Introduction
Writing a research paper is an activity of creating a academic document with comprehensive and Indepth analysis of a specific topic. The steps involved in writing a research paper include finding relevant subject or research domain, Indepth investigation of the subject area, organize findings, and to structure the research paper into different sections. The key sections in majority of the papers are abstract, Introduction, related literature, Methodology, Results, Discussions, and Conclusion. Writing an effective research paper need clear articulation of idea, critical thinking, proper citation of studied resources, and compliance to the academic standards. Research paper writing is an essential skill for a researcher and pose some unique challenges. Majority of the research papers are difficult to comprehend and results in frustration for the readers. This blog, will provide a step by step guidance to the readers for writing an effective research paper and will include tips, valuable insights, and basic strategies for enhancing your research writing endeavors.
Sections
General Points
Understanding the Research Paper Format
Section 1- General Points
Tense
Writing
Editing
Identify Your Key Idea
Choose some topic
Seek Feedback and Revise
Narrowed down topic
Tense
Below. The tense of a verb reflects the timing of the action. Choosing the correct verb tense for each section of a scientific manuscript can be challenging, but it is worth the effort. Editorials in several journals have noted that proper verb tense is an important aspect of a well-written manuscript, and some journals and publishers specifically mention verb tense in their style guides.
Past tense indicates that action already occurred.
Present tense: indicates that the action is currently occurring.
Future tense indicates that the event has not yet occurred.
Future perfect tense: in which the action is defined relative to another point in time
Active voice: Use for clarity and ownership.
Passive voice: Use sparingly for objectivity.
Writing
Avoid very long paragraphs and sentences
consider using heading, bullets, italics, and boldface (But do not overuse these)
Make easy-to-understand graphics
Ensure that there is no disconnect in the flow of information from the title to the references.
Avoiding inconsistency and vagueness
Start Writing Early:One of the most significant misconceptions in academic writing is the belief that research should be completed before starting to write. In reality, initiating the writing process early can be incredibly beneficial. By beginning to write with a microscopic idea, you can clarify your thoughts and identify the research needed to support your claims. This approach allows you to focus on the essential components of your paper and can prevent you from veering off into irrelevant details.
Writing early also facilitates discussions with colleagues. When you have a draft, even if it’s incomplete, you have something tangible to share and discuss. This collaborative effort can lead to new insights and improvements in your work.
Editing
Before submitting your manuscript to a journal read the final version several times
Seek feedback from others
Identify Your Key Idea
First discuss with seniors abroad and professors in your university about it. Understanding the core idea of your paper is crucial. The purpose of writing is to convey a reusable insight from your mind to that of your readers. It’s essential that by the end of your writing process, both you and your readers are clear about this key idea. Reviewers often highlight papers that lack clarity in this area, so make it a priority to articulate your main insight clearly.
If your work involves multiple ideas, consider separating them into different papers. Overloading a single paper with too many concepts can lead to confusion and dilute the impact of your primary message.
Choose some topic
Then choose some topic, relevant to you , may be thesis
Download the papers relevant to the topic you chose. Any papers, review papers, novel, modifications etc are good.Download almost 30 or more papers read them. Not just read them but understand them. I know it takes time. But once you will start, you will get used to it.
While doing it, your mind will start making ideas, just start writing them somewhere. Again discuss with seniors, professors and friends after reading those papers. Then narrow down your topic further and download papers relevant to that topic again almost 20 or more papers or as many as you can find.
Seek Feedback and Revise
Feedback is an invaluable part of the writing process. Share your drafts with peers and encourage them to give constructive criticism, particularly regarding clarity and flow. It’s essential to ask them where they got lost or confused, as this information can guide your revisions. When you receive reviews on your submitted papers, approach them with an open mind. Even if the feedback stings, it’s crucial to see it as an opportunity for growth. Consider how you can refine your work based on the insights provided, striving for clarity that even a novice in your field can grasp.
Narrowed down topic
When you read all papers in your narrowed down topic, your mind would have already started making ideas about any of these things that are required for every paper to publish Novelty, Modifications, Improvement, product
So you will work on any of those ideas by thinking new novel method. Or will combine many methods that you have read in papers or use any method that you read to improve some already used method. So any of the combinations, you can try. If you dun have any idea, you can use all the papers that you have read on specific topic to make a review paper. But review paper should include all the work that have been presented about that topic before in a good and concise way
Section 2: Understanding the Research Paper Format
Before embarking on your research paper writing journey, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of the structure and format that you should follow. The typical research paper structure consists of the following sections:
1- TITLE
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Results
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References
Citing
The title should be concise, informative, and catch the reader’s attention.
Tense
For many journals, the manuscript title does not need to be a complete sentence, and no verb is necessary.
In cases where a complete sentence is appropriate, use the simple present tense to describe a conclusion that the manuscript supports (e.g., “Gene X is required for intestinal cell differentiation” or “Frameshift mutations in gene X cause abnormal notochord development in zebrafish”).
Others
A Good title should contain the fewest possible words that adequately describe the content of the paper
Keep title short
identify the main issue of the paper
begin with the subject of the paper
are accurate, unambiguous specific, and complete
Do not contain infrequently used abbreviations
Make them easy for indexing and searching informative attractive, effective
Keep the title simple and Specific to describe the content but not so technical it cannot be easily understood, Try to be concise
2- ABSTRACT
A brief summary of the research paper, highlighting its objectives, methods, key findings, and conclusions.
Why your abstract is important
5 reasons why your abstract is important
The abstract provides a quick overview: The abstract is the first section of a scientific paper that readers encounter. Therefore, it should provide a brief overview of the entire paper, including your key findings
A well-written abstract increases accessibility and visibility: Abstracts are often published in databases and indexes which allows researchers to search for papers based on specific keywords in search engines such as Google Scholar, the Web of Science Master Journal List, or PubMed.
Abstracts save researchers and journal editors time: Researchers often need to read through many papers to find the information they need. The abstract allows readers to quickly determine if a paper is relevant to their needs, saving them time and effort.
An abstract can improve understanding: The abstract summarizes the key findings and conclusions of the research. This enables readers to quickly understand the implications of the research and its potential impact on their field.
An abstract enables critical appraisal: This allows readers to evaluate the quality and reliability of the research and determine if the conclusions are supported by the evidence presented.
Type of Abstract
Here's a quick guide to the types of abstracts:
1. Descriptive Abstracts:
A brief snapshot of your study, think "teaser trailer." It mentions the purpose, methods, scope but skips results and conclusions.
2. Informative Abstracts:
The whole story in a nutshell. Covers purpose, methods, key findings and conclusions.
3. Critical Abstracts:
Adds a layer of evaluation or critique. Great for papers where interpretation matters as much as results.
4. Structured Abstracts:
Divided into sections like Objective, Methods, Results and Conclusion. Perfect for systematic reviews, clinical studies and scientific journals.
5. Graphical Abstracts:
A visual representation of your research. These abstracts use diagrams, flowcharts or infographics to summarize your study at a glance.
Ideal for visually communicating complex findings or attracting attention in journals with broad audiences.
📌 Tips for Writing a Winning Abstract
✅ State the why behind your research in one clear sentence.
✅ Mention the problem or question you’re addressing. It shows your study's relevance.
✅ Skip the fluff! Include only the most impactful findings.
✅ Most abstracts are 250-300 words. Make every word count. Be Concise, Yet Complete.
✅ Stick to Journal Guidelines: Different journals or conferences have specific formats. Don’t miss this!
✅ Revise, Revise, Revise: Treat your abstract like a mini research paper. Proofread for clarity, flow and accuracy.
How to Write an Abstract of a Research Paper
Introduction/ Background: Briefly introduce the topic and the research problem.
Objectives: Clearly state the primary objective(s) of the research
Methods: Summarize the research design and methodology.
Results: Highlight the main findings of the research.
Conclusions: Provide the main conclusions and the implications of
the study
The quality of an abstract will inform the editor’s decision
The quality of an abstract will inform the editor’s decision
Honest and precise
can standalone (search engines, sometimes all people read)
No technical jargon
Short and Specific
Cites no references
The abstract is short but remember not to cram as much detail into it as possible; you want to grab the reader’s attention with the first statement
Reviewer Comments
The abstract must mention the results in terms of statistically explicitly
the keywords mentioned in the abstract were not reflected in the abstract.
The author needs to change the abstract and focus more on the problem domain. Before the paper contributions, the author could precisely include the need of developing the proposed method.
Tense
The verb tense chosen for the abstract should be based on the section of the text to which each sentence corresponds. For example, introductory statements describing the current understanding of the issue should use the present tense, references to previous research should use the present perfect, and descriptions of the methods and results should use the past tense.
Present tense is used for highlighting the gaps the aim and objective of and the application. Example “This study examines the effects of climate change on agriculture.”
Past Tense: Summarizes the methods used and key findings of the study. Example: "Data was collected through surveys and analyzed using SPSS."
Past tense: Summarizes methodology and key results. Example: “The data were collected using satellite imagery.
Past Perfect Tense: Highlights achievements. Example: "The team had successfully developed a new algorithm for data processing."
3- Problem Statement
The problem statement provides a clear and concise description of the issue that needs to be addressed. A research problem addresses an existing gap in knowledge in your field and leads to further investigations by you and other researchers. Inspiring others with your research problem will lead to citations, enhancing your and your institution’s impact. All research projects should start with a clear problem statement. A problem statement is a formulation of an issue that is usually a ‘gap’ within your area. A research gap is an unanswered question, an issue, a controversy, or an untested hypothesis that has not yet been addressed. Defining your research problem is essential when conducting an experiment. You are a great researcher. You are full of ideas and questions as to where to go next with your work. You would not be in this position if you were not good at coming up with interesting questions within your area [6].
In order to write a clear and useful problem statement, you need to describe a question and its consequences
One key way to assess the ‘usefulness’ of your research ideas is to learn how to express them as clear problems
The problem must be challenging and original, but also potentially achievable by your team [6]
The problem must not be incremental. In other words, don’t try to address a small change or advance on an existing study that leads to no new scientific insight. This could be damaging to your and your team’s reputation, and will likely not lead to a meaningful publication.
Starting a research problem is done by defining it within the general area of your research. This depends on your previous work and experience. It may be an area you want to move into or a topic related to what you have already worked on as a researcher. Examples could include a question in astrophysics within physics, robotics within engineering, nutrition within medicine, or marine biology within the ocean and Earth science
Once you’ve determined your overall area (and you’ll know this already of course), it’s time to drill down, decide, and define a research problem within that field.
Reviewer Comments
The problem descriptions describe the waterborne issues rather than the technical research issues
4- INTRODUCTION
This section provides an overview of the research topic, presents the research question or hypothesis, and outlines the significance and relevance of the study. The introduction sets the stage for your research paper and should captivate the reader’s interest while providing essential background information.
The introduction of your paper is your first opportunity to engage your readers. It should clearly outline the problem at hand, why it matters, and what your contributions will be. Avoid vague statements; instead, provide concrete examples and a clear roadmap of what the reader can expect.
1️⃣ Paragraph 1: What is the paper about and why is it important? By the end of the first paragraph, readers should know your answers to these questions. Although you may see advice to start with the general topic and use a "reverse funnel" outline, that can lead to long, meandering introductions. If you are starting with, "Creativity is increasingly important in work today," you are probably starting too generally. Try starting as close to your research question or phenomenon as you can. Two common approaches are (a) start with a real-world example of the phenomenon you are studying or (b) start with a question about the phenomenon (e.g., How do leaders know when to intervene to help their teams?).
2️⃣ Paragraph 2: What has research already found about this phenomenon? As I wrote in a prior post, this is your chance to characterize the literature. Start the paragraph with the point you want to make, e.g., "Despite its importance, research on listening in organizations remains fragmented" (from Yip & Fisher, 2022). Then, back up your assertion. But be careful not to get too technical; avoid jargon unless it is essential. Try to confine this description of the literature to 4-6 sentences.
3️⃣ Paragraph 3: What unsolved issues are there that research has not yet addressed, or has addressed in fragmented or contradictory ways? Why is that an important problem? The last question is commonly overlooked - what are the consequences of never solving this problem? What might we mis-explain or predict -- and why would that be so terrible?
4️⃣ Paragraph 4: What is this paper going to do to solve that problem? Here, you can give an overview of the paper, including its main hypotheses (e.g., "We develop and test hypotheses..."), methods, and contributions.
Here are some tips for writing an effective introduction:
The introduction should introduce the topic of the paper, provide background information, and state the thesis statement.
Investing time in crafting a strong introduction can significantly improve the likelihood of your paper being read in its entirety. Remember, many readers will drop off after the first page, so make those words count.
When writing the introduction pick out the things that are most relevant to your work and explain why. Present the background of your work while focusing on the most important issues.this section aims to provide the relevant background and rationale for your work, as well as specify its novelty and contribution;
Hook the reader: Begin with an attention-grabbing opening sentence or anecdote that relates to your research topic.
Provide context: Introduce the research topic and its significance in a broader context, highlighting any relevant background information or previous studies.
State the research question or hypothesis: Clearly articulate your main research question or hypothesis to guide the reader throughout the paper.
Outline the paper’s structure: Briefly mention the main sections or key points that will be covered in your research paper.
Tense
Present tense: States known facts and current research, First, when stating a fact that is widely accepted, the present tense is appropriate. Present tense is used for now facts and truths and usually. Presents established facts, truths, and references from previous research. Example: "Many studies indicate that artificial intelligence has transformed healthcare."
Followed by the appropriate research reference Examples of such a statement include “DNA is composed of four nucleotides” or “trypanosomes exhibit global trans-splicing of RNA transcripts.” The use of the present tense signifies that the statement reflects the current understanding of the matter at hand. Example: “Climate change is a critical global challenge.”
Please note that the present tense is used when a specific, figure, or paper is the subject of a sentence. Similar to a movie or book, published research remains available readers to examine, a paper, therefore, continues to express its conclusions. Examples of statements about previous research using the present tense include “the of their study indicate the drug is highly effective” “a landmark paper from Smith’s lab describes the discovery of this new organelle.”
Past tense: Describes past work or experiments. Most introductions also include references to previous research. When referring to a previous study with results that are still relevant, use the present perfect tense (a form of the verb ‘have’ plus a past participle, such as “have shown” or “has been shown”) .Example: "Smith et al. (2020) found that this method improved efficiency by 30%." This tense demonstrates that the action occurred in the past but still applies in the present. Phrases like “Johnson et al.have shown that gene X is part of an operon” or “unusual glycosylation events have been observed in these cells” are appropriate because the research or observation was made in the past, but the results are still valid. This tense is also used when the event began in the past but continues in the present (“patients with XYZ syndrome have been surveyed for the past ten years”).Example: “Previous studies explored its impact on rainfall patterns.”
Past tense is used for describing work or experiments that have been conducted and the result of these work
In certain sections of an introduction, the past tense is required. When specifically referring to the methods used a previous paper, the past tense most appropriate. For instance, it is correct to say " and Anderson 96 swamps and found 156 distinct dragonfly species" or "gene X was first cloned into a shuttle vector 2003
keep with the rule of good writing and is written using active rather than passive tense
Statements that are no longer considered true should be kept in the past tense. “Early physicists thought that electrons traveled in defined orbits.”
Active voice: Emphasizes your contribution. Example: “We address the gaps identified in prior research.” The active voice (for example using we or I) is useful when you discuss previous research and then introduce your own.Helpful for clarity in presenting past research and your work.
Example: "We conducted a detailed analysis to identify key trends.Passive voice: Avoid unless necessary. Example: “A comprehensive review was conducted.” The passive voice is not preferable for introduction but in some sentences passive voice can be perfectly acceptable. Less common but acceptable in some contexts. Example: "A thorough investigation was carried out to validate the hypothesis."
Others point
Below is a preview of our outlining specific actions that authors can take to put together a strong introduction section. It covers the following topics:
1- Clear research question
Most importantly, you need to present a clear research question and convince your readers that your work fills a gap in current knowledge — if the readers do not believe that your paper will improve their understanding of the field in a meaningful way, they are less likely to invest valuable time and effort in reading it carefully [2].
2- Purpose and Structure
The structure and length of an Introduction are not set in stone and can vary across fields and publications [2].but this section ultimately serves a single purpose: to lead the reader through a narrative that ends with the presentation of the research and the reasons for its importance [2].
The ideal structure of such a narrative is a “funnel” that starts with broad conceptual information and gradually narrows in scope and specificity until the information presented is specific to the research questions being addressed [2]
2- Grab the Reader
Draw them immediately to the crucial issue that your paper address. The Introduction to a research paper needs to convince the reader that your work is important and relevant, frame the questions being addressed, and provide context for the findings being presented [2].
3- Clearly State Your Contributions-
Every research paper should have clearly defined contributions. These contributions should be explicit and laid out at the beginning of your introduction. Instead of leaving readers guessing, make a bullet-point list of what they can expect to gain from your paper. This not only clarifies your intentions but also sets the stage for the rest of your work. When formulating your contributions, ensure they are specific and refutable. Instead of making broad claims, provide statements that can be tested and validated through your research.
4- Keep it short
2-3 paragraphs if possible
4- Avoid a literature review
set the scene and give the state of the art rather than describe everything known on the topic
using 10 fold cross validation method
the opening sentence takes you straight to the issue
contains the most important detail of the issue
Contains a brief summary of the controversies and the best evidence
end in a crisp and clear research question and how you set out to answer it.
Reviewer Comments
Making the contribution and research objective clear
In the introduction section, the way of expressing the problem is not written correctly. The order of the introduction and the main purpose of the research should be written completely. In other parts of the article, the way of writing the method and the results are not followed and it is very ambiguous for the readers (even reviewers). There has been a repetition of the content.
The ideas discussed towards the end of the introduction section are not novel. In fact, they are already being implemented by many healthcare systems across the globe. The authors need to stress the novelty of their idea and moreover discuss the improvements compared to existing models
The novelty of this paper is not clear. The difference between the present work and previous Works should be highlighted
Sub Part
Significance of Study
Why is it important to undertake this research? Who will be the beneficiary(s)?
Justify how the proposed research will contribute to the industry/ national economy/ social sector.
Is the proposed research likely to promote further investigation within and/or across disciplines and fields?
6-Literature review
What is a literature review?
A comprehensive review of existing scholarly literature related to the research topic, highlighting the gaps or limitations that your study aims to address. The literature review demonstrates your understanding of existing scholarship on your research topic and highlights the gaps or limitations that your study aims to address. Here’s how to build a compelling literature review:
Start broad, then narrow down: Begin by providing an overview of the broader field or topic area before gradually narrowing down to more specific studies relevant to your research question.
Organize by themes or chronologically: Structure your literature review either thematically (grouping studies based on common themes) or chronologically (highlighting how the field has evolved over time).
Critically analyze sources: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source and identify any contradictory findings or gaps in existing literature.
Highlight key findings: Summarize the main arguments or findings from each study and discuss how they contribute to your research objectives.
The literature review should discuss the research that has been done on the topic. This will help you to establish the context for your paper and to identify the gaps in the research.
What is known /What all has been done by others in the past related to your field , What has been the strength and weaknesses of the previous related researchers Why is your research is still necessary A literature review is a continuous process from day one to the day your start research. AS You read every day for literature review, fill up your literature review Matrix, it is good to be a daily process. Eventually, a pattern will emerge for the research Gap. There are different type of research Gap and their details as follows
Position Related Work Appropriately- Many papers start with an extensive review of related work, which can be overwhelming and often disengaging for readers. Instead, consider placing this section at the end of your paper. By that time, your readers will have the necessary context to appreciate how your work fits into the broader landscape of the field. When you do reference related work, ensure it serves to highlight your contributions rather than detract from them. Acknowledge the giants whose shoulders you stand on, but frame your work in a way that showcases its unique value.
What is the research Gap?
We define a research gap as a topic or area for which missing or inadequate information limits the ability of reviewers to reach a conclusion for a given question.
1) Evidence Gap
Example: Results from studies allow for conclusions in their own rights but are contradictory when examined from a more abstract point of view.
2) Knowledge Gap
Example: Desired research findings so not exist.
3) Practical Knowledge Gap
Example: Professional behavior or practices deviate from research findings or are not covered by the research
4) Methodological Gap
Example: A Variation of research methods is necessary to generate new insights or to avoid distorted finding
5) Empirical Gap
Example: Research findings or propositions need to be evaluated or empirically verified
6) Theoretical Gap
Example: Theory should be applied to certain research issues to generate
new insights There is a lack of theory thus gap exists
7) Population Gap
Example: Research regarding the population that is not adequately
represented or under-researched in the evidence base or prior research
How to Identify Research Gap
Considering the volume of existing research, identifying research gaps can seem overwhelming or even impossible. I don’t have time to read every paper published on public health. Similarly, you guys don’t have time to read every paper. So how can you identify a research gap?There are different techniques in various disciplines, but we can reduce most of them down to a few steps, which are:
1- Choose your field of interest, such as how AI is influencing education.
2- Review 5 to 10 literature surveys related to your chosen topic.
3- Look for suggestions on future work or unexplored questions within those reviews
4-Check existing literature related to the identified directions
5- Discuss the identified directions with your supervisors
6- Conduct a literature review on the identified direction
7- Identify crips gaps via the literature review
8- check the resources required to fill the gap
Search for existing research related to those proposed future directions.
Evaluate the practicality and available resources for the remaining topics.
Consult with your supervisor to refine the list of viable research options.
Pick the most promising topic based on relevance, novelty, and feasibility.
Do a detailed literature review focused on your selected research topic.
Clearly identify the research gap by analyzing what's missing or underexplored in the literature.
Tense
Present tense: Discusses current knowledge or trends. Example: “Recent studies emphasize the role of Al in healthcare.”
Past tense: Refers to completed research or findings. Example: “Shoukat et al. (2021) identified significant limitations in this approach.”
Reviewer Comments
The related work section seems to be just an informatory section where various related works are discussed. All the discussion presented in this section lacks critical analysis. Authors need to look at this aspect of the related work as well and need to improve on it.
The author could better explain how “Related Works” is actually related to the current study. It is not clear to the reader how the manuscript is similar to or differs from these related works.
7 -METHODS
describe tools/ techniques/ data instruments and design to be used for analyzing and validating the research work
Methodology: section describes the research design, sample size, data collection methods, and analysis techniques employed in your study. The methodology section outlines how you conducted your research, including details about sample selection, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. Here are some guidelines for presenting methodology.This section provides all the methodologies details necessary for another scientist to duplicate your work. It should be a narrative of the steps you took in your experiment or study not a list of instructions such as you might find in a cookbook. An important part of writing a scientific paper is deciding what bit of information needs to be given in detail. Do not quote or cite your laboratory manual. Sometimes experimental details are given as a supplement. this section aims to provide details of your methodological approach to your research and data analysis; What to do and how to solve the problem, Which research method (Survey, modeling, cases study ) will be used Type of data and its source should be briefed, Time duration of your research Total cost of incurred on your research
The methods section should describe how you conducted your research. This could include information about the data that you collected, the methods that you used to analyze the data, and the limitations of your research.
describe tools/ techniques/ data instruments and design to be used for analyzing and validating the research work
Provide clear descriptions: Clearly explain the steps you took to collect data and analyze it so that other researchers can replicate your study if needed.
Tense
The methods section should use the past tense because it is a report of what was done during the course of the study [1],” we tested independently derived cultures for resistance to trimethoprim”.
When one action occurred before another, the past perfect tense can be used to indicate the earlier action, with the subsequent action in the simple past tense [1]. The past perfect tense is formed by combining the word ‘had’ with the past participle (typically the ‘-ed’ or ‘-en’ form) of a verb. Examples combining the past and past perfect tenses include “the cells that had been irradiated [past perfect] were assayed [past] for DNA damage” and “patients who had elected [past perfect] to undergo surgery completed [past] questionnaires.”
In rare cases in which one action occurred while another was ongoing, the past progressive is used [1]. (e.g., “while the cells were incubating [past progressive], the temperature was raised [past] 1°C per hour” or “while patients were preparing [past progressive] for surgery, nurses collected [past] baseline samples”).
Present passive is used to describe what is normally done or to describe a standard procedure. Describes standard procedures. Example: “Data collection is performed using surveys”
Past passive is used to describe what you did yourself . Details specific actions you took. Example: “The samples were analyzed using X- ray diffraction.
Reviewer Comments
The manuscript should provide more details about the features and make it understandable to readers.
No technical details about the used techniques are provided in the paper.
IN the Materials & Methods phase, needs to describe the approaches and logic that the authors have used.
8- RESULTS
Presentation and interpretation of the findings obtained from your research. The results section presents the findings obtained from your study. This section aims to present the key results you produced in due course of your research. This section presents the results of the study but does not attempt to interpret their meaning. As with the method section, the trick to writing a good result section is knowing what information to include or exclude. You will not present the raw data that you collect, but rather you will summarise the data with text, tables, and or figures. Use the text of the paper to state the results of your study, then refer the reader to a table or figure where they can see the data for themselves.
Notes: often on section “ results and discussion “
one trick is to follow the section of the method or key topics you feel are important and make a list of these before you write the results Here are some guidelines for presenting results:
The results section should present the findings of your research. This could include tables, graphs, or other visuals to help to illustrate your findings.
Use appropriate visuals: Utilize tables, graphs, charts, or figures to present your results visually and enhance reader comprehension.
Tense
Past Tense: Details findings or observations. Example: “The experiments showed a 20% increase in efficiency. "Because the experiments described in the text were completed before the paper was written the results section of a manuscript is also largely written using the past tense (for example, “we detected no fluorescence in the control sample”. Explains the results obtained. Example: "The results indicated a significant increase in efficiency."
Present tense: Explains results and significance. Example: “The results indicate a strong correlation between variables. "In certain cases, however, the present tense is needed. As described above for the introduction section, the present tense is appropriate when referring to the entire paper or to individual elements of the manuscript. Examples of statements for which the present tense is the best to include. For example “our results demonstrate that magnesium is essential for enzymatic function,”.
Combination: Interprets findings while referring to results. Example: “The data suggest that temperature changes affected growth rates.” Describes figures, tables, diagrams, and their significance. Example: "Table 1 shows the correlation between variables."For summarizing and interpreting findings.
Example: "The data showed a clear trend, which suggests that further research is needed."
Other Points
Results the facts and nothing but the facts
should be ordered around primary and secondary outcomes in the same order as listed in the methods section
state clearly and simply what you found using words and number
use tables and figures for the main number
Do not duplicate information in text and tables
Make your Results and Discussion (R&D) concise but informative
Focus on the important parts, not the small details
Remember that discussion of unexpected results is often as valuable as focusing on the expected findings
Keep the main things the main thing
support descriptions with details on the model, data, and statistical analyses
Keep it in order
move from general to specific
Reviewer Comments
The results must be validated and compared with standard or similar results in the literature
The experimental results are not convincing. Please add more comparisons with recently published solutions.
How do you benchmark your work? How do you evaluate it? You report the outcome without having any comparisons or benchmarking
Present tense is used to present the diagram , Figure , table and images. Present tense is also used to explain significance of the results
Past tense is used to detail the result obtained .You may use past tense to summarize your findings in combination with present tense to interpret or explain the result
9- DISCUSSION
This section aims to share your reflections on your results and benchmark the new knowledge with the previous knowledge and define any practical application of your work.in this section, you are free to explain what the results mean or why they differ from what other workers have found.
Make your Results and Discussion (R&D) concise but informative
Focus on the important parts, not the small details
Remember that discussion of unexpected results is often as valuable as focusing on the expected findings
you should interpret your results in light of other published results, By adding additional information from a source you cited in the introduction section as well as by introducing new sources. ensure you provide accurate citations.
Relate your discussion back to the objective and questions you raised in the introduction section, however, do not simply re-state the objective. Make statements that synthesize all the evidence( include previous work and the current works)
limit your conclusions to those that your data can actually support. you can then proceed to speculate on why this occurred and whether you expected this to occur based on other workers finding Suggest future directions for research, new methods explanations for deviations from previously published results, etc
Do not write an expensive essay that extrapolates widely from what you found
Start the discussion with a single sentence that states your main finding
Discuss both strengths and weaknesses
Relate your study to what has been already found
How does your result fit in with what is already known
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your study compared to previous studies
what does your paper offer a different conclusion
Discuss what your study means
do not overstate the importance of your findings readers will probably come to their own conclusions on this issue.
Unanswered questions
What did your research not address? Avoid using the cliche more research is needed
Reviewer Comments
The discussion is weak, and not much value is added to the body of knowledge
10- Conclusion
Summarizing the main findings of your study, highlighting their significance, and suggesting potential avenues for further research. The conclusion summarizes the main findings of your study and reinforces their significance. Here’s how to write a strong conclusion:
Restate thesis statement: Reiterate your main thesis statement or research question to remind readers of its importance.
Summarize key findings: Provide a concise summary of your main findings, highlighting their relevance and contribution to the field.
Suggest further research: Identify potential avenues for future research based on the limitations or unanswered questions revealed by your study.
Tense
Past tense is used to summarize the main findings. the major implications of the study and the limitation of your work. Example: “The study revealed significant regional variations.” Summarizes main results and their significance.Example: "The study demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method."
Future tense is used to offer suggestion for future research, Example: “Future studies will explore the role of adaptive strategies. "Suggests directions for future research. Example: "Future studies will focus on expanding the sample size."