how to do a research paper in one night

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How to Write a Paper in a Night

Last Updated: January 5, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 83% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 238,157 times.

While you may never plan for it, writing a paper in one night is a stressful experience. Not only do you need to produce a certain amount of words, but to get a decent grade you need to create an argument and address the prompt. Fortunately, by preparing yourself and efficiently planning, writing, and editing your paper, you may be able to create a good paper in a single night.

Maximizing Your Time Through Preparation

• Set aside some time for planning your paper – perhaps 25%.
• Set aside the bulk of your time for writing it – maybe 50%.
• Put aside about 25% of your time for proofreading and editing your paper.

• Most paper assignments will revolve around a single question that you’ll need to respond to – your prompt. Spend as much time as you can making sure you completely understand the prompt.
• Read the details of the assignment. For example, your instructor might have specified that you need to include a certain number of sources, meet a word limit, type in Times New Roman, and double space your paper. Make sure you follow these directions.

• If your prompt is limited to one text, focus only on that text. However, you may need to conduct some research, especially if you need to incorporate support into your paper. In this case, do a quick search on academic databases, such as JSTOR, EBSCO, and Google Scholar. Quickly skim the results to improve your understanding of the text and find good quotes to cite in your paper. Be careful when choosing your keywords!
• Read topic sentences, and then allow your eyes to skim toward specific examples in whatever you are reading. Use a highlighter to help you move through the text quickly.
• If you’re allowed to rely on and cite outside information, look for Sparknotes, Shmoop, CliffNotes, book reviews, online articles, and other sources that can briefly explain the subject matter. [3] X Research source

• Your thesis is typically one sentence that takes a clear stance on a specific argument. For example, if the paper prompt poses a question about the cause of the decline of the Roman Empire, a good thesis would state a specific cause, such as the Empire’s reliance on non-citizens in its army.
• Once you have a good thesis, write it out and keep it in front of you at all times. Your thesis is essentially your mission of the evening – prove it or fail.

• If you need, take a minute to look up specific ideas or facts you may think of while brainstorming.
• If it helps, organize your ideas in a graphic manner. Link ideas and facts together with lines, or as if they are branches or leaves on a tree. [5] X Research source

Writing a Quality Paper

• It's a good idea to write all of your topic sentences for your support paragraphs before you write your paper. This helps you understand where each paragraph should begin and end, which will make writing your paper easier.
• You should have a minimum of three support paragraphs.
• Every paragraph should have a mini-thesis/argument that supports the larger argument of your paper. This could be the same as your topic sentence.

• Write a sentence or two addressing the subject of your paper.
• Restate the thesis. Instead of rewriting your thesis, reformulate it: "The Roman Empire's overextended military was unable to defend its vast borders in Europe and Asia Minor."
• Make a final appeal to the reader to believe what you’ve said. You may want to remind the reader of some of your most compelling evidence.

• Use whatever citation method/standard your instructor requires. This could be MLA, APA, or Chicago, depending on the course.

• If it is really late, you might want to just get a few hours of sleep and wake up very early to proof and edit your paper.
• If it is somewhat late, like around midnight, you may want to take a walk, watch a TV program, and get a cup of coffee before resuming work on your paper.
• If you’re really determined to get your paper done as soon as possible, take a half hour break and grab a cup of coffee and do some light exercise to get your juices flowing.

• Do just one quick run-through to edit for clarity. For a standard 1,500-word paper, this might take 30 minutes.
• Your statements should be self-explanatory and make sense.
• Topic sentences should concisely describe the subject of the support paragraph.
• Your thesis statement should be apparent throughout the paper.
• A clear paper should flow and proceed in a logical manner. Pay special attention to missing transitions and lack of logical flow.

• While proofreading might be your final step, it is perhaps the most important one – do not neglect it.

Avoiding Distractions and Pitfalls

• Quiet areas of your campus library. Don’t hang around the coffee shop or computers where people access social media.
• A coffee shop far from campus – where you won’t run into friends.
• Your bedroom or home office. Make sure to unplug your TV and let your roommates know you’re working.

• Be careful drinking products like Eight Hour Energy.
• Don’t combine caffeinated products with prescription drugs.
• If you’re not into caffeine, consider hydrating yourself and exercising a little before and while you write. In addition to drinking lots of water, you could try adding lemon to your water, eating an apple, or increasing your protein intake. [11] X Research source

• Take a break when it seems appropriate. If you’re on a roll writing and making a lot of progress, put your break off until you run out of steam.

• Many high schools and colleges require that papers be run through a program to check for plagiarism. These programs can detect similarities to any text that's appeared online or in a published book. Additionally, the program will check your work against other papers turned in by students, both currently and in years past. Plagiarism isn't work the risk, as you'll likely get caught.

• Use a day planner to plan all of your course work. Write down due dates and other important information.
• Start your work at least two weeks ahead of time. Start researching when the paper is assigned, then begin outlining once your research is complete. [14] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://harvardwritingcenter.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/the-nuclear-option-how-to-write-a-paper-the-night/
• ↑ https://www.collegemagazine.com/write-killer-essay-day-due/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/
• ↑ https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/articles/g31312/caffeine-alternatives-wake-you-up-light-matcha-tea-fruit-yoga-water/

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How to Write an Essay in One Night

If you are reading this article, chances are, you are in trouble wondering how to write a 5000 word essay in one night. Perhaps, you have been procrastinating until the very last minute, or were buried deep under other work, or weren’t able to dedicate your time fully to your writing for some other purpose. The outcome is the same – you are supposed to hand your research paper in tomorrow, and you are still at square one.

You have just one night to begin and complete the essay, so what are you going to do? One thing is for sure – you are not getting any sleep tonight. As for all the rest, we are going to cover it in this article.

How to Write a Research Paper in One Night

If you have an urgent assignment due the tomorrow morning, you will have to work for the whole night. When writing a paper in one night, you will be pressed not just by the lack of time, but by exhaustion and sleepiness as well. All this means that you should pay extra attention not just to the actual writing techniques, but to how you organize the very writing process as well.

• Stock up on healthy snacks for studying . You are going to need some energy to keep you going through the night. Being distracted by hunger isn’t very conducive for the efficient work. At the same time, it isn’t the best idea to take long breaks to have a full-fledged meal, so snacks are the way to go. Nuts are especially recommended – they give plenty of energy without causing a sugar rush that may leave you exhausted after it passes;
• Use the power of caffeine. Whether you like coffee and energy drinks, you need them to keep you awake and aware throughout the night. So get a lot of it. Just make sure to be careful drinking concentrated energy drinks and don’t mix them with prescription drugs;
• Take breaks. It may seem counterintuitive when you need to get a job done as fast as possible, but experience shows us that occasional short breaks more than compensate for the time you ‘lose’ on them. The longer you work, the less efficiently your brain functions. There comes a time when you simply stare at the screen, unable to think about another word to type. Short breaks (preferably combined with bouts of physical exercise) won’t restore your brain to full capacity, but they will still recharge you a little bit and make it easier to go on;
• Keep yourself hydrated. Those wondering how to write an essay in one night tend to forget that the process is not just about having tons of coffee and eating snacks. It’s about keeping your body and brain hydrated. Water is essential for proper functioning of the brain and your energy levels, and caffeinated drinks cannot serve as a replacement. So, get a bottle of water and keep it close at hand;
• Make sure you don’t get distracted. Writing at night has its benefits, as most people are asleep, and there are fewer things in your immediate vicinity to call for your attention. Nevertheless, you should take care to eliminate all the potential distractions, especially those that you know are attractive for you. Turn off your smartphone, disable notifications in social media and email. Even better, use some blocking software like RescueTime to prevent yourself from visiting your favorite websites – you are going to work using the Internet, so these are especially dangerous for your concentration.

How to Write Research Paper in One Night: 5 Preparation Tips to Follow at Night

You have to submit your paper in the morning. This means that you have a very limited amount of time to complete your job. Each minute has to be used to the fullest. This means that some preparation is in order – if you just plunge into writing, at the very best, your paper will be unreadable. At worst, you won’t be able to finish it on time at all.

• Brace yourself for the worst. If you’ve done absolutely no reading on the subject matter of your paper, consider accepting the fact that you won’t be able to hand the paper in tomorrow. Contact your instructor and inform them that your paper will be late. In many ways, it is preferable to simply not handing it in because you weren’t able to complete the job on time. Another alternative is to submit a poorly written paper because it is very likely to be the only thing you can churn out in just 1 night. It is not the end of the world, nor it is an easy way out – it is just a way of cutting your losses when you still have time to do it with dignity;

• Plan your time. As you have very little time, you have to use it to the maximum efficiency. To do so, you have to prepare a plan and stick to it. If you simply sit down and get to work, you will not be able to track your progress and see that, for example, you are taking too long at a certain stage and won’t be able to finish on time if you continue in this fashion. Break your time into 30-minute intervals and evaluate how much of if you need for each task. Try to have at least an hour unassigned to anything because some steps will inevitably take longer than planned.
• Take your time reading the prompt. You are in a hurry, but not reading the prompt attentively can lead to catastrophic results – you may miss some important details (like the need to use a certain number of sources) or misunderstand the question entirely. It is unpleasant enough in normal circumstances, but right now, you cannot afford to find out that the essay you’ve just finished was written using a wrong prompt. Ideally, you should write down the main points of the prompt in your own words so that you can refer to them later on – this way, you can be sure you’ve understood everything correctly;
• Make sure you understand the style and formatting guidelines. Be too quick to read them, and you may realize too late that you’ve gotten things wrong and had to single space your paper and now you have to write as much as you’ve already done, but there is no time to do so;
• Take notes from reliable sources. If you’ve done some reading and have at least a basic acquaintance with the topic, organize the books and sources you have when dealing with the overnight essay. Skim over them and make notes, marking down fragments you want to cite.

6 Writing Tips to Prepare a Well-Written Paper

Writing an urgent paper isn’t much different from writing when you have all the time in the world – you just have to work fast and don’t have the right to make any mistakes. This means that you should carefully divide your work into stages and avoid dispersing your attention. Do one thing at a time, never getting distracted either by things outside your job or by other stages.

#1. Don’t even consider plagiarizing. A lot of students looking for the best solutions on how to write an essay overnight feel the temptation to copy-paste somebody else’s works or fragments of those. Wrong! No matter how tough the assignment gets, using texts written by fellow students is a crime. We live in times when even middle school English teachers use plagiarism checkers when looking through the works of their students. In most cases, plagiarism is immediately obvious even without specialized software, but even if it isn’t, any checker will immediately spot your attempt at copy/paste. You will get caught and some consequences of plagiarism are possible. At the very best, it will get on your record. At worst, you will be expelled;

#2. Think about a thesis statement. This is a key to any successful paper. Without a clear, concise and definite thesis statement, an assignment risks turning out to be weak, unfocused, and vague. Think about the main argument you make in your paper and try to formulate it in a single sentence. If you have problems doing this, it means that you haven’t fully understood what is required of you. Therefore, you have to spend some time clarifying your point. After you manage to create a thesis statement, write it down on a separate sheet of paper. Keep it in front of you at all times so that you don’t stray away from your primary topic;

#3. Do a short brainstorming session. Write down any ideas that can help you support your argument. This is a good time to start marking down the quotes and references you are going to make. Write down everything that comes into your head – don’t try to separate good ideas from bad ones at this point, you don’t have to use everything you come up with right now;

#4. Prepare an outline, i.e., a detailed plan for your paper. It should include, in short form, everything you intend to write in every part of your essay: how you introduce the topic, your thesis statement, points to be mentioned in each paragraph along with the accompanying supporting evidence, how you want to sum things up in the conclusion, and so on. A well-written outline means that when it comes to writing per se, you will simply have to elaborate on each point to get a full-fledged paper;

#5. Be concise. Whether you have a word count to fill in or not, padding your text won’t help you. If you simply have to drive your point home, you don’t have time for long-winded phrases, especially if you’re not really sure how to finish an assignment in one night . If you have to achieve a certain word count, your instructor will immediately spot your attempts at bloating your paper with filler, which can lead to a worse grade than you can receive if you write my essay properly. Short and simple sentences aren’t a sign of low intelligence – if you successfully express your thoughts, it is the sign of thinking that cuts to the chase and eliminates unnecessary details;

#6. Proofread. Don’t treat proofreading as something that you will do if you have some time and energy left after you’ve finished with the “real work”. Proofreading is just as a real work as gathering sources and writing, especially if you write in such a hurry. When you have a few hours to complete a paper, you are bound to make mistakes that can seriously decrease your chances of getting a good grade. Ideally, you should let your paper lie a little bit before you start proofreading it. Obviously, this is not the situation when it is possible, so use whatever time is left to do it. Check your formatting for compliance with college guidelines and your assigned formatting style. Check your style – if you find colloquialisms, jargon or slang, eliminate it. Avoid passive voice – in most cases, it makes speech lifeless and hard to read.

We hope these tips will help you deal with your situation right now and emerge from this crisis with flying colors. And perhaps, the memory of this experience will be enough to prevent you from procrastinating the next time you have to write an important assignment!

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Author: Patricia Jenkins

Patricia Jenkins is the senior writing advisor at FastEssay blog for international students that seek quick paper assistance. In her blog, Patricia shares useful tips on productivity, writing, research, references. Sometimes Patricia goes off topic by sharing her personal experience peppered with lively humor and healthy irony. View all posts by Patricia Jenkins

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How to Write a Research Paper Fast

Updated: December 8, 2023

Published: January 27, 2020

As a student, you knew it was inevitable. The day has come where you have to write a research paper, but you’ve put it off until the last minute. Now the pressure is sinking in to get it done quickly and you want to know how to write a research paper fast.

The good news is that it’s doable. The better news is that there are ways to avoid waiting until the last minute. We will tackle those after we give you everything you need to know to get it done.

Photo by Russ Ward

The process.

A research paper is what it sounds like — a paper that requires a thesis (or argument) along with the research to back it up. Research papers involve citing a variety of sources, analyzing arguments, and pulling different academic pieces together to prove a point.

1. Understand the Assignment:

The first thing you have to make sure you do before you get to outlining and writing is to understand the assignment. You will need to organize different pieces of information, from books, essays, interviews, articles and more.

2. Choose a Topic:

Depending on the assignment provided, you will either have a topic in front of you or you will have to decide on one yourself. If your professor did not provide you with a topic, here are some helpful ways to choose one that will work for your needs:

• Choose something you understand enough so that you will be able to interpret the research about it
• Before you get started, check that there is a lot of content about that topic by performing a simple online search to see what turns up
• Write out your topic as a research question that you plan to answer
• Research more about your topic and find evidence to back up what you want to answer
• Make a list of keywords that you continue to see pop up about the topic
• Create your thesis

3. Perform Research:

While performing research is as easy as conducting an online search for sources, the more important element is evaluating the validity of a source. Don’t use Wikipedia as a source, because it is crowdsourced and can be edited by anyone. Instead, rely on digital encyclopedias, scholarly databases, trustworthy publications like TIME magazine and the New York Times, and the like. Since you’re writing this research paper at the last minute, the library may not be a possible option. However, for the next time you write a research paper and plan in advance, definitely utilize books from the library.

4. Write Your Thesis:

A thesis statement is the gist of your entire paper. It is what you will spend your writing proving; therefore, it has to be strong and to the point. A thesis statement appears in the introduction of your research paper, following the strong hook statement that draws your readers in. There is a formulaic way to write a strong thesis statement, and it looks something like this:

“By examining (argument 1), (argument 2), and (argument 3), it is clear that (statement you will prove).”

A thesis statement is typically one sentence and it is clearly written so that the reader knows exactly what they will read about in your paper.

To check that you’ve written a strong thesis statement, ask yourself if it achieves the following:

• Is it in the introduction?
• Does it answer the question from the prompt?
• Can others argue against my thesis?
• Is it going to prove a single claim?
• Does it answer something meaningful?

5. Outline Your Paper:

Now that you have the main ingredients for your research paper, namely your thesis and supporting research, you can start outlining. Everyone has their own way they like to create an outline for papers. Here’s one good example of how it can be done — this is called a flat outline:

• List the topics you will discuss
• Under each topic, write your sources
• If you are lacking sources, revisit and research more to give more meat to your paper
• Move your topics and their information onto your paper in an organized flow
• Write your thesis at the top so you can ensure that you are answering/proving your thesis throughout the paper’s argument

6. The Body/Intro and Conclusion:

So, do you start with your introduction and conclusion and then fill in the body? Or, do you do it the other way around? Really, there is no right or wrong way. It ultimately depends on your preference. Some people like to write their introduction and use it to serve as an outline of their paper and then flow from there. Others like to write their points in the body of their paper and then extrapolate the introduction and conclusion from what they wrote.

Regardless of how you perform your work, there is a structure that the paper must follow, which looks like this:

• Introduction – includes a hook sentence (grabs the reader), your thesis and a menu sentence (a list of what you will discuss).
• Body paragraphs – each body paragraph comes from what you mentioned in your introduction’s menu sentence. Each body paragraph has a topic sentence, or a first sentence that clearly states what it will be about. Each body paragraph includes support and sources that prove the topic sentence or argument.
• Conclusion – here, you restate your introduction and thesis in different words. You want to end with a strong and memorable sentence. Just like your introduction began with a hook statement, your conclusion should end with something that will be remembered.

7. Cite Sources:

One of the major differences between a research paper and any other academic paper is that you must cite your sources. The end of your paper will have a list of sources, or a bibliography. Depending on your professor’s preferences, they will either be listed in APA format , MLA , Chicago , etc. This is an imperative step because your entire research paper’s evidence is based on and backed up by these sources, so you must give them credit where credit is due.

While this is not in the cards for all paper writing, it is very important for a last minute research paper. You’ve likely spent hours crunching the information and regurgitating it in your own words to fill up the once blank pages. As such, it’s a good idea to step away from your paper, get some sleep, and then revisit it with fresh eyes in the morning.

9. Proofread Revise and Editing:

As with any paper, you want to make sure you read it over to catch any mistakes. Not only should you use the Word processing tool that checks spelling and grammar for you, but you must also read it out loud to find any mistakes.

10. Find and Remove Plagiarism:

Once you are done with the entire proofreading and checking phase, the last thing that you have to do is find and remove plagiarism in your research paper. Plagiarism has a lot of consequences, and you have to make sure that your research paper is completely free of it. To do this, you first have to use a plagiarism checker to find all the plagiarized parts. Once found, you can either remove them or give the required accreditations.

If there is time to ask a friend or peer to read over your paper one time, that will be a good idea, too.

Photo by  Dan Dimmock  on  Unsplash

How to write a research paper in a day.

Granted, all the steps above can help you write a research paper fast. Here’s a brief look at how you can do this in a day:

1. Brainstorm Quickly

• Use the prompt
• Outline possible options
• Perform a simple Google search and find what has the most information
• Choose your topic
• Create an outline

2. Research

• Find research to support each point in your outline

3. Write Quickly

• Put it all on paper as you think of it
• Take time to edit, condense, and rewrite

Photo by  Nick Morrison  on  Unsplash

Find a good writing environment.

Before sitting down to get started on your last-minute task, make sure you set up an environment that is conducive to getting your work done. Things you want to consider:

1. Distraction-free:

Choose somewhere quiet and distraction-free. You will have to stay focused for a few hours, so you’ll want to choose a comfortable setting.

2. Good lighting:

Along with comfort, make sure you have adequate lighting to read and write.

3. Go somewhere studious:

Perhaps, if time permits, you can choose to work in somewhere like a library or a study lounge.

4. Bring just your supplies needed:

Even if you work at home, make sure you set up a table with only the supplies you need, as to limit distractions. This could include: a computer, tablet, pen, paper, highlighter, books, and sticky notes. Plus, don’t forget water!

Tips to Avoid Procrastination

Writing a last-minute paper, especially that involves research, is stressful and less than optimal . Instead of finding yourself in this position, you can follow this advice to avoid such a situation.

1. Start early:

Once you’re given the prompt, start thinking about what you want to write about. You can write down ideas on paper and look into the research that supports each point.

2. Outline first and take breaks:

Begin outlining your paper so that when you sit to write, you already have the bulk of it prepared. If you start early, you will have the advantage and ability to take breaks. This helps to revisit your argument with a clear head and potentially see things that you may have otherwise missed.

3. Ask for help if you need it:

Starting early means that you are not crunched for time. So, you have the added benefit of asking for help. You can solicit advice from friends, peers, family, your professors, teacher assistants, the online community, and more. Plus, when you finish writing your paper, you have time to ask for help from someone other than you to read it over and edit it.

The Bottom Line

While knowing how to write a paper fast is useful and at times necessary, it is not the optimal way to approach assignments. However, sometimes being in a bind is out of your control. Therefore, the best way to write a research paper fast is to follow the aforementioned steps and remember to stay calm.

While a research paper involves a lot of work, from creating a strong thesis to finding supporting research, it can be made into an enjoyable activity when you choose to write about something you are interested in. It gives you a chance to digest other people’s findings and make your own inferences about what they mean.

By following the typical structure of a research paper, creating an outline and finding good sources, you can get your research paper done in a night. Good luck!

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The Barker Underground

Writing advice from the harvard college writing center tutors, the nuclear option: how to write a paper the night before it’s due.

by Sam Berman-Cooper

We’ve all been in this situation. 7pm. Paper due tomorrow at noon. No draft. No outline. No time machine. What do you do, what do you do?

Have no fear! Here are a few Quick Tips you can follow to avert disaster.

1. Ask yourself: Have I done the reading? If your answer is “no” go on to step 2. If you answer is “yes,” ask yourself “what are 4 or 5 interesting facts about the reading? If you cannot produce said facts, you answered incorrectly. You may have “done” the reading, but in practice, you may as well have not. Go on to step 2. If you are confident in your mastery of the necessary reading, ask yourself “do I have a good idea to write about?” If your answer is “no,” go to step 3. If your answer is “yes,” go on to step 4.

2. Accept the fact that you are not going to hand in your paper on time. Accept that this is not the end of the world. Email your TF (or whoever is grading your paper) and tell him/her that your paper will be late and you have no valid excuse. Without notification, he/she will be confused as to where your paper is, and probably more irritated than if you had been upfront about it. Go on to step 3.

3. Go over your readings with a pen or a highlighter. Figuring out an idea to write about should be your first priority as you read. Take your time and think carefully about the authors’ arguments. There is no such thing as a good paper without a good idea. Once you’ve decided what you want to argue, go on to step 4.

4. To quote the immortal Douglas Adams: Don’t Panic . You’ve done the readings and you have an idea. It may be that you can still get a good grade. Even if you can’t, just think how many assignments you are going to do here in four years. One average grade won’t kill you (or your chances of making mad bank).

5. DO NOT plagiarize. Let me repeat that. DO NOT even consider plagiarizing. You will get caught. You will get Ad-Boarded. It will go on your record. You will regret it.

6. Figure out exactly how much time you have between NOW and the time your paper is due . Do not try to work straight through. You will get less and less efficient (and worse and worse at writing) if you refuse to take breaks.

7. Figure out what kind of essay you are writing (lens essay, research paper, etc.) and Check THE WRITING CENTER BLOG for templates. For example, check out Emily’s post for tips on how to write a good lens essay.

8. Quickly create a schedule to accommodate your personal writing process. I like to make very detailed outlines and spend less time drafting and revising. If I have 12 hours to do a close-reading paper (critical analysis of one source or one author), my schedule might look like this:

a. Midnight-1:00am: Use a Writing Center Blog Post to help create a very loose outline – just a vague thesis, ideas for topic sentences, 3- 5 body paragraphs, and possibly a conclusion.

b. 1:00-2:30am: Close-read/re-read relevant parts of the text to find quotes/evidence and flesh out each body paragraph. Add each quote (with its page number/source) to the outline.

c. 2:30-3:00am: Take a break. Get some food, maybe do some jumping jacks. In the short term, 15-20 minutes of exercise is proven to be more effective for waking you up than a 15-20 minute powernap.

d. 3:00-3:45am: Write a thesis statement and introduction . This is the most important part of your essay, so take your time.

e. 3:45-7:00am: SLEEP!!! I cannot stress this part enough. You will have a much clearer mind and work much better and much faster if you get some sleep cycles in.

Check out this page on typical sleep cycles to help you plan your nap. Deep Sleep and REM sleep are particularly important for processing information and feeling alert and energetic when you wake up. If you set your alarm to go off during DEEP SLEEP (stages 3+4) you will probably feel groggy (and not much better at writing) when you wake up. Try to get a least one full cycle (3 hours) and time your naps to not wake up during periods of Deep Sleep.

f. 7:00-7:30am: Shower/eat . Showering will help you wake up, plus it will give you time to think about what you want to say. Don’t go without food. Your mind is a machine, and it needs fuel!

g. 7:30-10:00am: Write your body paragraphs. Follow your outline as closely as possible. This is GO TIME , when the heart of your essay comes to life. You should feel a little pressure at this point, but that’s a good thing – it will make you work faster. As long as your outline includes all the evidence you need, the real work is done. Now you’re just translating bullet points into sentences.

h. 10:00-10:15am: Another break. Stop thinking for a little while. You will feel better.

i. 10:15-11:00am: Write a conclusion and start re-reading/revising . Keep your eyes out for sentences that seem unclear, points that need a little more evidence, spelling and grammar; any problem that can be solved with a quick fix.

j. 11:00-Noon: Final revision. Double-check all your sources and look for carelessly placed words and grammatical errors. Save, print, staple. You have successfully completed an essay in 12 hours. After class, pass out for as long as possible!

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How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide

A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.

Research papers are similar to academic essays , but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original contribution to the debate.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding your assignment to proofreading your final draft.

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Table of contents

Understand the assignment, choose a research paper topic, conduct preliminary research, develop a thesis statement, create a research paper outline, write a first draft of the research paper, write the introduction, write a compelling body of text, write the conclusion, the second draft, the revision process, research paper checklist, free lecture slides.

Completing a research paper successfully means accomplishing the specific tasks set out for you. Before you start, make sure you thoroughly understanding the assignment task sheet:

• Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your professor.
• Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting, and submission method.
• Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as you’re writing.

Carefully consider your timeframe and word limit: be realistic, and plan enough time to research, write, and edit.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

There are many ways to generate an idea for a research paper, from brainstorming with pen and paper to talking it through with a fellow student or professor.

You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.

You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics that require further examination.

Once you have a broad subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that interests you, m eets the criteria of your assignment, and i s possible to research. Aim for ideas that are both original and specific:

• A paper following the chronology of World War II would not be original or specific enough.
• A paper on the experience of Danish citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be original enough.

Note any discussions that seem important to the topic, and try to find an issue that you can focus your paper around. Use a variety of sources , including journals, books, and reliable websites, to ensure you do not miss anything glaring.

Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of view.

• Is there anything people seem to overlook in the sources you research?
• Are there any heated debates you can address?
• Do you have a unique take on your topic?
• Have there been some recent developments that build on the extant research?

In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you. To write research questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”

A thesis statement is a statement of your central argument — it establishes the purpose and position of your paper. If you started with a research question, the thesis statement should answer it. It should also show what evidence and reasoning you’ll use to support that answer.

The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two, make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.

You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop this central claim.

A research paper outline is essentially a list of the key topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include, divided into sections with headings so that you know roughly what the paper will look like before you start writing.

A structure outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it’s worth dedicating some time to create one.

Your first draft won’t be perfect — you can polish later on. Your priorities at this stage are as follows:

• Maintaining forward momentum — write now, perfect later.
• Paying attention to clear organization and logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences, which will help when you come to the second draft.
• Expressing your ideas as clearly as possible, so you know what you were trying to say when you come back to the text.

You do not need to start by writing the introduction. Begin where it feels most natural for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with the easiest part. If you created an outline, use it as a map while you work.

Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written or find it doesn’t quite fit, move it to a different document, but don’t lose it completely — you never know if it might come in useful later.

Paragraph structure

Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.

Example paragraph

George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on thought about the relationship between politics and language. This impact is particularly obvious in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay. For example, consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-rights leader,” “diversity,” and more). Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of his day. Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.

Citing sources

It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism . Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from.

You can use our free citation generators to automatically create citations and save your reference list as you go.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

The research paper introduction should address three questions: What, why, and how? After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, why it is worth reading, and how you’ll build your arguments.

What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background, and define key terms or concepts.

Why? This is the most important, but also the most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What important issues does your essay help define or answer?

How? To let the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper, the introduction should include a “map” of what will be discussed, briefly presenting the key elements of the paper in chronological order.

The major struggle faced by most writers is how to organize the information presented in the paper, which is one reason an outline is so useful. However, remember that the outline is only a guide and, when writing, you can be flexible with the order in which the information and arguments are presented.

One way to stay on track is to use your thesis statement and topic sentences . Check:

• topic sentences against the thesis statement;
• topic sentences against each other, for similarities and logical ordering;
• and each sentence against the topic sentence of that paragraph.

Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Aim to create smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

The research paper conclusion is designed to help your reader out of the paper’s argument, giving them a sense of finality.

Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how you’ve settled the issues raised in the introduction.

You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper offers to future students of the topic, and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but cannot or does not try to answer.

You should not :

• Offer new arguments or essential information
• Take up any more space than necessary
• Begin with stock phrases that signal you are ending the paper (e.g. “In conclusion”)

There are four main considerations when it comes to the second draft.

• Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly, that your paper still answers the assignment.
• Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot substantiate them further.
• Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and whether your ideas could be better organized.
• If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.

The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible. You can speed up the proofreading process by using the AI proofreader .

Global concerns

• Confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment sheet.
• Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
• Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.

Fine-grained details

Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:

• each sentence helps support the topic sentence.
• no unnecessary or irrelevant information is present.
• all technical terms your audience might not know are identified.

Next, think about sentence structure , grammatical errors, and formatting . Check that you have correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look for typos, cut unnecessary words, and check for consistency in aspects such as heading formatting and spellings .

Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading  or create an APA title page .

Scribbr’s professional editors can help with the revision process with our award-winning proofreading services.

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Checklist: Research paper

I have followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.

My introduction presents my topic in an engaging way and provides necessary background information.

My introduction presents a clear, focused research problem and/or thesis statement .

My paper is logically organized using paragraphs and (if relevant) section headings .

Each paragraph is clearly focused on one central idea, expressed in a clear topic sentence .

Each paragraph is relevant to my research problem or thesis statement.

I have used appropriate transitions  to clarify the connections between sections, paragraphs, and sentences.

My conclusion provides a concise answer to the research question or emphasizes how the thesis has been supported.

My conclusion shows how my research has contributed to knowledge or understanding of my topic.

My conclusion does not present any new points or information essential to my argument.

I have provided an in-text citation every time I refer to ideas or information from a source.

I have included a reference list at the end of my paper, consistently formatted according to a specific citation style .

I have thoroughly revised my paper and addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers, headers, spacing, etc.).

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An Effective Guide to Writing a Research Paper in One Night

It’s happened before and it’ll happen again: despite all the good intentions a student can muster, there’s always at least one paper pushed off until the last minute, and so now you’re here, in front of your computer at 10pm, looking to pull off a miracle before dawn. The pizza has been ordered. The coffee machine is on red alert. You’re trying to remember everything anyone’s ever told you about Zen. So buckle down and take a look at our top tips on how to survive writing a research paper in one night .

Step one: take a deep breath. We’ve all been there.

It can’t be said enough: keep your cool. If you start to feel panicky, just stop whatever you’re doing, stand up and take a brief walk before coming back. Having a clear head is key, and even a little exercise can give you just that. If you know any breathing exercises, now would be the time to use them.

Keep focused

Choose a place that’s free of distraction – if there’s a vending machine stocked with Kit-Kats, you’ll be thinking about that a lot more than the topic at hand.

If you’re finding yourself short on willpower, don’t worry: there’s an app for that. Try a program like Cold Turkey, which temporarily blocks access to time-wasters like Facebook and Twitter.

Set landmarks

Before you start, set a couple goals that are linked to a specific hour. For example, you could perfect your introduction by midnight, write your main content by three, and tidy up your bibliography by four. Reaching milestones gives a quick dopamine boost and sets you up with the extra push necessary to keep going. Having a little reward at the end of big milestones, like a five-minute walk or a sandwich, makes it feel even better.

Just make sure your goals are realistic – nothing destroys productivity like discouragement.

What to leave on hand

• Liquid: the only thing worse than a sleep-deprived brain is a sleep-deprived and dehydrated brain. Instead of reaching for the coffee, though, try for something lighter on the body - chai tea or mate are miracle-workers. Make sure to avoid energy drinks and sodas with high quantities of sugar – you can’t afford an energy crash halfway through the night.
• Resources: as much as possible, try to have your sources on-hand before you begin. If you’ve already read the articles and books you need, having written little post-it notes with comments will jog your memory and help you make connections at a time when your brain is expending energy just staying awake.
• Comfort food: if motivation is in short supply, a small pick-me-up can do wonders. Sometimes a little encouragement is all you need. Again, try to avoid stuff that’s high in sugar. Leave the cake and grab some salted peanuts.

The main thing’s not running yourself into the ground – yes, you’re here to get something done, but take care of yourself along the way and you’ll find yourself full of interesting connections to build into your work. There’ll always be another day to catch up on sleep.

How to Write a 10 and 20-Page Research Paper in One Night

Writing a research paper can be a time-consuming task, especially when you have a tight deadline. However, with proper planning and effective strategies, it is possible to complete a 10 or 20-page research paper in just one night.

Researchers generally put off writing their research papers until the last week, but some start hours before the deadline. There are ways to organize a researcher’s work and assist him finish a 20-page research paper in one night, but it’s risky and difficult to succeed.

This article will provide you with valuable hacks to help you accomplish this feat while maintaining quality and ensuring success. So, let’s dive into the strategies that will assist you in achieving your goal.

Table of Contents

How to Get Ready to Write?

1. make a time schedule.

You’ve probably already spent some time freaking out. Organise the plan once you have overcome your fear of having to do a 10- or 20-page paper in one night. First, set aside a space devoid of distractions where you can concentrate. It’s ideal to set up a comfortable writing space, with the exception of a few breaks and snacks. Spend some time creating an overview and finding/citing research. You can begin drafting once you have decided how you will approach the topic.

2. Select your main topic.

If you were given a prompt, your topic should be obvious. However, there are occasions when you are free to select the subject of your research. The best course of action in this situation is to select a subject that you are already knowledgeable about. By doing so, you will save yourself valuable time that would have been used for research. Try to choose a topic that has a lot of knowledge available even if you have no strong opinions on it.

3. Conduct research

Start looking for sources to mention that can help you prove your main point, or thesis. Always take notes as you conduct your research. Using a word processor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word to copy and paste URLs is one of the finest ways to accomplish this. It would be better to copy and paste the key argument from one passage from each source.

You can then sum up what you have read from that source in a few sentences of your own writing. You can begin to create an outline, or the order in which you will present your ideas divided into topics and arguments, while you conduct your research.

4. Outline 3 to 5 subtopics

Once you’ve decided on a theme, try to glean three to five subtopics from it. Each subtopic should be interesting enough to warrant lengthy discussion. The supporting paragraphs that make up the body of your research paper’s body are the subtopics. They ought to essentially be short essays within themselves.

One Night of Writing

It’s not ideal to do a lengthy research paper in one night, but it is possible.

The following tips are some of the best ways to get it done:

1. Setting the Right Mindset

Setting the right mindset.

Writing a lengthy research paper in a limited timeframe can be overwhelming, but it’s essential to adopt a positive mindset. Embrace the challenge and believe in your ability to accomplish the task.

Break it Down

Rather than viewing the research paper as a whole, break it down into smaller, manageable sections. This approach helps in reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed and allows you to focus on one section at a time.

2. Planning and Outlining

Create a detailed outline.

Before diving into the actual writing process, take some time to create a detailed outline for your research paper. This will serve as a roadmap, guiding you through the different sections and ensuring that your ideas flow logically.

Spend those extra few seconds organizing and outlining your paper. Even while it could seem like a waste of time, it will keep you on the right track. When you have an outline, you won’t feel stuck once you reach the middle of your paper. An outline will be as useful to you as a map is on a journey.

Organize Your Thoughts

Once you have the outline in place, organize your thoughts and ideas for each section. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the main points you want to address and the supporting evidence you will use.

3. Gathering Relevant Materials

Conduct efficient research.

To save time, focus on gathering relevant materials that directly support your research topic. Utilize online databases, scholarly journals, and reputable websites to find credible sources. Be selective and prioritize sources that are highly relevant and reliable.

Take Efficient Notes

While conducting research, take efficient and organized notes. Highlight key points, quotes, and any other information that will be useful for your research paper. This will make it easier to reference and cite your sources later on.

4. Effective Time Management

Set a realistic schedule.

Creating a schedule is crucial to ensure you make the most of your time. Set specific time slots for different tasks, such as researching, writing, and editing. Be realistic with your time allocation, considering breaks and rest periods to maintain focus and avoid burnout.

Eliminate Distractions

During your dedicated writing time, eliminate distractions as much as possible. Put your phone on silent, close unnecessary browser tabs, and find a quiet space where you can fully concentrate on your work.

5. Use Specialized Search

Use the scholarly search tools that are available. Google Scholar and Elsevier are two examples of this.

There are tools for managing citations that might assist you in locating sources for your subject. Mendeley is but one example. You can use the tool to type in parts of your paper and identify relevant quotes. In order to avoid plagiarism, make sure to cite everything you use.

6. Writing the Research Paper

Start with the body.

Begin your research paper by writing the body paragraphs first. This allows you to develop your arguments and present your main ideas. Remember to provide supporting evidence and cite your sources accurately.

Craft a Compelling Introduction

Once you have written the body paragraphs, move on to crafting a compelling introduction. Your introduction should grab the reader’s attention, provide background information, and clearly state your thesis statement.

Write the Conclusion Last

Save the conclusion for the end. By this point, you will have a better understanding of your research paper’s main points and findings. Use the conclusion to summarize your arguments and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

7. Editing and Proofreading

Take a break.

After completing the initial draft, take a short break before starting the editing process. This break will help you approach your paper with fresh eyes and enhance your ability to identify errors and make improvements.

Edit for Clarity and Coherence

During the editing process, focus on improving the clarity and coherence of your research paper. Ensure that your ideas flow logically and that your writing is concise and easy to understand. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors as well.

Proofread Carefully

Lastly, proofread your research paper carefully to eliminate any lingering errors. Pay attention to details, such as formatting, citation style, and consistency in headings and subheadings. A well-polished paper enhances your credibility and professionalism.

You could want to give up after writing 10 to 20 pages and take a few hours to relax by going to sleep. However, it is critical to push through and proofread your paper. It would be best if you could find someone who could proofread your paper for you because it can be difficult to see errors when you’ve been staring at something for a while.

However, if nobody is accessible, try reading your article aloud to yourself. You may be able to spot errors more easily this way.

8. Verify the Formatting

Every research paper must follow a specific format requirement. Make sure your layout follows the rules, whether they are set down by APA, MLA, or another common formatting style.

The Structure of a 10-Page Paper

When to Start Writing?

The notes above should scare you away from procrastination if you haven’t yet found yourself scrambling to finish a paper at the last minute. Maybe you just got a research paper to write. The following is the recommended course of action to take in this situation:

Start Early

Do something straight away. Starting early will prevent you from having to write a paper in one night later on, even if it merely entails conducting early research or creating an outline. You gain a lot by starting early because you may use your peers’ ideas, take the time needed for editing and rewriting, and reduce your risk of choosing a topic with insufficient knowledge and having to switch topics at the last minute.

Writing in Stages

You can also write in stages if you get started early. When you write in stages, you might consider the writing process as a cycle. You can start by making your outline. After that, you can write the introduction, review it, and make any necessary edits before going on to the next section (in this example, the first body paragraph).

Use a Timeline

Plan out your writing in stages using a timeline. For instance, if you begin four weeks beforehand, you will have enough time to complete the following tasks:

• Completely comprehend the task and ask any questions you may have.
• begin reading and documenting sources
• Make notecards and list sources in books.
• Summarize your research to date, using some of the information in your paper.
• Make 3-5 subtopics and outline the concepts you want to cover.
• Find more resources on your subtopics
• begin writing summaries for each subtopics
• Write an analysis of your findings.
• Using your notes and outline as a guide, begin assembling the research paper (much like putting together a puzzle).

The Writing Process

This is a basic summary of how to create a 20-page paper, or one that is shorter. Everyone’s real writing process is a little bit different.

Start with a Thesis:  Your thesis statement is one sentence that clearly and concisely expresses what you hope to prove through research.

Include a Menu Sentence: At the conclusion of your introduction, you should include briefly outline of your subtopics in what is referred to as a “menu sentence.” This enables the reader to know what they can expect to learn about as they keep reading your paper.

Make a Comprehensive Introduction: Your introduction should be thorough enough to explain the topic of the paper to someone who knows little to nothing about it.

Keep References: It’s important to note your sources as you go along so that you may essentially build your bibliography as you write.

Write First: Write at first, then edit. Before making any judgements or editing changes to the work, you should get all of your thoughts down on paper.

Save Often: If your computer fails, you can create the draft on a cloud platform that automatically saves documents, such as Google Docs, or you can email the work to yourself as you go.

Resources to Consider

It is best to use a variety of sources when writing your research paper and finding your sources. This might comprise:

Internet: There are countless opportunities available online. Finding reliable and trustworthy sources on the Internet is preferable to using fake news as a source. Because of this, resources like Google Scholar can be quite useful.

Textbooks: You will probably be able to use your course material as a source for the investigation you are doing.

Books: Additionally, books that you read outside of class will be helpful for any research paper.

Final actions: Formatting and Editing

It’s time to edit once you’ve written all of your thoughts down on paper. It cannot be emphasized enough how important editing is before submission. This is particularly true if you have been writing under extreme time constraints.

It’s difficult to complete a 10- or 20-page research report in one night, so mistakes and typos are inevitable. The following advice will help you catch these errors the easiest:

• Before editing, take a break so that you may return to the page with somewhat fresh eyes and a clearer head.
• Because sometimes your brain may ignore typos or missing words in order to understand what it is reading, read it aloud to check for errors.
• If at all feasible, have a second person review it.
• Block quotes or footnotes may be appropriate.
• Format in accordance with your university’s requirements, such as MLA or APA.

Writing a 10 or 20-page research paper in one night is undoubtedly challenging, but with the right mindset, effective planning, and proper time management, it can be done successfully. Remember to break down the task, conduct efficient research, and stay focused on each section. Utilize your time wisely, and don’t forget to edit and proofread thoroughly for a polished final paper.

Q1: Is it possible to write a 10 or 20-page research paper in one night?

Yes, it is possible with the right strategies, planning, and effective time management.

Q2: Should I prioritize quality over quantity when writing a research paper?

While it’s essential to maintain quality in your research paper, balancing both quality and quantity is crucial. Focus on presenting well-supported arguments within the given page limit.

Q3: How can I efficiently gather research materials in a limited timeframe?

Utilize online databases, scholarly journals, and reputable websites to find relevant sources quickly. Be selective and prioritize sources that directly support your research topic.

Q4: Should I write the introduction or the body paragraphs first?

Starting with the body paragraphs allows you to develop your arguments and ideas. Once the body is written, you can craft an introduction that effectively sets the tone and purpose of your research paper.

Q5: Is editing and proofreading essential for a research paper?

Yes, editing and proofreading are crucial to ensure a polished and error-free research paper. Take the time to carefully review your work for clarity, coherence, and accuracy.

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How to Write a Twenty-Page Research Paper in One Night

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Writing a twenty-page paper in one night is not a walk in the park. However, there are some instances out there where students in college have had to write a twenty-page paper in one night. Whichever way you care to cut it through, coming up with such a paper is not easy, and while it might be difficult, it is manageable if total focus and efficient organization are put in the process. So, just for clarity purposes, is it possible to write a twenty-page paper in one night? While writing on your own is not an option, there are services like ours, where you can pay someone to write my research paper .

No matter how advanced a writer you may be, it is worth noting that a twenty page paper in twelve hours is not something you can look down upon. Undergraduate, as well as Postgraduate students, have had to work around such situations, and if you are among them, or just someone looking for a resource that will guide you, then you are just about to learn how to write a twenty-page paper in one night. If it is still unmanageable, you can consult our online service at WoWgrade.net to help you come up with a quality paper.

You only need to place an order, and our writers will come up with a custom paper that not only meets your standards but which has no plagiarism.

Select a Topic for Your Research Paper

Since you have to write a twenty-page research paper in one night, then it is just essential that you organize yourself well and start working on your paper right away. Towards that end, therefore, begin by ensuring you have a topic for your paper. Some course instructors give much latitude when it comes to topic selection, and if you are among their students, then you might want to choose a topic that touches on the course. Moreover, ensure that the topic you select is one that you understand comprehensively and one that will allow you to write a long paper in one night or day.

If the course instructor or professor has provided a topic for the paper, then it is essential that you invest your time in breaking down and understanding the topic. Remember that this is a twenty-page paper, and you will work on it best if you clearly understand the expectations. This can only be achieved by understanding in detail the topic of the paper.

Break Down the Topic Into Subtopics

Once you have come up with your topic, make a point of breaking it down into smaller sections that will form the body of your paper. Since we are talking about twenty pages here, coming up with 8 to 10 subheadings for your paper will work fine. Dealing with individual subtopics is much easier, and it will allow you to cover the paper in an efficient way than coming up with one large body of text.

Do Some Research

Many papers require you to do some initial research on where you will base your arguments and ideas. Since there is the limitation of time in this scenario, the subtopics that you have come up will be very instrumental in writing your paper and the extent of the research you will conduct.

Research about the main topic of your paper, and delve into the subtopics that you have come up with. Write the key points and ideas on some other paperwork, and you can group these points according to the subtopics of your paper. This approach will help to disintegrate the work and make it easier for you as you write your paper.

Arrange Your Sections Logically

After doing your research, you will get insights into how the paper should be. Since all papers need to have a logical flow of ideas and content, make a point of rearranging your subtopics to ensure that they show a flow of ideas and thoughts. You might not want to concentrate much on this based on the timeframe, but it will help you with the overall writing process.

Introductory Part

In many cases, the length of the introduction depends on the length of the paper. Ensure that your introduction reflects the length of your paper. If you are a student, ensure your paper's introduction gives the instructor a brief of what your paper is about, and a thesis statement will help them to know what your paper centers on.  However, under any situation, do not compromise the quality of your paper in the name of completing the twenty pages. Make an effort of writing concisely and adequately.

The Subtopics

The subtopics of your paper will make up the body of your paper. In this regard, therefore, you need to ensure that your points and ideas reflect the subtopic you are writing about and that they are in tandem with the main topic of your paper.

Treat these subtopics as small essays, and follow the format you would use when writing an essay. Give an introduction and conclusion, and work on the body comprehensively. Here is where the research you did comes in. Ensure that it reflects in these subtopics all through your paper.

Make References as You Write

The extent of references that will be in a twenty-page paper is vast. Therefore, while you write, ensure that you include in-text citations in instances where you quote other sources. Further, create a reference list on the go. Do not procrastinate referencing to a later time. At that moment, you might be exhausted, and this might compromise your ability to come up with proper references. Working on your references as you write is the best way to write a research paper in one night.

Polish Your Work

After completing your draft, go through your work and review it. Since tiredness will be slowly creeping in at this moment, ensure that you make maximum use of energies left and channel them to the polishing process. Review and edit your work for mistakes and errors in spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation.

Format your work according to the instructions of the professor, and ensure that the font, font size, spacing, and referencing style meet the expectations. If these have not been provided, make a point of formatting your work appropriately so that it can appeal to the eyes of the instructor.

To wrap it all up, while coming up with a twenty-page paper within one night might seem intensive, it is entirely manageable if you plan your approach. When you plan and organize the manner that you'll work around the paper, it will be manageable and easier for you. All in all, our writers are used to such demanding papers, and they can as well come up with a paper for you.

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Can you do a Research Paper in a day or Write 10-page essay

Write your Research in one day

A research paper is arguably the most important part of your academic course and this is a clear indication that you have to do it perfectly.

An academic assignment such as research paper needs gradual planning if you want to perform the task correctly.

Can a Research Paper be done in One Day? 

There comes a time when you have to postpone your work until the last day when it is needed.

It is possible to write and complete a research paper in one day, whether it is a short paper or a 10-page essay. To do that, you need to concentrate and avoid distractions once you start writing it. The steps are simple, research, use an outline, follow the instructions and proofread to polish it at the end.

With all the necessary requirements at your disposal, it is possible to write a long research paper and submit it within a day to your lecturer.

Apart from procrastination, other reasons that can make a student be in this situation include laziness, being busy or forgetfulness. 

No matter the reason, submitting it late is not an option if you are a serious student.

This requires sheer concentration and the writer should avoid any form of distractions.

In a span of 10-24 hours, it is possible to complete your research.

However, factors such as topic complexity, your writing skills, research methods and typing speed will determine if you will beat the deadline.

How to Write a Research Paper in One Day

Since time is not on your side, start by examining the prompt given by your professor and understand it.

This will help you to settle for a favorable topic in line with the confines of the assignment. Ensure you comprehend all instructions given because there is no time for repetition or correction. 

Secondly, breakthrough the possible topics at hand and settle on one you have a personal interest with. Start researching on the narrowed list of topics and ensure you settle for one that returns many pages of results from the search engines.

If the topic search results are many and from credible sources, that is the topic you can tackle in one day.

After settling on your preferred topic, outline all the subtopics before you get into the research. Subtopics are good for a comprehensive research so that you will not leave any idea behind.

If there are subtopic concepts or questions you have left out, more ideas will come as you write and you can still add them. Also, establish the kind of structure your research will suit.

For timesaving purposes, you can use research organization tools, bookmark the websites on the browser you are using or copy all the links with information on a Google document. Do this for all the appropriate webpages that your search engine has returned. 

For better subtopic research, consider the use of amazon reviews, Google scholar and Google books. Through these searches, you will get a large quantity of books and scholarly articles that will save a lot of time.

Luckily, university and college libraries now have reliable online databases such as ProQuest and LexisNexis that can give you enough resources.

Writing the Essay

Once you are sure of the subtopic outline, proceed and commence drafting then tackle subtopics you are more comfortable with.

Because the resources are ready, it will be timesaving to cite as you write.

Focus on the page limit so that you don’t end up wasting time by writing more than required for a given subtopic.

With all the ideas down on paper, writing an introduction and conclusion will be easier as you recap the key points and arguments in this section. 

The last step is to proofread and edit what you have written. This is the time to remove unwanted phrases, check grammatical and spelling mistakes then format the footnotes in line with the style stipulated in your instructions.

Tips on How to Write a Research Paper Fast          

If you have an urgent paper that you want to submit an assignment on the last day , then you have hours to handle it in a day. Irrespective of the education establishment you are in, below are amazing ideas that can help you write your research fast:

1. Do away with distractions

Apparently, you need no commotions or interferences of any nature if you are to write fast. Apart from external noises in your surroundings, social media gadgets are the enemy of fast writing.

Entertainment gadgets such as radio and televisions should be off so that your mind is set and focused on the task at hand.

2. Have a clear mindset

If you review your mindset towards the research work you have, it becomes possible to write more in less time.

This involves not only being positive about the work but also goal-oriented. Reset your mind about achieving much within a short time of one day.

3. Come up with a draft

A draft will make it easier to write your research paper fast. Before you start, come up with a structure for the paper and possibly include an argumentative thesis. 

It is a helpful trick that will help with paragraph arrangement, structure of the paper and a good conclusion.

4. Adequate preparation

Underestimating the importance of good preparation will be a mistake. Apart from elimination all interferences, make sure all the important materials are ready. Have a paper, pen and your computer ready.

Also, ensure that your sitting arrangement is comfortable. A good chair and table will ensure that you do not experience fatigue before completing your paper.

Tiredness and exhaustion will affect your concentration and eventually lower the quality of paper you will write.

You can consider visiting a library if your working environment is noisy.

5. Go for a topic you are comfortable with

Having a clear image of the theme of your research paper will make it faster to compose. As such, select a topic that you have interest in and have a good understanding of the subject.

6. Proper Research

It is important to find all the information you need before you start writing. The writing evidence you collect from the internet can be confusing. Therefore, save the bookmarks of all pages that are relevant to your research so that you do not have to repeat the searches again.

Check again and confirm that you followed all the specific instructions about the sources.

7. The use of transitions

For faster writing of a research paper, linking of paragraphs is vital. You will be able to write your paper with the coherence of thoughts and ideas while at the same time relating them to the thesis. It is advisable to place transitions at the end of paragraphs.

8. Take breaks

Regular breaks will definitely come in handy. Prolonged writing and the use of a computer will make you get tired. Therefore, take a break of about 5 minutes after working on your paper for 45 minutes.

Drinking some water and taking part in quick exercises will help a lot.

Also, food and water should be part of your breaks. Water will maintain good hydration and food restores your energy levels.

Things That Slows Writers in Academic Writing

• Being slow in researching and retrieving the right content for your topic
• Selecting a topic that you have no interest in it
• Writing in the midst of distractions. Interferences such as unwelcomed conversations, social media apps, television, and noisy surrounding can slow down your writing.
• Inability to properly comprehend instructions. If you embark on writing a topic that is not clear to you or you are not familiar with the formatting, you are likely to be slow.
• Lack of a proper plan for the research project given. Academic engagements need a meticulous planning so that you come up with quality results. The resources, time and internal structure should be part of your planning.
• Not gathering all the required resources before writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to write a research paper in a week.

It is perfectly fine to write your paper in one week. Since you have time to research, your paper will be coherent and easy to read.

Can you write a research paper in one night?

Depending on the paper length and topic complexity, this is possible if you outline and plan well.

For some reasons, you can be in a situation where you have to write your whole research paper overnight.

Is it okay to write a research paper in a month?

This is the best time frame for writing your paper. It is ok because you have adequate time to plan and write.

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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