If you are worried that the same will happen to you, then read on to learn how outlining can help.

Why create an outline?

Similar to a cooking recipe, an outline serves as a guideline for you to follow. It also ensures that important arguments and details are not forgotten. This is very helpful because your research paper will be quite long, making it difficult to keep track of where you are.

And because you can regularly refer to your outline, you can easily spot errors in your paper or consider what needs changing. So you can replace important parts as needed if you find something more interesting.

You will not be able to make one if you have not begun reading your resources. So take the time to read everything necessary for your paper and take good notes.

What are the parts of an outline?

1. Introduction

• Hook
• Defining your audience
• Thesis statement

2. Body

• Argument to support the thesis 1
• Argument to support the thesis 2
• Argument to support the thesis 3

3. Conclusion

• Summary of arguments
• A call to action

Introduction

• List down the important details for your context. These may include what the situation was like before and what it is like now. A thorough background will give your reader a heads up about what to expect. This is particularly important if your reader is new to the topic. A good background also allows your reader to understand why your paper is important. 
• Write down the “hook” of your paper. This is the key fact or statistic that will catch your reader’s attention. The hook can also be a special quote or anecdote that further explains the problem of your paper.
• Mention your thesis statement. This is what your paper is aiming to prove or disprove.

Body

• Write your main arguments for your thesis. There should be at least three for a good paper.
• Under each argument, list the supporting theory and facts. This is important so that you do not forget what you need to defend your view.
• Write the counterarguments. There is always an opposing view to any idea. For your paper to be complete, you should write these along with their supporting theories and facts.

Conclusion

• Write down your summary and a “call to action.”
• The call to action is usually a motivational statement that encourages the reader to act upon what they read. Use a strong statement or even a famous quote that applies to your topic.

Summary

Because the academic essay is a difficult task, it always helps to make the process easier. So consider creating an outline for your paper before you write so that you will not have to struggle so much when it is time to write.

Research writing enables you to explore skills such as critical thinking, writing, and reading strengths. But, to achieve that, it requires reliable sources for in-depth analysis.

Research papers require critical analysis—widely reading and thinking about a particular topic, to develop a deep understanding and form a stance. However, this can only be achieved when you select the right sources.

While this is important, very few people understand how to choose sources for a research paper – thus, this piece. This article gives you a comprehensive guide on choosing sources for research purposes.

Tips on how to find sources for a research paper in college

Writing a research paper requires adequate information, which you can only get from previously written scholarly works and texts. Using such texts help to show how versed you are in the topic area. Also, your research paper will not be fully formed without these sources. But thankfully, with the availability of the internet today, searching and locating sources are a walk in the park.

On the other hand, not every piece of information on the internet serves as a source for your research paper. Why? Some lack credibility and cannot serve as helpful information for a research paper. As well as the non-credible sources, writing help websites may also be not always reliable, so don’t hesitate to check out RankMyService before you choose one. However, there are numerous available and credible online academic databases to find research sources. They include:

• Google Scholar
• Science Direct
• Mendeley
• Directory of Open Access Journals
• Scopus

These are academic websites where you can find peer-reviewed literature and research materials for your research paper. Finding materials on these websites follow different patterns. For websites like Google Scholar and Science Direct, all you need is to:

• Visit the website
• Impute relevant keywords to your research topic on the search bar
• Search, locate and download relevant materials

For Mendeley, DOAJ, and Scopus, you’ll need to create an account to access available materials.

How to use sources in a research paper for school

There are different ways sources can be used for research writing in every academic writing. Mainly, they are:

• Quotation/ Referencing: Here, you use the direct words from the source while referencing using MLA, APA, or Harvard style of referencing.
• Summary: You can use sources for in-depth analysis within your research paper by summarizing. What you’re required to do is to select relevant points to your research and summarize it. Your summary should reflect how it relates to your study.
• Paraphrasing: You can also state the ideas of a source using your own words. Paraphrasing still requires that you reference the author without quoting them word for word.

These are the three acceptable ways to use sources in a school research paper. Also, note that referencing/citing the author is essential both within the paper and in your works cited. Your citation should also follow the required standard. Anything outside of these will be regarded as plagiarism.

Research paper sources: how many sources for a research paper?

Research papers usually have a minimum, and a maximum number of sources cited. However, the number of sources cited primarily depends on the length of your research paper. For instance, a research paper of 5 pages should have at least five sources.

Note that excessively or inadequately citing your research paper can affect your work’s general outlook and credibility. It becomes difficult to locate your stance when you crowd it with other works. Your work should retain its originality while consulting other works.

Good books to do research papers on

In research writing, you either choose an abstract topic to research on or a book to base your research on. Some of the good books for research papers to look at are:

• Literary texts
• Previously written research papers
• Textbooks
• Journals

Selecting sources for research papers adds color to your work. It entails that you’ve done a thorough research job (hence, the research). Also, the quality of your research paper relies heavily on sources, so make sure to select the sources to use for research carefully.

If you find yourself rattled by the urgent need to select a research topic, read on to learn what to do.

1. Consider your top interests

A good place to start is what interests you in your subject. Even if you do not like the class subject much, you can still think of something interesting. For example, if you are into computers but the research project is for History, you can consider the history of computers or focus on the lives of the pioneers in computing. There is always a way if you give time to think.

2. Check the resources available

Research papers need to be supported by several references, not just one or two. Teachers often require you to have a minimum of three sources per angle of your argument. So before settling on something, start looking online and visit your library’s database to see if these exist. Otherwise, you will be asked to choose something else.

3. Always have a backup

Because your topic still needs approval by your teacher, it pays to always have a backup. So when thinking of your interests and doing your initial resource check, make sure you do the same for two other backup topics in case your primary choice is rejected.

What are good topics for a research paper?

If you find that you cannot come up with anything or need a little nudge in the right direction, take a look at these possible research paper topics.

Good history research paper topics

1. Main causes of the Spanish-American War
2. Effects of the Korean War on Asia today
3. Were gladiators similar to the celebrities of today?
4. What caused Martin Luther to break away from the church?
5. How did bartering affect early trade?

Literature research paper topics

6. How successful were J.K. Rowling’s literary attempts outside Harry Potter?
7. Gender stereotypes in Twilight
8. Fiction as revolutionary propaganda
9. Elements of subversive poetry
10. Should fan fiction be studied in school?

Interesting health research paper topics

11. Are mandatory vaccines to be trusted or feared?
12. Does acupuncture really work?
13. Is there any merit to legalizing marijuana for health purposes? 
14. Is it possible to do medical trials without using animals?
15. Are there any dangers of becoming a vegetarian?

Environmental research paper topics

16. How bad is the plastic pollution problem?
17. Are biodegradable plastics safe for the planet?
18. What can be done to save rainforests?
19. Can poaching be stopped?
20. Which is worse for nature, raising cattle or raising pigs?

Controversial topics in psychology for research paper

21. Can depression become contagious?
22. How do gadgets cause insomnia?
23. What are the signs of a potential nervous breakdown?
24. Effects of music on anxiety
25. Have today’s parenting techniques made children more vulnerable to mental disorders?

Summary

Though a research paper can be hard, things are much easier if you love what you are researching. So consider the tips above and the options provided as possible choices for your paper. Happy writing!

With this, students studying communication in humanities have a sea of topics to choose from when writing a research paper. As broad as the field is, each aspect further broadens to accommodate other areas. Therefore, many students often find it challenging to choose a particular topic.

This article focuses on the communication discipline, dissecting various aspects and highlighting some exciting communication research paper topics for students.

How to write a communication theory paper

Writing a communication paper or any communication research follows the same criteria required for every research writing, which is:

• Topic
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Statement of the research problem
• Research objective
• Research methodology
• Body (Critical Analysis)
• Findings & Discussion
• Conclusion
• References

To add to that, when writing a research paper on communication, these are some helpful tips that will improve your paper:

• Stick to the topic you’re writing on
• Use precise, clear, and concise language
• Use active voice in your paper
• Abide by grammatical rules and avoid punctuation errors
• Avoid vagueness while writing
• Use the proper citation
• Follow your professor’s recommended guide for communication research writing.

Communication research paper topics

Communication discipline is broad, and there are various aspects to choose from. When writing your research, it can either be a short communication paper or something lengthier. It all depends on your topic. Below are some communication topics for your research paper:

1. A critical study of the impact of communication in effective leadership
2. The role of social media in the widespread of information
3. Inadequacy in communication and how it informs peer pressure
4. One-sided communication and its ability to ruin the business operation
5. A study of the reliance of business on communication
6. Media censorship as a way of hindering communication
7. Blogging and Vlogging: A revolutionized form of communication
8. The role of social media apps in fostering miscommunications

Research paper topics for communication majors

As a communication major, you’ll realize the various aspects of communication when choosing your research paper topic. Mass communication, business communication, interpersonal communication, journalism, public relations, and many other areas are great to focus your research on. Some topics to choose from include:

9. Misinformation on social media and how to curb it
10. Media censorship and the infringement on freedom of speech
11. The violation of copyright on YouTube
12. A study of corporate practice and public relations
13. Modern media devices and immediacy in communication
14. The role of advertising in creating false images
15. Virtual communication and how it’s impacting learning
16. Social media: A new model for information

Business communication topics for research paper

Business communication is an aspect within the discipline that studies how communication is shared within a business corporation. It revolves around communication between an organization, its employees, its customers and how it fosters transparency and growth. Below are some communication paper topics in this area:

17. Communication leads within an organization and their role in the company’s public relations
18. Practical communication skills as necessary for facilitating business negotiations and relationships
19. Exploring the importance of corporate business communication
20. An evaluation of computer-mediated communication and how it impacts business communication
21. Technology and its influence on business communication
22. The role of interactivity in business communication
23. Digital technology and how it facilitates business communication across continents
24. A study of the response of businesses in times of external crisis

Intercultural communication topics research paper

Interculturalism has an impact on communication. It studies cultures, languages, and how they influence communication between various people. You can choose topics in this area for your communication analysis paper for research:

25. Language complexity and how it reflects in communication
26. The impact of colonialism in communication
27. A study on how culture impacts the flow of information
28. Exploring how language hinders effective communication
29. The importance of communication within a cultural setting
30. Differences in information dissemination across cultures
31. The socio-political influence of communication
32. English as a bridge language across various ethnicities

Interpersonal communication paper topics

While intercultural focuses on culture and how it informs communication, interpersonal communication looks at communication from the personal perspective. Here are topics to consider:

33. Digital technology and its influence on interpersonal communication
34. Twitter as an outlet for personal reflections
35. The role of social media in fostering friendships
36. Ineffective communication amongst people in the social media era
37. TikTok and how it humanizes human complexities
38. A study of the cause of repressed emotions amongst people
39. Fear of public speaking amongst introverts
40. Exploration of tragedy on social media

There are so many topics to center your research on in communication. However, if you find your research paper writing challenging, you can consult online professionals for guidance.