Determine how many pages the research paper will be. While in most cases this will be determined by a teacher or academic adviser, in other cases, such as academic reviews, page length will differ depending on the publication. Knowing page length beforehand will let you know how to tackle the subject, whether it can be broad enough to include expansive information or concise enough to fit within a limited page length.
Research the facts or information that will be relevant to the paper and will help build your thesis or argument. Depending on the type of research paper you’re writing, look for the most current information available, especially if your subject is about medicine or technology. If the paper is about literature, then older materials, particularly source materials, can be used. Try to mix it up with current publications, though. These might have fresher insights into the material that older sources won't have. Set aside time to research the relevant materials at the local library. Most libraries now have websites which feature their periodical catalog online. Search the Internet for possible material for your paper beforehand to make the process go faster.
Take notes. Keeping notes to important passages or ideas that your research will uncover will help you in shaping your paper. New information or fresh perspectives on an old subject can not only be included in your paper as direct sources, but can also help shape or validate your own opinions on the subject.
Organize your citations. Make sure that you have all the correct citations that you plan to use in your paper and that they are correctly attributed. List the citations you plan to use in a notebook or computer file. This will be especially helpful if you’re using multiple sources.
Write an outline for the paper. This will help organize your thoughts before you begin writing. It will cut out a lot of wasted time knowing how to begin the paper and what direction to take it. Knowing beforehand will make the process of writing much easier.