How to Utilize Proof in Your Research Paper
A research paper is an essay that discusses or analyzes a particular aspect of a subject. Whatever field of study you are in, your research paper should provide your ideas and be supported by other views and observations. To draw a comparison legal professionals study cases and applies them to his or argument to strengthen their argument. In the medical field, doctors study and interpret medical information for patients who aren’t able to communicate the issue to their doctors.
Education is one area in which this happens frequently. One of the papers I’ve had the pleasure of reading was written by Bahador Bahrami, an associate professor at the University of Toronto. Bahrami employs a similar method to my own, the presupposition reverser, to show how our previous expectations about a topic resulted in a new reality that was contrary. The essay begins with the following statement “Our beliefs about language were deeply entrenched.”
The premise is a well-constructed one, as is the subsequent part of his argument. The premise is, as I stated earlier, an assumption and it’s a good one. He then demonstrates how his assumption regarding language creates problems with his writing. His problem lies mainly in his use of language. However the entire argument is based on his language usage. I’ll give him credit however, since he clearly gives his reasons for using this particular term, “theorizing,” in the last paragraph of his argument.
This is a great opportunity to show the importance of your writing and also your ability to critically analyze and challenge existing knowledge. Your writing won’t be all that unique unless you apply the techniques you’ve learned in your own research papers. I’m certain you do.
His argument boils down to this: He assumes (and he is right about this assumption) that your primary idea works and then builds his argument from the assumption. When you read his arguments, you really aren’t able to see the core idea until he explains it. He uses various presuppositions to support his main idea, thus stretching the meaning of “proposition” and “intuition” beyond recognition. In the same way, he commits the error of induction. See my previous post on this topic for more information on this topic.
To challenge his argument, I’d like to know what your main idea is. If it’s incorrect and it’s not true, then it is irrelevant what others think. They’ve already seen that your principal idea isn’t sensible, so it’s not necessary to argue with how to write a research paper them. If it’s correct it doesn’t matter the opinions of others. To prove it, just look at your argument.
There are people who don’t agree, and will claim that there can be an important and secondary argument. I’m not sure how important this issue is, and it could be something that could be discussed in a discussion about the details of your argument. At the moment, however I’m not going to. Let me leave it as an exercise to your wits.
It can be a difficult topic, and is one where many students give up before even attempting it. But it doesn’t have to be. It is crucial to remember that your goal is to prove your point with logic and evidence. Without a solid argument this is impossible.
What is the basis of a convincing argument? There are two kinds of proof: deductive and inductive. A deductive proof is based only on facts. Although it may seem straightforward, there are many deductive arguments. For example, if I say that you shouldn’t buy this car because of the issues that it has in the first place, you’re already showing that my main point is correct.
The issue is that it’s easy to slip down the “slippery slope” of proof where you start using logic to support your argument. You could argue, for example that since I said the car was old and it was, therefore, true. You would be right, but the point is that you’ve created an argument and that’s all there is to it. Inductive arguments can be employed. For example, you might say that since I said that you should purchase a car since it’s cheaper than another car brand and that it is true. This argument implies that If you’ve had direct experiences with cars that are cheaper and brands, you should be able to trust that brand more (since it has worked for you).
The key to making your research paper efficient and successful is to use the correct proof. Make sure that you actually examine your argument until the end. Also, ensure that you provide proof of your argument in the end of your paper before letting your reader take away anything else from your paragraph. This way, you’ll ensure that they get the point of your essay – that your proof is solid and reliable.