Writing Additional Parts of Some Academic Papers
In their early academic years, most students become familiar with the basic introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion that are typically required for writing assignments. As they advance in their classes, however, students will learn there is more than these basic sections for an academic research paper. This instructional will give you tips for writing the additional parts of academic papers.
- Abstract
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Acknowledgements
The abstract is basically a quick summary of your work. Unlike the summary of a story, where you often don’t want to give the ending away, it is okay to tell the reader about your findings in your abstract.
The key to a good abstract is keeping it concise. It should generally be less than 250 words, provided your study is not especially long. Instead of doing the abstract first, do it after the body of the work. This will help you write research paper abstracts that are to the point. Include 1-2 sentences that describe the main point of each section of your paper.
The method section is designated for the methodology of how you conducted and completed research for your project. This is a necessary section, since it details what outlets you used for information and assures the reader that there is no bias or limited viewpoints. When applicable, include the main variables of your study, the strategy you used to collect samples, what instruments or procedures were used for finding your information, and how you conducted your analysis. If there were any interventions that may have altered the outcome of your study, you would include this information here as well.
It is important to note that this section should be written without any bias. You will have time to discuss what each fact means for your research, but this is not it. Instead, the results section should clearly state what you have found through the course of your work. This includes any data that you may have sourced, primary findings that answer your research question, and secondary findings that provide support for the primary findings. Present your findings in a logical manner and then remain consistent by following this order as you write the next section- the discussion.
There are two parts to the discussion section. First, you report on the main findings of your research. This should be done in a briefer and more concise manner than you used in the results section. Then, you discuss the implications of your findings on the research that may or may not exist in the field. Next, you will discuss the practical implications of what you have found. Consider how this information will affect policies or practices currently in place, as well as further research that may need to be done. Finally, discuss any weak points that your study may have had, as well as its strengths that set it apart from previous studies.
As research topics become more complex, you may find yourself stepping outside of the traditional academic research for your paper. This section is intended for people who have provided guidance or help with academic paper topics. This includes any materials that do not belong in the reference section, such as someone you interviewed or someone who helped you conduct your study.
As your familiarity with different parts of academic papers increase, the time you spend on them will decrease. Rely on the above tips to help you write your next (and all future) research papers. If not, you may want to become familiar with your local paper help service to help you properly format, research, and/or write your paper.