The university research paper format varies from discipline to discipline and from professor to professor. There are some general guidelines that apply to most academic papers. This article will explore the key components and standard protocol for formatting a university level research paper.
TITLE PAGE
The very first page of your paper should be a title page. A title page should include three main elements: the title of the paper, your name, and the institution you are writing the paper for (your university). Align all elements to the center of the page. Place your paper’s title in the upper half of the page using a larger font than the other text. Your name and institution belong below the title in a smaller font size. Page numbers are usually not used on title pages.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction is where you will want to hook your reader in and give them some context and background on the overall topic being discussed in the paper. Open with an attention grabbing opening paragraph that provides an overview of the main argument or purpose of the paper. Next, discuss the scope and significance of the research problem you are addressing. This could include statistics or facts that establish why this topic merits analysis. Conclude the introduction with a clear statement of the overall direction and goals of the paper through a thesis statement. A solid thesis should be debatable, focused and specific.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This section establishes context and credibility by summarizing and synthesizing the key existing published research and literature on the topic. Critically analyze published sources to build context around your original research. Discuss key themes, trends, theories, methodologies and debates. Compare and contrast different scholarly opinions. Find gaps and disagreements in the published literature that your own research aims to address or expand upon. Ensure all cited sources are properly cited following your selected citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
METHODOLOGY
Describe in detail how your original research was conducted and analyzed. Disclose your methods and sources for collecting information. Were surveys distributed, interviews conducted, data collected and analyzed? etc. Explain your research approach, data collection instruments, sampling strategies, limitations and timelines. Discuss how results will be organized and presented. The goal is to show your work is empirically sound and replicable by other scholars. Quantitative papers may include statistical tests employed. Qualitative works may define coding approaches used.
RESULTS
Objectively present the key results and findings that emerged from your original research. Organize results logically under descriptive subtitles. Include statistical data from surveys or studies in clear table and graph formats for ease of understanding. Directly answer research questions posed. Thoroughly analyze and discuss patterns and insights that emerged with direct citations of sources to back assertions. Limit interpretations here and reserve analysis for the discussion section.
DISCUSSION
In this section, analyze the significance of your results and provide thoughtful interpretations. Relate findings back to the literature reviewed initially and discuss how your work either supports or adds new knowledge. Explain how/why results occurred and provide possible explanations. Frame outcomes in the context of theories covered. Discuss real world implications and applications of the study. Address limitations in your methodology and areas for potential future research. Keep interpretations grounded and backed by references and quotes from authoritative sources. Avoid subjective opinions without evidence.
CONCLUSION
Briefly summarize your key results and main takeaways. Restate the overall research problem and then discuss how your original study aimed to address the identified gaps. Reflect on how research questions were answered based on uncovered insights. Conclude by reiterating the core significance and implications of your findings as they relate to the larger issues surrounding the topic. Where appropriate, provide opportunities for further research. Finish powerfully and leave the reader with a clear takeaway about the value of your contribution.
REFERENCES
List full details of all sources cited in proper citation style format (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) alphabetically by author’s last name. Use consistent stylistic elements like indentation and line spacing to distinguish elements of each source for ease of reading. Provide complete bibliographic information, including publication dates, issue/volume numbers, URLS or DOIs for electronic sources so readers can easily locate materials. Some styles like APA also include an abstract for dissertations and theses.
APPENDICES
Include any supplemental materials, like raw data, transcripts, images or copyright permissions that further support the research but would disrupt the flow if incorporated directly into the paper. Allow readers access to original sources for verification or expansion of results. Appendices appear after the reference section and restart page numbering. Label each appendix clearly for easy reference (Appendix A. Survey Questions, Appendix B. Interview Transcripts etc.).
These are the core elements most academic research papers will contain to some degree based on the selected publishing style guide. Individual assignment instructions should always take precedence over general guidelines. Consult with your professor about any specific formatting rules for structure, style, spacing or technical requirements needed for successful completion of each project. Following instructions will maximize marks received.
Andrew Stroud