Usually, nothing!
Papers and essays are the same thing. A research paper is a paper or essay that uses information from other sources, such as books and articles.
A paper or essay might also be referred to as an assignment. An assignment is any work you need to do for a course.
Instructors often use project to describe large assignments. Some projects include writing a paper.
If you are unsure of your assignment or paper requirements, ask your instructor. They are the ones who will be marking your work, so they will know what is needed for a good grade.
If you want to know more about how to write a research paper, you should make an appointment at the Writing Centre.
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