A Useful Template for Writing Research Articles

for Publication Dr. Brian D. Ebie

Publish or Perish

University faculty are expected to create and conduct original research and present findings at national/international symposia

They are also expected to publish the results of their studies in peer-reviewed journals

Consistent, quality publications are important factors in promotion and tenure consideration

Publish or Perish

The following slides will outline a simple and useful template for reporting results in an article format.

Each discipline will have specific criteria required for an article

The common elements of a good research article are presented here

Preliminary Materials

Title Page ◦ Article title (summarize main ideas, variables under discussion, relationships between variables.

◦ Name (usually removed for article submission)◦ Institution (usually removed)◦ Running head (shortened version of title)

150-200 word Research Abstract◦ Briefly summarize the main point, purpose, method, and results

Section I. Introduction

General statement of the problem under investigation:◦ why is it important?

◦ Of what benefit to the profession is your study?

What are your research questions?◦ What are your research hypotheses?

Definition of terms:◦ Are there any special words used commonly in your

study?

Section II. Review of Literature

Organization of chapter◦ Framework of how you will discuss previous

findings

◦ Pertinent opinion/philosophical/historical basis

Review of previous research◦ Who else has though about this?

◦ What did they learn?

Summary of the state of the art◦ What is the current body of work in the area?

Section III. Methodology

Description of the subjects. ◦ How were they chosen? ◦ Socioeconomic/demographic data?

Description of measures employed ◦ How were they developed? ◦ Why did you choose this or that methodology/technique?

Research design: ◦ Procedures, tests, materials, locations, timeframe

A future researcher should be able to duplicate your study based on reading this section

Section IV. Results

Analytic techniques◦ What statistical measures were utilized?◦ What types of data? Nominal? Ordinal? Continuous?

Description of findings pertinent to each research question or hypothesis◦ reject or accept your hypotheses from section I. ◦ Insert appropriate tables and figures

Other findings as appropriate

Summarize your findings

Section V. Discussion

Summary of topic under consideration◦ Summarize hypotheses, method, and findings

Relate your findings to related literature from section II (very important)◦ Discussion of findings—what do they mean?

Conclusions◦ What do you as the expert on your topic draw from these

findings?

Implications for your field?◦ Directions for future research?◦ What unexpected results/findings were of interest?

Reference Materials

Appendices Tables and figures Bibliography

The above sections depend on the format/style guide used.◦ A best practice is to go ahead and document all references

used, in the appropriate format, while the paper is being written. Agreement between citations and references are a common flaw found upon blind review by a committee.

Here is a link to a PDF document that can be used as a template.

Thank you for watching. I hope you found it helpful.