Writing Your Psychology Research Paper

Book excerpt: Many psychology students dislike writing a research paper, their aversion driven by anxiety over various aspects of the process. This primer for undergraduates explains how to write a clear, compelling, well-organized research paper. From picking a promising topic, to finding and digesting the pertinent literature, to developing a thesis, to outlining and presenting ideas, to editing for clarity and concision---each step is broken down and illustrated with examples. In addition, a bonus chapter discusses how to combat procrastination. Students learn that the best writing is done in chunks over long periods of time, and that writing is a skill that improves with practice. By following the advice in this book, any student can not only get through their dreaded writing assignment, but become a more proficient writer.