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Writing Research Papers
- Research Paper Structure
Whether you are writing a B.S. Degree Research Paper or completing a research report for a Psychology course, it is highly likely that you will need to organize your research paper in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines. Here we discuss the structure of research papers according to APA style.
Major Sections of a Research Paper in APA Style
A complete research paper in APA style that is reporting on experimental research will typically contain a Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References sections. 1 Many will also contain Figures and Tables and some will have an Appendix or Appendices. These sections are detailed as follows (for a more in-depth guide, please refer to " How to Write a Research Paper in APA Style ”, a comprehensive guide developed by Prof. Emma Geller). 2
What is this paper called and who wrote it? – the first page of the paper; this includes the name of the paper, a “running head”, authors, and institutional affiliation of the authors. The institutional affiliation is usually listed in an Author Note that is placed towards the bottom of the title page. In some cases, the Author Note also contains an acknowledgment of any funding support and of any individuals that assisted with the research project.
One-paragraph summary of the entire study – typically no more than 250 words in length (and in many cases it is well shorter than that), the Abstract provides an overview of the study.
Introduction
What is the topic and why is it worth studying? – the first major section of text in the paper, the Introduction commonly describes the topic under investigation, summarizes or discusses relevant prior research (for related details, please see the Writing Literature Reviews section of this website), identifies unresolved issues that the current research will address, and provides an overview of the research that is to be described in greater detail in the sections to follow.
What did you do? – a section which details how the research was performed. It typically features a description of the participants/subjects that were involved, the study design, the materials that were used, and the study procedure. If there were multiple experiments, then each experiment may require a separate Methods section. A rule of thumb is that the Methods section should be sufficiently detailed for another researcher to duplicate your research.
What did you find? – a section which describes the data that was collected and the results of any statistical tests that were performed. It may also be prefaced by a description of the analysis procedure that was used. If there were multiple experiments, then each experiment may require a separate Results section.
What is the significance of your results? – the final major section of text in the paper. The Discussion commonly features a summary of the results that were obtained in the study, describes how those results address the topic under investigation and/or the issues that the research was designed to address, and may expand upon the implications of those findings. Limitations and directions for future research are also commonly addressed.
List of articles and any books cited – an alphabetized list of the sources that are cited in the paper (by last name of the first author of each source). Each reference should follow specific APA guidelines regarding author names, dates, article titles, journal titles, journal volume numbers, page numbers, book publishers, publisher locations, websites, and so on (for more information, please see the Citing References in APA Style page of this website).
Tables and Figures
Graphs and data (optional in some cases) – depending on the type of research being performed, there may be Tables and/or Figures (however, in some cases, there may be neither). In APA style, each Table and each Figure is placed on a separate page and all Tables and Figures are included after the References. Tables are included first, followed by Figures. However, for some journals and undergraduate research papers (such as the B.S. Research Paper or Honors Thesis), Tables and Figures may be embedded in the text (depending on the instructor’s or editor’s policies; for more details, see "Deviations from APA Style" below).
Supplementary information (optional) – in some cases, additional information that is not critical to understanding the research paper, such as a list of experiment stimuli, details of a secondary analysis, or programming code, is provided. This is often placed in an Appendix.
Variations of Research Papers in APA Style
Although the major sections described above are common to most research papers written in APA style, there are variations on that pattern. These variations include:
- Literature reviews – when a paper is reviewing prior published research and not presenting new empirical research itself (such as in a review article, and particularly a qualitative review), then the authors may forgo any Methods and Results sections. Instead, there is a different structure such as an Introduction section followed by sections for each of the different aspects of the body of research being reviewed, and then perhaps a Discussion section.
- Multi-experiment papers – when there are multiple experiments, it is common to follow the Introduction with an Experiment 1 section, itself containing Methods, Results, and Discussion subsections. Then there is an Experiment 2 section with a similar structure, an Experiment 3 section with a similar structure, and so on until all experiments are covered. Towards the end of the paper there is a General Discussion section followed by References. Additionally, in multi-experiment papers, it is common for the Results and Discussion subsections for individual experiments to be combined into single “Results and Discussion” sections.
Departures from APA Style
In some cases, official APA style might not be followed (however, be sure to check with your editor, instructor, or other sources before deviating from standards of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association). Such deviations may include:
- Placement of Tables and Figures – in some cases, to make reading through the paper easier, Tables and/or Figures are embedded in the text (for example, having a bar graph placed in the relevant Results section). The embedding of Tables and/or Figures in the text is one of the most common deviations from APA style (and is commonly allowed in B.S. Degree Research Papers and Honors Theses; however you should check with your instructor, supervisor, or editor first).
- Incomplete research – sometimes a B.S. Degree Research Paper in this department is written about research that is currently being planned or is in progress. In those circumstances, sometimes only an Introduction and Methods section, followed by References, is included (that is, in cases where the research itself has not formally begun). In other cases, preliminary results are presented and noted as such in the Results section (such as in cases where the study is underway but not complete), and the Discussion section includes caveats about the in-progress nature of the research. Again, you should check with your instructor, supervisor, or editor first.
- Class assignments – in some classes in this department, an assignment must be written in APA style but is not exactly a traditional research paper (for instance, a student asked to write about an article that they read, and to write that report in APA style). In that case, the structure of the paper might approximate the typical sections of a research paper in APA style, but not entirely. You should check with your instructor for further guidelines.
Workshops and Downloadable Resources
- For in-person discussion of the process of writing research papers, please consider attending this department’s “Writing Research Papers” workshop (for dates and times, please check the undergraduate workshops calendar).
Downloadable Resources
- How to Write APA Style Research Papers (a comprehensive guide) [ PDF ]
- Tips for Writing APA Style Research Papers (a brief summary) [ PDF ]
- Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – empirical research) [ PDF ]
- Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – literature review) [ PDF ]
Further Resources
How-To Videos
- Writing Research Paper Videos
APA Journal Article Reporting Guidelines
- Appelbaum, M., Cooper, H., Kline, R. B., Mayo-Wilson, E., Nezu, A. M., & Rao, S. M. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for quantitative research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report . American Psychologist , 73 (1), 3.
- Levitt, H. M., Bamberg, M., Creswell, J. W., Frost, D. M., Josselson, R., & Suárez-Orozco, C. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for qualitative primary, qualitative meta-analytic, and mixed methods research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report . American Psychologist , 73 (1), 26.
External Resources
- Formatting APA Style Papers in Microsoft Word
- How to Write an APA Style Research Paper from Hamilton University
- WikiHow Guide to Writing APA Research Papers
- Sample APA Formatted Paper with Comments
- Sample APA Formatted Paper
- Tips for Writing a Paper in APA Style
1 VandenBos, G. R. (Ed). (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) (pp. 41-60). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
2 geller, e. (2018). how to write an apa-style research report . [instructional materials]. , prepared by s. c. pan for ucsd psychology.
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- Formatting Research Papers
- Using Databases and Finding References
- What Types of References Are Appropriate?
- Evaluating References and Taking Notes
- Citing References
- Writing a Literature Review
- Writing Process and Revising
- Improving Scientific Writing
- Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism
- Writing Research Papers Videos
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How to Create a Structured Research Paper Outline | Example
Published on August 7, 2022 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on August 15, 2023.
A research paper outline is a useful tool to aid in the writing process , providing a structure to follow with all information to be included in the paper clearly organized.
A quality outline can make writing your research paper more efficient by helping to:
- Organize your thoughts
- Understand the flow of information and how ideas are related
- Ensure nothing is forgotten
A research paper outline can also give your teacher an early idea of the final product.
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Table of contents
Research paper outline example, how to write a research paper outline, formatting your research paper outline, language in research paper outlines.
- Definition of measles
- Rise in cases in recent years in places the disease was previously eliminated or had very low rates of infection
- Figures: Number of cases per year on average, number in recent years. Relate to immunization
- Symptoms and timeframes of disease
- Risk of fatality, including statistics
- How measles is spread
- Immunization procedures in different regions
- Different regions, focusing on the arguments from those against immunization
- Immunization figures in affected regions
- High number of cases in non-immunizing regions
- Illnesses that can result from measles virus
- Fatal cases of other illnesses after patient contracted measles
- Summary of arguments of different groups
- Summary of figures and relationship with recent immunization debate
- Which side of the argument appears to be correct?
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Follow these steps to start your research paper outline:
- Decide on the subject of the paper
- Write down all the ideas you want to include or discuss
- Organize related ideas into sub-groups
- Arrange your ideas into a hierarchy: What should the reader learn first? What is most important? Which idea will help end your paper most effectively?
- Create headings and subheadings that are effective
- Format the outline in either alphanumeric, full-sentence or decimal format
There are three different kinds of research paper outline: alphanumeric, full-sentence and decimal outlines. The differences relate to formatting and style of writing.
- Alphanumeric
- Full-sentence
An alphanumeric outline is most commonly used. It uses Roman numerals, capitalized letters, arabic numerals, lowercase letters to organize the flow of information. Text is written with short notes rather than full sentences.
- Sub-point of sub-point 1
Essentially the same as the alphanumeric outline, but with the text written in full sentences rather than short points.
- Additional sub-point to conclude discussion of point of evidence introduced in point A
A decimal outline is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline, but with a different numbering system: 1, 1.1, 1.2, etc. Text is written as short notes rather than full sentences.
- 1.1.1 Sub-point of first point
- 1.1.2 Sub-point of first point
- 1.2 Second point
To write an effective research paper outline, it is important to pay attention to language. This is especially important if it is one you will show to your teacher or be assessed on.
There are four main considerations: parallelism, coordination, subordination and division.
Parallelism: Be consistent with grammatical form
Parallel structure or parallelism is the repetition of a particular grammatical form within a sentence, or in this case, between points and sub-points. This simply means that if the first point is a verb , the sub-point should also be a verb.
Example of parallelism:
- Include different regions, focusing on the different arguments from those against immunization
Coordination: Be aware of each point’s weight
Your chosen subheadings should hold the same significance as each other, as should all first sub-points, secondary sub-points, and so on.
Example of coordination:
- Include immunization figures in affected regions
- Illnesses that can result from the measles virus
Subordination: Work from general to specific
Subordination refers to the separation of general points from specific. Your main headings should be quite general, and each level of sub-point should become more specific.
Example of subordination:
Division: break information into sub-points.
Your headings should be divided into two or more subsections. There is no limit to how many subsections you can include under each heading, but keep in mind that the information will be structured into a paragraph during the writing stage, so you should not go overboard with the number of sub-points.
Ready to start writing or looking for guidance on a different step in the process? Read our step-by-step guide on how to write a research paper .
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Gahan, C. (2023, August 15). How to Create a Structured Research Paper Outline | Example. Scribbr. Retrieved April 1, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/outline/
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Reply to Discussion of “Experimental Study on Unconfined Compressive Strength of Rubberized Cemented Soil” by Abdellah Cherif Taiba, Youcef Mahmoudi, Mostefa Belkhatir
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Discussions & Replies
- Published: 01 April 2024
Cite this article
- Abdellah Cherif Taiba 1 ,
- Youcef Mahmoudi 2 ,
- Mostefa Belkhatir 3 ,
- Duanwei Guo 5 ,
- Dexin Song 4 ,
- Fangcheng Liu 4 ,
- Lei Zhang 4 &
- Qifeng Wen 4
The authors appreciated the discussants for their suggestions on their recent paper regarding four key topics: the evaluation of the ductility index of rubberized cemented soil, comparative analysis between predicted models and actual results, providing guidance and suggestions for the application of rubberized cemented soil in engineering practice, and evaluating the environmental impact of rubberized cemented soil. These discussions have practical significance and are worth further research in order to contribute to the research and application of rubberized cemented soil.
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Ahmet T, Cafer C, Abdulkadir CA (2004) Determination of the optimum conditions for tire rubber in asphalt concrete. Building and Environment 40(11):1492–1504, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2004.11.013
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He J, Guo D, Song D, Liu F, Zhang L, Wen Q (2023) Experimental study on unconfined compressive strength of rubberized cemented soil. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering 27(10):4130–4140, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-023-1485-y
Raghavan D, Huynh H, Ferraris CF (1998) Workability, mechanical properties, and chemical stability of a recycled tyre rubber-filled cementitious composite. Journal of Materials Science 33(7):1745–1752, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004372414475
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Xin L, Liu HL, Shen Y, He J (2010) Unconfined compressive test of lightweight soil mixed with rubber chips of scrap tires. Journal of PLA University of Science and Technology (Natural Science Edition) 11(1):79–83
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Laboratory of Material Sciences & Environment, Laboratory of Architecture, Cities and Environment, Hassiba Ben Bouali University, B.P 78C, Ouled Fares, 02180, Chlef, Algeria
Abdellah Cherif Taiba
Laboratory of Material Sciences & Environment, Hassiba Ben Bouali University, B.P 78C, Ouled Fares, 02180, Chlef, Algeria
Youcef Mahmoudi
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Researcher, Berlin, Germany
Mostefa Belkhatir
College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007, China
Jie He, Dexin Song, Fangcheng Liu, Lei Zhang & Qifeng Wen
Guangzhou Navigation Aids Office of the South China Sea Navigation Support Center of the Ministry of Transport, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 51032, China
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Taiba, A.C., Mahmoudi, Y., Belkhatir, M. et al. Reply to Discussion of “Experimental Study on Unconfined Compressive Strength of Rubberized Cemented Soil” by Abdellah Cherif Taiba, Youcef Mahmoudi, Mostefa Belkhatir. KSCE J Civ Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-024-2998-8
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Published : 01 April 2024
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-024-2998-8
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Not all academic papers include a roadmap, but many do. Usually following the thesis, a roadmap is a narrative table of contents that summarizes the flow of the rest of the paper. Below, see an example roadmap in which Cuevas (2019) succinctly outlines her argument. You may also see roadmaps that list
Getting ready with data. Gather all important data, analyses, plots and tables. Organize results so that they follow a logical sequence (this may or may not be in the order of experiments conducted) Consolidate data plots and create figures for the manuscript (Limit the number of total figures (6-8 is usually a good number).
If, on the other hand, (1) you first select the data and analyze them, and (2) after a time peruse the objectives of the work, and (3) finally record the connection between these processes in the end product (i.e. the thesis or dissertation), you run the risk that the narrative of the thesis will appear disjointed.
3 or 4 data sets per figure; well-selected scales; appropriate axis label size; symbols clear to read; data sets easily distinguishable. Each photograph must have a scale marker of professional quality in a corner. Use color ONLY when necessary. Color must be visible and distinguishable when printed in black & white.
Report and Argument Research Papers. All research papers require an exploration of the work of other scholars on the chosen topic. The type of research paper you write will depend on your research question . and your treatment of the information that you gather. There are two basic types of research papers: report research papers. and ...
Focus first on content and organization: o Make sure ideas are clear, complete and correct. o Check to make sure your paper is organized hierarchically Finally, check the language: o Use spell check o print out a hard copy and read your paper out loud to help you find mistakes, omitted words or sentences that don't make sense. o
Use 4X6 or 5X8 note cards. Write in ink to prevent blurring. Each card should contain only one point related to your outline. Each card should be labeled with a brief title related to your outline. Cite the source of reference-author, page number, abbreviation of title from bibliography card.
4. Writing the paper and compiling the bibliography 5. Revising/Editing (content and organization) 6. Proofreading (grammar/mechanics) Carefully budget time for each stage. Do not wait until the week before the paper is due to begin this process. Research takes time. Be prepared to read and sift through numerous sources, many more than are ...
something known, to something unknown, to the question the paper is asking. • focuses on the overall issue, problem, or question that your research addresses. What is the context of your study (i.e. how does this relate to other research)? • provides sufficient context and background for the reader to understand and evaluate
17. Draft a title, table of content & abstract. Drafting a working title, table of content and an abstract helps define the contents of the paper, identifying the relevant aspects of the paper. 18. Write the final title and abstract. Many changes are made during the editing process.
(however small or limited) to answering the research question. The language in this section is cautious and honest. You will find the following language framing the content of the discussion section: Contrary to expectations, this research did not find a significant difference between … This finding was unexpected and suggests that …
Purpose of Research Paper Introduction : The introduction leads the reader from a general research issue or problem to your specific area of research. It puts your research question in context by explaining the significance of the research being conducted. This is usually done by summarizing current understanding (research to date) and ...
It is very important to formulate the aim of the paper. The aim points to the final conclusion of the paper. The aim and the conclusion are the center of the manuscript where to concentrate all the material. The review of the literature depends on the aim; the research methods depend on the aim, and the discussion.
Beyond this, the title should indicate the research methodology and topic of the paper. The abstract should provide a summary of the objective, methods, results, and significance of the research. Most researchers are likely to find published papers through an electronic search (either via subject databases, or search engines such as Google).
Communicating research findings is an essential step in the research process. Often, peer-reviewed journals are the forum for such communication, yet many researchers are never taught how to write a publishable scientific paper. In this article, we explain the basic structure of a scientific paper and describe the information that should be included in each section. We also identify common ...
Develop a thesis statement. Create a research paper outline. Write a first draft of the research paper. Write the introduction. Write a compelling body of text. Write the conclusion. The second draft. The revision process. Research paper checklist.
RESEARCH PAPER he research paper is an original essay presenting your ideas in response to information found in library sources. As you gather research material, your ever-increasing knowledge of a topic will allow you to make informed judgments and original interpretations. At each stage of research, you will have a more complete idea of what ...
Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
A research paper is a part of academic writing where there is a. gathering of information from different sources. It is based on. author's original research on particular topic, collection of ...
A complete research paper in APA style that is reporting on experimental research will typically contain a Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References sections. 1 Many will also contain Figures and Tables and some will have an Appendix or Appendices. These sections are detailed as follows (for a more in ...
A decimal outline is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline, but with a different numbering system: 1, 1.1, 1.2, etc. Text is written as short notes rather than full sentences. Example: 1 Body paragraph one. 1.1 First point. 1.1.1 Sub-point of first point. 1.1.2 Sub-point of first point.
Purpose - This paper aims to offer junior scholars a front-to-back guide to writing an academic, Received25August2015 Revised25August2015 Accepted14September2015. theoretically positioned, qualitative research article in the social sciences. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on formal (published) advice from books and articles ...
Author content. Content may be subject to copyright. How to Write a Resear ch Paper Introduction. Step 1: Introduce your topic. The first job of the introdu ction is to tell the reader what your ...
In a prior safety monitoring study, the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) conducted near real-time surveillance (NRS) of th e authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the pediatric population.5,6 NRS allows for the rapid identification of statistical signals for potentially elevated risk of evaluated outcomes following vaccination.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072257, 32160530), the major science & technology development-specific projects of Jiangxi province (20223AAF02017), central government guide local special fund project for scientific and technological development of Jiangxi province (20221ZDD02001) and the research program of state key laboratory of food science ...
The authors appreciated the discussants for their suggestions on their recent paper regarding four key topics: the evaluation of the ductility index of rubberized cemented soil, comparative analysis between predicted models and actual results, providing guidance and suggestions for the application of rubberized cemented soil in engineering practice, and evaluating the environmental impact of ...