The Art of Research Paper Writingpresented by

Sujata Kathpalia

Language and Communication Centre

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

(Greatly indebted to my colleagues Dr. Carmel Heah and Dr. Alvin

Leong)

Overview

I. • Academic Writing

II. • The Research Process

III. • Structure of Research Papers

IV. • Features of Academic Writing

V. • Citation & Reference Conventions

I. Academic Discourse

You write a research paper to share your findings with others.

• When you publish a paper, you enter an ongoing discourse or conversation.

These conversations stretch back years and happen globally.

• As beginners, you are the newest arrival in the parlor of academic discourse.

In fact …

• Learning how to write about your research in a

disciplined way is as important as learning how

to understand theories, formulate hypotheses,

perform experiments, and analyze data in a

disciplined way.

What is Academic Writing?

Audience• General?

• Specialist?

Purpose• Informative?

• Persuasive?

Genre

• Research Paper?

• News Report?

Comparison of Texts

• Version 1

• Recent studies have provided reasons to

postulate that the primary timer for long-cycle

biological rhythms that are closely similar in

period to the natural geophysical ones and that

persist in so-called constant conditions is, in fact,

one of organismic response to subtle

geophysical fluctuations which pervade ordinary

constant conditions in the laboratory.

• Version 2

• 1Everyone knows that there are individuals who are able to 2awaken morning after morning at the same time within a few minutes. Are they awakened by 3sensory cues received 4unconsciously, or is there some “biological clock” that keeps accurate account of the passage of time?

• 1. Recent studies; 2. the primary timer for long-cycle biological rhythms; 3. subtle geophysical fluctuations; 4. organismic response

• Version 3

• OMG. I’M L8 4 MY 8.30 TUT. OMG OMG

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG.

I OVERSLEPT AGAIN! MY BIOLOGICAL

CLOCK IS MESSED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personal vs. Academic Writing

Personal Writing Academic Writing

Narrative/Subjective

(i.e. ‘I’-centered)

Analytical/Argumentative

(i.e. centered on facts)

Non-technical

(imprecise)

Technical (precise)

Informal Formal

Simplified from: Crème, P. & Lea, M. (1997). Writing at University. Buckingham:

Oxford University Press, p. 105.

lI. The Research Process

Identifying Topic/Problem

Formulating Hypothesis

Testing Hypothesis

Analysing Data

Drawing Conclusions

The Research Paper as a Mirror of

the Scientific Method

Scientific Method of Investigation

Research Problem / Hypothesis

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Drawing Conclusions

Research Paper Sections

Introduction

Method

Results

Conclusion

III. Structure of a Research Article

Title of Paper

1.• Are Virtual Labs Effective?

2.• In comparison to what?

• Are Virtual Labs as Effective as Hands-on Labs?

3.

• In which context?

• Are Virtual Labs as Effective as Hands-on Labs for Undergraduate Physics? A Comparative Study of Two Major Universities

1. Introduction: Swales’ CARS (Create

a Research Space) Model

• Establishing the territory

• (Provide background information)Move 1

• Establishing the niche

• (Show a gap in past research)Move 2

• Occupying the niche

• (State the objective & scope) Move 3

Background (General- Specific)• Traditionally, physics laboratory courses have

been taught as separate courses [at

universities] under junior faculty and/or graduate

students in labs equipped with various levels of

instrumentation.

• With the increased number of online courses,

there also exists a need for the implementation

of online or virtual labs as supplements or

replacements of the traditional high school and

college labs (Bhargava et al. 2006)

Research Problem (Gap)

• In previous research, many of the computerized

resources utilized very basic functionality and basic

graphical displays. However, the Virtual Physics Lab

in the present study, is a next generation

computerized resource that seeks to incorporate

research-based active-learning characteristics and

also utilizes the most recent technologies making the

experiments more “real world” and engaging for

students.

Objective

• This study aims to illustrate the point

that when virtual labs are developed

properly to contain all necessary

components, they can be just as effective

in producing learning as hands-on labs.

2. Literature Review: What is “literature review”?

• Information that is already availableLiterature

• To go through something and examine it closelyReview

• To examine thoroughly published work on the topic

Literature Review

Where is the “literature review”?

Option 1: Part of the Introduction

Option 2: A separate section

More on Literature Review …

What?

• An organized collection of “references” or “citations”

Why cite?

• To review theoretical information

• To show how your “voice” fits into the ongoing “academic conversation”

Which sources?

• Current research in scholarly journals/books

• NOT popular magazines, newspapers or Wikipedia

Types of Citation

Information-Prominent Citations

• To indicate state of knowledge

• Tense: Present or Present Perfect

Author-Prominent Citations

• To refer to a single study

• Tense: Present or Past

Pyatt and Sims (2007) found evidence to suggest that the hands-on lab had lost instructional value, while emerging technologies such as simulations can be used as viable replacements.

However, simulations may not be widely accepted by accrediting agencies as alternatives for hands-on labs (Pyatt and Sims 2007).

In-Text Citations

Quotations

When author’s

precise words are important

Preferred in the social sciences!

Paraphrases &

Summaries

When author’s ideas are important

Preferred in the hard

sciences!

Organizing citations

Summarize, analyze & synthesize

Do not list & describe

each source one-by-one!

Citation: Synthesis or Patchwork?

A. Many examples of computer simulations for introductory physics can be found in the literature (Hansson and Bug 1995; Wieman and Perkins 2005; …). However, simulations may not yet be widely accepted by accrediting agencies as alternatives for hands-on labs (Pyatt and Sims 2007) and in some cases, students may prefer to use physical equipment (Bhargava et al. 2006).

B. Many examples of computer simulations for introductory physics can be found in the literature (Hansson and Bug 1995; Wieman and Perkins 2005; …). In most of these cases, computerized labs were shown to increase understanding and provide many benefits over their hands-on counterparts. Even so some drawbacks were noted. For example, simulations may not yet be widely accepted by accrediting agencies as alternatives for hands-on labs (Pyatt and Sims 2007) and in some cases, students may prefer to use physical equipment (Bhargava et al. 2006). However, for the most part, the evidence supports the belief that virtual simulations are a viable replacement or supplement to hands-on labs.

Citation: Synthesis or Patchwork?

3. Method and Materials

To describe the materials you used in

the study

To describe the steps you followed in

conducting your study

Information Elements

Description of Materials and Participants

Description of Procedural Steps

Method of Analysis

Materials

• Through a Small Business Innovation Research

contract funded by the US Department of

Education, Polyhedron Learning Media Inc.

created the Virtual Physics LabTM, a set of online

labs suitable for college-level physics. This

software incorporates the strategies of the

“Five E Cycle” of engagement, exploration,

explanation, elaboration, and evaluation (Bybee

2003).

Participants

• Two different sets of participants were used

during the first and second phases of testing. The

first set of participants included 68 students from

Auburn University. The students enrolled in

Physics I tested four virtual labs to provide a

formative assessment of the product.

Procedures• At Auburn University, the professor collected

background information about each of the students

including, math ACT score, Science ACT score,

and Auburn math placement score from the

registrar’s office. These scores were investigated

as covariates that could be used as baseline

knowledge. The lab sections were randomly

assigned to one of the two treatments or the

control.

Language FeaturesP

AS

T T

EN

SE To show that

the experiment has been completed.

PA

SS

IVE

VO

ICE To show that

the research activity is more important than the researcher.

ST

YL

E To enable replication of experiment specific materials, quantities, dimensions, measurements, etc. are given. O

RG

AN

IZA

TIO

N To show sequence of steps, signal markers are used.

Q1. What did you find?

Present the data

Q2. What does it mean?

Comment on / Interpret

the data

4. Results and Discussion

Information Elements

• Referring to the table/figure/test

Element 1

• Commenting on the findings

Element 2

• Presenting the findings

Element 3

Identify the information elements

A t test was used to compare the

Lab Quiz Average of the various

sections. The results of the virtual

lab (M = 59.37, SD = 16.97, n = 23)

were compared with the hands-on

lab (M = 58.16, SD = 20.86, n = 26).

The t test shows that there is no

evidence to suggest that there is any

significant difference between the

quiz averages for the two groups.

Sentence :

Sentence :

Sentence :

34

E1Point the

reader to the data

Do not make the reader

hunt for data

E2Do not simply repeat all the data in words

Spot trends or regularities in

the data

E3 Comment on findings

Interpret the data for readers

5. Conclusion

Objectives

Results

Conclusion

Information Elements

1. Main purpose or hypothesis of study

2. Review of Key findings

3. Some comments on findings

4. Limitations of study

5. Implications or applications of study

6. Recommendations for future research

Identify the information elements

In summary, we investigated a set of next generation virtual labs that contain the important components that correspond well to hands-on labs. The main goal of this research was to show that this type of virtual lab could produce the same learning outcomes as a traditional hands-on lab experience. The research was conducted with 224 students from two large universities. The analyses of the data at both universities show no evidence that one of the treatments (virtual or hands-on) was more effective than the other in conveying the concepts of the labs to the students. There were no significant differences noted in any of the tests.

From this, we can conclude that the Virtual Physics Lab software used in these two introductory physics courses produced similar learning outcomes as the hands-on traditional lab. The implications of these findings are important as universities struggle to equip physics labs with enough equipment to serve the rising number of students, to provide an alternative to students who need to review or make up a lab and to cater to a growing number of online courses.

Identify the information elements.

Abstract1. • It is a mini report.

2. • It is self-contained.

3. • It is concise (250 words).

4.• It should be the last thing

you write.

5.• It appears at the

beginning of the report.

• An accurate

summary of

the contents

of a paper /

report

Information Elements

Abstract: 1. What was done?

E1: Research Background

2. Why was it done?

E2: Research Objectives

3. How was it done?

E3: Research Methods

4. What was found?

E4: Main Results

5. What is the significance of research?

E5: Conclusion (Implications)

Guidelines for Language

Use concise and concrete language

Avoid complexity & circumlocution

Avoid abbreviations, acronyms or symbols

Write complete sentences

Use good transitions from point to point

IV. Features of Academic Language

Complex

Formal

Objective

Explicit

Concise

Cautious

1a. Lexical Complexity

Through Affixes and Word Combinations:

• Antidisestablishmentarianism - 28 letters, 5 affixes

(anti-dis-establish-ment-arian-ism)

• Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis - 45

letters, 6 words

(pneumono+ultra+microscopic+silico+volcano+koniosis)

“A fatal lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine

silica dust”

1b. Grammatical Complexity

Verb-Based Nominalized

• I read the data

carefully.

• I found that there

were a lot of errors

and these occurred

frequently.

The analysis of the data

revealed

a recurrence of systematic

and random errors.

2. Formality

• The dorsal side and

head of the

Emperor Penguin

is black and sharply

delineated from the

white belly, pale-

yellow breast, and

bright-yellow ear

patches.

• The Emperor Penguin has been hot in the news and even the box office. If you’re not sure what this lordly penguin looks like, it has a black head, bright-yellow spots around the ears, and a big ol’ white belly.

3. Objectivity

• Our study aims to investigate the ignorance of undergraduates on the harmful effects of caffeine.

Avoid biased statements

• In my opinion, this is a very interesting study.

Avoid first-person

pronouns

• The findings of this study are awesome.

Avoid emotionally-

loaded words

4. Explicitness

Without signal markers

• The energy needs of a

resting sea otter are 3

times those of terrestrial

animals of comparable

size. The sea otter must

eat about 25% of its body

weight daily. Sea otters

feed continually, at night

as well as day.

• Pechenik, 2004, p.100-

101

With signal markers

• The energy needs of a

resting sea otter are 3 times

those of terrestrial animals

of comparable size. To

support such a

high metabolic

rate, the sea otter must

eat about 25% of its body

weight daily. Therefore,

sea otters feed continually,

at night as well as day.

Provide expansions of abbreviations

• This resulted in

higher caffeine

concentrations in

NC condition than

in the AC condition

and the NP

condition.

• *NC = Normal

caffeine

• *AC = Abstained

caffeine

• *NP = Normal

placebo

5. Brevity: Be Concise

• Solution of sodium

hypochlorite in

dihydrogen monoxide

effectuated superlative

and efficacious broad-

spectrum bactericidal

activity.

Bleach in water

kills germs.

6. Hedging: Be Cautious

• The cow may have jumped over the moon.Modals

• The findings suggest that the cow jumped over the moon.

Tentative Verbs

• It is generally believed that the cow jumped over the moon.

Qualifying Words

•The use of seat belts prevents physical injuries in car accidents.Big

•According to simulation studies, in some circumstances the use of seat belts may reducecertain types of injuries in car accidents.

Weak

•Based on simulation studies, it can be concluded that some evidence seems to suggest that in certain circumstances the use of seat belts may reduce certain types of injuries in car accidents.

Excessive

Make claims of appropriate strength

V. Citations and Reference

Conventions

In-Text Citations

Author-Year

Number

Reference List

Alphabetic

Sequential

Number System

• In the number system, in-text citations are in the form of

numbers.

1. Numbers should appear sequentially.

2. Numbers are usually superscripted.

3. Makes the writing less cluttered.

1. Numbers should appear

sequentially.

2. Numbers are in superscript

or brackets.

3. Numbers make the writing

less cluttered.

Number System

4. In the ‘References’ section, the

references should retain their

numbering. They are therefore

arranged by order of appearance in

the text, not alphabetically.

Author-Year system

If there are multiple

citations, the citations

should be arranged

alphabetically (according

to the first author’s name)

and separated using semi-

colons.

Author-Year system

• In the ‘References’ section, the references should be

arranged alphabetically.

References

• Basically:

Who? When? Title? Publisher?

Place

Publisher

Name of journal Volume

Issue

Page numbers

Author Year Title

American Psychological Association (APA):

Kathpalia, S. (2015). Convoluted Writing. Singapore: Special

Books.

Modern Languages Association (MLA):

Kathpalia, Sujata. Convoluted Writing. Singapore: Special

Books, 2015. Print.

American Chemical Society (ACS):

Kathpalia, Sujata. Convoluted Writing; Special Books:

Singapore, 2015.

American Institute of Physics (AIP):

S. Kathpalia. Convoluted Writing (Special Books,

Singapore, 2015).

Darrah, M., Humbert, R., Finstein, J., Simon, M,

and Hopkins, J. (2014). Are Virutal Labs as

Effective as Hands-on Labs for Undergraduate

Physics? A Comparative Study at Two Major

Universities. J Sci Educ Technol 23, 803-814.

Reference