Research paper help tests a learner’s cognitive abilities. Learners must partake in rigorous research, engage their problem-solving skills, and work with dedication. Through thorough and religious hard work, one can discover or invent something remarkable. Of course, research paper writing is integral to any higher education curriculum, and scoring top grades is necessary to pass with flying colors.
In this article, we are going to take a clear & concise look at the generic structure & format of a research paper. Hope this guide aids readers in perfecting their papers.
So, without any more ado, let’s begin.
How to Write the Perfect Research Paper?
Yes, research paper writing can trigger a whole lot of unnecessary anxiety. Your doubts and trepidations may bring about procrastination, feelings of uncertainty, and even inadequacy. Such negative thoughts and impulses are generally more profound among first-time writers.
One way to resolve things is to keep calm and make plans! Academic writing is all about planning & timely executions.
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One of the first aspects of planning any research paper is deciding the topic.
- Think Deep About Your Topic
Post-graduate theses and dissertations require writers to find their research topics. While narrowing down on a topic, keep in mind the following:
- Try to find a topic that interests you
- Make sure you can generalize your research perspective
- Think of your topic as a research question that needs answering or a hypothesis that must be proven
- Map Out The Whole Process
According to articles from MIT, most scientific/technical reports follow a traditional layout that includes a title, an abstract, a reference list, citations, and components of the IMRAD structure.
The IMRAD structure consists of:
- Introduction that answers the why & what;
- Methods that answer how, when, where, how much, etc.
In all cases, the theoretical framework section extends the methods chapter & digs a bit deeper into the background and the analytical process.
- Results reveal insights;
- Discussions dwell a bit into the methods of analysis and investigate the repercussions of the findings;
The conclusion wraps things up by highlighting the findings, noting the research’s impact, and promoting further research on the topic & the domain in general.
- Preparing To Write
There is no universal writing process set in stone. Instead, write in a way that lets you be productive.
Nevertheless, here’s a commonly used process that’s worked for successful research writers.
- Pre-Writing 🡪 Pre-writing is all about making notes, scribbling ideas, developing mind-maps, and thinking of the best ways to find answers to the research question/s.
Analyze the audience and clarify your purpose to find better focus while writing. Also, ignore neatness, spelling, and sentence structure in this stage.
- Writing 🡪 Start with whichever chapter is easiest to write. For example, writing the methods & theoretical framework in tandem may be beneficial or writing the results & discussions together may speed things up quite a bit.
- Revision 🡪 Planning and dedicating a certain amount of time to revisions is essential. Work on the content first, then on the structure, and then on style. Your focus should be on clear communication, lucid presentation, and acute reasoning. Ask your friends, peers, and instructors for feedback and implement necessary changes.
- Editing 🡪 Check the accuracy of the data, theories & concepts you have used.
Reread the entire paper for grammatical, mechanical, and usage errors. Write section headers on the top of the paper, and pre-write the chapter you know you might struggle with.
Remember, writing is a recursive process and quite intricate. No specific rules are set in stone; some start with the title and progress as per the structure. Others pick a particular chapter and gradually work towards completion. Manage time well, and you will find ample time to refine your work.
If all the above seems too overwhelming, you may need assistance from a professional research paper help service.
Before we round up this write-up, here are some suggestions for developing the perfect framework for a research manuscript.
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Guidelines & Suggestions For Each Chapter
- The Title
Come up with a straightforward, informative, and attractive title. It should relate to the thesis statement and acquaint the audience with your aims & affiliations. Keep it concise, specific, and understandable.
- The Abstract
Begin with sentences that shed light on what the research is all about. Abstracts must be a single paragraph in length at maximum and be clear & informative enough to give readers a thorough idea about the entire research.
Give a selective summary of the most significant ideas & findings. Be clear and precise in your diction, and edit for conciseness & clarity. Ensure the abstract reflects the paper’s organization, research emphasis, and content.
- Introduction
Acquaint your readers with the background of your research & the theories & concepts involved. Focus on the research question, or issue you are addressing and provide sufficient context and background for your audience to understand & interpret its value and purpose.
Develop the rationale of your work and outline the main research focus. Then, refer to other research literature to lend credibility to your choices & perspectives.
- Methods
This section must include enough details so that readers can reproduce the entire research successfully. It must be written as a process description, unlike lab manual procedures. Make sure it is precise, concise, and complete. Only add relevant information.
Mention exact specifications, and deliver details about your procedures, the techniques & instruments used, the analytical framework, and the strategies employed.
- Theoretical Framework
The importance of any research lies in its contributions to a field; how it helps develop new & enhance existing theories. Therefore, creating a theoretical framework on which to base your research is essential. This framework forms the basis of the entire study design and will play a key role in justifying & substantiating your findings.
- Results
Report your findings here. This is not the place to discuss or evaluate. Instead, organize in an orderly manner and state only facts & objective observations that are unambiguously true. Add illustrations, summarise findings, and identify trends and patterns.
- Discussions
This is where you dwell upon your findings and showcase your intellectual capabilities. Discuss your results in-depth, and demonstrate your knowledge, analytical, & interpretive skills in this section.
Evaluate your findings, deliver well-supported opinions, and use the theoretical framework to conduct an acute analysis. Think carefully and draw conclusions that are neither too broad nor too niche.
- Interpret your results (Explain their significance, draw generalizations, note the principles that support or disprove your work, and all potential implications.)
- Explain key limitations
- Discuss the gaps in research that your work addresses and meets.
- Offer general conclusions, and justify using proper reasoning and proper supporting evidence.
- Recommend any areas for future research.
Conclusion
Briefly refer to the aims & objectives of the research. State key findings and relevant revelatory interpretations. To address limitations, if any. Finally, briefly discuss the study’s contribution to the domain at large. Finally, wrap things up, highlighting angles that require further research.
And with that, we finally wrap up this write-up. Hope it acts as a handy guide for every academic research writer, novice or professional. Research writing requires hard work, time, skills, and dedication. If you lack in any of these, it’s best to seek assistance from professional assignment & homework help services online.
