Tips for Writing and Publishing a Scientific Research Paper
Writing and publishing a scientific research paper may not be an easy task as a lot of academics portray it to be. The elaboration of any research topic or issue requires precision and mastery on the subject. However, students are often in doubt about the correct way to elaborate their work. Where to start? How to define the research topic? Which language to use in the text? These are just some of the questions that arise when one is attempting to publish a scientific article.
People tend to have doubts and make mistakes because they do not know science or did not learn correctly the fundamentals of how to structure a scientific research paper. It is for this reason that we have created this post for you to understand the rudiments of writing and publishing a paper in the academic world.
Tips to know about writing and publishing a research paper
1. Read about what has already been done
Before starting a research project, it is important to check various contents in the area to learn everything that has already been said on the topic. One of the suggestions presented by many academics who have undergone this same process is to read articles from good international magazines. In addition, it is necessary to survey publications that can be used to support your project. Without doing this, one is setting him/herself up for potentially being flagged for plagiarism or being marked as a lazy researcher.
2. Think about the level that your search will reach
Before making a project, it is necessary to identify the level of science and knowledge that is intended to be achieved. Identify some scientific publications that would be at the level of your research. Do you intend to reach a field of knowledge, covering several areas of knowledge, or do you want to focus on a specialized publication? If your answer is to publish in a wide-ranging scientific journal, it will be necessary to think and elaborate your research in a way that it is understandable to the largest possible number of people, including individuals in other areas of knowledge.
3. Introduce a novelty
There is no good research without something new or relevant. A lot of times, researchers have difficulty accepting that the topic of their research is not new, however, the reality is that there is nothing new in research. Rather the new thing about a topic is the methodology employed to carry it out. In other words, after reading about what has already been developed within the theme, it is necessary to find a new approach. Too repetitive research cannot make major scientific contributions.
4. Know the right time to start writing
Many people start writing their article at the wrong time. However, to maintain the unity of the text it is important to have a complete idea of the work. Do not start to advance some parts of your article without having completed the research, analyzed and interpreted data. Before starting to write your paper, experience from different academic suggests that it is necessary to have the answer to some questions in mind: 1) How did the research come about? 2) Where did you arrive? 3) How did you get on this path and what makes me accept your story? 4) What does this change in science? 5) Why would people be interested in this?
5. Keep in mind the type of magazine you would like to publish
After having an overview of the work, answering the previous questions, start thinking about the magazine you want to have your work published. Read several articles and try to observe the format they follow. It is good to know the way of the journal. One must familiarise his/herself with the way a journal works including the formatting style, referencing style to mention just a few. It is for this reason a lot of emphasis exist on think of the structure of a journal when writing.
6. Keep logic in the text
When writing it is necessary to observe if the research ideas are not contradicting each other. According to many researchers, a lot of end up making mistakes in this item. Introduction, development and conclusion must be very well aligned and related. All parties must be consistent and logical. Reread the text and see if it can maintain a unity. Do not use meaningless cutters.
7. Find the right measurement
The size of the text does not mean quality. No more words, no less words. We have to know how to synthesize a scientific research paper. A lot of people tend to think that the longest jobs are the best. However, the number of pages is not synonymous with quality. It is important to present all arguments clearly and objectively. For many professors and researchers, the preparation of an article should be similar to that of a building. It needs to be showy, important, solid and economical.
8. Be clear and avoid words that make understanding difficult
No food to feed cattle (that is, the famous expression “talk to an ox to sleep”). Try to make your search more accessible and change words that are difficult to understand. In recent times, science has become a multidisciplinary angle. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say science has a transdisciplinary character. However, when you write an article full of technical terms and unknown words, your research tends to be restricted only to people in the field. It is important to think that you are writing a text to be read by different audiences. Hence, you must make your points in a lucid way.
9. Share your knowledge
After completing an article, it is important to try to publish it in scientific journals. The dissemination of the research is as important as the newsroom. It is from the publication that you can share your knowledge with other researchers. In addition, you will also have the opportunity to submit your work for evaluation by other specialists. Before submitting an article for analysis, carefully observe the format required in each publication. Some magazines have specific rules that must be followed, including standardization of style, number of characters and other references.
10. Track the results
Do not think that publishing the article is the last step. This is a mistake many people who are just starting out tend to make. They always consider having a published paper as the last stage. However, reverse is the case. After publishing your research, try to observe the impact of your work in the scientific world. Observe the academic contributions of your research. When viewing who is citing your article, try to understand what reflections are being generated from it. When you do this, you become aware of your strong points and the areas you need to work on.
Conclusion
From the above tips, it becomes obvious why a lot of academics refer to publishing a paper in a journal as an easy ride. Indeed, the years of practice have undoubtedly influenced their level of familiarity with the steps to take to achieve this goal, nevertheless, it is not a difficult one to achieve. Follow the tips above and watch how your reputation and research paper soars in the academic community regardless of your level.
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