Before writing a paper, decide what kind of work it reports. A review of published research needs a different plan from an experiment or an analysis of public data.
If you already have results and need help with the sections, use How to Write a STEM Paper. This guide covers the decisions that come first.
Read the assignment before choosing a topic
Record the required length, deadline, citation style, and type of paper. Ask whether you need original data or a review of existing work.
Find out which kinds of collaboration and software use are allowed. Record any requirements for disclosing assistance. These rules affect your plan before they affect your final wording.
Turn a subject into a question
“Climate” is a subject. “How do two published estimates of global temperature change use different reference periods?” is a question you can investigate.
List what you need to answer your question. If the project requires equipment or records you cannot obtain, narrow it or choose another approach. Our research-questions guide offers more help.
Decide which evidence can answer it
For a review paper, look for relevant primary studies and record how you selected them. A review compares evidence and disagreements instead of summarizing unrelated web pages.
For an experiment, write a method before collecting data. For an existing-data project, inspect the dataset's documentation before promising a result. Use the datasets guide to find a manageable source.
Keep sources separate from your notes
For every source, record its title, author or organization, date, and link. Add the page or figure number for a claim you expect to cite.
Keep copied quotations visibly separate from your own notes. Write down why each source matters to the question. Saving this distinction early prevents accidental copying during drafting.
A working note can be short: “This study measures one species at one site. It helps explain the measurement method, but not conditions elsewhere.” That is more useful than copying a full abstract.
Sketch the argument or analysis
Write one sentence stating what the paper will try to establish. Under it, list the evidence you need and what each item can support.
For a review, group sources around a question or disagreement. For a data paper, sketch the comparisons and figures you plan to make. Leave room to change the plan when the evidence does not fit your expectations.
Download the research-project planner for a place to record the question, source notes, tasks, and limits.
Plan backward from the deadline
Allow separate time for finding sources, doing the work, making figures, drafting, and revising. Set a date to stop collecting new material so you can finish the paper.
Ask for feedback on a small piece of work first. A teacher can give more specific advice on a proposed question and two sources than on an unexplained list of topics.
Draft from evidence
Do not select only the results that support your preferred answer. Keep contrary findings and explain how they affect the claim.
Use the section-by-section STEM-paper guide when you are ready to draft. Its example shows how the question connects methods, results, and discussion.
Further reading
UC Berkeley's process guide describes assignment analysis, source organization, outlining, and revision. Its guidance is useful for planning, while your teacher or intended publication determines the format.
