Journal Paper Components -5 main contents of Journal Research Paper Article

Journal Paper Components -5 main contents of Journal Research Paper Article

What is a Journal Paper?

A journal paper is an important publication in academia which contains articles by scholars in different academic fields, all of which are provided for the sole aim of aptly discussing or evaluating a particular subject matter. In other words, a journal paper can also be regarded as an academic piece(usually published periodically) aimed at passing down or discussing gathered knowledge regarding a particular subject matter in the academic field.

Why is a Journal Paper important?

A journal paper is vital for quite a number of reasons, some of which include;

• It serves as a strong source of research and reference in all forms of academic writing.
• Journal papers contain a wide variety of scholarly work, thus, they can be used to aid the understanding and broaden the knowledge of a scholar or student regarding a particular subject matter.
• It can also be used as a strong source of theoretical and or ideological inspiration for scholars and students in the academic field.
• It can be used to pass down information or knowledge regarding a particular subject matter in research.

Essential Tips to note when writing a Journal Paper

Before or, during the course of writing a Journal Paper, it is vital to take note of the following essential tips;

• Always ensure that the subject matter of the journal paper is focused and comprehensive. This can be done by sticking to the standard and stipulated outline of the journal paper.
• Alternatively, the contents of the journal ought to be drafted in a manner which will be most pleasing to the target audience or readers. Thus, if the journal is directed toward people in the IT industry, the writer ought to write in a manner which will be most suitable for the people in that particular industry.
• In order to make the contents of the journal to be more organized, the writer ought to draft an outline which will consist of the main points of the essay and follow it staunchly.

What are the components of a Journal Paper?

A Journal Paper consists of the following basic components;

• Abstract.
• Introduction.
• Body(often contains an empirical review, methodology and results).
• Conclusion.
• References or Works Cited.

Abstract

An abstract, in a nutshell, can simply be regarded as a brief or extremely short summary of a thesis, review and other types of academic pieces. In other words, the abstract of an academic piece only contains the basic points or contents of the written work. This could include the aim or subject matter of the research, a summary of the evaluation of the theories relating to the subject matter, the rationale for providing the proposed theories, issues revolving around the subject matter and solutions to the proposed issues.

An ideal abstract ought to contain about 150-200 words or less, this is so because the portion of the paper serves as some sort of advertisement – simply telling the readers the proposed points which will be provided in the research and, how these points would benefit the reader as well as the journal paper.

Introduction

An introduction is a vital aspect in all forms of writing, this is so because it provides background information which is necessary in order for the reader(s) to understand the reason why the proposed research was conducted. Thus, in a journal paper, the introductory part of the paper also outlines the specific questions which ought to be answered during the course of the paper as well as the mode in which these questions will be answered.

A typical introduction in a journal paper ought to contain about 500-1000 words. Regardless of how lengthy the words may look, it can be quite small, if the subject matter or area(s) of interest in the research is quite broad. Thus, during the writing process, the writer ought to stick to the points which are most ideal and, the writer ought to have a sentence or a paragraph in the introduction for all the portions of the journal paper.

Body

The body of the journal paper is the main content of the academic piece. This is so because all other aspects of the journal paper, that is, the introduction, abstract and conclusion are all derived or revolve around the body of the journal paper. In this regard, the body of the journal paper, depending on the nature of the journal paper, consists mainly of a Literature Review, Methodology, Results and Discussion.

A literature review is simply an overview of previously published works relating to a particular subject matter or topic. A Methodology in research contains a logical and systematic plan which was discovered and used by the writer in the bid to uncover or resolve the issue(s) in the research. Lastly, results and discussion are basically the in-depth evaluation of the answers to the problem(s) revolving around the subject matter which was discovered in the research methodology.

Conclusion

The conclusion is the last or final section in all written and academic works including a journal paper. It usually contains a concise summary of all the main points which were identified and discussed in the journal paper. During the process of constructing the conclusion, sources and ideas which were previously provided in the body of the journal paper can aptly be provided, however, no new ideas or concepts are to be introduced or provided in this section.

List of References or Works Cited

This is simply an alphabetical compilation of all the sources which were cited in the body of the journal paper. A list of references is vital because it provides the readers with further information about the subject matter and the writer(s) of the scholarly works which were cited in the piece. In addition to that, it adds credibility to the research and, saves the writer from plagiarism.

The modes in which a reference list or works cited ought to be written may tend to vary depending on the citation style requested by the discipline of the scholar. In this regard, the basic types of citation or referencing styles includes; American Psychological Association(APA) format, Modern Language Association(MLA) format, Chicago or Turabian Format and so on.