Essay on writing and editing a research paper

Writing and Editing a Research Paper

Writing of a research paper is a daunting task that requires one to utilize a lot of skills and time. This always varies with the kind of research that one is doing, but in most cases, the challenges that one goes through in collecting and analyzing data are always depicted in writing a research paper. It is crucial that during writing and editing, one clearly explains and brings out clearly the whole process that was undertaken, the findings and the challenges that were encountered (Winkler et al 2009).

When I was writing the research paper, I needed a wide knowledge base on the topic involved, and therefore, an extensive reading was necessary. This was done through going through the relevant books, from the local library and the course books that were used in the class. The aim of this was to give me a lot of information on the area of research, so that I could come up with well-researched information as well as be able to form a valid conclusion. This preparation was necessary as part of the research writing.

The bulk of the work was carried out during the research, and therefore, writing the research paper is actually a reporting activity, where one documents all the work that they have done. When writing, I had to analyze the information that I had gathered carefully, as well as the procedures and outcomes, in order to present the information in a chronological order. This involved going through the work I had done in collecting and analyzing the data, reading and understanding it so that in the report, it would be presented accurately.

In both writing and editing the research paper, the technical writing procedures were to be followed precisely. This was to give the paper the required sections and to meet the writing requirement. After writing the research paper, editing is necessary. Editing is an essential part of writing, which helps to deal with the mistakes and shortcomings that are sure to arise when the research paper is being written. This includes the basic errors like in terms of grammar and formatting, as well as the complex issues relating to structure and content.

In editing, I needed to ensure that several factors were considered. This included ensuring that there was evidence that was used to substantiate my viewpoint and statements were fully justified. In addition, I needed to ensure that there was sufficient analysis of the information so that the conclusion that was arrived at was valid and supported by the information given. The steps taken in the research were also reviewed so that they gave a concise and accurate outcome (Winkler et al 2009).

After editing the research paper for technical mistakes, I ran it through professional grammar checking tool, which is online based, and it ensures that the paper is up to the standard in terms of grammar and language structure. This was followed by submission of the paper to the supervisor for analyzing, after where I edited the paper as was advised. This was necessary in order to mainly correct the technical and other errors that were featured in the paper, as well as incorporating the views of the supervisor. When this was done, the research paper was ready for submission.

References

Winkler, C. & McCuen-Metherell, J. (2009). Writing the research paper: a handbook. New York: Cengage Learning,