Unit 5

Academic Writing - Research Articles

What is a Research Article?

A Research Article is a written document in which a research scholar records his
research work. It is also called a Research Paper, or a Journal Article. Such writings are
usually published in a Research Journal. Compared to documents like a dissertation or a
thesis, a research article is a short document. It is usually between 3000 words and 6000
words. Articles less than 3000 words can also be written and published in journals.
The central focus of a research article is the findings or the conclusion of a
research work, which is based on a research question. To elaborate, research is a
systematic process of finding answers to questions, finding solutions to problems, and
proving or disproving an idea.
Research usually begins with understanding the various aspects of the research
question or the research problem. It then goes to finding the correct method to conduct
the research. The next step in the process is the actual research work that follows the
method. This produces data (i.e.) analysis and arguments. Based on the data and its
interpretation, the research scholar can come up with the findings and the conclusions of
the research.
All these details of the research process are recorded in a research article. It is
important to know that the scope of the research should be narrow enough to be recorded
within the length of a research article.

Structure of a Research Article

A research article will commonly have eight parts that are clearly marked with
subtitles. The parts of a research article are:
1. Title (cover page)
2. Introduction
3. Literature review
4. Research methodology
5. Data analysis
6. Results
7. Conclusion
8. References
 While the ‘Introduction’ introduces the research topic and the research question,
the ‘Literature Review’ summarizes the past research work done in the same topic. The
‘Research Methodology’ describes the method that will be used in conducting the
research: (eg.) Research and Development, Evaluation, Survey, etc. the ‘Data Analysis’
part will present the research data and the analysis and interpretation. The ‘Results’ and
‘Conclusion’ will discuss the findings of the research. The ‘Reference’ section of the
research article will provide information about other research works that support the
present research work and its arguments.

Language used in writing a research article

Language used in writing a research article is formal. It follows a certain standard.
The purpose of using formal language is to avoid confusion because a research document
should be concise and clear. The use of standard language helps easy understanding of
difficult concepts discussed in the research. The following are the key aspects of
academic language:
Vocabulary
A research article should use words and phrases that are acceptable in formal
writing. It should not contain words that are used as slang or in spoken language. For
(e.g.) contractions like ‘can’t’, ‘don’t’ should not be used in writing a research article.
Words like ‘buddy’ instead of ‘friend’; ‘shrink’ instead of ‘psychiatrist’; ‘doc’ instead of
‘doctor’ should be avoided in writing a research article.
Grammar and style
Like vocabulary, the grammar of any research article should also be formal.
Flowery and poetic language should not be used in writing research articles. Common
grammatical mistakes should be avoided in research writing. Proofreading is very helpful
in avoiding such grammar errors. Long and complex sentences should not be used in
writing research articles.
Use of a Style Sheet
A style sheet is a list of standard grammar and punctuation rules to be followed in
writing research articles. Different style sheets are used for writing research articles in
different fields. For example, MLA style sheet is used for research in humanities, APA
style sheet is used in Social Sciences, and IEEE style sheet is used for research in
engineering. The research scholar should use appropriate style sheet approved by the
journal in which the article will be published.

Types of Research Articles

As there are different types of research, there are different types of research
articles. The following are some of the common types of research articles that can be
published in research journals:
 1. Original Research: an article detailing the original research done by a scholar.
2. Short reports or letters: brief reports based on a part of a larger research work and
its data. It is used to create interest among the readers.
3. Review Articles: these articles are summaries of recent research work conducted
by scholars. It gives us an overall picture about the state of research in a particular
field.
4. Case Studies: these articles discuss research conducted on a single case, or a
particular situation. This type is often used in medical research.
5. Experimental Study: as the name suggests, such type of research articles discuss
experiments conducted in a particular field. They are practical in nature. They
usually check the effectiveness of a solution to a problem.
6. Book reviews and Commentaries: these articles provide more information and
opinion about research books published recently. They also offer opinions on
specific research topic in a field.

Questions
I Answer the following questions by choosing the right answer.
1. A research article is a ________.
[A] Paragraph [B] Fiction [C] Document [D] Compilation
2. __________ is longer than a research article.
[A] Dissertation [B] Essay [C] Report [D] Letter
3. Research is a _________ process.
[A] Creative [B] Argumentative [C] Systematic[D] Interactive
4. Which of the following is a section of a research article?
[A] Literature Review [B] Methodology [C] Data Analysis [D] All of
these
5. Which of the following type of research is commonly used in medical research?
[A] Original research [B] Case Study [C] Review [D] None of these

II Answer the following questions in one or two sentences

1. What is research?
2. What is a research article?
3. What type of language do we use in writing research articles?
4. What is original research in research articles?
5. What does the ‘Introduction’ part of a research article contain?
III Write a paragraph on the following
1. List out the various sections of a research article
2. Write a paragraph on the types of research article
3. Write a paragraph on the process of writing a research article
4. Write a paragraph on the language used in writing a research article