Building Blocks of English / Second semester / IBC / Radboud University
Structure of a research article
Title & Abstract
Introduction
Method = IMRAD (abbreviation)
Results
And
Discussion and Conclusion
1. Title
Goals:
To attract readers
To identify the field of study
To distinguish your paper from all others in the field
Structure:
A lot of freedom in creating a title, but
A good title:
Is concise yet specific
Indicates the main topic of the study
Indicated the scope of the study
Should be self-explanatory to readers in the chosen area
Can also have a subtitle (using a colon) for example:
Problem: solution
General: specific
Topic: method
Major: minor
Language use
A lot of freedom in creating a title, but
Effective titles often:
Contain 15 words or fewer
Contain a minimum of punctuation
Have a key word near the beginning
Common structures in titles
1. Announces the main topic and approach
2. Announces the aim
3. Makes a general statement that is refined after the colon
4. Announces the topic and one or more variables
5. Focuses on the conclusion
6. Addresses the issue as a question
1.2 Abstract
,Goals
To provide an overview of the study (i.e. a summary)
Help readers decide whether they will read the entire article or not
Structure
5 elements that mirror the research report section
1. Background information (B)
2. Principal activity / purpose / hypothesis (P)
3. Methodology (M)
4. Results (R)
5. Conclusions / discussion / implications / recommendations (C)
The structure can be implicit or explicit, depending on requirements of the journal
Implicit = no subtitles, one cohesive text
Explicit = subtitles, clear indication of a new part
Language use
Use of tenses
1. Background information simple present tense
2. Principal activity simple past tense
3. Methodology simple past tense / passives
4. Results simple past tense
5. Conclusions present tense / tentative verbs / modal auxiliaries
What to avoid
Only introducing the topic
Providing details of data, results, significance
Including information that is not in the body of the article
Discussing your hopes for the article
Footnotes or citations
Quotations
Abbreviations, symbols, or acronyms (unless absolutely necessary)
2. Introduction
Goal and structure of the introduction
5 stages or elements
1. Create the setting: Give general statements about field of research and your
specific research issue and introduce your topic.
2. Literature review / theoretical framework: provide information on aspects
of the phenomenon or issue that other researchers have studied already.
3. Gap statement: based on your literature review, indicate what still needs to be
researched
4. Purpose of your study: present your research question and sub-questions (or
your hypotheses)
5. Justify your research (optional)
Further elaboration on the elements
1. Create the setting
Give general statements about field or research and your specific research issue
Create setting: capture the reader’s attention
Why is this issue or phenomenon an interesting one to study?
,2. Literature review / theoretical framework
Provide information on aspects of the issue that other researchers have already studied
What was done before you decided to study this phenomenon
What do we know about the phenomenon?
3. Gap statement
Indicate what still needs to be researched
This is where you enter the picture
What questions will still remain and what will you focus?
4. Purpose of your study
State the purpose of your study and present your research question and subquestions
(or your hypothesis)
Often these elements are combined
5. Justify your research
Optional
What will the results of your study mean?
How are the results of value (= relevant) to the research field?
Do they constitute additional knowledge, do they contribute to existing theory, do they
lead to implications for practice?
Tenses used in the introduction
Simple present
I drink nearly every day
Simple past
Last night, I drank too much.
Present perfect
I have read so many books I cannot keep count.
Elaboration on the use of the tenses
Simple present
“Many multinationals use standardized, English-language advertising strategies to reach out
to their international consumers.”
Reference to background information which is accepted as fact:
General acceptance as fact / claim within the discipline
You believe this is still true and relevant, even though the research was conducted in
the past (personal opinion)
What is known to occur on a regular basis
General statement (of research purpose)
Present perfect
“In recent years, many studies have been conducted on… but few experiments have been
carried out on…”
Reference to previous research, asserting to what extent previous studies have established a
firm research foundation:
Recent / current = connection between the past and the present
What has been done = what is known to be true
, Simple past
“Jones found the meaning of images to be more compelling than the meaning of words.”
Reference to actions that took place (at a specific point) in the past:
Introduce other scholars’ research (in support of a general statement in your literature
overview)
Describe research steps of your completed study (when announcing research purpose)
Citations
A citation is a short, description of a specific information source (e.g. incl author’s last name
and year of publication.)
Why?
To give credit to the sources
To provide the information needed to find the cited source (APA in-text reference, and
APA reference in reference list)
NB: A citation is not a “citaat” (Dutch) = false friends
Citation styles
1. Information prominent
Characterization of a country as a high or low uncertainty avoidance culture applies at
the societal level (Hofstede, 2001).
2. Author prominent
a. Strong author orientation
Hofstede (2001) argued that characterization of a country as a high or low
uncertainty avoidance culture applies at the societal level.
b. Weak author orientation
Several researchers have argued that characterization of a country as a high or
low uncertainty avoidance culture applies at the societal level. (Hofstede,
2001; Jordan, 2011)
The tenses used in the citation styles
1. Information prominent
For general facts
Present tense
o ‘The factors that influence negotiation outcomes are still poorly known.”
(Rusch & Porsch, 2019)
2. Strong author prominent
For reporting findings from specific study
Simple past
o Allington (2003) and Smith (2003) found that chairpersons….”
HOWEVER…
A strong author prominent citation can also use present tense, making it even stronger.
(= fact)
o “Jones (2001) shows that female meeting participants…”
3. Weak author prominent
For focussing on research of several studies
Present perfect
Structure of a research article
Title & Abstract
Introduction
Method = IMRAD (abbreviation)
Results
And
Discussion and Conclusion
1. Title
Goals:
To attract readers
To identify the field of study
To distinguish your paper from all others in the field
Structure:
A lot of freedom in creating a title, but
A good title:
Is concise yet specific
Indicates the main topic of the study
Indicated the scope of the study
Should be self-explanatory to readers in the chosen area
Can also have a subtitle (using a colon) for example:
Problem: solution
General: specific
Topic: method
Major: minor
Language use
A lot of freedom in creating a title, but
Effective titles often:
Contain 15 words or fewer
Contain a minimum of punctuation
Have a key word near the beginning
Common structures in titles
1. Announces the main topic and approach
2. Announces the aim
3. Makes a general statement that is refined after the colon
4. Announces the topic and one or more variables
5. Focuses on the conclusion
6. Addresses the issue as a question
1.2 Abstract
,Goals
To provide an overview of the study (i.e. a summary)
Help readers decide whether they will read the entire article or not
Structure
5 elements that mirror the research report section
1. Background information (B)
2. Principal activity / purpose / hypothesis (P)
3. Methodology (M)
4. Results (R)
5. Conclusions / discussion / implications / recommendations (C)
The structure can be implicit or explicit, depending on requirements of the journal
Implicit = no subtitles, one cohesive text
Explicit = subtitles, clear indication of a new part
Language use
Use of tenses
1. Background information simple present tense
2. Principal activity simple past tense
3. Methodology simple past tense / passives
4. Results simple past tense
5. Conclusions present tense / tentative verbs / modal auxiliaries
What to avoid
Only introducing the topic
Providing details of data, results, significance
Including information that is not in the body of the article
Discussing your hopes for the article
Footnotes or citations
Quotations
Abbreviations, symbols, or acronyms (unless absolutely necessary)
2. Introduction
Goal and structure of the introduction
5 stages or elements
1. Create the setting: Give general statements about field of research and your
specific research issue and introduce your topic.
2. Literature review / theoretical framework: provide information on aspects
of the phenomenon or issue that other researchers have studied already.
3. Gap statement: based on your literature review, indicate what still needs to be
researched
4. Purpose of your study: present your research question and sub-questions (or
your hypotheses)
5. Justify your research (optional)
Further elaboration on the elements
1. Create the setting
Give general statements about field or research and your specific research issue
Create setting: capture the reader’s attention
Why is this issue or phenomenon an interesting one to study?
,2. Literature review / theoretical framework
Provide information on aspects of the issue that other researchers have already studied
What was done before you decided to study this phenomenon
What do we know about the phenomenon?
3. Gap statement
Indicate what still needs to be researched
This is where you enter the picture
What questions will still remain and what will you focus?
4. Purpose of your study
State the purpose of your study and present your research question and subquestions
(or your hypothesis)
Often these elements are combined
5. Justify your research
Optional
What will the results of your study mean?
How are the results of value (= relevant) to the research field?
Do they constitute additional knowledge, do they contribute to existing theory, do they
lead to implications for practice?
Tenses used in the introduction
Simple present
I drink nearly every day
Simple past
Last night, I drank too much.
Present perfect
I have read so many books I cannot keep count.
Elaboration on the use of the tenses
Simple present
“Many multinationals use standardized, English-language advertising strategies to reach out
to their international consumers.”
Reference to background information which is accepted as fact:
General acceptance as fact / claim within the discipline
You believe this is still true and relevant, even though the research was conducted in
the past (personal opinion)
What is known to occur on a regular basis
General statement (of research purpose)
Present perfect
“In recent years, many studies have been conducted on… but few experiments have been
carried out on…”
Reference to previous research, asserting to what extent previous studies have established a
firm research foundation:
Recent / current = connection between the past and the present
What has been done = what is known to be true
, Simple past
“Jones found the meaning of images to be more compelling than the meaning of words.”
Reference to actions that took place (at a specific point) in the past:
Introduce other scholars’ research (in support of a general statement in your literature
overview)
Describe research steps of your completed study (when announcing research purpose)
Citations
A citation is a short, description of a specific information source (e.g. incl author’s last name
and year of publication.)
Why?
To give credit to the sources
To provide the information needed to find the cited source (APA in-text reference, and
APA reference in reference list)
NB: A citation is not a “citaat” (Dutch) = false friends
Citation styles
1. Information prominent
Characterization of a country as a high or low uncertainty avoidance culture applies at
the societal level (Hofstede, 2001).
2. Author prominent
a. Strong author orientation
Hofstede (2001) argued that characterization of a country as a high or low
uncertainty avoidance culture applies at the societal level.
b. Weak author orientation
Several researchers have argued that characterization of a country as a high or
low uncertainty avoidance culture applies at the societal level. (Hofstede,
2001; Jordan, 2011)
The tenses used in the citation styles
1. Information prominent
For general facts
Present tense
o ‘The factors that influence negotiation outcomes are still poorly known.”
(Rusch & Porsch, 2019)
2. Strong author prominent
For reporting findings from specific study
Simple past
o Allington (2003) and Smith (2003) found that chairpersons….”
HOWEVER…
A strong author prominent citation can also use present tense, making it even stronger.
(= fact)
o “Jones (2001) shows that female meeting participants…”
3. Weak author prominent
For focussing on research of several studies
Present perfect
