How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide

Research, at the academic level, is of considerable importance in many sectors. 

In this article, we will talk more specifically about research articles, we will give the full definition of them as well as their main characteristics. We will also talk about its challenges and objectives, its areas of use and its link with the emergence of new technologies, which are now part of everyone's life. 

What is a research article and what are its main characteristics? 

Definition

Research papers are often used in the academic field. They are written by students at the end of their studies or researchers/scientists and have the primary mission of bringing a certain number of novelties to an already existing subject or to describe a totally new subject. 

The main objective, but we will come back to it in more detail later, is to share and disseminate this research so that it is accessible either to a particular audience, which is often the case in medicine, or to a wider audience. 

The research article has several types of characteristics for this purpose. 

Stages, characteristics

Its organization is framed, it must be written in a certain form. 

The document must include a summary of the entire research. This allows readers to know what the research is about, how it is progressing, what methodology is used and why, the number of people who participated in its writing and the conclusions that could be drawn from it.

The second step is to present an introduction, as would be done in the context of a dissertation or the defense of a thesis in the academic field.  

The introduction deals with the problem and essentially with the interest in the subject. 

The literature review is essential, it allows us to highlight all the research that has been carried out on the subject and above all to avoid repeating the same things. It provides proof of authenticity to the entire work. 

The methodology used comes later, with the tools and references that will have been used to respond to the problem. 

Once the development has been highlighted, the results will be presented as well as a discussion, which can allow other researchers to conduct their own investigations and open the subject. 

Finally, another essential step is the conclusion, which opens to other subjects.

The issues and objectives of the research article 

The writing of a research article has several objectives and challenges. 

Objectives

One of the first objectives is obviously the sharing and dissemination of new or more in-depth knowledge on a given subject. 

In addition, researchers are often inclined to participate in various advances, regardless of the field. It can also be a question of proving that one method is better than another or simply of highlighting one's own work to obtain opportunities, in terms of jobs or publications depending on the case. 

The stakes are just as high

First, there is a question of credibility that comes into play. For this reason, research articles must be as complete and transparent as possible in order to allow those who wish to do so to verify and perhaps even complete a search. 

In addition, the research carried out and validated can have significant consequences on trends, lifestyles or even more generally on future research. 

The emergence of new technologies, and more particularly artificial intelligence, requires researchers to gain as much credibility as possible so that no one can question their ethics. 

Areas of use of research articles 

Research articles can be used in many fields. 

Among them, the sciences of course, such as biology, medicine or others. 

This is one of the areas where researchers are very active, if only to find other treatments for existing diseases but also for future diseases. 

In addition to medicine, research articles are also used in the social sciences, as the research conducted can help to understand consumer behavior in the business world or more simply the behaviors of individuals in a particular situation. 

In the field of technology, it goes without saying that research is increasingly active. Everyone is looking for the best ways to develop products and services that are more efficient and that can improve the lives of many individuals. 

Technological developments and their links to research articles 

Of course, technological innovations are present in all fields, and research is far from being an exception to the rule. 

Technologies are radically changing the way we research and write our writing, not to mention the ways in which we are published.

Some software allows you to study the analyses and statistics in the most appropriate way possible to keep only the most relevant. 

There are more and more ways to publish work, thanks to online platforms. 

To create a relevant bibliography without forgetting, software such as EndNote or Mendeley can help you organize the articles, books, journals or websites used. 

We were talking earlier about artificial intelligence, and of course, it appears to be omnipresent in the field of research and writing, hence the need to pay particular attention to the authenticity of the work done, thanks to anti-plagiarism software, or systems capable of detecting AI-generated content.

Conclusion

In the current context, research is progressing more and more rapidly, with ever more advanced techniques. Knowing how to write a research article requires rigor and real organization, as it is mandatory to comply with the standards in force. 

Beyond the simple fact of writing an article on a given issue, the stakes are much higher, since it is a question of sharing knowledge in each field. This type of work requires both personal and professional involvement, as researchers are most often people who are passionate about the subject they have been studying for years. In the context of writing this type of article, it seems essential to take into consideration the evolution of lifestyles and societies. Researchers ensure that their work is authentic to strengthen their credibility and ensure that the published articles always represent a real benefit and added value in the scientific and societal world. 

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/Objectifs_et_questions_de_recherche

https://saintlucflorence.wordpress.com/l-article-scientifique-definition-role-conception-analyse-et-critique/

https://www.sotratech.com/les-etapes-cles-pour-rediger-un-article-scientifique/