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Sharneice
Student
Hopkins, South Carolina
1
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What are the best tips to start writing a research paper? My major is Healthcare Administration with a concentration in Leadership.
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5 answers
Jessica Gonzalez
Medical Assistant
6
Answers
San Bernardino, California
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
Sharneice,
The first step is to begin with what is being asked of you. Are you to write a paper with a specific standard or coveraget that is needed? Make sure you are clear on what it should be and always run the subject by your professor before you get started. The second thing is to ask for a rubric. The rubric keeps your professor honest and you are given specific guidelines to follow to ensure you get the best grade possible.
Second is to choose something if you can that you are interested in or have first hand knowledge. This could be based on either a negative or positive experience. My son was a waterpolo player who was overweight and I wanted to figure the best type of diet for him, so I used that as my subject. My father in law was admitted to hospice and I was curious to find out how this sytem works, and I used my desire of information for this to write on another subject.
I hope this is helpful for you.
The first step is to begin with what is being asked of you. Are you to write a paper with a specific standard or coveraget that is needed? Make sure you are clear on what it should be and always run the subject by your professor before you get started. The second thing is to ask for a rubric. The rubric keeps your professor honest and you are given specific guidelines to follow to ensure you get the best grade possible.
Second is to choose something if you can that you are interested in or have first hand knowledge. This could be based on either a negative or positive experience. My son was a waterpolo player who was overweight and I wanted to figure the best type of diet for him, so I used that as my subject. My father in law was admitted to hospice and I was curious to find out how this sytem works, and I used my desire of information for this to write on another subject.
I hope this is helpful for you.
Martin Schoen
APRN
400
Answers
Ocala, Florida
Updated
Martin’s Answer
Begin by pondering on a topic that sparks your curiosity. It could be something positive, negative, or an area you feel is overlooked. When I pursued my MHA, my thesis focused on the challenges of telemedicine from a managerial perspective. At the time, it was a novel concept and required extensive research to avoid medical complexities. Initially, the committee was hesitant to accept my thesis due to its unique nature, but with some external help, they approved it. I found it fascinating because it was a fresh concept with numerous questions that needed to be explored over time, giving me a broad range of options. I gained a wealth of knowledge and frequently revisited the same theme in a more comprehensive manner. Whether my ideas have been adopted as standards, I'm uncertain, but I gained a lot, enjoyed exploring the topic, and it helped me successfully complete the program.
Lora Bartlett
Administration
16
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Lora’s Answer
Hi, Sharniece,
Are you looking for a subject to write on, or are you looking for a way to start your paper? If a subject, I would consider the impact of private equity firms on healthcare and how healthcare is administered through them. There has been some recent news about these firms going bankrupt and about closing down hospitals that could be great areas to focus on. Good luck!
Are you looking for a subject to write on, or are you looking for a way to start your paper? If a subject, I would consider the impact of private equity firms on healthcare and how healthcare is administered through them. There has been some recent news about these firms going bankrupt and about closing down hospitals that could be great areas to focus on. Good luck!
Suraayah Hunter
Independent Consultant
30
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Suraayah’s Answer
Hi Sharneice — great question. The strongest research papers start with structure, not writing. Here’s a simple system to help you stay organized and build a topic you actually want to work on.
1) Set up your research scaffolding first. Create a small folder system so every idea and source has a home: Dump Folder, Working Folder, Paper Sections, References, Working References, and Archive. Do a weekly “Dump Day,” move useful items into Working, archive what you don’t need, and add citation info immediately so nothing gets lost.
2) Choose a leadership topic you’re genuinely interested in. Examples: transformational leadership, servant leadership, ethical leadership, change leadership, leadership and burnout, or leadership in hospital settings.
3) Look for existing research or case studies. Search for peer‑reviewed articles, healthcare leadership case studies, and recent systematic reviews in nursing leadership journals.
4) Narrow your topic into a clear niche. Examples: how transformational leadership affects staff retention, servant leadership in community health, or leadership styles and burnout prevention.
5) Test your topic with a quick poll. Ask classmates or coworkers which of your top three ideas is most interesting and most relevant.
6) Summarize every article you read. Capture what it’s about, what you learned, and how it supports your topic. These summaries become the building blocks of your paper.
7) Network on LinkedIn while you research. Connect with healthcare leaders, students, and professors. Sometimes nursing leadership articles don’t show up in Google Scholar, especially if they’re published through federal agencies or specialty journals. When that happens, you can message the author directly and ask for the title or a copy — most nurse leaders are happy to share their work with students.
8) Once your foundation is set, writing becomes much easier. You’ll already know your topic, angle, sources, and structure — the paper becomes assembly, not struggle.
Create your “Research Paper” folder with all six subfolders.
Pick three leadership topics you’re genuinely interested in.
Search for three peer‑reviewed articles related to each topic.
Summarize one article and save it in your Paper Sections folder.
Post a short LinkedIn update asking which topic resonates most.
1) Set up your research scaffolding first. Create a small folder system so every idea and source has a home: Dump Folder, Working Folder, Paper Sections, References, Working References, and Archive. Do a weekly “Dump Day,” move useful items into Working, archive what you don’t need, and add citation info immediately so nothing gets lost.
2) Choose a leadership topic you’re genuinely interested in. Examples: transformational leadership, servant leadership, ethical leadership, change leadership, leadership and burnout, or leadership in hospital settings.
3) Look for existing research or case studies. Search for peer‑reviewed articles, healthcare leadership case studies, and recent systematic reviews in nursing leadership journals.
4) Narrow your topic into a clear niche. Examples: how transformational leadership affects staff retention, servant leadership in community health, or leadership styles and burnout prevention.
5) Test your topic with a quick poll. Ask classmates or coworkers which of your top three ideas is most interesting and most relevant.
6) Summarize every article you read. Capture what it’s about, what you learned, and how it supports your topic. These summaries become the building blocks of your paper.
7) Network on LinkedIn while you research. Connect with healthcare leaders, students, and professors. Sometimes nursing leadership articles don’t show up in Google Scholar, especially if they’re published through federal agencies or specialty journals. When that happens, you can message the author directly and ask for the title or a copy — most nurse leaders are happy to share their work with students.
8) Once your foundation is set, writing becomes much easier. You’ll already know your topic, angle, sources, and structure — the paper becomes assembly, not struggle.
Suraayah recommends the following next steps:
Anna Bernal
Recruiter
60
Answers
Oviedo, Florida
Updated
Anna’s Answer
Hey Sharneice,
Best tips for writing a research paper would be first review your instructions on what is required of you for this research paper. Once you have that and understand, I would pick a topic if you get the choice, pick something that sparks your interest as you normally are required to provide a lot of formal research from peer reviewed articles. After you have your topic, I would draft an outline on what requirements you need minimum for the paper and then start your research piece early. I would also recommend once you have your research articles, to print them out and write notes or comments on the required tasks you are being asked by your professor. Next step would be write your draft of your paper, writing a first draft with plenty of time to still work on more detail and correcting citations will be very important.
If you can, utilizing your schools resources such as the library and tutors to help you improve areas and review your draft can help you write a successful research paper!
Good luck.
Best tips for writing a research paper would be first review your instructions on what is required of you for this research paper. Once you have that and understand, I would pick a topic if you get the choice, pick something that sparks your interest as you normally are required to provide a lot of formal research from peer reviewed articles. After you have your topic, I would draft an outline on what requirements you need minimum for the paper and then start your research piece early. I would also recommend once you have your research articles, to print them out and write notes or comments on the required tasks you are being asked by your professor. Next step would be write your draft of your paper, writing a first draft with plenty of time to still work on more detail and correcting citations will be very important.
If you can, utilizing your schools resources such as the library and tutors to help you improve areas and review your draft can help you write a successful research paper!
Good luck.
Begin by reviewing recent news coverage on healthcare policy or changes, utilizing sources such as Forbes, FierceHealthcare, or Becker's Hospital Review. Once you identify a topic that sparks your interest, take the following steps: 1) Develop a clear position or stance on the issue, 2) Investigate the pros and cons associated with that position, and 3) Conclude with a well-rounded statement. Whenever possible, incorporate data to support your arguments, highlighting relevant numbers and metrics to strengthen your analysis.
Kay Kay Chan, MBA, CHC