Overview: Format for Busy Researchers
Research articles that appear in scientific journals follow a specific format, so that busy scientists can find the information they need quickly and easily. Articles typically have an abstract, an introduction, subjects, method, results, and discussion. Sometimes a separate conclusion section follows that, but often the conclusions are combined with the discussion section.
Peer Review Procedures
Publication of scientific articles is generally a long process, at least in the social sciences. Many journals are peer-reviewed, which means that other scientists review them before they are ever published, to point out inconsistencies and weak areas in the argument, and to suggest areas that can be strengthened. The time between the initial acceptance and the final revision can be a matter of months, with a number of revisions and suggestions along the way to produce a quality product.
Abstracts Cover Main Points
The abstract is a paragraph or two before the main part of the article begins. It is like an outline that covers the main points of the experiment. For example, the abstract typically contains a description of the experiment, the main findings, and why those conclusions are important. It is easier when looking for research articles to read abstracts and quickly find relevant research pertaining to a topic, rather than read entire papers to find a few pertinent facts. Typically, researchers write the abstract of a research article after the main article is written.
Introduction: Summary and Sequence
The introduction to a scientific paper is more than a few paragraphs to interest the reader in a topic. It is a summary of the relevant research in the area, with special emphasis on what areas haven’t been addressed in previous studies. In the last paragraph or two of the introduction, researchers typically state their hypotheses for the experimental research to follow. If the introduction section is well-developed, the hypotheses follow the rest of the introduction in a logical sequence.
Subjects and Methods Detail the Experiment
The subjects section describe the people or animals that took part in the experiment, at a level of detail so that the experiment could be performed at another time or place with a different group of scientists. This is an important part of science, as part of the process to test any new theory is to give enough detail so that experiments could be repeated for similar results. The methods section describes what happened in the experiment, with not only the actions of the experimenter, but any special materials and procedures that were used. If the experiment involved specialized equipment, it is usually described in this section.
Follow the Numbers to the Discussion
The Results section has detailed statistical analysis of what happened in the experiment. Usually scientists describe the statistical tests that were used, especially if there was unusual analysis done. Every hypothesis that was covered in the introduction will be explored in this section, along with a description of the effects of the experiment on specific groups of subjects. In the Discussion section, the statistical results are interpreted, along with the way those results connect with and advance or conflict with existing theories about the phenomenon. There are also suggestions for further research on the topic, and alternative explanations for what the results might mean. That way, others working in the same area can find the information they need.
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