To write an effective research paper, you must have a very good knowledge of your research topic. In the event that you are allowed to choose any topic of your choice, choosing the one you are most interested in should be your top priority. However, should a topic be given randomly, you will do proper research on the topic.
Although you may think you can get every information you need on the Internet, visiting a library won't be a bad idea, in fact, the library still remains the best place to visit for research works like this. As you are reading from materials about your research topic, do well to make your own note, and everything you are jotting should be properly arranged.
After making your own note, you can start thinking about how to arrange every piece of information you have gathered by creating an outline. This will help you a lot when making your first draft. The final stage is where you go over everything you have written in your first draft to check for possible mistakes or changes, after which you write your final paper.