A research paper is generally exactly what you would expect it to be, a paper that summarizes and evaluates the research available on a given topic. So, you would start by reading all the material you can find on the topic you are researching. If the topic isn't particularly controversial, then you are merely collecting and organizing facts. If you were writing about the life cycle of the piranha, for instance, you would simply have to read several sources that described the fish and then write up what you had learned in your own words, with some citations thrown in to back up your points. If the topic is controversial, though, you would have to do a bit more work. If you were writing about the effectiveness of gun control laws, for instance, you would cite research backing up various points of view, then evaluate the research to come to your own conclusion about how effective gun control was at reducing crime. This might involve looking at who funded various studies, what methodology they used, how they defined crime, what sorts of gun control they analyzed, what sort of control, if any, was present, etc.
Sean, EssayForum.com