Research Paper Format

The format of the research paper can be different. We, at help2pass.com, tend to divide the research paper format into two components: structure and inner formatting. With research paper format, there is one ironclad rule to remember: there is no universally accepted standard!  Each school has their own individual requirements towards research paper format, so it's an absolute must that you obtain them from your school. In some educational establishments there are people designated for guidance of research paper format issues or there can even be special training provided. If, however, you are just being trained to format your research paper properly, and your research paper fomatting skills are being trained, then there can be some format-specific recommendations.

The Structure

1) Title page. The title page is a mandatory part of a research paper. It bears information about the academic institution it belongs to, its topic, author, academic advisor and year of publication.

2) Abstract. A brief synopsis of your research is required at the beginning of the paper. Due to the size of the research paper, every reader has to be able to gather main idea of the research by reading the abstract page.

3) Table of contents. Shows how your research paper is organized and eases up navigation.

4) Body. Body of the research paper can be divided into several chapters for better organization. The body should also be crowned with a conclusion. Tell your reader of the results of your research.

5) Bibliography. Often referred to as 'References' or 'Works cited'. An alphabetical enumeration of the books, journals, articles used in the research paper. Should be organized according to specific formatting rules: MLA, APA, Harvard, Oxford etc. 

Inner formatting

While working on your inner research paper format, please remember that its format has to be consistent throughout the entire paper. Using one margins on one page and different margins on another will not be perceived as originality, but rather as inability to follow formatting guidelines. The general tips in this case are as follows:

1) Use nice, clean, good quality 8 1/2" x 11" white paper, one side only. Text should be word processed, no handwriting or typewriting is acceptable.

2) By default margins of your essay should be set at 1" (2.5 cm) at the top, bottom and right sides of each and every page.

3) On the title page title should be centered. The structure of the title page is done according to the formatting guidelines and it normally includes such information: student name, professor name, course and date.

4) Pages should be numbered consecutively, starting from second page. Title page is counted towards the overall page count, yet it should not contain a page number. Numbers are put in the upper right hand corner.

5) Spacing. Spacing should be double spaced - such text is convenient to read and comment on. Spaces between words should never exceed two typed spaces.

6) Indentation. In word processing software use standard 1 inch indentation. While MS Word open, one time pressing of TAB button would do the job for you.

7) Justification. Left justification is preferable unless specified otherwise.

8) End of paper. To end your paper nothing fancy is required. Logically, the research paper format requires a conclusion to be the final part of the paper. After the conclusion just go to next page and start your reference page.

Help2pass.com is a writing company that can assist you in formatting your research paper. Our professional writers have completed around 11000 projects already and trust our experience, they know how to format a research paper. At help2pass.com you are sure to get top notch quality as well as ontime delivery of totally original, custom written research papers.

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