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Research Paper Guidelines

This document provides guidance on the key sections of a research paper presentation: the abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis and findings, discussion and recommendations, and conclusion. It describes the purpose and components of each section, including summarizing previous research, describing the study methods, analyzing and explaining the results, and suggesting future research directions.

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79 views

Research Paper Guidelines

This document provides guidance on the key sections of a research paper presentation: the abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis and findings, discussion and recommendations, and conclusion. It describes the purpose and components of each section, including summarizing previous research, describing the study methods, analyzing and explaining the results, and suggesting future research directions.

Uploaded by

Alpha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Research Paper Presentations

Abstract

Get the essence of what your article is about, usually in about 200-250 words. Most abstracts
also have key parts in common. Each of these parts might consist of 1-2 sentences. The parts
include:

 Background
 Aim or purpose of research
 Method used
 Findings/results
 Conclusion

Introduction

Introduction is the opening part of the proposal that justifies the problem to be researched and
clarifies the significance of the proposed study in order to establish a base for research.

Components of introduction

 Background of the study


 The research problem
 Studies that have addressed the problem
 Deficiencies in the previous studies
 The significance of the study

Literature Review

The aim of a literature review is to show your reader (your tutor) that you have read, and have a
good grasp of, the main published work concerning a particular topic or question in your field.
This work may be in any format, including online sources. It may be a separate assignment, or
one of the introductory sections of a report, dissertation or thesis. In the latter cases in particular,
the review will be guided by your research objective or by the issue or thesis you are arguing and
will provide the framework for your further work.

According to Caulley (1992) of La Trobe University, the literature review should:

 Compare and contrast different authors' views on an issue


 Group authors who draw similar conclusions
 Criticize aspects of methodology
 Note areas in which authors are in disagreement
 Highlight exemplary studies
 Highlight gaps in research
 Show how your study relates to previous studies
 Show how your study relates to the literature in general
 Conclude by summarising what the literature says

Methodology

The methodology includes the methods, procedures, and techniques used to collect and analyze
information. It should generally include statements about:

 Site and sample


 Methods of data collection
 Data analysis procedures

Why Methodology

 It clarifies the procedures and methods of data collection and analysis


 It increases the efficiency and authenticity of the research

Analysis and Findings

In constructing your tables or graphs, make sure that you provide clear labels and a title. Readers
looking at the table or graph should be able to see with no difficulty the relationship you intend
to demonstrate and the population of cases that you examined. It is important, however, that you
not only present the data in tables, but also explain it in words. Readers should be able to
understand your key results simply from reading the text. Not only should you present the data,
but you should also evaluate the analysis. Based on these data, what conclusions do you reach
about your hypotheses? Are there weaknesses in the tests of the hypotheses? Are there particular
cases that stand out as not matching expected patterns? Why might that be? It is useful to think
as skeptically as you can about your findings and think of any other possible interpretation. How
sure are you (in other words, how much uncertainty do you have) about the conclusions you
draw based on this research?

Discussion and Recommendations

put your findings into the context of the previous research that you found during your literature
review. Do your results agree or disagree with previous research?
Do the results of the previous research help you to interpret your own findings? If your results
are very different, why? Either you have uncovered something new, or you may have made a
major flaw with the design of the experiment.
Finally, after saying all of this, you can make a statement about whether the experiment has
contributed to knowledge in the field, or not.

Unless you made so many errors that the results are completely unreliable, you will; certainly
have learned something. Try not to be too broad in your generalizations to the wider world - it is
a small experiment and is unlikely to change the world.
Once writing the discussion section is complete, you can move onto the next stage, wrapping up
the paper with a focused conclusion.

You may choose to conclude the discussion section be making suggestions for further research
[this can be done in the overall conclusion of your paper]. Although your study may offer
important insights about the research problem, this is where you can address other questions
related to the problem that remain unanswered or highlight previously hidden questions that were
revealed as a result of conducting your research. You should frame your suggestions by linking
the need for further research to the limitations of your study [e.g., in future studies, the survey
instrument should include more questions that ask..."].

Conclusion and Future Research Directions

In the conclusion, one should accomplish these goals:

 Summarize what the reader has learned. What did you argue and what did the evidence
show?
 Discuss directions for future research. What does this project lead you to believe must be
studied in the future? Did your analysis raise new questions? Were there things that you
would have liked to be able to evaluate but were unable to?
 Explain why your work was important. How did it advance scholarship and normative
goals?

References

APA FORMAT e.g.

Yousef, D. A. (2000). Organizational commitment: A mediator of the relationships of leadership behavior

with job satisfaction and performance in a non-western country. Journal of Managerial

Psychology, 15(1), 6-24.

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