Provided by the Academic Center for Excellence
Writing a Formal Research Paper
Reviewed Fall 2014
Write accurately about the research. Write about what actually happened instead of what
“should have” happened. Research results do not always turn out the way one hopes, but
that is to be expected. Instructors do not grade based on whether or not a student achieves
the expected results but rather how well the student conducted and understood the study.
If the results are not favorable, explain possible causes or errors and what could be
improved in future research.
Use APA Format. For a social science research paper, APA format is typically expected.
APA format was developed for the social sciences, so it is followed fairly strictly in these
types of papers in both formatting the paper and citing sources. When in doubt, follow
APA guidelines.
Use peer-reviewed sources for research. If background research is needed for the paper,
only credible sources should be used. Online psychology or sociology journals are good
resources; however, any website that is not peer-reviewed should be avoided. Credible, peer-
reviewed sources can be found using the GCC Library Databases. In addition, textbooks
and reference books may be helpful for theoretical discussion.
Cite sources. Always use parenthetical, in-text citations to reference all of the source
material used. All ideas or research that is from an outside source must be cited. As
previously mentioned, APA formatting is expected when writing research papers for the
social sciences. For information on how to cite and format using APA, see the APA Format
Guide handout on the Academic Center for Excellence’s webpage or visit the Purdue Online
Writing Lab.
Format
There are four main sections included in most formal social science research papers: introduction,
method, results, and discussion. As APA formatting requires, subheadings are centered and bolded.
Font size does not change for subheadings. Each section is not necessarily its own page, so do not
feel the need to begin a new page for each subheading. The remainder of this handout details the
content expected for each of the most commonly included sections in a formal research paper.
Note. Instructors often give their students basic formatting guidelines when they assign a formal
research paper. All of the sections presented in this handout may not be included in every
instructor’s guidelines, but the content of the paper as a whole should be similar. It is always best to
ask instructors for their format preference; however, they are typically more concerned with content
than formatting, so following general APA guidelines is likely fine. Be sure to follow the instructor’s
guidelines for content, including no more or less than what is required for each section.