How to Write a Research Paper on a Book

Writing a research paper about a book may not be an easy task. The preparation of any research requires high precision and mastery over the subject. Students are often in doubt about the right way to create a qualitative research paper for a book. Where should you start? How to define the research topic? What language should you use in the text? These are just a few of the questions that usually come up.

Nevertheless, when you receive such a task and wondering how to write a research paper online based on a book, start with searching the ways to perform your work effectively. You can begin with our step-by-step instruction called “how to write a research paper on a book.”

Purpose of the research paper

So, what is the purpose of the research paper about a book? Such a type of paper is intended to express the researcher’s ability to understand, analyze, and interpret the content. Here are some tips about where you should begin to prepare and develop a great research paper on a book.

I. Read the book twice

Read the book thoughtfully and have a dictionary on hand (if needed), as well as a notebook to take notes. Make notes only when something draws your attention or is interesting to highlight. Bear in mind to register the page number for each note. Between the two readings try to rest and write down the reactions you have had after finishing the book for the first time. You may find it useful later.

II. Decide on the main points to highlight in your paper

Make sure to focus your research paper on some particular points. For example, you can decide whether you want to put an emphasis on the characters of the book or the essence of the story. This will help you structure your ideas and develop your research paper much easier.

III. Decide on the structure of your paper

Usually, it includes an introductory paragraph, a body that highlights the fundamentals of the book, and a paragraph with conclusions that summarizes the final concepts. You may also want to consider extending the main body to a few paragraphs or even chapters.

IV. Consider the main ideas of each paragraph

Before you proceed to write, make a sentence for each paragraph that expresses the fundamental concepts and reveals the approach you will highlight in your personal research paper.

Also, try to include the citations or references that you want to work on during the development of paragraphs. Use headings and below subtitles to make it easier for you. Remember that these annotations are for your personal use, so order your ideas in a way to easily understand them.

Now that we’ve taken a quick excursion on how to write a research paper based on a book, let us take a look at the structure of your research paper.

1. Introduction

The initial paragraph provides a description of the book and the main concepts that you’ve analyzed during your research. The introduction to the research paper should also include a brief summary of the story and an introduction to the main characters. In this part, you should introduce the topic on which you will focus your research, as well as the main idea of the history itself.

2. The body of the report

Make this paragraph the first attempt to argue your point by focusing on a specific detail or concept of the story. You can mention specific scenes or include quotes from the book to show the most relevant parts of the story related to your plot. Include any pertinent research you may have done on the author, the period or gender for greater exposure of your ideas.

Clearly, illustrate the main characters in the main body with a description of their personality and background. Explain in a few sentences the conflict that arises at the beginning of the story. Talk about the character’s journey and the way in which the conflict is resolved. Do not give many details but focus on the key moments of the story that shaped the result. Reflect on any lesson or understanding the character has had at the end of the story.

3. Conclusions

Finish your research paper about the book with a summary of how your detailed approach applies to the story in general. Finish your paper with three or four sentences that relate the importance of your detailed approach to the general story, the conflict and the position of characters. Since the general perspective tends to include analysis and criticism in itself, close the paper with a final statement that shows what you gained by reading the book or a definitive statement that reveals your final position on the concept explored.

Take the summary of the book to its conclusion by discussing the ending and presenting your ideas or thoughts about the book. You must show briefly in three or five sentences, that you gained some understanding of what the writer intended to convey. Describe a relationship of the book with your personal experiences to show the importance it had for you. The conclusion also allows you the opportunity to critique the book in a concise manner that explains why you liked it or not.

V. Review your paper

After finishing your research paper, dedicate some time to check to spell. Ideally, you should take a break and ask someone else to review your work. Usually, people who are going to read the work for the first time detect mistakes that go unnoticed by those who did the work.

When asking a friend to review your work, ask him about personal opinion on the content you wrote. Ask straight questions and ask for honest answers. Ask if the friend liked or found the work annoying, whether reading of the paper aroused interest in reading the book, was the text fluid, etc.

We hope our instruction was helpful. To complement your knowledge of writing a research paper on a book, you can search on the web some queries like “how to write a good research paper on a book.”