outline anatomy of a research report

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Anatomy of a Research Paper: A Comprehensive Guide

Posted by admin | Aug 14, 2023 | Africa , America , Asia , Australia and Oceania , Blog , Continent , Europe | 0 |

A well-structured research paper is a cornerstone of scholarly communication, allowing researchers to share their findings, insights, and contributions with the global academic community. Each section of a research paper serves a distinct purpose, contributing to the overall understanding of the research process and its outcomes. In this article, we will delve into the anatomy of a research paper and explore the key components of each section.

1. Abstract

The abstract serves as a concise summary of the entire research paper. It provides a snapshot of the research problem, the methodology used, the main findings, and their implications. An effective abstract should be clear, concise, and engaging, allowing readers to quickly grasp the essence of the paper. It typically ranges from 150 to 250 words and should include essential keywords that reflect the paper’s subject matter.

2. Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for the research by providing context, outlining the research problem, and stating the research objectives or questions. It also presents the significance of the study, explaining why the research is important and how it contributes to existing knowledge. The introduction should establish a logical and compelling narrative that guides the reader toward understanding the research’s purpose and relevance.

3. Literature Review

The literature review critically examines previous research and scholarly works related to the research topic. This section demonstrates the researcher’s understanding of the field, identifies gaps in existing knowledge, and justifies the need for the current study. It showcases the evolution of ideas, theories, and methodologies that have led to the research question. The literature review is crucial for situating the study within the broader academic discourse.

4. Methodology

The methodology section details the research design, methods, and techniques used to collect and analyze data. It explains how the research question was approached and answered. This section should be comprehensive enough for other researchers to replicate the study if desired. It encompasses aspects like research approach, data collection methods, sampling techniques, and statistical tools employed.

In the results section, the researcher presents the factual outcomes of the study without interpretation or analysis. This often involves the presentation of data in the form of tables, figures, or descriptive text. Clarity and organization are key in this section, as the data should be easily interpretable, allowing readers to understand the patterns and trends that emerged from the research.

6. Discussion

The discussion section interprets the results, relates them to the research question, and explores their implications. Researchers analyze the findings in the context of existing literature and explain how they contribute to a deeper understanding of the topic. Strengths and limitations of the study are addressed, and potential sources of bias or error are acknowledged. This section should also identify avenues for further research and theoretical or practical implications.

7. Conclusion

The conclusion encapsulates the main takeaways of the research and reiterates how they address the research objectives or questions. It provides a concise summary of the findings and their significance. The conclusion should connect back to the introduction, demonstrating how the research has fulfilled its purpose and contributed to the field.

8. Acknowledgement

In the acknowledgment section, researchers express gratitude to individuals, institutions, or funding sources that supported or contributed to the study. This section provides an opportunity to recognize the efforts of those who have assisted in various aspects of the research process.

9. References

The references section lists all the sources cited in the research paper. This allows readers to locate and verify the information presented in the paper. Proper citation and adherence to a specific citation style (such as APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) are essential in maintaining academic integrity and giving credit to the original authors.

In conclusion, a research paper is a meticulously crafted document that follows a specific structure to effectively communicate research findings and insights. Each section plays a vital role in guiding the reader through the research journey, from understanding the problem to drawing conclusions. A well-organized and well-written research paper enhances the dissemination of knowledge and contributes to the advancement of scholarly discourse.

Credit: Burrows Tylor

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Anatomy of a Research Report

Structuring and phrasing scientific communications.

Introduction       Methods       Results       Discussion

The purpose of Anatomy of a Research Report (ARR) is to free presenters, writers, and their advisors. If all the time in the world were at hand, what a joy it would be to luxuriate in flawless wording, to shape and reshape exacting, painstaking, persuasive paragraphs culminating in elegant techni­cal text. Regrettably, this is but a dream. Sound communication marries structure and content; thus, a structure in hand affords more opportunity to plan and produce content. Utilized as is, Anatomy of a Research Report guides clear, coherent, authoritative oral and written presenta­tions such as progress reports, research plans, posters, communications, articles, literature reviews, lectures, job talks, proposals, fellowship applications, dissertations, fund­raising pitches, outreach classes, Science Slam gigs, letters of recommendation, newspaper columns, and radio shows.

For advisors, Anatomy of a Research Report organizes introduction to a research project for incoming students, and, for more advanced group members, provides signposts pointing a way through presentations ahead. Similarly, students may use ARR to steer though commentary on each others' research reports before these reports reach the advisor, as of course may advisors use Anatomy of a Research Report as a corrective checklist to student products.

Scientists must feel, and carry with them, a sense of security about communicating their work to one another and to the public. Anatomy of a Research Report affirms, clarifies, and consolidates the conventions of this communication, thereby creating space for aspirations to, and the promise of, products beyond them.

Littera Scripta Manet The Written Word Abides

Introduction

Introduction Terminology

Methods Terminology

Results Terminology

Discussion Terminology

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Writing Research Papers

• Research Paper Structure

Whether you are writing a B.S. Degree Research Paper or completing a research report for a Psychology course, it is highly likely that you will need to organize your research paper in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.  Here we discuss the structure of research papers according to APA style.

Major Sections of a Research Paper in APA Style

A complete research paper in APA style that is reporting on experimental research will typically contain a Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References sections. 1  Many will also contain Figures and Tables and some will have an Appendix or Appendices.  These sections are detailed as follows (for a more in-depth guide, please refer to " How to Write a Research Paper in APA Style ”, a comprehensive guide developed by Prof. Emma Geller). 2

What is this paper called and who wrote it? – the first page of the paper; this includes the name of the paper, a “running head”, authors, and institutional affiliation of the authors.  The institutional affiliation is usually listed in an Author Note that is placed towards the bottom of the title page.  In some cases, the Author Note also contains an acknowledgment of any funding support and of any individuals that assisted with the research project.

One-paragraph summary of the entire study – typically no more than 250 words in length (and in many cases it is well shorter than that), the Abstract provides an overview of the study.

Introduction

What is the topic and why is it worth studying? – the first major section of text in the paper, the Introduction commonly describes the topic under investigation, summarizes or discusses relevant prior research (for related details, please see the Writing Literature Reviews section of this website), identifies unresolved issues that the current research will address, and provides an overview of the research that is to be described in greater detail in the sections to follow.

What did you do? – a section which details how the research was performed.  It typically features a description of the participants/subjects that were involved, the study design, the materials that were used, and the study procedure.  If there were multiple experiments, then each experiment may require a separate Methods section.  A rule of thumb is that the Methods section should be sufficiently detailed for another researcher to duplicate your research.

What did you find? – a section which describes the data that was collected and the results of any statistical tests that were performed.  It may also be prefaced by a description of the analysis procedure that was used. If there were multiple experiments, then each experiment may require a separate Results section.

What is the significance of your results? – the final major section of text in the paper.  The Discussion commonly features a summary of the results that were obtained in the study, describes how those results address the topic under investigation and/or the issues that the research was designed to address, and may expand upon the implications of those findings.  Limitations and directions for future research are also commonly addressed.

List of articles and any books cited – an alphabetized list of the sources that are cited in the paper (by last name of the first author of each source).  Each reference should follow specific APA guidelines regarding author names, dates, article titles, journal titles, journal volume numbers, page numbers, book publishers, publisher locations, websites, and so on (for more information, please see the Citing References in APA Style page of this website).

Tables and Figures

Graphs and data (optional in some cases) – depending on the type of research being performed, there may be Tables and/or Figures (however, in some cases, there may be neither).  In APA style, each Table and each Figure is placed on a separate page and all Tables and Figures are included after the References.   Tables are included first, followed by Figures.   However, for some journals and undergraduate research papers (such as the B.S. Research Paper or Honors Thesis), Tables and Figures may be embedded in the text (depending on the instructor’s or editor’s policies; for more details, see "Deviations from APA Style" below).

Supplementary information (optional) – in some cases, additional information that is not critical to understanding the research paper, such as a list of experiment stimuli, details of a secondary analysis, or programming code, is provided.  This is often placed in an Appendix.

Variations of Research Papers in APA Style

Although the major sections described above are common to most research papers written in APA style, there are variations on that pattern.  These variations include: 

• Literature reviews – when a paper is reviewing prior published research and not presenting new empirical research itself (such as in a review article, and particularly a qualitative review), then the authors may forgo any Methods and Results sections. Instead, there is a different structure such as an Introduction section followed by sections for each of the different aspects of the body of research being reviewed, and then perhaps a Discussion section. 
• Multi-experiment papers – when there are multiple experiments, it is common to follow the Introduction with an Experiment 1 section, itself containing Methods, Results, and Discussion subsections. Then there is an Experiment 2 section with a similar structure, an Experiment 3 section with a similar structure, and so on until all experiments are covered.  Towards the end of the paper there is a General Discussion section followed by References.  Additionally, in multi-experiment papers, it is common for the Results and Discussion subsections for individual experiments to be combined into single “Results and Discussion” sections.

Departures from APA Style

In some cases, official APA style might not be followed (however, be sure to check with your editor, instructor, or other sources before deviating from standards of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association).  Such deviations may include:

• Placement of Tables and Figures  – in some cases, to make reading through the paper easier, Tables and/or Figures are embedded in the text (for example, having a bar graph placed in the relevant Results section). The embedding of Tables and/or Figures in the text is one of the most common deviations from APA style (and is commonly allowed in B.S. Degree Research Papers and Honors Theses; however you should check with your instructor, supervisor, or editor first). 
• Incomplete research – sometimes a B.S. Degree Research Paper in this department is written about research that is currently being planned or is in progress. In those circumstances, sometimes only an Introduction and Methods section, followed by References, is included (that is, in cases where the research itself has not formally begun).  In other cases, preliminary results are presented and noted as such in the Results section (such as in cases where the study is underway but not complete), and the Discussion section includes caveats about the in-progress nature of the research.  Again, you should check with your instructor, supervisor, or editor first.
• Class assignments – in some classes in this department, an assignment must be written in APA style but is not exactly a traditional research paper (for instance, a student asked to write about an article that they read, and to write that report in APA style). In that case, the structure of the paper might approximate the typical sections of a research paper in APA style, but not entirely.  You should check with your instructor for further guidelines.

Workshops and Downloadable Resources

• For in-person discussion of the process of writing research papers, please consider attending this department’s “Writing Research Papers” workshop (for dates and times, please check the undergraduate workshops calendar).

Downloadable Resources

• How to Write APA Style Research Papers (a comprehensive guide) [ PDF ]
• Tips for Writing APA Style Research Papers (a brief summary) [ PDF ]
• Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – empirical research) [ PDF ]
• Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – literature review) [ PDF ]

Further Resources

How-To Videos     

• Writing Research Paper Videos

APA Journal Article Reporting Guidelines

• Appelbaum, M., Cooper, H., Kline, R. B., Mayo-Wilson, E., Nezu, A. M., & Rao, S. M. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for quantitative research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report . American Psychologist , 73 (1), 3.
• Levitt, H. M., Bamberg, M., Creswell, J. W., Frost, D. M., Josselson, R., & Suárez-Orozco, C. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for qualitative primary, qualitative meta-analytic, and mixed methods research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report . American Psychologist , 73 (1), 26.  

External Resources

• Formatting APA Style Papers in Microsoft Word
• How to Write an APA Style Research Paper from Hamilton University
• WikiHow Guide to Writing APA Research Papers
• Sample APA Formatted Paper with Comments
• Sample APA Formatted Paper
• Tips for Writing a Paper in APA Style

1 VandenBos, G. R. (Ed). (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) (pp. 41-60).  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

2 geller, e. (2018).  how to write an apa-style research report . [instructional materials]. , prepared by s. c. pan for ucsd psychology.

Back to top  

• Formatting Research Papers
• Using Databases and Finding References
• What Types of References Are Appropriate?
• Evaluating References and Taking Notes
• Citing References
• Writing a Literature Review
• Writing Process and Revising
• Improving Scientific Writing
• Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Writing Research Papers Videos

Library Instruction

Structure of typical research article.

The basic structure of a typical research paper includes Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Each section addresses a different objective.

• the problem they intend to address -- in other words, the research question -- in the Introduction ;
• what they did to answer the question in Methodology ;
• what they observed in Results ; and
• what they think the results mean in Discussion .

A substantial study will sometimes include a literature review section which discusses previous works on the topic. The basic structure is outlined below:

• Author and author's professional affiliation is identified
• Introduction
• Literature review section (a discussion about what other scholars have written on the topic)
• Methodology section (methods of data gathering are explained)
• Discussion section
• Conclusions
• Reference list with citations (sources of information used in the article)

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