It is important to know about the contents of a scholarly article. Getting familiar with research articles is essential for research and analysis. Every research entails the incorporation of relevant literature from peer-reviewed journals and magazine articles. Novice researchers do not know how to read scholarly articles and extract the useful information. It is imperative to identify the components of research papers and read them critically for research and analysis. This article will tell you the components of a scholarly article.
What Is The General Structure Of A Scholarly Article?
A scholarly article has the following essential components:
Abstract
An abstract provides a summary of the entire research. The abstract contains the research problem, research questions, hypothesis, methodology, findings, and implications of the research. An abstract is a synopsis or trailer of the research which gives a general idea to an average reader about the research components. It highlights the scope and focus of the research along with the conclusion and author’s recommendations for future research. Reading the abstract is quite useful since it gives you a general idea about the research components. Based on the abstract, you may decide to read the entire article or just cite it for building relevance to your research paper. Meanwhile best dissertation writers UK are also available to provide help in this regard.
Introduction
The introduction of a scholarly article provides the background to the study in detail. It develops the context of the study. The introduction section introduces the readers to the topic and explains the aims and objectives of the study. In the introduction section, the author justifies the need for doing the current research and its importance. The authors specify how this research will fill the gaps in the existing studies and add value to the literature. The introduction section determines the voice and tone of the entire research paper. In the introduction section, the author explains the research problem, research questions and hypothesis (in quantitative studies).
Literature Review or Theoretical Framework
A literature review is the heart of a scholarly article. It is the main part in which the author refers to the existing studies and identifies the gaps in them. Furthermore, after identifying the gaps, the author explains how the current study will fill those gaps. A literature review is a critical analysis of existing studies and highlights the uncovered areas. Reading the literature review in scholarly articles helps other researchers to find the relevant sources for their research. A theoretical framework is usually the section in grounded theory studies. A researcher builds a theoretical framework and tests the theory to generate a hypothesis for further quantitative studies.
Research Methodology/Methods
The research methodology section explains the methods taken by the researcher to answer the research questions or hypothesis. The author explains the specific steps taken for data collection and analysis. The author also explains the methods used for ensuring data validity and reliability. Furthermore, if it is quantitative research, the author explains what statistical tools and methods were used. The methodology section in the scholarly article provides a comprehensive explanation of design and methodology. You can replicate the methodology in your research if it is relevant to your research problem or proposed hypothesis.
Results
The results section in a scholarly article reports the results generated from data collection. The results section only reports the data archived from various sources. It does not provide any analysis, but it is purely descriptive and explains the data. The authors present the data in a readable format using tables and graphs for quantitative data. Qualitative research entails presenting the data in a textual format using codes and themes. Authors also use graphs and pie charts to present the data and keep it simple for readers to understand the data.
Discussion/Analysis
The discussion or analysis section is the cornerstone of a scholarly article. This section entails a detailed and critical discussion of the study findings. Authors analyse the data and the reviewed literature to make patterns and connections between the sources. In this section, the author justifies the significance of the research findings and assesses their viability in explaining the phenomenon thoroughly. The author also explains whether the findings were significant enough to answer the research questions and prove or disprove the hypothesis. Quantitative research entails statistical analysis such as regression analysis or analysis of variance to explain the statistical significance of research findings. On the other hand, qualitative research encompasses using themes for identifying patterns and deriving meaning from the textual data.
Conclusion
The conclusion section in a scholarly article includes the inferences made by the researcher based on the study’s findings. The conclusion section reiterates the research problem or hypothesis and wraps up the discussion. The author explains the following things:
- How the research findings addressed the research questions and hypothesis?
- How does the research contribute anything valuable to the corpus of knowledge?
- What are the limitations of the research?
- In the conclusion section authors also highlight the practical and theoretical implications of the research.
- Researchers provide recommendations for future studies and potential areas for research.
References
These acknowledge the work of previous scientists and researchers while also outlining the foundation upon which the authors built their research. All of the sources the authors utilised for the article should be listed in the references section, often known as the works cited section. A useful tool for finding additional sources of knowledge on the subject is the references list. Can help you in the following manner:
- It helps you identify the other article sources you need for your research
- It helps you identify the latest and contemporary research in your field
- Helps you explore other studies that are directly relevant to your topic
Conclusion
Once you know the essential components of a scholarly article, it becomes easier to read them and retrieve the specific information. You can also use the above-mentioned structure for writing your research articles. The structure of a scholarly article must be consistent and abide by the general academic guidelines. It is imperative to get familiar with the format and structure of scientific research papers for analysis and citations.
Author Bio:
Robert Fawl is a professional Content Writer based in London, UK. He is an author and blogger with experience in writing different academic assignments. If you need assignment writing services to write your assignment, you can contact him.
