Top Tips for Writing a High-School Academic Research Paper: A Guide for Regeneron STS Entrants
Writing a strong research paper is one of the most important parts of your Regeneron STS entry. It’s what lets judges see what you did, how you thought, and why it matters. To help you do your best, here are some of the top tips students can use right now to plan, write, and polish your paper.
1. Start Early and Plan Your Timeline
Begin your research and writing well before the STS deadlines. Building in time for multiple rounds of revisions is essential.
Schedule key milestones: literature review, experimental design, data collection, analysis, first draft, feedback from mentors or teachers, revision, final draft.
Don’t leave critical tasks (e.g. getting approvals, securing data, writing essays) to the last minute. Judges stress the importance of seeing real, complete work.
2. Understand STS Requirements & Rules
Read the STS Rules & Entry Instructions carefully. Know what paperwork is needed (human or animal subject approvals, permits, etc.).
Make sure your work is independent — i.e. clearly define what you did vs. what your mentor or lab did. Judges look for the student’s own contribution.
Understand the format, word limits, content expected in each section (abstract, introduction, methodology, results/discussion).
3. Do a Thorough Literature Review
Knowing the current state of your field helps you identify gaps your work can address. It also shows the judges you’re informed.
Use reputable sources: peer-reviewed journals, preprints (if valid), conference proceedings, established reports. Avoid purely anecdotal sources unless well substantiated.
Keep careful notes and organize your references well (reference manager software can help). That saves time when writing and citing.
4. Document Everything Meticulously
Keep a lab notebook or research diary (digital or physical). Record methods, troubleshooting, changes or iterations in your design, raw data, observations (including those that don’t turn out as expected).
Document unexpected results or limitations—they often make your work more credible if you show you understand the weaknesses in your study. Judges often care about how you handled problems.
5. Write with Clarity and Audience in Mind
Your paper will be read by professional scientists, possibly some outside your field. Write so both experts and interested non-experts can follow. Explain technical terms, avoid jargon unless necessary, define key concepts.
Use the standard structure clearly: Abstract → Introduction (“why this research matters”) → Methods → Results → Discussion/Conclusions → References. Each section should have a purpose.
6. Emphasize the “Why” and the Big Picture
In your Introduction, explain why you picked this problem. What’s at stake? What gap are you filling? Why should someone care?
In the Discussion and Conclusion, reflect on implications: what do the results suggest? What could future work do? What did you learn in the process?
7. Be Rigorous in Methods and Data
Make sure your experimental or computational methods are well described, reproducible. If someone else wanted to replicate your work, would your description be enough?
Use appropriate controls, statistical analysis (if applicable), error handling. Be honest about limitations.
8. Revise, Feedback, and Proofreading
Have your paper reviewed by mentors, teachers, peers. Fresh eyes spot unclear passages, logic gaps, or even simple typos.
Read your paper out loud or explain it to someone else: that helps you catch awkward flow or unclear writing.
Proofread carefully: grammar, formatting, figures/tables and their captions, consistency in style.
9. Use Visuals Wisely
If you include figures, charts, images, make sure they’re legible, labelled clearly, and directly support your narrative. Don’t use visuals just for decoration.
Tables should be concise; graphs should have labelled axes, units, error bars where needed.
10. Tell Your Story—Your Role, Growth, Challenges
Judges appreciate not just what you did, but how you approached it—your creativity, initiative, perseverance.
Be clear about your specific contribution. If you worked in a lab or with others, explain what you personally handled.
Share challenges or failed hypotheses. These often show maturity and real scientific thinking.
11. Polish the Abstract & Title
The title should be concise, descriptive, and informative. It should give a sense of what the study is about without being overly technical.
The abstract must quickly communicate your research question, methods, major findings, and significance. Since many readers (including judges) will skim abstracts first, making it clear and catchy (while accurate) is important.
12. Manage Time, Stress, and Revision Fatigue
Break your project into smaller tasks. Reward yourself when you finish pieces.
Don’t expect perfection on first drafts. Iteration is how good research gets made.
Keep logs of sources, data, writing so that when deadlines loom, you’re not scrambling to reconstruct your own work.
In Conclusion
For students entering Regeneron STS (or any major research-competition), the research paper is more than just a formality—it’s the heart of your entry. It’s how you show you can do research, you can think like a scientist, you can communicate clearly and rigorously. If you plan well, write clearly, and accept feedback as a strength, you’ll be able to submit a paper you’re proud of.
Science Research Academy hopes all its students are poised for success. Good luck—and enjoy the process (flaws and all). Every research journey is valuable!
Need Extra Support?
If you’d like guidance in reviewing, editing, and strengthening your research paper, consider our Silver Tier Membership. This option gives you access to six 30-minute one-on-one meetings with an experienced research coach who can provide personalized feedback on your writing. Whether you need help clarifying your argument, polishing your methods section, or making your conclusions more compelling, our coaches are here to ensure your paper is competition-ready.
✨ Need Extra Support?
If you’d like guidance in reviewing, editing, and strengthening your research paper, consider our Silver Tier Membership.
- ✔ Six 30-minute one-on-one meetings with an experienced research coach
- ✔ Personalized feedback on your writing and presentation
- ✔ Guidance to ensure your paper is competition-ready
