1. Finishing Touches Writing Research Papers Ana C. Sánchez S.

2. Revising the Introduction
It must include:
Your thesis
A clear sense of direction or plan of development
A sense of involvement that invites your reader to read your paper

3. Revising the Body Revise each paragraph of your paper.
Cut out wordiness
Omit irrelevant thoughts (if you need to delete entire sentences, do it, don’t be afraid)
Combine short paragraphs with others to strengthen them

4. Revising the Body
Does the paper maintain a central proposition from paragraph to paragraph? If not, move paragraphs around.
As you copy, cut and paste, remember to rewrite and blend the words
Divide long, difficult paragraphs or use transitions.

5. Revising the Body
For short, shallow or weak paragraphs add more commentary and more evidence, especially quotes.
Add your own input to paragraphs that are based on quotations only.
Check for transitions that move readers effectively from one paragraph to the next.

6. Revising the Conclusion
The conclusion is drawn from the evidence.
It is developed logically from the introduction and the body.
It expresses your position on the examined issues.

7. Checklist
If possible, ask a peer to check your paper to see if these elements are present:
Are the topic and its issues introduced early in the paper?
Is the writer’s position or approach to the problem presented clearly in a statement?
Is it placed effectively in the introduction?

8. Checklist
Do the paragraphs have individual unity? (i.e., does each one develop ONE idea?
Does each paragraph relate to the thesis?
Are sources introduced with the last name of the person, page number, year?
Is it clear where a paraphrase begins and where it ends’

9. Checklist Are the sources relevant to the argument?
Are quotations mixed into the text effectively while avoiding long quotations that look like filler instead of substance?
Does the conclusion arrive at a resolution about the central issue?
Does the title describe clearly the findings in the contents of the paper?

10. Checklist
Taken from Lester, J. D., & Lester, J. D. JR. (2012). Writing research papers: A complete guide. Boston: Pearson.