Help with a research paper

[shwnbob]

So I'm a freshman in college and I'm writing my first research paper (which also counts as my final.) It's not a particularly hard essay or anything, I'm already three pages in and it only needs to be five pages at the minimum. My question is how do you make a research paper flow together perfectly? I'm using like five different sources but I feel like I'm going completely off topic and I really want to get a good grade on this. So any tips for a newbie?

 

[DefunctTheory]

Get your facts and discussion points together. Put them on paper. Not necessarily written out as they will be in the report, just bare, sentenceless backbone.

Read over it, over and over. Start filling in the blanks in your head. Think about how you would say it in conversation.

Then just write it. You'll find the bridges will form without too much effort.

 

[Hectix777]

When you write it's good to display your voice, almost like your speaking. The best way to make things flow is to find similarities and ease into them, other than that, try,try,try,try again

 

[Dr Jones]

Another way is to spend your time on internet forums asking for help, on your report. (jk)

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

What kind of research paper is it? If its in the area of history or politics you need double that minimum (doing history at university). Even for other subjects 5 doesn't seem enough.
The last paper i wrote (about three weeks ago) i had 13 referenced sources and 19 all together in my bibliography. And that was only 2500 words.
fitting the sources in can make it hard to keep the essay flowing, but you are just going to have to work at it. it does get easier in time as you do more essays. its not really something thats that easy to give advice on as each person has their own unique writing style. Don't worry, it'll develop naturally on its own