Writing
research articles is one of the most important and unavoidable parts of a
research process. A well written research paper when published in a scientific
journal helps to present the research findings to the scientific community. However,
even an interesting and innovative research can lose its charm if written
inadequately. Although writing a research paper is perceived as a highly
difficult task by many, it is very in fact simple and fascinating. It is an art
which can be honed by practice, and can be further improved by training and
skill development. This blog is focused to share some tips on writing a good
research article for a peer‑reviewed scientific journal, which can help boost
your research career.
Important Tips to Write a Good Research Article:
1.
Regularization
of writing schedule
It
is well known that “practice makes a man perfect”– this
holds true for manuscript writing as well. It is very important to practice writing on a daily basis to have a better grip over the skill. The most
productive hours of one’s daily routine should be assigned to writing and this must
be followed religiously.
2.
Building
an outline and determining the flow of manuscript
Once
you have set a goal to write a research article, start with building its
outline. The outline should be such that it can serve as a template for your
manuscript by elaborating the points mentioned in it. For a Level 1 outline,
pen down all the important ideas related to the paper and arrange them in an
order of their presentation in the manuscript. Enlist all the supporting points
related to the topic and try to formulate a hypothesis. In this outline, the
visuals related to the paper such as tables, figures, equations, formulas etc.,
should also be included. Thus, outline at Level 1 shall include the topic of
paper, its importance, hypothesis, major results (tables, figures etc.) and
important findings.
In
the next step, Level 1 outline is further structured by adding context into it
and grouping the already mentioned ideas into their respective sections. A
research article contains five major sections, namely introduction,
methodology, results, discussion and conclusion. The first section of the paper
i.e., introduction should briefly explain the rationale and importance of
research undertaken. The current concepts and knowledge gap related to the
topic are also included in this section. The hypothesis and the aims and
objective of the research are also mentioned here.
The
methodology section contains the information about the materials and
armamentarium used in the research. The information about the sample size,
patient populations, exclusion and inclusion criteria should be incorporated in
this section. It should also provide information about the study type
(prospective/ retrospective/ observational/ controlled trial etc.), study
setting (unicentric/ multicentric), study design (how the study was conducted).
Further, variables studied, the end-points of the study, the methods of
analysis and statistical tests used should also be specified in this section.
The
results section of the research paper includes the significant findings and
other supporting findings of the study. The implications of these results and
their comparisons with the results of other similar research studies is
mentioned in the discussion section of the paper. The highlights of the study
undertaken, and its limitations can also be mentioned in this section. Finally,
a concluding remark is given in conclusion of the paper. After this, all the
ideas and important points which are enlisted should be rearranged in a
sequence to determine an adequate flow of the manuscript.
3.
Target
journal selection and discussion of ideas with mentors or peers
Now,
when a detailed outline is in hand, it is wise to discuss the ideas with the
mentors of peers whom one can rely upon. Their suggestions or opinions might
prove to be beneficial in improvising the manuscript. Further, selecting a
target journal for submission of the paper for publication is beneficial at
this stage. Also, making a list of other journals, on the basis of priority, is
a wise option at this stage. This helps to resubmit the paper upon rejection
from target journal without unnecessary wastage of time.
4.
Developing
first draft of research article
With
the detailed outline and all the suggestions and list of journals in hand, next
step towards production of final research article is the development of a first
draft. One should start writing the paper by elaboration of the points
mentioned in outline. Novice writers might find difficulty in writing afresh;
therefore, to make the task easier, they can start with writing methodology
section and then proceed with results, introduction, discussion and finally reach
a conclusion. The writers should ensure that the paper is written in clear and
concise manner. It should have adequate flow and readability. Further, the
draft should be free from any duplication of information and plagiarism. The
content of the paper should be fresh, original and interesting. Direct copying
and pasting of any information is unethical and, therefore, should be avoided.
The information mentioned in the draft should be adequately referenced.
5.
Revision
of draft
The
first draft should always be re-read by the writer. Further editing and revisions
are done in draft. The individual words, sentences, grammatical errors, and
spelling mistakes within the draft should be pointed out and corrected. Always focus
on the flow of draft while revising it. The draft should be re‑read in several
steps and should be edited adequately. Seeking help from another writer for
editing after revising it yourself is always wiser.
6.
Submission
of research article in target journal
After
editing and revising the draft, it is time to submit it to the target journal
already selected. The instructions for authors can be followed while submitting
the paper. The draft shall then undergo a journal’s peer-review after which the
draft can be revised by the writer as per the reviewer comments, if accepted by
the journal, or else can be submitted to another journal if rejected.
These
above-mentioned tips, if followed while writing a research paper, can make the
difficult looking task very simple and easy.
