Proper Structure of a Research Paper: Tips to Boost Your Writing

Writing academic assignments requires lots of effort and long hours of hard work. Luckily, you can ease your job by following the research paper outline guidelines. Once you learn how to write a research paper outline step-by-step, you’ll find the process less painful. Moreover, the proper structure would always give you extra points. 

In this article, we’ll review all the elements of a research paper and explain in detail what to consider when writing them. You’ll learn how to start a research paper and find out the essential tips regarding research paper structures. Let’s get started!

Sections of a Research Paper 

Research papers are associated with some specific structural requirements. Below, you’ll find the info that will help you write your assignment perfectly tailored to the main demands. 

Title Page

The title page represents the authors and the main goal of their research paper. First, you need to put the name of your academic work, or so-called “running head,” in the middle. Under, mention the name(s) of the author(s). Towards the bottom of the page, put the Author Note. It usually includes institutional affiliation and finding individuals that assisted with the project (if any). 

Abstract

When writing a concise summary for an academic research paper, make sure you fit in a few paragraphs and answer the following questions: 

• What? Specify the topic, emphasize the background, and define the key concepts. 
• Why? Briefly prove the importance of your work by answering the problem questions. What are the new methods you used, or what important issues does your outline address?
• How? Help the readers to navigate through your text. Let them know what to expect further in the research essay structure. 

Introduction

An introduction is one of the major sections of your work. You need to persuade the reader to keep up with your essay. Commonly, this chapter describes the topic of research papers and summarizes existing knowledge. It addresses the unresolved issues that you’ve investigated in your academic research paper. Based on relevant literature used in your studies, you’ll have to conclude a literature review. 

Methods

When you write the explanation of the used methods, you show the investigation and evaluation processes of different parts of a research paper. Tell the readers what you did and what subjects/participants were involved. Talk about your study design, present the used materials, and clarify the experiments you’ve done. You may even need a separate section to describe them all in great detail. 

Results

All the research papers require a Result chapter. Here you need to describe the results of the experiments that were performed as well as the statistical tests you’ve done. The collected data and the description of the analysis also pertain to such research paper sections. In case you’ve done several experiments, make separate charters for each of them. 

Discussion

Discussion is the final major chapter among components of a research paper. Usually, it contains the summary of the research paper. Show the audience the significance of your results and how they address the main issues and resolve the topic of investigation. Don’t be afraid to write several paragraphs, expanding knowledge upon the implications of your research papers. You may also add directions for future investigations and research paper writers. 

References

Every proper research paper structure requires a list of literature that was used during the academic investigation. Make sure to cite all the sources to avoid accusations of plagiarism. Take into account that the reference list must be cited in alphabetical order by the last name of each author. You’ll find Canadian Papersowl useful if you need help with all the nuances of reference requirements. Professionals from the website know everything about how to write research papers and format them depending on the required citation style. The experts will help you to compile a proper reference list without missing any citation peculiarities or will provide any other guidance if needed.

Tables and Figures

Although graphs and figures are optional in the structure of a research paper, you may need them. Many topics can’t be presented without relevant charts and mathematical solutions, as these are direct proof of the facts used in your work. Commonly, tables are mentioned first, and the figures follow. Every table may also be presented on a separate page. 

Appendix

The appendix is among the optional sections of the research papers. In this chapter, you may introduce secondary information. For instance, details of the subordinate analysis, programming code, or the stimuli of experiments.

Essentials Rules for Structuring a Research Paper

Before confirming the outline and starting with the text, you should learn some writing tricks. This way, you won’t spend too much time remaking and fixing the research papers. Here are a few tips/tricks that we recommend for successful work.

Follow The Call Of The Heart 

Always write about topics you’re passionate about. It would greatly increase the chance of creating a quality research paper with well-thought-out paragraphs. Moreover, you won’t feel bored during the writing process. That way, you’ll deliver an outstanding assignment and learn lots of essential things for your future career. 

Keep It Brief 

Remember that research papers require a certain volume, and writing more pages would result in lower grades. Carefully read the requirements of your assignment and define the appropriate length. Outline the approximate word count for the concise summary (max. 250), introduction, and the following paragraphs. 

Organization Is The Key 

We’ve already talked about the proper research paper format. Make sure you’ve implemented it in your text without missing or mixing the major chapters. Keep the sequence in check and review your research papers every time you add new facts, experiments, quotes, etc. 

Brainstorm The Outline 

Don’t rush with writing the outline. Brainstorm, make several drafts, and compare them. Think about which format would better disclose your topic and present your analysis. Don’t be afraid to ask others for opinions. Turn to your advisor or colleagues to receive constructive feedback. 

Significance Of Proper Citing 

Never neglect to write the reference list and take some time to organize it correctly. Keeping track of used sources is vital for research papers. Note every resource you’re referring to in your outline, divide them by colour labels to ease the navigation. Last but not least, find out what format is required for your assignment: APA, MLA, or Chicago.