A research paper presents and argues a thesis, the writer's proposition or opinion. It is an analytical or persuasive essay that evaluates a position. As such, a research paper tries to convince readers that the writer's argument is valid or at least deserves serious consideration.
As a result, a research paper requires the writer to be creative in using facts, details, examples, and opinions to support a point. The writer has to be original and inventive in deciding which facts best support the thesis and which ones are superfluous.
When you write a research paper, you have to read what authorities have written about the topic and then write an essay in which you draw your own conclusions about the topic. Since your thesis is fresh and original, you can't merely summarize what someone else has written. Instead, you have to synthesize information from many different sources to create something that is your own.