There are two major types of research papers: argumentative and analytical. During the course of your student career, you are likely to come across both of these variants as part of your requirements.
Argumentative papers, as the name implies, immediately let the reader know what kind of position you will be taking. You do this early in the piece, usually as part of the introduction or the thesis statement. These types of research papers have very defined characteristics, namely:
- They talk about a highly-debatable, sometimes controversial topic, which affords plenty of room for constructing an argument.
- There is an overt attempt to persuade the reader using the presentation of evidence, sound reasoning and other suggestive devices.
Analytical papers, on the other hand, often begin with the student posing a question or an issue for which they seek answers. There’s no overt or implied stance. Instead, the whole idea is to explore and evaluate the subject, allowing your findings to dictate the conclusion. As such, analytical writing typically feels much more fluid, as the student merely allows things to take their own shape, rather than forcing it to fit his arguments.
Chances are, you’ll be tasked to write both types of research papers during the course of your studies. As with any type of student writing, they are both best accomplished with the help of a college writing software, so make sure to have one on tap before even starting.