BUILDING BLOCKS 2 – SUMMARY PERIOD 1
Typical structure of research article
> Title and Abstract
> Introduction
> Method
> Results
> and
> Discussion and Conclusion
Session 2 – Titles and Abstracts
Title > goals > attract readers
> identify the field of study
> distinguish your paper from all other in the field
> structure > concise yet specific
> indicates main topic of study
> indicates scope of study
> self-explanatory
> can have subtitle (with colon) > problem: problem
> general: specific
> topic: method
> major: minor
> language > contains 15 words or fewer
> contains minimum of punctuation
> key word near beginning
> common structures > announces main topic and approach
> announces aim
> makes general statement that is refined after colon
> announces topic and 1+ variables
> focuses on conclusion
> addresses issue as question
Abstract > goals > provide overview of study (summary)
> help readers decide whether they will read entire article or not
> structure > 5 elements that mirror research report sections
background simple present tense
information
principal activity, simple past tense
purpose, hypothesis
methodology simple past tense/passives
results simple past tense
conclusions/discussion present tense/tentative verbs/modal auxiliaries > should be
implicit or explicit (with headings for each)
> avoid > only introducing topic
> providing details of data, results, significance
> including information that is not in body of article
> discussing your hopes for the article
> footnotes or citations
> quotations
> abbreviations, symbols or acronyms (unless absolutely necessary!)
Session 3 – Introduction
Goal & structure
> 5 stages/elements 1. create setting: give general statements about field of research and
specific research issue, and introduce your topic
2. literature review/theoretical framework: provide information on
aspects of phenomenon/issue that other researchers have studied
already
3. gap statement: based on literature review, indicate what still needs to
be researched
, BUILDING BLOCKS 2 – SUMMARY PERIOD 1
4. purpose of study and present research question and sub-
questions/hypotheses
5. (justify your research: value, contribution to existing theory)
Language use: Tense
> simple present > reference to background information
> general acceptance as fact/claim within the discipline
> you believe is still true and relevant, even though research was
conducted in past (personal opinion)
> what is known to occur regularly
> general statement (or research purpose)
> present perfect > reference to previous research, asserting to what extent they have
established firm research foundation
> recent/current = connection between past and present
> what has been done <> what is known to be true now
> simple past > reference to actions that took place (at specific point) in past
> introduce other scholars’ research (in support of general statement in
literature review)
> describe research steps of completed study (when announcing
research purpose)
Language use: Citations
> short description of specific information source > in reference list
> Why? > to give credit to the sources you used
> to provide information needed to find the cited source
> APA in-text reference, APA reference in reference list
Style Orientation Example Tense Example
information Characterization of a country reporting The factors that influence
prominent as a high or low uncertainty general facts negotiation outcomes are
avoidance culture applies at = present tense still poorly known (Rusch &
the societal level (Hofstede, Posch, 2019).
2001).
author strong Hofstede (2001) argued that findings Jones (2001) showed that
prominent author characterization of a country presented as female meeting
orientations as a high or low uncertainty restricted to participants initiated
avoidance culture applies at one study interruptions significantly
the societal level. = simple past less frequently than their
male counterparts.
findings Jones (2001) shows that
presented as female meeting
general fact participants initiated
= present tense interruptions significantly
less frequently than their
male counterparts.
findings Van Bennekom (1987)
presented as proposed that age
tentative = may/might/could be an
simple past important factor in
tentative + vocabulary acquisition.
modal
auxiliary
weak author Several researchers have focus on One study has found that
orientation argued that characterization research of meetings are most
of a country as a high or low several studies effective when a discussion
uncertainty avoidance culture = present leader is present (Jones,
applies at the societal level perfect 2015).
(Hofstede, 2001; Jordan,
2011).
Typical structure of research article
> Title and Abstract
> Introduction
> Method
> Results
> and
> Discussion and Conclusion
Session 2 – Titles and Abstracts
Title > goals > attract readers
> identify the field of study
> distinguish your paper from all other in the field
> structure > concise yet specific
> indicates main topic of study
> indicates scope of study
> self-explanatory
> can have subtitle (with colon) > problem: problem
> general: specific
> topic: method
> major: minor
> language > contains 15 words or fewer
> contains minimum of punctuation
> key word near beginning
> common structures > announces main topic and approach
> announces aim
> makes general statement that is refined after colon
> announces topic and 1+ variables
> focuses on conclusion
> addresses issue as question
Abstract > goals > provide overview of study (summary)
> help readers decide whether they will read entire article or not
> structure > 5 elements that mirror research report sections
background simple present tense
information
principal activity, simple past tense
purpose, hypothesis
methodology simple past tense/passives
results simple past tense
conclusions/discussion present tense/tentative verbs/modal auxiliaries > should be
implicit or explicit (with headings for each)
> avoid > only introducing topic
> providing details of data, results, significance
> including information that is not in body of article
> discussing your hopes for the article
> footnotes or citations
> quotations
> abbreviations, symbols or acronyms (unless absolutely necessary!)
Session 3 – Introduction
Goal & structure
> 5 stages/elements 1. create setting: give general statements about field of research and
specific research issue, and introduce your topic
2. literature review/theoretical framework: provide information on
aspects of phenomenon/issue that other researchers have studied
already
3. gap statement: based on literature review, indicate what still needs to
be researched
, BUILDING BLOCKS 2 – SUMMARY PERIOD 1
4. purpose of study and present research question and sub-
questions/hypotheses
5. (justify your research: value, contribution to existing theory)
Language use: Tense
> simple present > reference to background information
> general acceptance as fact/claim within the discipline
> you believe is still true and relevant, even though research was
conducted in past (personal opinion)
> what is known to occur regularly
> general statement (or research purpose)
> present perfect > reference to previous research, asserting to what extent they have
established firm research foundation
> recent/current = connection between past and present
> what has been done <> what is known to be true now
> simple past > reference to actions that took place (at specific point) in past
> introduce other scholars’ research (in support of general statement in
literature review)
> describe research steps of completed study (when announcing
research purpose)
Language use: Citations
> short description of specific information source > in reference list
> Why? > to give credit to the sources you used
> to provide information needed to find the cited source
> APA in-text reference, APA reference in reference list
Style Orientation Example Tense Example
information Characterization of a country reporting The factors that influence
prominent as a high or low uncertainty general facts negotiation outcomes are
avoidance culture applies at = present tense still poorly known (Rusch &
the societal level (Hofstede, Posch, 2019).
2001).
author strong Hofstede (2001) argued that findings Jones (2001) showed that
prominent author characterization of a country presented as female meeting
orientations as a high or low uncertainty restricted to participants initiated
avoidance culture applies at one study interruptions significantly
the societal level. = simple past less frequently than their
male counterparts.
findings Jones (2001) shows that
presented as female meeting
general fact participants initiated
= present tense interruptions significantly
less frequently than their
male counterparts.
findings Van Bennekom (1987)
presented as proposed that age
tentative = may/might/could be an
simple past important factor in
tentative + vocabulary acquisition.
modal
auxiliary
weak author Several researchers have focus on One study has found that
orientation argued that characterization research of meetings are most
of a country as a high or low several studies effective when a discussion
uncertainty avoidance culture = present leader is present (Jones,
applies at the societal level perfect 2015).
(Hofstede, 2001; Jordan,
2011).
