the rest of the paper is finished.

how long to write an 8 page research paper

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How to Write a Research Paper Fast

How-to-Write-a-Research-Paper-Fast

As a student, you knew it was inevitable. The day has come where you have to write a research paper, but you’ve put it off until the last minute. Now the pressure is sinking in to get it done quickly and you want to know how to write a research paper fast.

The good news is that it’s doable. The better news is that there are ways to avoid waiting until the last minute. We will tackle those after we give you everything you need to know to get it done.

Citing a book as a source for research

Photo by Russ Ward

The process.

A research paper is what it sounds like — a paper that requires a thesis (or argument) along with the research to back it up. Research papers involve citing a variety of sources, analyzing arguments, and pulling different academic pieces together to prove a point.

1. Understand the Assignment:

The first thing you have to make sure you do before you get to outlining and writing is to understand the assignment. You will need to organize different pieces of information, from books, essays, interviews, articles and more.

2. Choose a Topic:

Depending on the assignment provided, you will either have a topic in front of you or you will have to decide on one yourself. If your professor did not provide you with a topic, here are some helpful ways to choose one that will work for your needs:

  • Choose something you understand enough so that you will be able to interpret the research about it
  • Before you get started, check that there is a lot of content about that topic by performing a simple online search to see what turns up
  • Write out your topic as a research question that you plan to answer
  • Research more about your topic and find evidence to back up what you want to answer
  • Make a list of keywords that you continue to see pop up about the topic
  • Create your thesis

3. Perform Research:

While performing research is as easy as conducting an online search for sources, the more important element is evaluating the validity of a source. Don’t use Wikipedia as a source, because it is crowdsourced and can be edited by anyone. Instead, rely on digital encyclopedias, scholarly databases, trustworthy publications like TIME magazine and the New York Times, and the like. Since you’re writing this research paper at the last minute, the library may not be a possible option. However, for the next time you write a research paper and plan in advance, definitely utilize books from the library.

4. Write Your Thesis:

A thesis statement is the gist of your entire paper. It is what you will spend your writing proving; therefore, it has to be strong and to the point. A thesis statement appears in the introduction of your research paper, following the strong hook statement that draws your readers in. There is a formulaic way to write a strong thesis statement, and it looks something like this:

“By examining (argument 1), (argument 2), and (argument 3), it is clear that (statement you will prove).”

A thesis statement is typically one sentence and it is clearly written so that the reader knows exactly what they will read about in your paper.

To check that you’ve written a strong thesis statement, ask yourself if it achieves the following:

  • Is it in the introduction?
  • Does it answer the question from the prompt?
  • Can others argue against my thesis?
  • Is it going to prove a single claim?
  • Does it answer something meaningful?

5. Outline Your Paper:

Now that you have the main ingredients for your research paper, namely your thesis and supporting research, you can start outlining. Everyone has their own way they like to create an outline for papers. Here’s one good example of how it can be done — this is called a flat outline:

  • List the topics you will discuss
  • Under each topic, write your sources
  • If you are lacking sources, revisit and research more to give more meat to your paper
  • Move your topics and their information onto your paper in an organized flow
  • Write your thesis at the top so you can ensure that you are answering/proving your thesis throughout the paper’s argument

6. The Body/Intro and Conclusion:

So, do you start with your introduction and conclusion and then fill in the body? Or, do you do it the other way around? Really, there is no right or wrong way. It ultimately depends on your preference. Some people like to write their introduction and use it to serve as an outline of their paper and then flow from there. Others like to write their points in the body of their paper and then extrapolate the introduction and conclusion from what they wrote.

Regardless of how you perform your work, there is a structure that the paper must follow, which looks like this:

  • Introduction – includes a hook sentence (grabs the reader), your thesis and a menu sentence (a list of what you will discuss).
  • Body paragraphs – each body paragraph comes from what you mentioned in your introduction’s menu sentence. Each body paragraph has a topic sentence, or a first sentence that clearly states what it will be about. Each body paragraph includes support and sources that prove the topic sentence or argument.
  • Conclusion – here, you restate your introduction and thesis in different words. You want to end with a strong and memorable sentence. Just like your introduction began with a hook statement, your conclusion should end with something that will be remembered.

7. Cite Sources:

One of the major differences between a research paper and any other academic paper is that you must cite your sources. The end of your paper will have a list of sources, or a bibliography. Depending on your professor’s preferences, they will either be listed in APA format , MLA , Chicago , etc. This is an imperative step because your entire research paper’s evidence is based on and backed up by these sources, so you must give them credit where credit is due.

While this is not in the cards for all paper writing, it is very important for a last minute research paper. You’ve likely spent hours crunching the information and regurgitating it in your own words to fill up the once blank pages. As such, it’s a good idea to step away from your paper, get some sleep, and then revisit it with fresh eyes in the morning.

9. Proofread Revise and Editing:

As with any paper, you want to make sure you read it over to catch any mistakes. Not only should you use the Word processing tool that checks spelling and grammar for you, but you must also read it out loud to find any mistakes.

10. Find and Remove Plagiarism:

Once you are done with the entire proofreading and checking phase, the last thing that you have to do is find and remove plagiarism in your research paper. Plagiarism has a lot of consequences, and you have to make sure that your research paper is completely free of it. To do this, you first have to use a plagiarism checker to find all the plagiarized parts. Once found, you can either remove them or give the required accreditations.

If there is time to ask a friend or peer to read over your paper one time, that will be a good idea, too.

Notebook with notes and research

Photo by  Dan Dimmock  on  Unsplash

How to write a research paper in a day.

Granted, all the steps above can help you write a research paper fast. Here’s a brief look at how you can do this in a day:

1. Brainstorm Quickly

  • Use the prompt
  • Outline possible options
  • Perform a simple Google search and find what has the most information
  • Choose your topic
  • Create an outline

2. Research

  • Find research to support each point in your outline

3. Write Quickly

  • Put it all on paper as you think of it
  • Take time to edit, condense, and rewrite

Distraction-free writing environment

Photo by  Nick Morrison  on  Unsplash

Find a good writing environment.

Before sitting down to get started on your last-minute task, make sure you set up an environment that is conducive to getting your work done. Things you want to consider:

1. Distraction-free:

Choose somewhere quiet and distraction-free. You will have to stay focused for a few hours, so you’ll want to choose a comfortable setting.

2. Good lighting:

Along with comfort, make sure you have adequate lighting to read and write.

3. Go somewhere studious:

Perhaps, if time permits, you can choose to work in somewhere like a library or a study lounge.

4. Bring just your supplies needed:

Even if you work at home, make sure you set up a table with only the supplies you need, as to limit distractions. This could include: a computer, tablet, pen, paper, highlighter, books, and sticky notes. Plus, don’t forget water!

Tips to Avoid Procrastination

Writing a last-minute paper, especially that involves research, is stressful and less than optimal . Instead of finding yourself in this position, you can follow this advice to avoid such a situation.

1. Start early:

Once you’re given the prompt, start thinking about what you want to write about. You can write down ideas on paper and look into the research that supports each point.

2. Outline first and take breaks:

Begin outlining your paper so that when you sit to write, you already have the bulk of it prepared. If you start early, you will have the advantage and ability to take breaks. This helps to revisit your argument with a clear head and potentially see things that you may have otherwise missed.

3. Ask for help if you need it:

Starting early means that you are not crunched for time. So, you have the added benefit of asking for help. You can solicit advice from friends, peers, family, your professors, teacher assistants, the online community, and more. Plus, when you finish writing your paper, you have time to ask for help from someone other than you to read it over and edit it.

The Bottom Line

While knowing how to write a paper fast is useful and at times necessary, it is not the optimal way to approach assignments. However, sometimes being in a bind is out of your control. Therefore, the best way to write a research paper fast is to follow the aforementioned steps and remember to stay calm.

While a research paper involves a lot of work, from creating a strong thesis to finding supporting research, it can be made into an enjoyable activity when you choose to write about something you are interested in. It gives you a chance to digest other people’s findings and make your own inferences about what they mean.

By following the typical structure of a research paper, creating an outline and finding good sources, you can get your research paper done in a night. Good luck!

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8 Page Essay: Examples, Topics, & Word Count

What does an eight page essay look like? If you’re searching for an answer to this question, you’re in the right place! Such a paper is a standard high school and college assignment. That’s why it might be written on almost any topic. Abortion, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, and overpopulation are just some examples.

A 8 page essay word count is usually 1950 to 2000 words (12 pt., double-spaced). The length of a typical academic paragraph is 100 to 150 words. So, there are 13 to 20 paragraphs in an eight page essay.

If you need 8 page essay examples, take a look at the list below. We’ve collected A+ samples for you to get inspired. Good luck with your essay!

8-page Essay Examples: 5904 Samples

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  • Words: 2134

Fitness and Performance in Aviation

  • Subjects: Aviation Tech & Engineering
  • Words: 2183

Physical Fitness in Aviation

  • Words: 2304

Design Management and New Paradigm in Design

  • Subjects: Design Design Trends

Concepts of Human Resource Management

  • Words: 2585

Tourism, Travel and 9/11

  • Subjects: Tourism World Tourism
  • Words: 2180

Schutzstaffel: Hitler’s Infamous Legions of Death

  • Subjects: Nazi Germany Warfare
  • Words: 2336

Total Compensation in HRM

  • Words: 2212

Separation of Church and State

  • Subjects: Religion Sociology of Religion
  • Words: 2282

How Banksy’s graffiti art has been received by critics and art reporters

  • Words: 2295

Challenges of the Arab Gulf States

  • Words: 2375

Adolescents and Popular Culture: A Critical Analysis on Blogging Culture

  • Subjects: Behavior Psychology

Census Tract 78.09: Oahu Island

  • Subjects: Geography Sciences
  • Words: 2163

Role of Planning and Alternative Goals

Nietzsche: death of god.

  • Subjects: Philosophical Theories Philosophy
  • Words: 2362

Obesity and How Society views it

  • Words: 2160

Mrs. Hale: Different but Equal – Legitimate Gender Differences

Effects of war on america.

  • Words: 2506

Surrealism Development

Keys to effective organizational leadership.

  • Words: 2539

Evaluation of US Natural Gas Industry

  • Words: 2290

Management Theories Application in Pragmatic Leadership

  • Words: 1914

Tesco Training and Development – Why Does Tesco Train Its Employees

  • Words: 3656

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker Critical Analysis

Saudi arabia aramco: management and supply chain.

  • Words: 2754

Caribbean Rum: History and Culture

  • Subjects: History Latin America

Blindness in Oedipus Rex & Hamlet

  • Subjects: Comparative Literature Literature
  • Words: 2788

Sense experience is the only source of knowledge

Concepts of strategic management.

  • Words: 2136

Pulp Fiction: Moral Development of American Life and Interests

  • Subjects: Art Film Studies

Major Constitutional Powers of the Presidency and how they changed over the Years

  • Words: 2195

The Subculture of Designer Toys

  • Subjects: Construction Design

Procurement and Contracting Process

“the time traveler’s wife” film analysis according to the book.

  • Words: 2297

Environmental Impact of Bottled Water

  • Subjects: Environment Recycling

Notes for Dante’s Works

  • Words: 2463

Passing through nature into eternity

  • Subjects: British Literature Literature
  • Words: 2900

VIDEO

  1. AI Tool for Researchers

  2. All in one AI Tool for Research Paper writing

  3. Best AI Tool for Research Paper Writing

  4. How to make the format of preliminary pages of a thesis paper

  5. How To Write A Research Paper

  6. Secret To Writing A Research Paper

COMMENTS

  1. Learn how to write an 8 page paper with our guide

    Table of Contents How To Write 8 Page Paper: 8 Step Guide An 8-page long research paper is moderately lengthy. For many of you, it may be the longest research paper yet. Viewing it this way, writing a research paper might seem intimidating. So you'll need to change your approach to this mission.

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

    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.

  3. How to Write a Research Paper

    You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting. You can also gain inspiration from other research.

  4. How to Write an 8 Page Paper: Time Needed for Fast Research

    Published by Josh Jasen at May 12, 2022 An 8-page paper is a short type of essay, written on a topic or an issue. The paper explores the issue or subject matter analytically organizing it in one significant movement. It moves forward intending to substantiate the main point with facts, opinions, ideas, and logical explanations.

  5. PDF Student Paper Setup Guide, APA Style 7th Edition

    Basic Setup Seventh edition APA Style was designed with modern word-processing programs in mind. Most default settings in programs such as Academic Writer, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs already comply with APA Style. However, you may need to make a few adjustments before you begin writing.

  6. How to Write a 10-Page Research Paper

    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.

  7. The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Research Paper

    1 Understand the assignment For some of you this goes without saying, but you might be surprised at how many students start a research paper without even reading the assignment guidelines. So your first step should be to review the assignment and carefully read the writing prompt.

  8. How to Write Your First Research Paper

    Copy your outline into a separate file and expand on each of the points, adding data and elaborating on the details. When you create the first draft, do not succumb to the temptation of editing. Do not slow down to choose a better word or better phrase; do not halt to improve your sentence structure.

  9. Writing a Research Paper Introduction

    Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide Published on September 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 27, 2023. The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several key goals: Present your topic and get the reader interested

  10. How to write a research paper

    31 Mar 2023 1:10 PM ET By Elisabeth Pain SeventyFour/Shutterstock Condensing months or years of research into a few pages can be a mighty exercise even for experienced writers. Authors need to find the sweet spot between convincingly addressing their scientific questions and presenting their results in such detail the key message is lost.

  11. How Long A Research Paper Be? Intro To Conclusion

    Research that has a thesis statement only requires 2 to 3 arguments to be proved and will be summed up in 500 to 700 words. After providing the introduction and a little background on the research, you can directly shift to mentioning the arguments and claims so you may prove the statement and complete the research.

  12. Research Paper Format

    The main guidelines for formatting a paper in APA Style are as follows: Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial. Set 1 inch page margins. Apply double line spacing. If submitting for publication, insert a APA running head on every page. Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.

  13. How to Write a Good Research Paper

    Note Key Details: Take note of essential details, including the deadline, word count, submission method, and required formatting style. List Key Points: Create a list of key points you need to cover in your paper. Set a Timeline: Plan a schedule for starting, writing, and editing your research paper. 2. Consider the Target Audience.

  14. How Long Does It Take to Write 8 Pages?

    Writing 8 pages will take about 1.7 hours for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 3.3 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 13.3 hours. Learn how to triple your writing speed.

  15. How long it takes to write an essay, research paper, or ...

    For a slow writer, you can complete writing 40 pages in 6-8 days. Some people take ten days or more, but the assumption is that they have little time to write the paper as they have other commitments. A 40-page research paper is 11000 words, which can be achieved by writing 3600 words or 12-pages per day.

  16. How to Write Any College Paper at the Last Minute

    In all likelihood, you can probably write a fairly decent 10-to-12-page paper in about five hours. Set a paced schedule for yourself and then work carefully but briskly.

  17. How to Write a Research Paper Outline In 7 Steps

    2 Make a list of all the topics, subtopics, and points you want to cover. Go through your research and note each topic, subtopic, and supporting point. Be sure to keep related information together. Remember that everything you discuss in your paper should relate to your thesis, so omit anything that seems tangential.

  18. Worried About How to Write an 8-Page Research Paper?

    Leave a Comment / Blog / By pickthewriter Research paper assignments are nothing new. And usually, the instructor gives a general length requirement. You've written 10, 12, and 15-page papers - these are pretty common numbers. But once you get below 10 pages, let's say an 8-page research paper, things do change up a bit.

  19. How to Create a Structured Research Paper Outline

    Published on August 7, 2022 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on August 15, 2023. A research paper outline is a useful tool to aid in the writing process, providing a structure to follow with all information to be included in the paper clearly organized. A quality outline can make writing your research paper more efficient by helping to:

  20. How long does it take to write a Research Paper: 5 or 30 Pages

    A 1500-word paper might take you four hours or so depending on the complexity of the work and your writing skills while a 5-page research paper of about 1500-1650 words might take you four to five hours for a slow writer while a fast writer might require three hours for the same. A 10-page research paper which mostly includes class assignments ...

  21. How to Write a Research Paper Introduction

    Generally speaking, a good research paper introduction includes these parts: 1 Thesis statement. 2 Background context. 3 Niche (research gap) 4 Relevance (how the paper fills that gap) 5 Rationale and motivation. First, a thesis statement is a single sentence that summarizes the main topic of your paper.

  22. How to Write a Research Paper Fast

    1. Understand the Assignment: The first thing you have to make sure you do before you get to outlining and writing is to understand the assignment. You will need to organize different pieces of information, from books, essays, interviews, articles and more. 2. Choose a Topic:

  23. 8 Page Essay: Examples, Topics, & Word Count

    A 8 page essay word count is usually 1950 to 2000 words (12 pt., double-spaced). The length of a typical academic paragraph is 100 to 150 words. So, there are 13 to 20 paragraphs in an eight page essay. If you need 8 page essay examples, take a look at the list below. We've collected A+ samples for you to get inspired. Good luck with your essay!

  24. CRediT author statement

    CRediT author statement. CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) was introduced with the intention of recognizing individual author contributions, reducing authorship disputes and facilitating collaboration. The idea came about following a 2012 collaborative workshop led by Harvard University and the Wellcome Trust, with input from researchers, the ...