RESEARCH

Manuscr
iptSt
ruct
ure

1
.Abst
ract 7.Concl
usi
ons

2.I
ntr
oduct
ion 8.Recommendat
ions

3.Revi
ewofLi
ter
atur
e 9.Li
ter
atur
eCi
ted

4.Mat
eri
al
sandMet
hods 1
0.Fi
gur
es

5.Res
ult
s 1
1.Tabl
es

6.Di
scussi
on 1
2.Appendi
ces

OnResear
chTi
tl
es

 Thet
it
leshoul
dbei
nli
newi
thyourgener
alobj
ect
ive.

 Makesur
ethati
tisspeci
fi
cenought
otel
lt
her
eaderwhatyourst
udyi
sabout
andwher
eitwi
l
lbecal
cul
ated.

Sampl
eTi
tl
es

 I
nVi
tr
oAnt
ibact
eri
alAct
ivi
tyofCi
nnamomum Mer
cadoi
Vidal
LeafandBar
k
Met
hanol
i
cExt
ract
s.

Abst
ract

==>Summar
yofManuscr
ipt

1
.Pr
obl
em I
nvest
igat
ed 4.Resul
ts

2.Pur
poseofResear
ch 5.Concl
usi
on

3.Met
hods 6.200—300wor
ds
CommonMi
stakes

 Toomuchbackgr
oundormet
hodsi
nfor
mat
ion

 Fi
gur
esori
mages

 Ref
erencest
oot
herl
i
ter
atur
e,f
igur
esori
mages

 Abbr
evi
ati
onsorAcr
onyms

I
ntr
oduct
ion

 Topr
ovi
det
her
eaderwi
thenoughbackgr
oundi
nfor
mat
iont
ounder
standt
he
t
opi
c

 Tomakecl
eart
hegener
alai
msoft
her
esear
cht
hatwasunder
taken

 "
Whyi
sthi
sfi
eldofr
esear
chi
nter
est
ing?"

 "
Whathasbeendi
scover
edi
nthi
sfi
eldpr
evi
ousl
y?"

 Br
oadi
nfor
mat
ionont
opi
c

=>Pr
evi
ousr
esear
ch

 Nar
rowerbackgr
oundi
nfor
mat
ion

=>Needf
orst
udy

 Focusofpaper

=>Hypot
hesi
s

 Summar
yofpr
obl
em (sel
l
ingpoi
nt)

 Over
all
300—500wor
ds

Exampl
e

Thel
eafandbar
kmet
hanol
i
cext
ract
sofCi
nnamomum Mer
cadoi
Vidal
have
ant
ibact
eri
alact
ivi
tyagai
nstcer
tai
nspeci
esofbact
eri
a.
 Obj
ect
ives

 Thegener
alobj
ect
iveofast
udyst
ateswhatr
esear
cher
sexpectt
oachi
eveby
t
hest
udyi
ngener
alt
erms

Exampl
e

Thel
eafandbar
kmet
hanol
i
cext
ract
sCi
nnamomum Mer
cadoi
Vidal
have
ant
ibact
eri
alact
ivi
tyagai
nstcer
tai
nspeci
esofbact
eri
a

=>I
nthi
sst
udyt
hemet
hanol
i
cext
ract
soft
hel
eafandbar
kofCi
nnamomum
Mer
cadoi
wer
eassessedf
orant
ibact
eri
alact
ivi
ty.

 I
tispossi
ble(andadvi
sabl
e)t
obr
eakdownagener
alobj
ect
ivei
ntosmal
l
er
l
ogi
cal
l
yconnect
edpar
tsorspeci
fi
cobj
ect
ives.

Exampl
e

1
.Todet
ermi
net
heant
imi
crobi
alsuscept
ibi
l
it
yof2gr
am -posi
ti
veand2gr
am -
negat
ivet
oCi
nnamomum Mer
cadoi
Vidal
leafandbar
kmet
hanol
i
cext
ract
susi
ng
t
heKi
rby-Bauermet
hodand

2.Toknowt
heMi
nimum I
nhi
bit
oryConcent
rat
ion(MI
C)ofCi
nnamomum
Mer
cadoi
Vidal
leafandbar
kmet
hanol
i
cext
ract
sont
het
estbact
eri
ausi
ngt
heBr
oth
Macr
odi
l
lut
ionmet
hod.

Whyshoul
dresear
chobj
ect
ivesbedevel
oped?

 Focust
hest
udy(nar
rowi
ngi
tdownt
oessent
ial
s);

 Avoi
dthecol
l
ect
ionofdat
awhi
char
enotnecessar
y;and

 Or
gani
zet
hest
udyi
ncl
ear
lydef
inedpar
tsorphr
ases.

Howshoul
dyoust
ateyourobj
ect
ives?

 Covert
hedi
ff
erentaspect
soft
hepr
obl
em i
nacoher
entwayandi
nal
ogi
cal
sequence;

 Ar
ecl
ear
lyphr
asedi
noper
ati
onal
ter
ms;
  Ar
ereal
i
sti
cconsi
der
ingl
ocal
condi
ti
ons
;and

 Useact
ionver
bst
hatar
especi
fi
cenought
obeeval
uat
ed.

Exampl
eofact
ionver
bsar
e:

1
.Todet
ermi
ne 4.Tocal
cul
ate

2.Tocompar
e 5.Todes
cri
be

3.Tover
if
y

Avoi
dtheuseofvagueornon-
act
ionver
bs:

1
.Toappr
eci
ate 3.Tost
udy

2.Tounder
standor

CommonMi
stakes

 Toomuchornotenoughi
nfor
mat
ion

 Uncl
earpur
pose

 Conf
usi
ngst
ruct
ure

 Fi
rst
-per
sonanecdot
es

 Poor
lyconst
ruct
edobj
ect
ives

Revi
ewofLi
ter
atur
e

 Suf
fi
cientbackgr
oundi
nfor
mat
ionshal
lbepr
esent
edt
oenabl
ether
eader
t
ounder
standandeval
uat
ether
esul
tsoft
hepr
esentst
udywi
thout
needi
ngt
oref
ert
opr
evi
ouspubl
i
cat
ionsont
het
opi
c

Exampl
e

 AccountonCi
nnamomum Mer
cadoi
Bot
ani
cal

Descr
ipt
ionofC.Mer
cadoi
 Economi
cimpor
tanceofC.Mer
cadoi

 Ant
imi
crobi
alAct
ivi
tyofPl
ant
s

 Ant
imi
crobi
alAct
ivi
tyofTest
ingPr
otocol

Howt
oci
ter
ight
?

 I
nser
ttheaut
horsur
nameandyearofpubl
i
cat
ioni
nthet
exti
nimmedi
ate
pr
oxi
mit
ytot
hest
atementt
hatyouar
eci
ti
ngt
heaut
hori
nsuppor
tof

Howt
oci
ter
ight(Oneaut
hor)

 Cycadsar
econsi
der
edbymostbot
ani
sest
obet
hesexi
estpl
ant
sal
i
ve
(Dar
win,1
882)

or

 Dar
win(1
882)concl
udedt
hatcycadsar
ethesexi
estpl
ant
sal
i
ve

Howt
oci
ter
ight(Mul
ti
pleaut
hor
s)

 Dar
winetal
.(1
884)concl
udedt
hatt
hegr
assr
eal
l
yisgr
eeneront
heot
her
si
deoft
hef
ences

or

 I
thasbeensci
ent
if
ical
l
ypr
ovent
hatt
hegr
assi
sgr
eeneront
heot
hersi
deof
t
hef
ence(Dar
winetal
.,1
884)

Mat
eri
als&Met
hods

 Pr
ovi
dei
nst
ruct
iononexact
lyhowt
orepeatexper
iment.

 Gi
veenoughdet
ail
forsomeoneel
set
ogooutandr
epeatyourexper
iment
exact
ly,usi
ngyourmet
hodssect
ionast
hei
rinst
ruct
ions
.

 Subj
ect
s

 Sampl
epr
epar
ati
ont
echni
ques
  Sampl
eor
igi
ns

 Fi
eldsi
tedescr
ipt
ions

 Dat
acol
l
ect
ionpr
otocol

 Dat
aanal
ysi
stechni
ques

 Anycomput
erpr
ogr
amsused

 Descr
ipt
ionofequi
pmentandi
tsuse

Exampl
es

1
.Pr
epar
ati
onofC.Mer
cadoi
Vidal
LeafandBar
kMet
hanol
i
cExt
ract
s

2.Pr
epar
ati
onofBact
eri
alCul
tur
es

3.Ant
ibact
eri
alAssayusi
ngDi
seDi
ff
usi
onSuscept
ibi
l
it
yTest
ing(Ki
rbyBat
ler
Met
hod)

4.Mi
nimum I
nhi
bit
oryConcent
rat
ion(MI
C)Assay

5.St
ati
sti
cal
Anal
ysi
s

 Remembert
oonl
yli
stmet
hodsf
ort
her
esul
tsyouact
ual
l
ywr
it
eup!

 CommonMi
stakes

 Tool
i
ttl
einf
ormat
ion

 I
nfor
mat
ionf
rom i
ntr
oduct
ion

 Ver
bosi
ty

 Resul
ts/sour
cesofer
rorr
epor
ted

Resul
ts

 Obj
ect
ivepr
esent
ati
onofexper
imentr
esul
ts
  Summar
yofdat
a

Usi
ngaser
iesof

 Gr
aphs,t
abl
es,andf
igur
es(al
lvi
sual
wayspor
tr
ayi
ngyourdat
a)

 St
ati
sti
cs

 Descr
ipt
ioni
nwor
ds

|0|Thi
ngs(al
most)t
oavoi
dinyourr
esul
tssect
ion:

 Don'
tfor
gett
abl
esshoul
dbel
abel
l
edwi
thabr
ieft
it
les(usual
l
yabove)and
gr
aphswi
thcapt
ions(usual
l
ybel
ow)
.

 Remembert
hatal
lgr
aphsmusthavet
hei
rgr
aphaxesl
abel
l
edwi
thwhat
qual
i
tyi
sbei
ngmeasur
ed.

 Don'
tpr
esentt
hesamedat
aint
wodi
ff
erentways,i
.e.agr
aphandat
abl
e.

 I
fyoumustpr
ovi
det
heexactf
igur
e,t
hent
hedat
aisbestpr
esent
edasat
abl
e
notagr
aph.

 Chooseyourgr
apht
ypecar
eful
l
y.

 Avoi
d"3D"gr
aphef
fect
s.

 Avoi
danyki
ndofshadedbackgr
oundf
orast
art

—asi
mpl
ewhi
tebackgr
oundwi
l
lmaxi
mizel
egi
bil
i
ty.

 Choosecol
our
s,pat
ter
ns,andbackgr
oundst
omaxi
mizel
egi
bil
i
ty.

 Avoi
dmeani
ngl
essdeci
mal
s

 Thecanopycoverofapar
ti
cul
arf
orestwas83.1
6666667%

 Foravi
sual
assessmentofcanopycover
,roundi
ngt
o83% woul
dbef
ine.

 I
ftheabovedeci
mal
wasameasur
eofl
engt
hs,t
hen83.
16(or83.
2)woul
d
begood.
 Fi
gur
esandTabl
es

 Gui
del
i
nesf
orf
igur
esandt
abl
es

 Hi
ghr
esol
uti
on

 Neatl
egi
blel
abel
s

 Si
mpl
e

 Cl
ear
lyf
ormul
ated

 Det
ail
edcapt
ions

Di
scussi
on

 I
nter
pretr
esul
ts

 Rel
atet
opr
evi
ousr
esear
ch

 Asast
udentt
hedi
scussi
oni
spr
obabl
ythemosti
mpor
tantpar
tofyourr
epor
t.

 Af
teryouhaveal
readypr
esent
edyourr
esul
tsi
nawayt
hathi
ghl
i
ght
sthe
pat
ter
nsandt
rends—expl
aint
other
eaderwhyt
hosepat
ter
nsandt
rendsar
e
si
gni
fi
cant
.

 Ther
eaderi
snotl
ooki
ngf
oryourunsuppor
tedopi
nionor"
gutf
eel
i
ng,
"back
upyourconcl
usi
onwi
thevi
dence,ei
therf
rom yourowndat
aorpubl
i
shed
l
i
ter
atur
e.

 Di
dthest
udyconf
ir
m/denyt
hehypot
hes
is?

 I
fnot
,di
dther
esul
tspr
ovi
deanal
ter
nat
ivehypot
hesi
s?Whati
nter
pret
ati
on
canbemade?

 Dor
esul
tsagr
eewi
thot
herr
esear
ch?Sour
cesofer
ror
/anomal
ousdat
a?

 I
mpl
i
cat
ionsofst
udyf
orf
iel
d
 Resul
tsandDi
scussi
on

 CommonMi
stakes

 Rawdat
a

 Nof
igur
esort
abl
es

 Met
hods/
Mat
eri
alsr
epor
ted

 Br
oadst
atement
s

 I
ncor
rect
lydi
scussi
ngi
nconcl
usi
ver
esul
ts

 Ambi
guousdat
asour
ces

Concl
usi
ons

 Themosti
mpor
tantf
indi
ngwi
l
lbesummar
izedher
e.

Recommendat
ions

 Suggest
ionsonf
utur
eact
ions

 Newdi
rect
ionofr
esear
chor

 Addi
ti
onal
exper
iment
stobeper
for
med

Li
ter
atur
eCi
ted

 Resear
cher
sshoul
dcomewi
thi
mpr
essi
bler
efer
ences

 Maj
ori
tyofyourr
efer
encesshoul
dber
elevant(andcur
rent)sci
ent
if
icpaper
s

 Feel
freet
oci
temor
egener
al-pur
posesci
ent
if
ict
ext
booksaswel
l
,butuse
t
hem i
nmoder
ati
on
 Exer
ciseext
remecaut
ionwhenci
ti
ngi
nfor
mat
ionsour
cedf
rom websi
tes

 Neverci
tewi
ki
pedi
ainacademi
cwr
it
ings

 Checkspeci
fi
cref
erenci
ngst
ylepr
escr
ibed

 Beconsi
stent

 Shoul
dref
erence:

 Peer-r
evi
ewedj
our
nal
art
icl
es,abst
ract
s,books

 Shoul
dnotr
efer
ence:

 Non-peer-r
evi
ewedwor
ks,t
ext
books,per
sonal
communi
cat
ions

 CommonMi
stakes

 For
mat
,For
mat
,For
mat

 UseofTenses

 Uset
hepr
esentt
ensef
ormostot
herwr
it
ings
,suchas

 Hypot
hes
es

 Pr
inci
ples

 Theor
ies

 Fact
s

SomeCl
osi
ngRemar
ks

 Runaspel
l-checkandevenmor
eimpor
tant
ly,pr
oof-r
eadyourr
epor
t
bef
orehandi
ngi
tin.

 Meetf
ormat
ti
nggui
del
i
nes

 Checkt
hatanycl
aim youmakeei
therbr
oadorspeci
fi
c-i
sbackedupby
ei
ther
 (a)t
heor
igi
nal
resear
chyouhavepr
esent
edor

(b)l
i
ter
atur
eref
erencesor

(c)bot
h

 Fi
nal
l
y,i
fyouar
einanydoubtaboutwhatasci
ent
if
icr
epor
tshoul
dlookl
i
ke,
consul
tthef
ormatoft
her
eal
sci
ent
if
icpaper
syouar
eci
ti
ngi
nyourown
r
efer
encesl
i
st.

Bef
oreSubmi
ssi
on

 Runaspel
l-checkandevenmor
eimpor
tant
ly,pr
oof-r
eadyourr
epor
t
bef
orehandi
ngi
ti
n

 Meetf
ormat
ti
nggui
del
i
nes

 Ti
tl
eandAut
hor

 Headi
ngandSubheadi
ngs

 Ti
mesNewRoman(1
2fontsi
ze)

 Doubl
e-spaced

 1
-inchmar
ginonal
lsi
des

 Submi
tal
lel
ect
roni
ccopi
esi
nonef
older