The research paper is a common assignment for college-level classes. It can be daunting to write one, especially if never had any experience with academic writing. This article will go over what a research paper entails and the key elements that should always be included.  There are three sections in a research paper: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction should introduce the topic and include a thesis statement reflecting analysis of it, and a brief outline of the points will make in the body paragraphs [1]. The body should be organized logically and move from general to specific points as move through the argument. Finally, the conclusion should restate the main point and summarizer key [2].

A research paper is an in-depth essay that requires a significant amount of academic knowledge to complete. These papers typically explore topics related to the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. To create a research paper, one must follow certain guidelines and include specific elements [3]. This article will help master the most important aspects of academic writing, from understanding how to structure a paper to citing sources correctly to avoid common mistakes while drafting own.       

Writing a research paper requires a proper understanding of what each section should capture. This will help avoid repetition or providing the wrong details in the various parts of the research paper. To write an impressive research paper, researchers must first understand why each section of the research paper was written, what purpose it serves and what it contains. Therefore, many researchers often find it difficult to understand the difference between some parts of the research paper and are unsure whether they are interchangeable or serve distinct purposes. This article lists the differences between some sections and the more confusing aspects of a research paper.

Study Versus Research

Research: Is considered a scientific process or method of finding answers to a research question, solving an issue, or generating contemporary knowledge through an orderly and systematic collection, organization, and thorough analysis of information targeted towards making research beneficial in decision making [4]. In contrast, a study is defined as the act of spending time investigating and learning about a specific subject area or particular thing. The noun "study" refers to a single paper or project, can replace "paper" with "study" in almost all cases (but not always the other way around)." The noun "research" means more like a whole body of research, including many individual studies: The research of a field, the lifetime achievements of a scientist or research team.

Abstract Versus Introduction

An abstract is a brief and clear summary of a research. It contains the most important research details, including the key results, methods, and conclusion. The abstract clearly highlights the issue addressed by the study and the key findings. An abstract is a stand-alone one without reference to the main text or the literature. It is intended to help readers, who are often busy scientists, decide if they wish to read the entire article and can be especially useful in the case of paywalled articles [3]. It also helps editors of journals to decide whether articles should be considered for peer review.

On the other hand, the introduction section is the beginning of the research paper. It provides background for the research topic, which helps the reader understand the study’s motivation. It sets the context for research by introducing the research topic, providing a brief overview of the published previous literature, identifying the gaps or problems that existing research has failed to address, and finally presenting the problem that intends to solve, ideally through an ‘aim’ statement at the end of the introduction [3].

Aim Versus Objectives

A research aim describes the main goal or the overarching purpose of a research project. The study's aim states the outcome that the study hopes to achieve. It is a broad statement of the study's main goal and indicates where we hope to reach at the end of the research [5]. While research objectives, meanwhile, define the steps, i.e., the specific or direct actions taken to achieve the aim. Research objectives define specific stages that will reach to accomplish goals. On the other hand, the aim is a broad goal that the researcher wishes to accomplish, the objectives are several smaller parts, and precise steps will guide the research path [6]. In other words, the research aim states what the researcher wishes to achieve, and the objectives indicate how will achieve them by identifying specific milestones or steps.

Introduction Versus Problem Statement

The introduction is the first part of the research and provides an overview of background information for the study. It includes a literature review, explains the study aim, and states the research question. The purpose of an introduction is to help the readers understand the aim of the study and give them essential background information about the study [3]. On the other hand, a problem statement is a brief and clear explanation of the issue, situation, or condition that the researcher is to study. It helps the researcher clearly identify the purpose of the study by highlighting the gap between reality and the ideal situation to address and why it is important to bridge that gap [7].

Research Background Versus Literature review

A background and literature review informs knowledge of the existing area of research and helps identify gaps that remain unaddressed. The study background is written to state the study's importance, while the literature review evaluates the progress of knowledge in the research area. While the study background is written shortly and concisely, the literature review is relatively detailed. However, it should focus only on the literature needed to provide context and motivation for the research question. Both eventually lead readers to gaps in research that have remained unaddressed. The background broadly introduces the research topic. At the same time, the literature review tracks the existing knowledge in the field and helps identify the exact gaps in research that the study will address [8].

Research Question Versus Research Problem

The research problem identifies a broad issue that the researcher wishes to address through the study. However, the research question identifies the specific concern answered through investigation and critical thinking. Derive the research question from the research problem but is based on study design. Specifying a research question is the first step toward actually solving the research problem [3].

Research Methodology Versus Research Methods

They are two different terms but are commonly confused. Research methodology is a process or broad set of principles that help researchers choose which methods they should use to conduct their study. It is a general type of research selected to answer the research question: quantitative research, qualitative research, outcomes research, or mixed methods research. In contrast, research methods are the actual techniques and procedures used in research work. The specific ways in which the researcher chooses to conduct the study within the selected design. Methods include the choice of setting, subject selection, attempts to limit factors that might introduce error, how a research intervention is strategized, ways in which data are collected, and statistical tests choice. They depend on the choice of research methodology. The research methodology could encompass qualitative or quantitative data based on the study's nature. Accordingly, researchers choose different research methods like observation, interviews, surveys, laboratory experiments, etc. [9].

Results Versus Discussion

The results section presents study findings in a brief text supported by data presented in tables, graphs, figures, or other aspects of non-textual. It provides a clear, concise, and objective description of the results of a particular study and is mostly written in the past tense. The results are presented without interpretation. [10]. On the other hand, the discussionsection summarizes and explains or interprets the study's results in detail. Both items can be grouped under a single section, “results and discussion,” or the results can be separated into a single section followed by a discussion, where the implications of the results are talked about as well as final share comments [3].

Figure Captions Versus Legends Versus Labels

These terms refer to distinct items that serve different purposes and can’t be used interchangeably. Figure captions are the titles or headings of figures, tables, or illustrations and tell the reader what an illustration contains. While Legends are brief descriptions of tables or figures, which often indicate how to interpret the information presented in them and facilitate understanding of the data [11]. On the other hand, Labels are figure parts or illustrations and are used to highlight and name parts of a diagram. They are used to identify each illustration aspect. These aspects are required for a table, figure, or illustration to be completely understandable and independent of the manuscript's main text.

Implications Versus Limitations Versus Recommendations

These are significant-conclusion section components, which summarize the results and the study's gist. Implications are the conclusions drawn from the study. They suggest how the study results can be useful. Through implications, it can show how study can be applied to real-life policies and practices. While research limitations define the context within which the study results should be interpreted and applied. They are based on several reasons, such as unavailability of needed resources, methods used, ineffective research design, or lack of access to advanced instruments and apparatus.

On the other hand, recommendations are suggestions from research for a specific course of action for subsequent study. Once study limitations are included, ideas for future study can be suggested based on questions or gaps that the research cannot address. It can also recommend other elements of the study topic that might be interesting to work on and form leading research questions [12].

Citations Versus References Versus Bibliography

Citation is done when selecting accurate ideas from the other researchers' work, either in the form of quotations or paraphrases. Citations are included in the main body of the research paper, where the information source is cited along with the statement. Both citations and references are used to credit the authors whose work may have been cited when writing the manuscript, making a quotation in the main text, i.e., quoting or paraphrasing another work.

References and bibliography refer to a list, usually placed at the end of the research paper, of all the sources materials “books, articles, documents, and other sources, etc.” that may have been used to gather information needed for work. The only difference is, all references must be cited in the main text [3].

Footnotes Versus Endnotes

Footnotes are explanatory notes or the comments added at the bottom of the page and marked the footnote and the explanatory statement or word with the same symbol or superscript number. In contrast, endnotes are added supplementary information at the end of the research paper marked with a superscript. However, they are also marked with a high number. Footnotes can be useful for quickly identifying the information source at a glance at the page bottom. While endnotes help eliminate page clutter and help maintain flow while reading.

Each research paper section of the manuscript serves a distinct purpose and highlights a different aspect of the research. Therefore, before starting to draft the manuscript, a clear understanding of each section's purpose will help to avoid mistakes.

Recommendation

It is important to understand the different elements of a research paper before writing it. This article helps the researcher understand the difference between the discussed aspects. When the researchers clearly understand each section's purpose, they will manage to write a successful research paper before drafting a paper.

1. Moher, D. et al. “CONSORT 2010 explanation and elaboration: Updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), vol. 340, 2010, pp. 1–28.

2. Gray, J.R. et al. The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence. 8th ed., Elsevier Health Sciences, 2017.

3. Cals, J.W.L. and Kotz, D. “Effective writing and publishing scientific papers – Part I: How to get started.” Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 66, no. 4, 2013, pp. 397.

4. Potter, P.A. et al. Fundamentals of nursing. 10th ed., Elsevier Health Sciences, 2021.

5. Thomas, D.R. and Hodges, I. “Developing research aims and objectives.” Designing and managing your research project: Core skills for social and health research, 2010, pp. 38–46.

6. Nieswiadomy, R.M. and Bailey, C. Foundations of nursing research. 7th ed., Pearson, 2018.

7. Nasution, M.K.M. et al. “Design of the research problem statement.” Journal of Physics: Conference Series, vol. 1235, no. 1, 2019.

8. Hart, C. Doing a literature review: Releasing the research imagination. 2nd ed., SAGE Publications, 2018.

9. LoBiondo-Wood, G. and Haber, J. Nursing research: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2021.

10. Kotz, D. and Cals, J.W.L. “Effective writing and publishing scientific papers, Part V: Results.” Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 66, no. 9, 2013, pp. 945.

11. Kotz, D. and Cals, J.W.L. “Effective writing and publishing scientific papers, Part VII: Tables and figures.” Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 66, no. 11, 2013, pp. 1197.

12. Gray, J.R. et al. Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2016.