How to Write an Academic Paper on Computer Technology

Writing an academic paper on computer technology is similar to writing for any other subject area; you must have a clear thesis statement that is supported in the body paragraphs of your paper. Writing an essay is meant to prove to your teacher or reader your mastery of the subject, and you must research your topic thoroughly. Many technical papers follow an essay-like structure, but other research papers may include your research methods, results and discussion.

1. Essay

   • 1
     Research your topic. You want to truly understand your subject and be able to support your ideas or methods.
     
   • 2
     Write your thesis statement. "People have become too dependent on computer technology, which will lead to problems in the future" is an example of a thesis statement.
     
   • 3
     Write your introduction, in which you clearly state the purpose of the paper. Use an attention-getter to start the introduction, and end with your thesis.
     
   • 4
     Introduce body paragraphs that support your thesis statement. Use experiments or data that researchers have collected. You can also use quotations and statistics. For example, you must explain why or how people are too dependent on technology and how this reliance is detrimental to society.
     
   • 5
     Finish your paper with a conclusion, which should begin with a restatement of your thesis. Summarize your main points, and do not add any new information.
     

   Research Paper

   • 6
     Research your topic. You want to support your research project with experiments that have been done in the past.
     
   • 7
     Determine what question you want to answer in your paper. Answering the question "Do people use the computer too much each day?" through research is a question for a research paper.
     
   • 8
     Write a background section of your paper, in which you summarize other research that has been done in the past and how it relates to your research. Write your method section, which explains how you conducted your research. This section should include any materials you used and should be very specific, so that you or others can repeat the research. Complete your results. Put any statistics or data in a table or graph for a visual aid. Tell your reader your findings from your research in this section.
     
   • 9
     Write the discussion of your results. The results section should be only the data you collected from your research, and your discussion is your explanation of the results and what they mean.
     
   • 10
     Finish your paper with a conclusion that may restate the problem or question you wanted to answer with your research, the main conclusions from your data and discussion, and what actions should be taken for future research.