10 Systematic Steps To Follow To Write An Impressive Research Paper

A Impressive research paper is more than just the assimilation of important data, plots, tables and analyses. It is the key driver of movement in a scientific field. Research paper help in communicating the technical results of research to a broader scientific community. Thus, you should never take the task of writing a research paper lightly. Here are the ten tips that can help you cover all these components in a logical sequence throughout your research paper.

1. State the title of your manuscript- Title Page

Include a title page before you start writing the main body of the research paper. Keep it short and simple. State the title along with the name of authors and author affiliations. Write down the journal to which you need to submit the manuscript.

2. State the objective of the experiment- Abstract

Consider the abstract as a separate document. It usually consists of a single paragraph. The purpose of this section is to convey the primary objective of your experiment.

• Write the objective of your experiment in the first sentence.
• State the hypothesis and describe its evaluation and basis pertaining to your experiment.
• Describe how the investigation was carried out in the subsequent sentences.
• Describe the importance of the results and their impact on the general field of study in the final sentences.

The entire abstract should be written without being verbose.

3. Introduce the research- Introduction

Consider the introduction as a descriptive funnel where you start with broad topics and eventually focus on the work at hand. It also requires a basic literature review related to the research topic.

• Introduce the reader to the general field of study in one or two paragraphs.
• Describe how an aspect of the same field can be improved in the subsequent paragraphs.
• State what experimental question you intend to answer in the paper. (Very critical paragraph)
• State the hypothesis.
• Next, describe what steps you took to test the hypothesis.
• Finally, add a summary sentence to explain how the hypothesis will contribute to the overall field of study.

4. Describe the methods used in the study- Methods

As you can see, this is where you are required to describe the methods used in your study. Use a new section to describe each method.

• First, write down the statement of the materials you have used in the study. Include the vendor contact details as well for each material. This is to make sure your readers are capable of repeating the experiment if they want to.
• Then describe each key procedure and technique in separate sections that you used to conduct the study. Keep the explanations simple and concise.
• If you have used a specific experimental design, explain the design in the second section of this chapter.
• If you have used a modelling component, explain that in the initial section of the Methods chapter.
• Finally, describe the statistical analysis techniques you used to analyse the results in the last section of this chapter.

Note: Use passive voice in the Methods section.

5. Present the experimental data to your readers- Results

This is NOT a place for interpreting or discussing the data you gathered in the study. Present the data in tables and figures to improve the readability of your paper.

• Introduce the groups of tables and figures in a separate paragraph. This is where you will note down the overall data points and trends.
• It is better to mention the placement of the tables and figures within your text.
• Also, state the key statistics such as the dispersion index, the total number of samples and the central tendency index.
• If there were any statistical analyses, include that too.

Be succinct while writing the Results section. Do not explain or evaluate any finding.

You May Like : 10 Qualities a Good Assignment Writer Needs to Have

6. Describe each effect- Discussion

This chapter will be relatively easy for you to write if you follow the steps I have mentioned in the previous section. Let’s say your research paper is based on studying specific effects and characterising a phenomenon. Then you need to describe each effect pertaining to the results you obtained after the study. Similarly, if the research is based on your hypothesis, you need to present a logical argument that either supports or rejects your hypothesis.

• Provide a brief overview of your work at the beginning of this section.
• Summarise the most crucial findings and relate the hypothesis accordingly.
• Find out the most valuable and interesting findings from the Results section.
• Now contrast those findings as compared to other studies done by other authors.

It is a plus point if you could include the potential weakness of your interpretations. Consider other findings related to this topic and show how those contribute to the field of study.

7. Conclude the paper- Conclusions

You have reached the end of your research paper. Now, introduce the topic again but in different words. Then state the significant results of your study. Mention the most valuable points of the discussion. End the concluding paragraph with an explanation of how your work contributes to the overall field of study.

• It might seem repetitive, but you must tell your readers what the main points of your argument were, again.
• Remind your readers of the primary issues of your research. This is to ensure that you have covered all the main points throughout the paper.
• Answer all the questions that were raised in your hypothesis.
• Do not just add all the points. You must convey their significance as well.
• If you haven’t explained the significance of your research in the previous sections, use the conclusion for the same.
• Start the conclusion with a detailed level of consideration and eventually move on to a general explanation, thereby returning the topic to the introduction.

Finally, suggest whether the topic requires further research or not.

8. Mention the efforts of any participants-Acknowledgements

Acknowledge the participants who weren’t included in the manuscript as authors. Mention the funding sources related to your work. Make sure the acknowledgement statement conforms to the guidelines set by the funding institution.

9. Cite the sources- References

Cite all the sources that you have used while writing the Impressive research paper. Citations are time-consuming. If you have strict deadlines, you can say “help me write my paper” to your seniors and complete the research paper on time.

You must consider all the references, including the key sources you have used along with the previous studies that inspired your current work. It is better not to use extraneous references to cite specific journals or authors. Use the referencing format as specified by your university.

10. Include tables and figures along with their captions- Tables and Figures

Include the Tables and Figures in separate sections after the References. Use a caption to name the tables and make sure it is bold. Describe the content and the impact of the data mentioned in the table in a sentence or two.

Clarity is very important when it comes to naming your figures, including images and graphs. The images should be large enough to be noticeable by your readers. Accompany the figures with a caption. Present the interpretation that may be made from the figure.

Wrapping Up,

Writing a Impressive research paper can be as easy as a breeze if you follow the right steps, as mentioned above. Make a rough draft first outlining all the ten elements that are required to write an impressive research paper. Avoid using technical jargon more than what’s necessary. Check out examples online to know more about the standard format of research papers.