How to write research paper

One thing out of many that we all have fear in academics is writing a research paper, believe me, when I was writing my 1st paper I was totally blank from where to start and what exactly comes under different sections like that, but by the help of my senior and mentor, I managed to complete it. And now I have decided to help you with the same. I will decode it all for you step by step in this article.

Before moving into it let’s see if these questions bother you also

What section should you start with? What distinguishes a good research paper from a bad one?

So considering all these questions I will focus on the best approaches to start a scientific paper, and tips for writing each section.

1st thing 1st Start with an outline

The best strategy is to start with an outline. Putting numbers for each section and a neat parallel listing of topic sentences and supporting points. This outline will be similar to a template for your paper. Initially, the outline will form a structure for your paper; it will help generate ideas and formulate hypotheses. Start with a blank piece of paper, and write down, in any order, all important experiments you have performed for your paper.

Table 1

Outline — Level 1

1. What is the topic of my paper?

2. Why is this topic important?

3. How could I formulate my hypothesis? It means how your finding can solve the problem

4. What are my results (include visuals)? Include your visuals (figures, tables, formulas, equations, and algorithms), and list your findings. These will constitute the first level of your outline, which will eventually expand as you elaborate.

5. What is my major finding?

The next stage is to add context and structure. Here you will group all your ideas into sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion/Conclusion. This step will help add logic to your work. The new content table should be like this

Level 2

Outline — Level 2

Introduction

1. Why is your research important?

2. What is known about the topic?

3. What are your hypotheses?

4. What are your objectives?

Materials and Methods

1. What materials did you use?

2. Who were the subjects of your study?

3. What was the design of your research?

4. What procedure did you follow?

Results

1. What are your most significant results?

2. What are your supporting results?

2. Discussion and Conclusions

i. What are the study’s major findings?

ii. What is the significance/implication of the results?

Now that you have expanded your outline, you are ready for the next step: discussing the ideas for your paper with your colleagues and mentor regarding which journal is best suitable for your paper, now after deciding on the journal the process of real writing begins. Copy your outline into a separate file and expand on each of the points, which means start adding data and elaborating on the details. After creating the first draft, do not jump directly to edit the full text in fact start choosing a better word or better phrase for each section one by one. Keep on adding your ideas to the paper and leave full-text revision and editing for later. Many students face the problem of staring at an empty screen which is frustrating, but now as you have a template of your article which I have told you in level 2, now all you need to do is fill in the blanks. Make sure when you start writing a research paper, you must have all the files regarding data, lab notes with materials and experimental designs, some visuals, and tables with results. Then you just need to do is examine these pieces and put them together into a comprehensive paper.

If you still struggle with starting a paper, then write the Materials and Methods section first. Since you have all your notes, it should not be problematic for you to describe the experimental design and procedures. In this section all you need to add all the materials used in your research and from where you have procured. In methods you need to define in detail for example if you did synthesis work in paper then describe how you have synthesis the molecules with an exact concentration of compounds used, provide enough detail and references if needed. The purpose of this section is to allow other researchers to evaluate and repeat your work.

Writing Results Section

For many authors, writing the Results section is more threatening than writing the Materials and Methods section. Because If people are interested in your paper, they are interested in your results. That is why it is vital to use all your writing skills to objectively present your key findings in an orderly and logical sequence using illustrative materials and text.

Your Results should be organized into different segments or subsections where each one presents the purpose of the experiment, your experimental approach, data including text and visuals (tables, figures, schematics, algorithms, and formulas), and data commentary.

Now finally how to write an introduction. The best way to structure your introduction is to follow these three approaches

Level 3

Tip 1.

a. Show that the general research area is important, central, interesting, and problematic in some way;

Tip 2. Find a niche

a. Indicate a gap in the previous research, or extend previous knowledge in some way.

Tip 3. Occupy the niche

a. Outline purposes or state the nature of the present research;

b. List research questions or hypotheses;

c. Announce principle findings;

d. State the value of the present research;

e. Indicate the structure of the research paper.