Acknowledgement Page for Research Papers

It is important for students to include an acknowledgement page in their research papers. Leaving out sources leaves the student open to accusations of plagiarism, as the absence implies that the paper is derived solely from their ideas. The format of the paper and the sources cited within and at the end of it are usually in one of the three major styles: MLA, APA and CMS. The style guide .

When writing advanced research papers, there are generally a large number of people who contribute to the research and writing of the paper. Depending upon the level of class for which the paper is being written, the number of people varies considerably, but even lower-level research papers generally require contributions from others. For this reason, most research papers should include a section for acknowledging these people and their contributions.The acknowledgement page should be placed at the beginning of a research paper and acknowledge the following people:

1. Family members who provided support for the writing of the paper.
2. Research paper sources that provided information specifically for this paper. This does not include works that are merely cited.
3. The professor of the class for which the paper is being written.
4. Any person who contributed to the editing and proofreading process.
5. Any person who made it possible to reach the point of writing the research paper.
The acknowledgement of these people should not be especially lengthy. One page is certainly sufficient to thank everyone. It is generally better to thank people in a simple manner, such as thanking a professor by writing, "A special thanks is in order for my professor who shed great light on this topic." Only thank those people who truly made a difference in the project. It is not necessary to thank a distant cousin simply because there is a familial relationship. More than anything else, it is important to include all of those who made it possible to complete the paper. For this reason, it is important to have a close friend review the acknowledgement page so that nobody is forgotten.Completing an acknowledgement page is an important part of the research paper process. It provides an excellent opportunity to express gratitude to those who brought about the final product.