CPS Online Graduate Studies Research Paper (UNH Manchester Library): 7 Parts of the Research Paper
- Overview of the Research Process for Capstone Projects
- Types of Research Design
- Selecting a Research Problem
- The Title of Your Research Paper
- Before You Begin Writing
- 7 Parts of the Research Paper
- Background Information
- Quanitative and Qualitative Methods
- Qualitative Methods
- Quanitative Methods
- Resources to Help You With the Literature Review
- Non-Textual Elements
- Limitations of the Study
- Format of Capstone Research Projects at GSC
- Editing and Proofreading Your Paper
- Acknowledgements
- UNH Scholar's Repository
Parts of a Research Paper
There is no one right style or manner for writing an education paper. Content aside, the writing style and presentation of papers in different fields vary greatly. Nevertheless, certain parts are common to most papers, below are outlined the 7 most common parts. Links are provided to more information about each section.
After spending a great deal of time and energy introducing and arguing the points in the main body of the paper, the conclusion brings everything together and underscores what it all means. A stimulating and informative conclusion leaves the reader informed and well-satisfied.
This link will take you to the Library's citation tools page. The key resources include: Ebsco's citation generator (part of GSC's Discovery Service), the citation generator from UNC's Library, and the OWL APA Resources page.
Appendices Research papers often contain one or more appendices. An appendix contains material that is appropriate for enlarging the reader's understanding, but that does not fit very well into the main body of the paper. Such material might include tables, charts, summaries, questionnaires, interview questions, lengthy statistics, maps, pictures, photographs, lists of terms, glossaries, survey instruments, letters, copies of historical documents, and many other types of supplementary material. A paper may have several appendices. They are usually designated by such headings as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
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- Last Updated: Nov 6, 2023 1:43 PM
- URL: https://libraryguides.unh.edu/cpsonlinegradpaper
Structure of a Research Paper
Structure of a Research Paper: IMRaD Format
I. The Title Page
- Title: Tells the reader what to expect in the paper.
- Author(s): Most papers are written by one or two primary authors. The remaining authors have reviewed the work and/or aided in study design or data analysis (International Committee of Medical Editors, 1997). Check the Instructions to Authors for the target journal for specifics about authorship.
- Keywords [according to the journal]
- Corresponding Author: Full name and affiliation for the primary contact author for persons who have questions about the research.
- Financial & Equipment Support [if needed]: Specific information about organizations, agencies, or companies that supported the research.
- Conflicts of Interest [if needed]: List and explain any conflicts of interest.
II. Abstract: “Structured abstract” has become the standard for research papers (introduction, objective, methods, results and conclusions), while reviews, case reports and other articles have non-structured abstracts. The abstract should be a summary/synopsis of the paper.
III. Introduction: The “why did you do the study”; setting the scene or laying the foundation or background for the paper.
IV. Methods: The “how did you do the study.” Describe the --
- Context and setting of the study
- Specify the study design
- Population (patients, etc. if applicable)
- Sampling strategy
- Intervention (if applicable)
- Identify the main study variables
- Data collection instruments and procedures
- Outline analysis methods
V. Results: The “what did you find” --
- Report on data collection and/or recruitment
- Participants (demographic, clinical condition, etc.)
- Present key findings with respect to the central research question
- Secondary findings (secondary outcomes, subgroup analyses, etc.)
VI. Discussion: Place for interpreting the results
- Main findings of the study
- Discuss the main results with reference to previous research
- Policy and practice implications of the results
- Strengths and limitations of the study
VII. Conclusions: [occasionally optional or not required]. Do not reiterate the data or discussion. Can state hunches, inferences or speculations. Offer perspectives for future work.
VIII. Acknowledgements: Names people who contributed to the work, but did not contribute sufficiently to earn authorship. You must have permission from any individuals mentioned in the acknowledgements sections.
IX. References: Complete citations for any articles or other materials referenced in the text of the article.
- IMRD Cheatsheet (Carnegie Mellon) pdf.
- Adewasi, D. (2021 June 14). What Is IMRaD? IMRaD Format in Simple Terms! . Scientific-editing.info.
- Nair, P.K.R., Nair, V.D. (2014). Organization of a Research Paper: The IMRAD Format. In: Scientific Writing and Communication in Agriculture and Natural Resources. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03101-9_2
- Sollaci, L. B., & Pereira, M. G. (2004). The introduction, methods, results, and discussion (IMRAD) structure: a fifty-year survey. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA , 92 (3), 364–367.
- Cuschieri, S., Grech, V., & Savona-Ventura, C. (2019). WASP (Write a Scientific Paper): Structuring a scientific paper. Early human development , 128 , 114–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.09.011
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