Research papers are a large part of academia and are often published in scholarly journals, periodicals and conference proceedings. Published research papers allow findings and discoveries to be shared with the wider research community. They are peer-reviewed, which helps to ensure their credibility and quality. For researchers just starting out or those needing examples of research paper formats and styles, finding sample published papers can be very useful. This article provides an overview of several sample published research papers available in PDF format to serve as useful references.
One excellent sample published paper comes from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) called “Predicting Obesity in Young Adulthood from Childhood and Parental Obesity.” This 2017 paper investigates the link between childhood weight status and obesity later in life. At 10,346 words, it follows a standard research paper format with an abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion and conclusions sections. Tables and figures are used effectively to present data. Referencing is in AMA style. Overall the paper clearly outlines the research question, methodology, key findings and implications in a well-structured manner common to medical research publications.
Another good sample comes from the peer-reviewed journal Science, titled “Mapping the neural circuits of reward.” Published in 2017, this paper explores the neural mechanisms underlying reward-motivated behaviors. At 8,230 words, it delves into the neurobiology of reward through a review of literature and proposed models. The writing is clear yet sophisticated, with appropriate use of technical terminology for the targeted neuroscience audience. Figures are color-coded to enhance understanding complex concepts. References are formatted according to Science’s guidelines. This paper serves as an example of how empirical research can be rigorously reported in top interdisciplinary journals.
For social sciences, one sample research paper comes from the American Psychological Association (APA) published Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Titled “When Do We Speak? Predicting Patterns of Turn-Taking in Conversations,” this 2017 paper, at just under 7,000 words, investigates linguistic and social dimensions of turn-taking in dialog. It follows APA style publication guidelines closely with a structured abstract, introduction outlining relevant theories, method and results sections clearly presenting collected linguistic data and statistical analyses, and a discussion contextualizing the findings. In-text citations and a reference list are exemplars of APA formatting. Tables of transcribed conversational data effectively support the analyses. Overall the paper models rigorous quantitative social research communication.
An example from the health sciences field comes from the British Medical Journal in an open access PDF titled “Risk of cancer among people with specific medical conditions: a population based cohort study.” Published in 2018, this peer-reviewed research article examines cancer risk associations between 24 medical conditions using health records data on over 11 million patients in the UK. At over 9,300 words, it presents the background, methodology, results and conclusions sections to a high scholarly standard expected of medical literature. Figures and tables clearly visualize data patterns. References follow Vancouver style guidelines as required for health publications. The multicenter, population-level study methodology and reporting thereof serve as a good exemplar for epidemiological or healthcare-based research.
For STEM fields, a sample published paper comes from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). Titled “RNA polymerase II contacts near promoters propel transcription initiation,” the 2017 paper uses genome-wide techniques to investigate molecular details of eukaryotic transcription initiation. At nearly 9,000 words, it clearly outlines the background, experimental methods used such as ChIP-seq, key results visualized effectively through figures, and implications of the findings per PNAS publication standards. Referencing adheres to journal guidelines. The technical reporting and discussion of a cutting-edge genomic study done across multiple research centers provide a model for presenting rigorous interdisciplinary life sciences research.
An engineering example comes from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Digital Collection, in an open access PDF titled “A Thermodynamic Optimization of Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of a Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Fueled with Ethanol–Diesel Blends.” Published in 2018, this paper reports on experimental engine tests of ethanol fuel blends. At over 10,000 words, it methodically outlines the background, test methodology, results organized logically across numerous tables and charts, discussion of impacts, and conclusions per ASME publication formatting. Referencing follows standard engineering citation styles. The level of technical detail and approach taken to presenting multifaceted experimental engine research serves as an exemplary model for engineering research communication.
For computing, a sample paper comes from the Association for Computing Machinery in their open access Digital Library, titled “GraphX: Graph Processing in a Distributed Dataflow Framework.” Published in Communications of the ACM in 2013, this paper presents a GraphX API for graph parallel computing on large-scale clusters. At over 5,000 words, it introduces the motivation and API architecture methodology before delving into implementation details and benchmark performance evaluations against other graph frameworks. The writing synthesizes technical computing concepts clearly for other researchers and practitioners. Figures effectively illustrate key infrastructure components. Referencing follows standard ACM citation guidelines. In demonstrating both conceptual and empirical evaluation of a new software framework, it serves as a model published computing systems paper.
Finally, for a business research example, one quality published paper comes from the journal California Management Review. Titled “How Netflix Reinvented HR,” the 2016 article investigates how the company has transformed its approach to human resource management and talent development culture. At nearly 6,000 words, it uses qualitative research interviews and documentary analysis to outline Netflix’s approach, key initiatives undertaken, and outcomes achieved in building a learning and empowerment focused organizational culture. Personal anecdotes from Netflix leadership enhance readability. A diagram visually depicts aspects of the talent philosophy. References follow Harvard style guidelines. The clearly structured case study format serves as an exemplar publication of business domain scholarly research.
These sample published research papers across various domains provide useful references for formatting, structuring and writing standards expected of scholarly peer-reviewed publications. By examining real published works, researchers can gain insights into experiment presentation, data visualization techniques, integrating related work, technical terminology usage, and referencing guidelines based on targeted journals or conferences. Both early career and experienced researchers reviewing exemplar papers relevant to their field can help enhance the communication quality and rigor of their own work submitted for scholarly publication.
Andrew Stroud