1. Title and Abstract

Your title and abstract are the most visible parts of your paper—they determine whether readers will continue to the full text.

For an effective title:

• Keep it concise (15-20 words)
• Include key variables or theoretical concepts
• Avoid jargon or abbreviations
• Be specific about your main findings or topic
• Consider using a subtitle for additional clarity

Example: “Impact of Exercise on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial”

For a compelling abstract:

• Follow the word limit (typically 150-300 words)
• Include 1-2 sentences on background/context
• Clearly state your research question or objective
• Briefly describe methods
• Highlight key results with specific data
• Conclude with implications
• Use past tense for completed research
• Include keywords for search engine optimization

2. Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for your research by answering these key questions:

• Why is this topic important?
• What is already known (literature review)?
• What gap in knowledge does your study address?
• What is your specific research question or hypothesis?

Structure your introduction like an inverted pyramid:

1. Begin with broader context and significance of the topic
2. Narrow down to specific previous work in the field
3. Identify a gap or problem in existing knowledge
4. State your research question/hypothesis and approach
5. Briefly preview your key findings (optional)

Example paragraph structure: “[Topic X] is an important area of research because [broader significance]. Previous studies have shown [key findings from literature], but [identify gap or limitation]. This study aims to address this gap by [your approach]. We hypothesized that [your hypothesis].”

3. Materials and Methods

The methods section should provide enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study. This requires clarity, precision, and organization.

Key components to include:

• Study design overview
• Participant/sample selection and characteristics
• Materials, equipment, or instruments used
• Procedures and protocols in chronological order
• Data collection methods
• Statistical analysis techniques
• Ethical approvals and considerations

Best practices:

• Use subheadings to organize different aspects of methodology
• Write in past tense
• Be specific about quantities, durations, and conditions
• Cite established methods; describe new methods in detail
• Include information on software used for analysis
• Follow reporting guidelines specific to your field (e.g., CONSORT for clinical trials)

4. Results

The results section presents your findings without interpretation, focusing on data and analysis.

Structure your results effectively by:

• Organizing findings logically (usually in order of importance or chronologically)
• Using subheadings to separate different experiments or analyses
• Referring to tables and figures that display your data
• Reporting statistical test results in standard format
• Highlighting key findings without discussing implications

Example structure: “Participants who received treatment X showed significantly higher improvement (M = 24.3, SD = 3.2) compared to the control group (M = 16.7, SD = 2.8), t(58) = 3.42, p < .001, d = 0.89 (Figure 1).”

For tables and figures:

• Each should be self-explanatory with clear titles and legends
• Use appropriate visualization for your data type
• Label axes and include units of measurement
• Note statistical significance where appropriate
• Refer to each table/figure in the text

5. Discussion

The discussion interprets your results and places them in the broader scientific context.

Structure your discussion to:

1. Summarize your key findings
2. Interpret results in relation to your research question/hypothesis
3. Compare your findings with existing literature
4. Explain unexpected results
5. Acknowledge limitations
6. Discuss implications
7. Suggest directions for future research

Example framework: “This study found [key result], which supports/contradicts our hypothesis that [restate hypothesis]. These findings align with/differ from previous research by [authors] who found [comparison point]. The difference may be explained by [potential explanation]. A limitation of our study was [limitation], which [explain impact]. Future research should address [recommendation].”

6. Conclusion

Some journals include a separate conclusion section, while others incorporate conclusions at the end of the discussion.

An effective conclusion:

• Briefly summarizes the main findings
• Emphasizes the significance and broader implications
• Avoids introducing new information
• Ends with a strong take-home message

7. References

Follow the citation style required by your target journal precisely. Common styles include:

• APA (American Psychological Association)
• AMA (American Medical Association)
• IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
• CSE (Council of Science Editors)
• Vancouver style

General tips:

• Use reference management software like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote
• Include DOIs when available
• Double-check for accuracy in author names, years, and titles
• Ensure all in-text citations appear in the reference list and vice versa