To most students, there's nothing more stressful and overwhelming than writing a research paper. Finding sources, learning citation formats, creating a works cited page, and the suspense of finding out your grade is enough to drive a freshman in high school to a senior in college crazy. From ninth grade to now I've written six research papers, and although they don't exactly become less stressful, they do become easier with time-management, organization, and a few other tips and tricks.

Pick a Topic that Interests You

If you try to write a paper about a topic you don't care about, chances are you won't want to write the paper at all. To avoid this, teachers and professors often find creative prompts to keep their students interested in the research paper. In my Critical Writing class, my professor had us write a research paper about a class that we think should be offered at Slippery Rock University. I knew exactly what I was going to write about- why tap should be revived in the dance program! I was excited and passionate about writing and researching this topic, and my professor noticed.

Manage Your Time

Even if you have the memory of an elephant, write down all of your due dates, not just the day you have to turn in your paper. If a thesis statement, a bibliography, or a rough draft is due write those dates down too. Planners are best place for this, but if you don't have one, a calendar or even a notebook will do just fine. The key is to write this information down where you'll see it, and be reminded of it every day.

Make an Outline

We were required to make outlines for our research papers in high school. Now that I'm in college, I can't write anything without making one. I think of outlines as a roadmap for my papers. If I forget which direction my essay needs to take next, my pre-written outline is there to guide me from my introduction, through every body paragraph, to my conclusion. Outlines weren't required for anything I had to write in college (so far), but making one always kept my thoughts organized and focused.

Notecards, Notecards, Notecards!

I touched how I use notecards in my studying article, but for this one, I'll go a little more in-depth. When writing research papers, I use notecards to write down my sources and quotations and keep them organized. When you're in the middle of writing your research paper and you're looking for a quotation, would you rather flip through a 300 page book, search and scroll through a website, or simply shuffle through an organized stack of notecards? If you chose the notecard option, let me introduce you to my quotation-keeping system:

1. Write on a notecard the citation of your source the way it will appear on your Works Cited page.

2. Write quotations from that source on more notecards. Don't forget to cite each quotation. I almost always use parenthetical citations, so I include those on every notecard to practice and stay organized.

3. Paperclip all notecards from the same source together.

Go ahead and call me obsessed with notecards, but they're my secret weapon to writing research papers, and they can be yours too!

Know Your Format Like the Back of Your Hand

So far, all of my research papers were written in MLA. That format has been drilled into my brain for years, so I don't worry about losing points over using the wrong font or putting my header in the wrong place. However, if you're new to MLA, APA, or another format, learn it inside and out!

Plagiarism

In the words of Coach Carr from Mean Girls, "Just don't do it. Promise?"

Let Your Voice Be Heard

In the stress of writing your research paper, it's easy to forget that it's your research paper. Yes, you do have to utilize others' work, but let their words support yours. You have your own individual opinion and argument on your topic, so make sure to convey that in your writing. Look at it as an opportunity to teach your teacher or professor something you learned on your own. When you express your individuality, your research paper will become more personal, enjoyable, and meaningful.