In the following presentation the reader will find a useful and simple format for writing and article for publication consideration in a peer-reviewed journal. The format is also useful for organizing the reporting of results of a research study, and is applicable in most disciplines. Quantitative, Qualitative, Descriptive, Experimental, and Survey research formats can be used with this template. Formulated based on years of teaching and research and publication, Dr. Brian Ebie's research article template will help the user form the "bones" of a paper, and it highlights all of the necessary pieces that need to be filled in in order to address the best components of a well-written article.

1. A Useful Template for
Writing Research Articles
for Publication
Dr. Brian D. Ebie

2. Publish or Perish
 University faculty are expected to create and
conduct original research and present
findings at national/international symposia
 They are also expected to publish the results
of their studies in peer-reviewed journals
 Consistent, quality publications are important
factors in promotion and tenure consideration

3. Publish or Perish
 The following slides will outline a simple
and useful template for reporting results
in an article format.
 Each discipline will have specific criteria
required for an article
 The common elements of a good research
article are presented here

4. Preliminary Materials
 Title Page
◦ Article title (summarize main ideas, variables
under discussion, relationships between
variables.
◦ Name (usually removed for article submission)
◦ Institution (usually removed)
◦ Running head (shortened version of title)
 150-200 word Research Abstract
◦ Briefly summarize the main point, purpose,
method, and results

5. Section I. Introduction
 General statement of the problem under
investigation:
◦ why is it important?
◦ Of what benefit to the profession is your study?
 What are your research questions?
◦ What are your research hypotheses?
 Definition of terms:
◦ Are there any special words used commonly in your
study?

6. Section II. Review of Literature
 Organization of chapter
◦ Framework of how you will discuss previous
findings
◦ Pertinent opinion/philosophical/historical basis
 Review of previous research
◦ Who else has though about this?
◦ What did they learn?
 Summary of the state of the art
◦ What is the current body of work in the area?

7. Section III. Methodology
 Description of the subjects.
◦ How were they chosen?
◦ Socioeconomic/demographic data?
 Description of measures employed
◦ How were they developed?
◦ Why did you choose this or that methodology/technique?
 Research design:
◦ Procedures, tests, materials, locations, timeframe
 A future researcher should be able to duplicate your study
based on reading this section

8. Section IV. Results
 Analytic techniques
◦ What statistical measures were utilized?
◦ What types of data? Nominal? Ordinal? Continuous?
 Description of findings pertinent to each
research question or hypothesis
◦ reject or accept your hypotheses from section I.
◦ Insert appropriate tables and figures
 Other findings as appropriate
 Summarize your findings

9. Section V. Discussion
 Summary of topic under consideration
◦ Summarize hypotheses, method, and findings
 Relate your findings to related literature from
section II (very important)
◦ Discussion of findings—what do they mean?
 Conclusions
◦ What do you as the expert on your topic draw from these
findings?
 Implications for your field?
◦ Directions for future research?
◦ What unexpected results/findings were of interest?

10. Reference Materials
 Appendices
 Tables and figures
 Bibliography
 The above sections depend on the format/style guide
used.
◦ A best practice is to go ahead and document all references
used, in the appropriate format, while the paper is being
written. Agreement between citations and references are a
common flaw found upon blind review by a committee.
 Here is a link to a PDF document that can be used as
a template.
 Thank you for watching. I hope you found it
helpful.