Every student in college and/or university needs to write research papers for a variety of topics in a variety of subjects. Not everyone is capable of writing research papers and some face difficulty. There is a certain way in which a research paper is written and the way in which a student can write a successful research paper is by following a research paper outline.

A research paper outline as the name suggests is an outline which helps a student or anyone writing a research paper, by categorizing the information found on the topic to be written on. The information is then used systematically from the research paper outline and used to write a well planned and fully thought out research paper.

A research paper can never be written without actually doing any research. A research paper can take various forms such as a term paper, thesis or even a dissertation. Despite what type of research paper is required, without a research paper outline, a good research paper will never be the end result.

Most students at some point in their academic life have written a paper for which they have required an outline. But in high school, it is usually a very basic outline which is provided to students. However, when a student enters college and university, the research paper outline becomes extensive and more detailed. It must be followed in order to write a paper which fully incorporates in it all types of information regarding the topic given and gives the end result of a coherent paper.

Some of the things which are included in a research paper outline consist of the introduction, the review, the methodology being applied, the data being used, the analysis of the data, the results which are found and the conclusion. It is only when these aspects of a research paper outline are followed can a good research paper be written.