How Many Drafts Should Your Research Paper Have?

This is not an easy question to answer. There really is no right or wrong way to handle the number of drafts of a research paper. When you are given an assignment by a teacher for your class, you may feel that you can write the paper in a short period of time and be done with it. This is a myth. Your research paper, by its very nature, will take time to complete, no matter what the quality of the writing.

This paper requires research, which means spending time in a library reading and reviewing other books, magazines, or journals. As busy as you are, or as many different projects as you may have at any given moment, it does not matter. In order to complete an assignment, you must spend some time working on the research and writing. The number of drafts will depend on a few factors, most of which you must make a personal decision about.

The assignment

In some cases, the teacher will be very explicit in the assailant protocols as to how many drafts are required. You might receive the assignment early n the semester, with a requirement of production of a first draft within a certain time frame. Then, after review by the teacher, you may have to submit a second draft, before making all necessary alterations and finalizing the finished product.

Your style

You writing are unique to your personality and character. You handle assignments in different ways. Whatever method you choose you must be comfortable in completing your research paper. You might like to write all at once or in successive sessions. Or, you may like to write one section at a time, wait, and then continue to write.

You know what the best method is for handling your assignments. If you do all of the writing at once, you may have only a few drafts of your work, as you are editing the entire project at one time. If you write smaller sections, you may have a number of drafts, as each time you finish a section, you edit that particular section, only to reexamine the section as it interacts with your other sections along the way.

The minimum

At the bare minimum, you need at least a first draft and than a final completed project. For all writing, you need to proofread and edit for any mistakes in spelling, grammar, and other errors which affect the writing. How many times you edit your writing is entirely up to you, but is essential that you read through any written work a number of times.