Which Do You Prefer?

In English 1110, we had to write a research paper and a page to a creative story.  There are different ways to approach both of these writings.  Some people feel they are better at writing a paper that involves research, while others prefer a creative writing.  I will be discussing a few of the differences between the two of these writings.

A research paper is a type of academic writing that usually goes in depth about a certain topic.  When starting a research paper one of the first things that the writer does is pick a topic.  Sometimes, the writer must pick a narrow topic from a broader topic.  Other times, the writer can choose his/her own topic with no restrictions.  The writer usually then decides that a research question will be formulated which helps narrow down the topic and allows the writer to focus on a smaller aspect.  The writer then needs to develop a thesis statement.  The thesis statement lets a reader know what the paper will be about.  After choosing a topic and creating a thesis statement, the writer has to do research on that topic.  While conducting research, a writer needs to be careful of what sources he/she uses.  The source needs to be reliable, and if using an internet source, the writer needs to be wary of using a site that is .com.  Sometimes, research may be done before creating a thesis because the writer does not know exactly what he/she wants to say about the topic or how to narrow down the topic even more.  The writer will then take notes on the sources of what he/she intends to use in the paper.  It is necessary to write down which source the note came from so the writer can provide the correct citation.  After taking notes, it is most helpful to make an outline of the paper.  An outline can help form a draft of the paper easily.  While making the draft, it is important to remember to include the citations and to make a works cited paper.  To turn the draft into a final product, it must be revised, edited, and proofread.  This may need to be done more than once. 

Creative writing can be simpler than writing a research paper.  Creative writing includes novels, poems, short stories, songs, television scripts, etc.  Creative writing almost always includes a plot.  There is usually a main conflict that the characters resolve at the end of the piece.  Depending on the length of the piece, there may be smaller conflicts along the way.  Creative writing really has no boundaries.  The author gets to write about whatever he/she wants to.  There really are no limits when coming up with a creative writing.  The author does not have to follow steps like when writing a research paper.  Every writer gets to create his/her own world.  They can write about whatever they want to.  The writing can be however long they choose.  Those who think creative writer is easy usually have a good imagination.  It does not take them must to come up with a story line and keep the story flowing.  They just write what comes to their head.  A downside to creative writing is that it is usually hard to get published.  Some authors never get their stories out there.  

There are more differences among these two types of writing than what I have discussed.  Not all people prefer to write a creative piece of work, some would rather write a research paper.  For some it is easier to find facts and piece them together than it is to come up with a story on their own.