It is often the case that the answers to questions about are in the questions themselves. Try to set aside your frustrations and you may find that when you do, you are able to see a clear map of where you are going.
A research paper is any paper, written for any subject, which requires the writer to review previous writings and to draw conclusions. Every field of study is likely to require a number of research papers throughout the course of study. A research paper does not just teach research skills, it will hone interview, sourcing, investigative and writing skills that will stand students in good stead throughout their lives and careers.
Theses are papers which are often the culminating works of a degree. Occasionally theses are professional papers presenting research findings. Theses may be required at any degree level although the requirements will vary and different levels. Theses are sometimes referred to as dissertations but both usually mean the same thing. That said theses may refer to bachelor level papers while dissertations are usually graduate papers. Largely it all depends on where you live.
A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge using secondary sources. This will include substantive findings in addition to theoretical and methodological contributions in the field. In essence it is a review and analysis of literary works in relation to a specific research topic. The one key point of an effective literature review is that it comprehensively represents the work done in the field to date. An excellent literature review will represent the written views of professionals in the field to a level of great depth.
By breaking down an academic manuscript into chunks the work, those long intensive hours of writing, becomes manageable. Begin writing your academic manuscript by creating an overview for each category and then start filling in the detail, first at a high level and then gradually tunnelling deeper until you have a well considered and supported manuscript worthy of publication.
The academic thesis is the crowning achievement of study so don’t leave it to the last minute to consider what your thesis will be, how you intend to write it and where you will source your information. In fact it makes sense to begin a thesis file in order to begin documenting source material. To do that you will need a thesis.
The hardest part of creating a thesis is often simply choosing the thesis subject. As with most things in life it helps to start with what you know. By choosing topic that is familiar or which you have had some research involvement with in the past will give you, the writer, a great head start in both how to begin and also what to write about. The best way to begin writing is to write.
Missing tutorials and lectures and then attempting to write a term paper or other required document based upon the written specifications only, can be a minefield. While some professors are great and create paper outlines which are comprehensive and really do include everything they want to see, others are not quite so astute.
People actively engaged in education often have great ideas and wonder if anything might come of them if pursued. A good measure of whether a concept will work is its ability to be translated and understood in practical terms.
Postdoctoral researchers do what they do for any number of reasons. For some the ongoing learning and discovery is the main driver, they research because this gives them satisfaction; it is its own reward.