Article Writing - Research Aptitude Notes

Definition and Purpose

A research article is a comprehensive and detailed account of research activity written by the researcher.

Unlike a research paper, an article is not strictly bound by the methodology used in the research. While a research paper covers the entire outcome of a research project, an article is more focused on a specific topic. The primary aim of an article is to provide detailed information on a particular subject.

Format and Styles of Article Writing

When writing an article, the following format and styles should be adhered to:

Front Matter

1. Title Page: The title page should be informative and include relevant keywords that clearly reveal the topic of the article. It should also include the title of the article and the author's name.

2. Abstract: The abstract should be a concise summary of about 100 to 150 words, roughly 5-10 sentences. It should briefly state the research problem, methodology, key results, and conclusions.

Body

1. Introduction: This section should explain the reasons for conducting the study, its theoretical framework, the goals of the research, the problem statement, and any hypotheses that were created.

2. Methodology: In this section, the researcher should describe the samples used in the study, how they were obtained or selected, and the materials (equipment, apparatus, and measuring instruments) used. The researcher should also detail the procedures followed during the study.

3. Research Sources: The researcher should list the different types of reading materials and sources used in the study, such as banks, magazines, internet sites, and other related materials.

1. Results: This section should present the results of the study, usually accompanied by text, tables, and graphs. The author should describe the patterns and quality of the results and estimate their accuracy and precision.

2. Discussion: This section should include several key points:

   • Non-technical Interpretation of Results: Explain the results in a way that is understandable to non-experts.
   • Linking Results to Original Purposes and Hypotheses: Discuss how the results relate to the original research goals and hypotheses.
   • Explanation of Results: Provide insights into why the results turned out the way they did.
   • Study’s Limitations: Identify any limitations of the study.
   • Suggestions for Further Research: Offer suggestions for future research based on the findings.

End Matter

1. References: The article should include a list of all the references used during the writing process. This can include internet sites, journals, magazines, books, theses, and other sources.

Steps to research article writing

1. Start writing beforehand: A research article can be written before the experiments are completed or the actual thesis has been written. Writing daily or weekly helps in generating new ideas around the research problem. It also makes it easier to consolidate data in the form of an article, whenever the need arises.
2. Deciding time to publish: Having a timeline in mind ensures that one is writing with a definite deadline. Some journals accept manuscripts all around the year and some only do special features. Keeping this in mind, one should keep the content ready. Whenever the data you have collected represent a complete story (or a significant part of it), getting it published is the next step.
3. Title and abstract: Deciding a title and preparing an abstract is the next step. The title should be short, informative and unique. An abstract should be able to give a brief overview of your research article. Title and abstract are, in fact, important components of a research article.
4. Deciding the format: Peer-reviewed journals usually follow the IMRAD format – Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion. Each section also follows a word limit feature which may vary from one journal to another.
5. Outline of the Paper: An outline acts as a road map to one own research. A research article should follow an outline based on some themes and sub-themes clubbed together. A proper outline gives coherence and consistency to the ideas put together.
6. First draft: Finalising the first draft is the next step. One should not write and edit at the same time. Prepare the first draft and edit as and when new revisions are to be made. Make sure that the first draft is the blueprint of outline made, abstract and title.
7. References: This is another important component as well as a step of article writing. After the revised draft, one should make sure that citations have been done correctly and follow a proper format.

1. Revise as per Journal’s instructions: Meet all the criteria the journal expects and based on that make necessary changes. That will make the final draft ready to be submitted to the editor.
2. Feedback: After submission, one receives comments from the editors and reviewers. They will ask for changes in terms of the word limit, grammar and punctuation, flow of the paper etc. 

Indeed, research writing doesn’t come naturally to most of us and is highly formalised and rhetorical. Normally, it takes months to a year or two for a good research paper to be written and get published in a reputed research journal.