Research Papers and Articles - ELP 407

ELP 407 Research Articles & Papers Dr. Norah Almusharraf 11/25/2024 Review Type of Sci. & Tech. Docs Research Report/proposal Manual/instructions article/paper 11/25/2024  Re...

ELP 407 Research Articles & Papers Dr. Norah Almusharraf 11/25/2024 Review Type of Sci. & Tech. Docs Research Report/proposal Manual/instructions article/paper 11/25/2024  Research articles/papers There is no form of prose more difficult to understand and more tedious to read than the average scientific paper. (Crick 1995) 11/25/2024 Where are research papers/articles published? 11/25/2024  Where are research papers/articles published? A research article or paper is usually published in a professional journal. It is usually refereed — that is, one or several anonymous reviewers will read the paper and make recommendations about whether it should be published or not, or whether changes might be needed to it. 11/25/2024 What is the purpose of research papers/articles? Articles or papers usually communicate details of research: New information created by the person or persons writing it. They usually deal with the testing of a hypothesis via experimentation. They can also deal with other matters, such as a review of a particular area or body of work, or a case study (for example, the explanation of a new medical procedure). 11/25/2024 Reasons why research papers/articles are written: There are numerous reasons why people write articles or papers, from the most altruistic tothe most self-centred, including (Van Teijlingen & Hundley 2002; Rosenfeldt et al. 2000): 1. To add to the body of knowledge about a particular topic; knowledge cannot accumulate if it is kept private. 2. To lay claim of ownership to a particular idea or findings. 3. To improve the writer’s chances for promotion and recognition from professional peers. 11/25/2024 Reasons why research papers/articles are written: There are numerous reasons why people write articles or papers, from the most altruistic tothe most self-centred, including (Van Teijlingen & Hundley 2002; Rosenfeldt et al. 2000): 4. to improve the writer’s chances for professional survival: in a ‘publish or perish’ culture(the sheer necessity to be seen to be doing something, irrespective of quality, may be anincentive to publish work that is not exactly paradigm- breaking) 11/25/2024 Reasons why research papers/articles are written: There are numerous reasons why people write articles or papers, from the most altruistic tothe most self-centred, including (Van Teijlingen & Hundley 2002; Rosenfeldt et al. 2000): 5. To boost the reputation of the professional organisation(s) where the writer works. 6. To satisfy the ego of the writer. 11/25/2024 Reasons why research papers/articles are written: There are numerous reasons why people write articles or papers, from the most altruistic tothe most self-centred, including (Van Teijlingen & Hundley 2002; Rosenfeldt et al. 2000): 7. To develop the writing abilities and knowledge of the writer. Writing imposes a disciplinethat forces issues to be thought through in a logical way, allowing weaknesses in anargument to be detected. Searching existing literature to ensure that the idea has notalready been fully explored is a worthwhile exercise in itself. 11/25/2024 PROCESS OF WRITING & PUBLISHING A RESEARCH PAPERS/ARTICLES Structure of research papers/articles: Abstract Introduction Methods Results Discussion References 11/25/2024 Structure of research papers/articles: The abstract itself (normally 100–200 words) should deal with four different considerations: A. Why what was done was done B. What was done C. What was found D. What was concluded. 11/25/2024 Structure of research papers/articles: The introduction helps set the scene for your text by answering these questions: ❖ What is new about what you are attempting? ❖ How does it fit in with the dominant paradigms of the area? ❖ What is your hypothesis? ❖ What patterns, relationships, interactions or cause–effect sequences are you attempting to prove (or disprove)? 11/25/2024 Structure of research papers/articles: The methods and materials section is where you show what experimental procedures and resources were used in your research. Important note: There should be enough detail here for another reader to replicate your experiment, one of the key bases of scientific method (Lindsay 1996). Give details of statistical methods, constants and variables, samples and populations, and equipment and facilities used, but do not overwhelm the reader with too much detail. 11/25/2024 Structure of research papers/articles: The results section should provide the number-crunching details of what you have achieved. Give the facts, but do not get into detailed interpretation of the facts. One of the major weaknesses of some report writers is that they mix in fact and opinion, and it is some- times difficult to separate the two. Save the opinions and the major part of interpretation for the discussion section. 11/25/2024 Structure of research papers/articles: The discussion section should tell the reader about (Spence 1998): ❖ the main findings ❖ the shortcomings you may see in your own methods ❖ the relationship of your findings to other published findings ❖ the implications that can be drawn from your findings. 11/25/2024