Guide to how to write a research paper on architecture, Building writing advice, Online architectural help

How to Write a Research Paper on Architecture

post updated 10 February 2024

Architecture is widely considered one of the most challenging degrees you can choose. Some people go as far as comparing it to a medical degree in terms of the workload and difficulty. If you know someone who studies architecture, you have probably heard about many deadlines, all-nighters, and 18-hour work days. Besides, architecture students need great communication skills for networking and pitching their ideas to clients.

21 December 2020

How to Write a Research Paper on Architecture Design

While some architecture schools are more focused on practical tasks, others may dedicate more attention to research and writing. Whether you have to write research papers on architecture on a weekly basis or just once in a while, this article will help you do it in the best way possible. Why not visit this page.

Determine the scale of your project

Architecture is a very wide field. There are dozens different jobs in the field, hundreds of architectural styles, and millions of niches you can get into in your research paper. That’s why it’s important to keep the scale of your project in mind and make sure you go into just the right amount of detail.

If you are struggling to choose a topic that would work well, consider reaching out to paper writing services so that professional architecture writers can help you. To choose the best service, try looking for a review from students’ who have used the service before. For example, a Paperhelp review can help you decide if the service is right for you.

If you choose a topic that’s too wide, you’ll have a hard time getting your point across. On the other hand, if your topic is too narrow, you might not be able to find enough information about it on the Internet. To prevent that from happening, always do some preliminary research to determine how many sources are available.

Choose your analysis type

In architecture, research papers usually focus on one of the three types of research — visual research, textual analysis, or historical analysis. Visual research is, perhaps, the most interesting and the most creative part of the research. Look at the space and try to think what it reminds you of, how does it make you feel, what impression does it create, etc. If you’re writing a more in-depth paper, textual analysis might be necessary. In order to understand a more complex content or a narrow niche, study the research of people who have looked at it before.

Try to figure out where the writer is coming from, what are their references, inspirations, or goals. If socioeconomic context is important for your topic, do some historical analysis as well. It will help you better understand the buildings, their details, and their significance. If you are analyzing a particular style or movement, looking at different movements that were prominent at that time will give you a better perspective. You might want to focus on one particular analysis type or combine several types. Before making the decision, consider what is the goal of your paper and what type of analysis can help you reach it.

Have a logical structure

Once you’ve chosen your topic, your sources, and your analysis type, you should consider the structure of your paper. Normally, you would start with a short introduction that would give the reader some background information regarding why you choose that topic, what research have you done, and what was your main question or idea. After that, map out your paper in a way so that it makes sense to someone who doesn’t know anything about your topic.

You might want to start with some background information and present some key theory points or describe the time period that you are dealing with. Then you can proceed to more details and your observations of the object. In the conclusion, briefly summarize the main points and findings of your research and give your own opinion on the subject.

Be concise

When it comes to academic writing, it’s important to be concise. Remember, your research paper is not a magazine article, so you shouldn’t add any fluff, poetic phrases, or your personal sentiments. Stir away from emotionally colored words and sentences such as “a magnificent building” or “I love how(…)” If you are particularly impressed with some aspect of your research subject, explain what makes it stand out among others, highlight the complexity of the structure, or point out why it was so important.

That way, you will express your admiration in a more appropriate manner. Try not to use very long sentences too. Although they might sound natural in your head, the reader will find it much easier to follow your train of thought when the sentences are shorter. Of course, remember not to use any colloquialisms, slang, or contractions.

Say what you think

As we’ve mentioned before, a research paper is not an article or a blogpost, so it cannot be based solely on your personal opinion. However, architecture is a creative field. It’s creativity that attracts people to the field and what is valued most in an architect. That’s why in your research paper, you shouldn’t just paraphrase the opinions of other people and leave it at that. Always include your personal perspective and your opinion on why something is the way it is or how it could have been done differently.

Comments on this guide to How to Write a Research Paper on Architecture article are welcome.