How to write a research paper?
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This document outlines a workshop focused on writing research papers, covering essential elements like structure, publishing tips, and ethical considerations. It highlights the importance of clarity in style and language, the components of a paper (including title, abstract, methods, and results), and the journal selection process. Additionally, it discusses metrics such as impact factor and h-index, which are important for evaluating journal and author performance.
How to write a research paper?
- 1. Mehrshad Mehrpouya, Ph.D. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18, 00184 Rome, Italy Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehrpouya/ October 2018 How to write a research paper?
- 2. How to write a research paper? in this workshop, we will discuss; - Structure of a paper including abstract, introduction, method,... - Introducing the best publisher and scientific journals - Journal selection for authors and publishing tips - What is the impact factor, H-index,...? - Question & Answer
- 3. How to write a research paper? Overview • Task of writing a research paper can be daunting • Even with ground-breaking research, unless the paper is correctly written: – at best, publication will be delayed – at worse, never published • Presentation will provide an overview of ‘how to write a well-structured research paper for publication’
- 4. How to write a research paper? Author versus Reader Behaviour • Author behaviour – Want to publish more – Peer review essential – Other journal functions crucial – Wider dissemination • Reader behaviour – Want integrated system – Browsing is crucial – Quality information important – Want to read less
- 5. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 6. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 7. How to write a research paper? Style and Language • Refer to the journal’s author guide for notes on style (see Publishing Skills Web-Bibliography for examples) – Some authors write their paper with a specific journal in mind – Others write the paper and then adapt it to fit the style of a journal they subsequently choose • Objective is to report your findings and conclusions clearly and concisely as possible
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- 9. How to write a research paper? Style and Language • If English is not your first language, find a native English speaker (if possible) to review the content and language of the paper before submitting it • Regardless of primary language, find a colleague/editor to review the content and language of the paper
- 10. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 11. How to write a research paper? Structure of a Paper Scientific writing follows a rigid structure – a format developed over hundreds of years. Consequently, a paper can be read at several levels: – Some people just will refer to the title – Others may read only the title and abstract – Others will read the paper for a deeper understanding
- 12. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 13. How to write a research paper? Components of a Paper Section Purpose Title Clearly describes contents Authors Ensures recognition for the writer(s) Abstract Describes what was done Key Words (some journals) Ensures the article is correctly identified in abstracting and indexing services Introduction Explains the problem Methods Explains how the data were collected Results Describes what was discovered Discussion Discusses the implications of the findings Acknowledgements Ensures those who helped in the research are recognised References Ensures previously published work is recognised Appendices (some journals) Provides supplemental data for the expert reader
- 14. How to write a research paper? Authors Listing • ONLY include those who have made an intellectual contribution to the research • OR those who will publicly defend the data and conclusions, and who have approved the final version • Order of the names of the authors can vary from discipline to discipline – In some fields, the corresponding author’s name appears first
- 15. How to write a research paper? Title • Describes the paper’s content clearly and precisely including keywords • Is the advertisement for the article • Do not use abbreviations and jargon • Search engines/indexing databases depend on the accuracy of the title - since they use the keywords to identify relevant articles
- 16. How to write a research paper? Abstract • Briefly summarize (often 150 words) - the problem, the method, the results, and the conclusions so that – The reader can decide whether or not to read the whole article • Together, the title and the abstract should stand on their own • Many authors write the abstract last so that it accurately reflects the content of the paper See: The Structured Abstract: An Essential Tool for Research http://research.mlanet.org/structured_abstract.html
- 17. How to write a research paper? Introduction • Clearly state the: – Problem being investigated – Background that explains the problem – Reasons for conducting the research • Summarize relevant research to provide context • State how your work differs from published work • Identify the questions you are answering • Explain what other findings, if any, you are challenging or extending • Briefly describe the experiment, hypothesis(es), research question(s); general experimental design or method
- 18. How to write a research paper? Methods • Provide the reader enough details so they can understand and replicate your research • Explain how you studied the problem, identify the procedures you followed, and order these chronologically where possible • Explain new methodology in detail; otherwise name the method and cite the previously published work • Include the frequency of observations, what types of data were recorded, etc. • Be precise in describing measurements and include errors of measurement or research design limits
- 19. How to write a research paper? Results • Objectively present your findings, and explain what was found • Show that your new results are contributing to the body of scientific knowledge • Follow a logical sequence based on the tables and figures presenting the findings to answer the question or hypothesis • Figures should have a brief description (a legend), providing the reader sufficient information to know how the data were produced
- 20. How to write a research paper? Discussion/Conclusion • Describe what your results mean in context of what was already known about the subject • Indicate how the results relate to expectations and to the literature previously cited • Explain how the research has moved the body of scientific knowledge forward • Do not extend your conclusions beyond what is directly supported by your results - avoid undue speculation • Outline the next steps for further study
- 21. How to write a research paper? References • Whenever you draw upon previously published work, you must acknowledge the source • Any information not from your experiment and not ‘common knowledge’ should be recognized by a citation • How references are presented varies considerably - refer to notes for authors for the specific journal • Avoid references that are difficult to find • Avoid listing related references that were not important to the study
- 22. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 23. How to write a research paper? Article Submission • Select your journal carefully • Read the aims and scope • Think about your target audience and the level of your work – do you have a realistic chance of being accepted? • Follow the guidelines in the notes for authors and include everything they ask – it makes the editor’s job easier… • Articles should not be submitted to more than one journal at a time
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- 25. How to write a research paper? Author Priorities for Journal Selection (Elsevier) • Key (Determining) factors – Impact Factor – Reputation – Access to the target audience – Overall editorial standard – Publication speed – International coverage – Open Access or HINARI participating publisher • Marginal (Qualifying) factors – Experience as a referee – Track record – Quality and colour illustrations – Service elements
- 26. How to write a research paper? Impact factor? About Journal Impact Impact Factor - What is it?; Why use it? The impact factor (IF) is a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year. It is used to measure the importance or rank of a journal by calculating the times it's articles are cited
- 27. How to write a research paper? Impact factor? The JCR provides quantitative tools for ranking, evaluating, categorizing, and comparing journals. The impact factor is one of these; it is a measure of the frequency with which the “average article” in a journal has been cited in a particular year or period.
- 28. How to write a research paper? Citation, H-Index,… The h-index is an author-level metric that attempts to measure both the productivity and citation impact of the publications of a scientist or scholar. The index is based on the set of the scientist's most cited papers and the number of citations that they have received in other publications. A citation index is an index of citations between publications, allowing the user to easily discern which later documents cite which earlier documents.
- 29. How to write a research paper? Author Priorities for Journal Selection (INASP) Quality / prestige Collection / specialisation Habit / previous publication Speed / time delay
- 30. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 31. How to write a research paper? After Submission • Most journal editors will make an initial decision on a paper - to review or to reject • Most editors appoint two referees • Refereeing speed varies tremendously between journals • Authors should receive a decision of Accept, Accept with Revision (Minor or Major), or Reject • If a paper is rejected, most editors will write to you explaining their decision • After rejection, authors have the option of submitting the paper to another journal - editor’s suggestions should be addressed
- 32. How to write a research paper? Paper Submitted Initial Decision by Editor Confirmation of Receipt Rejection Decide to Review Assign Reviewers Reviewers Accept Invite Reviews Completed RejectAccept Notification to Author Revise Paper sent to Publisher AcceptRevise Revision Received Revision Checked MinorMajor
- 33. How to write a research paper? Key Elements of Publishing • Style and language • Structure of paper • Components of paper • Article submission/journal selection • Publisher’s process/peer review • Ethical Issues
- 34. How to write a research paper? Ethical Issues • Disclosure of Conflict of Interest • Acknowledgment of funding sources • Graphical Abstract • Online submission - supplemental information (datasets, videos)