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How important are projects and research papers for admission to ms programs in the us and canada.

There is a lot of debate amongst students applying to MS programs in the US and Canada about what is more important: high scores or projects or research papers. Many students feel that they need to have all to be competitive, but is that really the case? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the importance of projects and research papers for admission to MS programs in the US and Canada. We’ll cover how much weight these factors carry, what students should focus on, and the benefits of writing great projects and research papers. By the end of this post, you should have a good understanding of the importance of projects and research papers for admission to MS programs.

Projects And Research Papers: The Key To Getting Into MS Programs In The US And Canada?

When it comes to securing admission into MS programs in the United States and Canada, research papers play a major role. These papers must demonstrate the candidate’s ability to conduct original research, as well as their ability to write effectively. Additionally, projects are often seen as an indicator of a candidate’s commitment and dedication to their field of study. This is why many students aim to complete a significant project during their time in an MS program.

If you are considering applying for admission into a top MS program in the US or Canada, make sure that you have authored research papers that are considered highly eligible for admission. Additionally, make sure that your projects reflect your interests and expertise in the area of MS. By following these tips, you can ensure that your application is given serious consideration.

How Much Do Projects And Research Papers Matter For Admission To MS Programs In North America?

Projects and research papers are an important part of the admission process for most MS programs in North America. They allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, as well as to get feedback from professors and other experts. Additionally, projects and research papers can help students stand out from the crowd. This is particularly important for programs that have a competitive admissions process, as it can be difficult to gain admission without strong evidence of academic achievement.

Overall, projects and research papers are a valuable tool for students seeking admission to MS programs. They can help you show that you have the skills and knowledge required for a successful career. Additionally, they can act as aspects to seek feedback from professors and other experts at the targeted university, thus helping you build a connection. This is valuable information, as it can help you improve your academic skills. Ultimately, projects and research papers are an important part of any student’s journey towards success in university.

What Should Students Focus On When Applying To MS Programs: Projects Or Research Papers?

Projects and research papers are becoming increasingly important for admission into MS programs in the US and Canada. Admissions committees are looking for students who have a strong passion for their work, as well as something unique to contribute to the field. This is why it is so important for students to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to their projects and research papers.

Students should make sure to proofread their work and get feedback from a trusted source before submission. It is also important to keep in mind that admissions committees are looking for evidence of engagement, not just participation. So make sure to be involved in your community and engage with other students in order to show that you’re passionate about your work.

Students should also make sure to document their research and project-related activities. This can be done through journaling, writing concisely about the projects you work on, or recording your work in a video or photo diary. It is important for admissions committees to see that you are taking initiative and investing time in your work.

Finally, it is important for students to be aware of MS program requirements when applying. Each school has different guidelines, so it is important to do your research before submitting an application.

Why Are Projects And Research Papers Important For Admission To MS Programs?

Projects and research papers are important for admission to MS programs because they provide valuable experience and skills. They can also demonstrate your ability to complete a project from start to finish. This is an important factor in choosing which MS program to attend, as many programs require completed projects or research papers as part of the application process. Additionally, projects and research papers can make you stand out from the rest of the applicants. By demonstrating your creativity, productivity, and problem-solving skills, they can help you gain admission into a top MS program.

MS programs are selective, and competition for admission is intense. The best way to stand out from the other applicants is to have completed projects or research papers that demonstrate your creativity, productivity, and problem-solving skills. By completing a project or research paper in addition to your application materials, you can show the admissions committee that you are capable of completing a challenging task. Additionally, projects and research papers can show your dedication to learning. Many MS programs require students to complete at least one project during their time in school. If you have previously completed an interesting or challenging project, this may be enough evidence to gain admission into a top program.

The Benefits Of Writing Great Projects And Research Papers For Admission To MS Programs

One of the most important benefits of writing great projects and research papers is that they can help you gain admission into highly competitive MS programs. Many top universities require excellent writing skills for admission, so developing good writing habits from a young age is a valuable investment. Additionally, well-crafted projects and papers can give students an advantage over their peers when applying to highly competitive programs.

Finally, strong writing skills are also essential for success in graduate school and beyond. This is especially true for students who plan to pursue an advanced degree such as an MS or PhD. In fact, many top universities require excellent writing skills for admission into their graduate programs. Thus, developing good writing habits from a young age is a valuable investment indeed!

How To Make Your Project Or Research Paper Stand Out When Applying To MS Programs

When applying to MS programs in the United States and Canada, it is important that your project or research paper stands out. This means that you need to make sure that your project is well-designed and provides valuable new information. Additionally, you should aim to publish your work in high-quality journals if possible. Doing so will demonstrate your expertise and help improve your chances of being accepted into a program.

To make your project or research paper stand out, you should be sure to follow the guidelines set forth by each program. Additionally, you can improve your chances of acceptance by publishing work in high-quality journals. Many MS programs favour papers that have been published in leading journals such as Nature and Science. By following these tips, you can ensure that your project is well-designed and provides valuable new information.

Are Projects Or Research Papers More Important For Certain Types Of MS Programs?

For many students, the most important factor in determining whether or not to pursue a Master of Science is the type of project or research paper they will be working on. This is because different MS programs may emphasise different types of projects and papers. For example, engineering and science-based MS programs may place a greater emphasis on projects, while social science-based MS programs may place more importance on research papers.

It can be difficult to determine which type of project or paper is more important for a student without first consulting the specific MS program. However, by doing this research, it is possible to make an educated decision about which program would be best suited for you.

It is important to keep in mind that not all MS programs have the same requirements for projects or paperwork. For example, some programs may require you to complete a research project while others may only require that you write a paper. It is also important to remember that not all projects are created equal. Some projects are much more difficult than others and may be difficult to finish on time.

If you are unsure about whether or not a particular type of project is suitable for you, it is best to consult with the program director or adviser at your school. They can help you understand the requirements of the program and guide you through the process of submitting a proposal or paper.

Projects and research papers are important for many reasons. They offer students a chance to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, as well as their ability to complete a project from start to finish. Additionally, they can help make students stand out from the rest of the applicant pool. However, it is important to keep in mind that each program has different requirements, so be sure to do your research before applying.

When it comes down to it, both projects and research papers are essential for admission into top MS programs in the United States and Canada. So if you’re considering applying to an MS program, be sure to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to your work. By doing so, you can ensure that your application shines! For more information on the MS Admissions process you may contact us or write to us at [email protected]

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M.S. Qualifying Research Paper Writing Guidelines

An important part of your master’s education is the writing of your final master’s qualifying research paper (also called a master’s thesis). To aid you in this process we have assembled the following guidelines.

Qualifying research papers fall into two categories, those based on laboratory research and those based on literature research. Both types are mentored by a faculty member or principal investigator of a research laboratory sought by the student. For laboratory research, the student will write the paper based on original experimental results obtained in the laboratory of the mentor. For a literature-based thesis, after selection of a suitable topic by the student and mentor, the student will research the topic by reading and analyzing original literature on the subject, and then prepare a substantive analysis that will constitute the paper. All qualifying papers are graded "Pass", "Pass with Distinction" or "Fail". Further information can be found at the  M.S. in Biology website .

STYLE INFORMATION

Qualifying papers in the Department of Biology should follow the structure of the types of papers that appear in the journal Cell. Laboratory research based papers should be modeled after a Cell research style articles and library research based papers should be modeled after Cell review style articles. Example articles with links are listed in the notes below.  

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Plagiarism is an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author: This means that you cannot copy lines of text from another source without noting that it is a quote (“put quotes around the text”) and citing the reference. In general avoid direct quotes from other sources unless the quote makes a strong point. General facts do not need to be referenced, but more specific facts and ideas must be referenced, even if they have been rewritten in your own words
• Litertaure Review:  Lopez-Otin et al., 2023. Hallmarks of Aging: An Expanding Universe. Cell 186(2), 243-278 .
• Research Research:  Lyons et al., 2023. Functional partitioning of transcriptional regulators by patterned charge blocks. Cell 186(2), 327-345 . 
• Seek a thesis mentor and decide on a topic to study.
• After beginning your literature research, provide a list of references you are reading to your mentor.
• Proceed to write a brief outline of the paper with subsection ideas, then a more detailed outline with subsection descriptions, and share with mentor for comment.
• Proceed to write a first draft of paper, which the mentor will read and provide suggestions/questions for comment.
• Revise accordingly and submit the final version of your paper (~ 25 pages double spaced and reference list). Use citation format (Jones et al., 2023) and reference list as done in Cell papers (see above links). All figures taken from articles must be cited in the legend.

Importance of Projects and Research Papers For Admission to MS Programs in the US and Canada

Getting a Master of Science (MS) degree in the US and Canada, in particular, calls for more than simply a strong academic record and results on standardised tests. These programs give a lot of weight to applicants’ research skills, practical experience, and capacity for innovation and field-changing work. Projects and research papers stand out among the many components that support an application as essential tools for demonstrating an applicant’s talent, enthusiasm, and fit for these MS programs.

Importance of Projects in MS Admissions

Here is the significance of projects for MS admissions in the US and Canada:

❖    Practical Application of Knowledge

Through projects, students can apply their academic knowledge in real-world scenarios. These projects show a candidate’s ability to apply classroom information to real-world issues. Examples of these projects include software development, engineering experiments , and initiating community projects. This practical application demonstrates the applicant’s ability to go beyond the box and shows a better understanding of the material and how to use it in a professional setting.

❖    Skills Demonstration

Students can demonstrate a wide range of abilities necessary for success in MS programmes and future employment by working on projects. These projects offer concrete examples of an applicant’s skills, demonstrating anything from technical proficiency to critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and cooperation. Admission committees understand how important these skills are for students to succeed academically as well as for them to make significant contributions to their area after graduation.

❖    Applicability to Study Area

Projects that are customised to fit the selected topic of study show a candidate’s dedication to and enthusiasm for that particular subject. An example of how their projects closely connect to their desired field of study would be a prospective data scientist working on a machine learning project or a biologist undertaking field research. This alignment demonstrates a targeted area of interest and experience that may greatly advance the goals of the MS program.

❖    Innovation and Impact

Admissions committees are frequently drawn to projects that demonstrate original thought, adept problem-solving, or a real-world influence in a certain subject. Innovative projects demonstrate a candidate’s originality and capacity to make significant contributions to their field of study, whether it be a fresh take on an old issue or a solution that fills a current vacuum in the industry. These projects demonstrate a candidate’s progressive outlook and capacity for future innovation in the workplace or academics.

Read more: The 7 UChicago Essay Prompts: How to Write Stellar Responses

Importance of Research Papers in MS Admissions

Here is the significance of research papers for MS admissions in the US and Canada:

❖    Proof of Research Proficiency

Research papers are a concrete indicator of a candidate’s aptitude and ability in research. They demonstrate the capacity to carry out in-depth studies, evaluate data critically, and provide novel concepts to the area. These abilities are highly valued by admissions committees since they are essential for success in demanding master’s programmes and in subsequent academic or professional endeavours.

❖    Academic Depth and Rigour

Significant academic rigour is needed while writing a research paper, including a review of the literature, data collecting, analysis, and valid conclusion-making. A well-written paper highlights the candidate’s commitment to learning and the breadth of their subject-matter expertise. This degree of academic involvement is indicative of a candidate who is academically ready for an MS program.

❖    Publication and Acknowledgment

A research paper’s influence and credibility are increased when it is presented at conferences or published in respected publications. Publication shows that the research was acknowledged by colleagues and subject matter experts, attesting to the calibre and importance of the work done. Published or delivered papers are frequently viewed by admissions committees as evidence of an applicant’s competence and value to the academic community.

❖    Expression of Initiative

Completing a research paper on one’s own or in cooperation with others demonstrates the applicant’s initiative and drive. It demonstrates a proactive attitude to studying and interacting with academic material outside of the conventional classroom setting. Candidates who exhibit their curiosity and commitment to academic research by taking the effort to learn more about their topic of interest are highly valued by admissions committees.

Also Read: Tulane Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Tips

Projects and Research Papers Ideas to Get into MS Programs in the US and Canada

Projects ideas, ❖    creation of a mobile application.

Creating a mobile application that solves a particular issue or need in society demonstrates one’s ability to be creative, technically proficient, and problem-solving. For example, an app that addresses sustainability, education, healthcare, or community involvement might highlight a candidate’s aptitude for software development and dedication to improving society.

❖    Developing and Validating a Sustainable Technology

Creating a prototype for a waste management system , eco-friendly product, or renewable energy system shows a candidate’s dedication to environmental concerns at a time when sustainability is emphasised. Creating and evaluating a prototype demonstrates inventiveness, engineering prowess, and a forward-thinking attitude in line with the growing need for sustainable technology.

❖    Volunteer Project or Community-Based Initiative

Leading or starting a community-based initiative improves the welfare of the community or tackles local concerns shows organisational skills, leadership, and social responsibility. Leading a clean-up effort, launching an educational program, or planning fundraising, for example, demonstrates empathy, teamwork, and the capacity to have a good influence outside of the classroom.

Also Read: Navigating the Deferral Dilemma: A Comprehensive Guide on What to Do When You Get Deferred

Research Paper Ideas

❖    emerging technology analysis in a specific field.

Undertaking a deep examination of cutting-edge technologies in domains such as biotechnology , cybersecurity , renewable energy, and artificial intelligence demonstrates the capacity to combine data and identify patterns. Giving an analysis of these technologies’ possible effects and difficulties shows research ability and a grasp of academic or business developments in the field.

❖    Examining the Socio-Economic Effects of Modified Policies

Analytical abilities and the capacity to assess complicated social issues critically are highlighted while investigating the socio-economic effects of recent policy changes, whether locally or worldwide. Examining the results of laws pertaining to employment, education, healthcare, or the environment can demonstrate a candidate’s multidisciplinary thinking and grasp of practical consequences.

❖    International Business Intercultural Communication Research

Understanding the intricacies of international relationships is reflected in researching the obstacles to and methods of successful cross-cultural communication in global corporate situations. In order to show the candidate’s interest in global dynamics, communication abilities, and possible contributions to international business or management studies, this research might include case studies, survey analysis, or comparative studies.

❖    Industry Impact of Technological Innovations

Investigating how technological developments affect sectors like banking, healthcare, agriculture, or transportation can reveal important information about how technology intersects with these and other businesses. Examining the impacts, challenges, and prospects presented by innovations can show a candidate’s grasp of sector-specific patterns and their long-term consequences.

In summary, research papers and projects are essential for getting accepted into MS programmes in the US and Canada. They provide verifiable proof of a candidate’s research prowess, dedication to their area, and practical abilities. These projects demonstrate the application of theoretical knowledge, inventiveness, and the capacity to make significant contributions to the academic or industrial sectors. Effective projects and well-written research papers are crucial parts of a comprehensive application since they show a candidate’s ability to succeed in the programme and make important contributions to their field of study, in addition to showcasing their academic brilliance.

Read here: Navigating the Tufts University Essay Prompts (2023-24)

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MS in US: How to Publish Research Paper of Your Interest

• How do you publish research papers?
• How can you present them in conference or journals?
• How can publications offset LOW GPA?

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13.1 Formatting a Research Paper

Learning objectives.

• Identify the major components of a research paper written using American Psychological Association (APA) style.
• Apply general APA style and formatting conventions in a research paper.

In this chapter, you will learn how to use APA style , the documentation and formatting style followed by the American Psychological Association, as well as MLA style , from the Modern Language Association. There are a few major formatting styles used in academic texts, including AMA, Chicago, and Turabian:

• AMA (American Medical Association) for medicine, health, and biological sciences
• APA (American Psychological Association) for education, psychology, and the social sciences
• Chicago—a common style used in everyday publications like magazines, newspapers, and books
• MLA (Modern Language Association) for English, literature, arts, and humanities
• Turabian—another common style designed for its universal application across all subjects and disciplines

While all the formatting and citation styles have their own use and applications, in this chapter we focus our attention on the two styles you are most likely to use in your academic studies: APA and MLA.

If you find that the rules of proper source documentation are difficult to keep straight, you are not alone. Writing a good research paper is, in and of itself, a major intellectual challenge. Having to follow detailed citation and formatting guidelines as well may seem like just one more task to add to an already-too-long list of requirements.

Following these guidelines, however, serves several important purposes. First, it signals to your readers that your paper should be taken seriously as a student’s contribution to a given academic or professional field; it is the literary equivalent of wearing a tailored suit to a job interview. Second, it shows that you respect other people’s work enough to give them proper credit for it. Finally, it helps your reader find additional materials if he or she wishes to learn more about your topic.

Furthermore, producing a letter-perfect APA-style paper need not be burdensome. Yes, it requires careful attention to detail. However, you can simplify the process if you keep these broad guidelines in mind:

• Work ahead whenever you can. Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” includes tips for keeping track of your sources early in the research process, which will save time later on.
• Get it right the first time. Apply APA guidelines as you write, so you will not have much to correct during the editing stage. Again, putting in a little extra time early on can save time later.
• Use the resources available to you. In addition to the guidelines provided in this chapter, you may wish to consult the APA website at http://www.apa.org or the Purdue University Online Writing lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu , which regularly updates its online style guidelines.

General Formatting Guidelines

This chapter provides detailed guidelines for using the citation and formatting conventions developed by the American Psychological Association, or APA. Writers in disciplines as diverse as astrophysics, biology, psychology, and education follow APA style. The major components of a paper written in APA style are listed in the following box.

These are the major components of an APA-style paper:

Body, which includes the following:

• Headings and, if necessary, subheadings to organize the content
• In-text citations of research sources
• References page

All these components must be saved in one document, not as separate documents.

The title page of your paper includes the following information:

• Title of the paper
• Author’s name
• Name of the institution with which the author is affiliated
• Header at the top of the page with the paper title (in capital letters) and the page number (If the title is lengthy, you may use a shortened form of it in the header.)

List the first three elements in the order given in the previous list, centered about one third of the way down from the top of the page. Use the headers and footers tool of your word-processing program to add the header, with the title text at the left and the page number in the upper-right corner. Your title page should look like the following example.

The next page of your paper provides an abstract , or brief summary of your findings. An abstract does not need to be provided in every paper, but an abstract should be used in papers that include a hypothesis. A good abstract is concise—about one hundred fifty to two hundred fifty words—and is written in an objective, impersonal style. Your writing voice will not be as apparent here as in the body of your paper. When writing the abstract, take a just-the-facts approach, and summarize your research question and your findings in a few sentences.

In Chapter 12 “Writing a Research Paper” , you read a paper written by a student named Jorge, who researched the effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets. Read Jorge’s abstract. Note how it sums up the major ideas in his paper without going into excessive detail.

Write an abstract summarizing your paper. Briefly introduce the topic, state your findings, and sum up what conclusions you can draw from your research. Use the word count feature of your word-processing program to make sure your abstract does not exceed one hundred fifty words.

Depending on your field of study, you may sometimes write research papers that present extensive primary research, such as your own experiment or survey. In your abstract, summarize your research question and your findings, and briefly indicate how your study relates to prior research in the field.

Margins, Pagination, and Headings

APA style requirements also address specific formatting concerns, such as margins, pagination, and heading styles, within the body of the paper. Review the following APA guidelines.

Use these general guidelines to format the paper:

• Set the top, bottom, and side margins of your paper at 1 inch.
• Use double-spaced text throughout your paper.
• Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, in a legible size (10- to 12-point).
• Use continuous pagination throughout the paper, including the title page and the references section. Page numbers appear flush right within your header.
• Section headings and subsection headings within the body of your paper use different types of formatting depending on the level of information you are presenting. Additional details from Jorge’s paper are provided.

Begin formatting the final draft of your paper according to APA guidelines. You may work with an existing document or set up a new document if you choose. Include the following:

• Your title page
• The abstract you created in Note 13.8 “Exercise 1”
• Correct headers and page numbers for your title page and abstract

APA style uses section headings to organize information, making it easy for the reader to follow the writer’s train of thought and to know immediately what major topics are covered. Depending on the length and complexity of the paper, its major sections may also be divided into subsections, sub-subsections, and so on. These smaller sections, in turn, use different heading styles to indicate different levels of information. In essence, you are using headings to create a hierarchy of information.

The following heading styles used in APA formatting are listed in order of greatest to least importance:

• Section headings use centered, boldface type. Headings use title case, with important words in the heading capitalized.
• Subsection headings use left-aligned, boldface type. Headings use title case.
• The third level uses left-aligned, indented, boldface type. Headings use a capital letter only for the first word, and they end in a period.
• The fourth level follows the same style used for the previous level, but the headings are boldfaced and italicized.
• The fifth level follows the same style used for the previous level, but the headings are italicized and not boldfaced.

Visually, the hierarchy of information is organized as indicated in Table 13.1 “Section Headings” .

Table 13.1 Section Headings

A college research paper may not use all the heading levels shown in Table 13.1 “Section Headings” , but you are likely to encounter them in academic journal articles that use APA style. For a brief paper, you may find that level 1 headings suffice. Longer or more complex papers may need level 2 headings or other lower-level headings to organize information clearly. Use your outline to craft your major section headings and determine whether any subtopics are substantial enough to require additional levels of headings.

Working with the document you developed in Note 13.11 “Exercise 2” , begin setting up the heading structure of the final draft of your research paper according to APA guidelines. Include your title and at least two to three major section headings, and follow the formatting guidelines provided above. If your major sections should be broken into subsections, add those headings as well. Use your outline to help you.

Because Jorge used only level 1 headings, his Exercise 3 would look like the following:

Citation Guidelines

In-text citations.

Throughout the body of your paper, include a citation whenever you quote or paraphrase material from your research sources. As you learned in Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” , the purpose of citations is twofold: to give credit to others for their ideas and to allow your reader to follow up and learn more about the topic if desired. Your in-text citations provide basic information about your source; each source you cite will have a longer entry in the references section that provides more detailed information.

In-text citations must provide the name of the author or authors and the year the source was published. (When a given source does not list an individual author, you may provide the source title or the name of the organization that published the material instead.) When directly quoting a source, it is also required that you include the page number where the quote appears in your citation.

This information may be included within the sentence or in a parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence, as in these examples.

Epstein (2010) points out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).

Here, the writer names the source author when introducing the quote and provides the publication date in parentheses after the author’s name. The page number appears in parentheses after the closing quotation marks and before the period that ends the sentence.

Addiction researchers caution that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (Epstein, 2010, p. 137).

Here, the writer provides a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence that includes the author’s name, the year of publication, and the page number separated by commas. Again, the parenthetical citation is placed after the closing quotation marks and before the period at the end of the sentence.

As noted in the book Junk Food, Junk Science (Epstein, 2010, p. 137), “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive.”

Here, the writer chose to mention the source title in the sentence (an optional piece of information to include) and followed the title with a parenthetical citation. Note that the parenthetical citation is placed before the comma that signals the end of the introductory phrase.

David Epstein’s book Junk Food, Junk Science (2010) pointed out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).

Another variation is to introduce the author and the source title in your sentence and include the publication date and page number in parentheses within the sentence or at the end of the sentence. As long as you have included the essential information, you can choose the option that works best for that particular sentence and source.

Citing a book with a single author is usually a straightforward task. Of course, your research may require that you cite many other types of sources, such as books or articles with more than one author or sources with no individual author listed. You may also need to cite sources available in both print and online and nonprint sources, such as websites and personal interviews. Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” , Section 13.2 “Citing and Referencing Techniques” and Section 13.3 “Creating a References Section” provide extensive guidelines for citing a variety of source types.

Writing at Work

APA is just one of several different styles with its own guidelines for documentation, formatting, and language usage. Depending on your field of interest, you may be exposed to additional styles, such as the following:

• MLA style. Determined by the Modern Languages Association and used for papers in literature, languages, and other disciplines in the humanities.
• Chicago style. Outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style and sometimes used for papers in the humanities and the sciences; many professional organizations use this style for publications as well.
• Associated Press (AP) style. Used by professional journalists.

References List

The brief citations included in the body of your paper correspond to the more detailed citations provided at the end of the paper in the references section. In-text citations provide basic information—the author’s name, the publication date, and the page number if necessary—while the references section provides more extensive bibliographical information. Again, this information allows your reader to follow up on the sources you cited and do additional reading about the topic if desired.

The specific format of entries in the list of references varies slightly for different source types, but the entries generally include the following information:

• The name(s) of the author(s) or institution that wrote the source
• The year of publication and, where applicable, the exact date of publication
• The full title of the source
• For books, the city of publication
• For articles or essays, the name of the periodical or book in which the article or essay appears
• For magazine and journal articles, the volume number, issue number, and pages where the article appears
• For sources on the web, the URL where the source is located

The references page is double spaced and lists entries in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If an entry continues for more than one line, the second line and each subsequent line are indented five spaces. Review the following example. ( Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” , Section 13.3 “Creating a References Section” provides extensive guidelines for formatting reference entries for different types of sources.)

In APA style, book and article titles are formatted in sentence case, not title case. Sentence case means that only the first word is capitalized, along with any proper nouns.

Key Takeaways

• Following proper citation and formatting guidelines helps writers ensure that their work will be taken seriously, give proper credit to other authors for their work, and provide valuable information to readers.
• Working ahead and taking care to cite sources correctly the first time are ways writers can save time during the editing stage of writing a research paper.
• APA papers usually include an abstract that concisely summarizes the paper.
• APA papers use a specific headings structure to provide a clear hierarchy of information.
• In APA papers, in-text citations usually include the name(s) of the author(s) and the year of publication.
• In-text citations correspond to entries in the references section, which provide detailed bibliographical information about a source.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates

Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates

Published on November 19, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on January 20, 2023.

The formatting of a research paper is different depending on which style guide you’re following. In addition to citations , APA, MLA, and Chicago provide format guidelines for things like font choices, page layout, format of headings and the format of the reference page.

Scribbr offers free Microsoft Word templates for the most common formats. Simply download and get started on your paper.

APA |  MLA | Chicago author-date | Chicago notes & bibliography

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• Generate a list of tables and figures
• Ensure consistent paragraph formatting
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Table of contents

Formatting an apa paper, formatting an mla paper, formatting a chicago paper, frequently asked questions about research paper formatting.

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in APA Style are as follows:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial.
• Set 1 inch page margins.
• Apply double line spacing.
• If submitting for publication, insert a APA running head on every page.
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.

Watch the video below for a quick guide to setting up the format in Google Docs.

The image below shows how to format an APA Style title page for a student paper.

Running head

If you are submitting a paper for publication, APA requires you to include a running head on each page. The image below shows you how this should be formatted.

For student papers, no running head is required unless you have been instructed to include one.

APA provides guidelines for formatting up to five levels of heading within your paper. Level 1 headings are the most general, level 5 the most specific.

Reference page

APA Style citation requires (author-date) APA in-text citations throughout the text and an APA Style reference page at the end. The image below shows how the reference page should be formatted.

Note that the format of reference entries is different depending on the source type. You can easily create your citations and reference list using the free APA Citation Generator.

Generate APA citations for free

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The main guidelines for writing an MLA style paper are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Use title case capitalization for headings .

Check out the video below to see how to set up the format in Google Docs.

On the first page of an MLA paper, a heading appears above your title, featuring some key information:

• Your full name
• Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name
• The course name or number
• The due date of the assignment

Page header

A header appears at the top of each page in your paper, including your surname and the page number.

Works Cited page

MLA in-text citations appear wherever you refer to a source in your text. The MLA Works Cited page appears at the end of your text, listing all the sources used. It is formatted as shown below.

You can easily create your MLA citations and save your Works Cited list with the free MLA Citation Generator.

Generate MLA citations for free

The main guidelines for writing a paper in Chicago style (also known as Turabian style) are:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Use 1 inch margins or larger.
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center.

Chicago doesn’t require a title page , but if you want to include one, Turabian (based on Chicago) presents some guidelines. Lay out the title page as shown below.

Bibliography or reference list

Chicago offers two citation styles : author-date citations plus a reference list, or footnote citations plus a bibliography. Choose one style or the other and use it consistently.

The reference list or bibliography appears at the end of the paper. Both styles present this page similarly in terms of formatting, as shown below.

To format a paper in APA Style , follow these guidelines:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial
• Set 1 inch page margins
• Apply double line spacing
• Include a title page
• If submitting for publication, insert a running head on every page
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch
• Apply APA heading styles
• Cite your sources with APA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a reference page at the end

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
• Center the paper’s title
• Use title case capitalization for headings
• Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago style are to:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Use 1 inch margins or larger
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center
• Cite your sources with author-date citations or Chicago footnotes
• Include a bibliography or reference list

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, January 20). Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/research-paper-format/

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New research offers insight into the future understanding of MS and its treatments

The test that was developed using an existing diagnostic procedure as its basis and has the potential to be applied in clinical trials that target the Epstein Barr Virus

A team of research scientists at Trinity College Dublin have developed a new and unique blood test to measure the immune response to the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) which is the leading risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Their findings are published in the journal Neurology Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation and have implications for future basic research in further understanding the biology of EBV in MS, but also has the potential to be applied in clinical trials that target the virus.

MS is a chronic neurological disease with no known cure. It affects approximately three million people worldwide and is the second leading cause of disability in young adults. There is a pressing need for better treatments.

A range of viruses relating to MS have been studied in the past but none have had such compelling evidence as EBV. The question the team considered was why do some people have known MS have a rogue immune response to EBV, a common viral infection that is generally asymptomatic?

To answer this, scientists measured the cellular response of MS patients to EBNA-1, a part of the EBV that can mimic the myelin coating of nerves which are the principal site of attack of the immune system in MS. The team found that the immune response is higher to EBNA-1 in people with MS compared to those with epilepsy, or the healthy control group. The team also showed that this cellular response is impacted by currently approved medications for MS which target the immune system, but not the virus. The immune response to EBNA-1 was found to be lower in people who are taking B cell depleting medications compared to people with MS not taking medication and the level recorded was equivalent to healthy controls.

B cell depleting medications are effective for reducing MS disease activity. It is not known however, how exactly they work. Many people believe that reducing B cells reduces EBV levels, as EBV can lie dormant within B cells. The scientists do not prove this theory, but do show that the immune response to EBV in MS is equal to healthy controls when these medications are used. The team believe that this supports the need for more selective reduction in EBV rather than targeting all B cells. This is of importance as B cells play an important role in fighting infection and an unselective approach can lead to unwanted side effects.

The Trinity researchers are the first team of scientists to capture the immune response to EBNA-1 using whole blood samples carried out exclusively with equipment that is used in the hospital laboratory day to day. This builds on previous research that used extensive pre-processing in research laboratories. We believe this is of importance as it shows the ability for the test to be run elsewhere and at scale without a need for new equipment or personnel.

This research is important because a standard blood test that was processed in a hospital laboratory provides important information on the immune system's response to EBNA-1. This response appears to be at the heart of the pathogenesis of MS. The ability to measure this in a scalable test, that was developed using an existing diagnostic test as its basis, has implications for future basic research in further understanding the biology of EBV in MS. But the test also has the potential to be applied in clinical trials that target the virus. This would mean that there is the potential to directly measure the immune response to any potential antiviral treatments, rather than measuring MS outcome measures alone.

Speaking on the potential benefits of this research, Dr Hugh Kearney, Neurologist, School of Medicine, Trinity College and lead author said:

"In the short term the benefit of this research is likely to be for the research community in MS. We believe the approach adopted in this test that uses whole blood samples on a robust hospital-based platform will facilitate adoption in other centres and also replication of the results with a view towards validation. In the medium term, if validated, then this would be of benefit to researchers involved in clinical trials in MS. Long term benefits will be for people with MS, who live with a chronic neurological illness as new treatments tested in clinical trials have the potential to reduce the burden of this potentially disabling disease.

The next step for our team is to develop a longitudinal study. We aim to do this by recruiting newly diagnosed people with MS and measuring this blood test before treatment has started and then repeating the blood test at an interval to show that B cell depletion directly impacts on the cellular response to EBNA-1 in MS."

• Immune System
• Medical Topics
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Alzheimer's
• Developmental Biology
• Epstein-Barr virus
• Infectious mononucleosis
• Natural killer cell
• West Nile virus

Story Source:

Materials provided by Trinity College Dublin . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Lara Dungan, Jean Dunne, Michael Savio, Marianna Kalaszi, Matt McElheron, Yvonne Lynagh, Kate O'Driscoll, Carmel Roche, Ammara Qureshi, Brendan Crowley, Niall Conlon, Hugh Kearney. Disease-Modifying Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis Affect Measures of Cellular Immune Responses to EBNA-1 Peptides . Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation , 2024; 11 (3) DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200217

Cite This Page :

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How to use researcher in microsoft word for essays and papers.

With Researcher in Microsoft Word, you can reduce the time you spend researching your school essay or research paper. Close your web browser and use Word’s built-in tool.

Quick Links

What can you do with researcher, open researcher in microsoft word, review relevant topics and top sources, add topic items to your document.

Microsoft wants to make your research easier. With the Word Researcher tool, you can close your web browser and get sources for school essays, research papers, and similar documents in a few clicks.

The Researcher feature, powered by Bing, gives you a handy search box to find people, events, places, and concepts. The results of your search provide you with relevant topics and top sources including books, journals, websites, and images.

When you select the source you want, you can see an overview, history, location, images, and other important details. And the best part is, you never leave your Microsoft Word document.

In addition to viewing the details for your topic, you can start an outline for your paper as well as adding and citing text. Click the main subject or one of the information sections and add it directly to your document.

Here, we'll show you how to reduce the time you spend researching and speed up the creation of your paper with the Researcher tool in Microsoft Word.

At the time of writing,  Researcher is available with Word for Microsoft 365, Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac, and Word 2016. It is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers for Windows desktop clients.

To use the Researcher tool, open the "References" tab of your Word document. Click "Researcher" from the "Research" section of the ribbon.

When the pane opens on the right, type a term into the Search box and you're on your way!

You'll receive results for your search with Relevant Topics at the top and Top Sources beneath.

Relevant Topics

Some topics may only give you a couple of Relevant Topics. Click "More Topics" below that section to see additional sources.

If you click one of the Relevant Topics, you'll see a nice overview of the subject. At the end of the "Overview" section, click "Read More" for full details.

Depending on your topic, you'll then see several block sections packed with details. This structure comes in handy for starting your outline with them, which we'll describe below.

If the subject and Relevant Topic have images, you can click "See All Images" for a neat grid of photos and illustrations. Click one to open your browser and view the image online. Plus, you can add these to your document, which we'll also show you below.

Top Sources

For even more options, the "Top Sources" area offers books, journals, and websites. Select any one of those for its details.

If you choose a Relevant Topic at the top first, you can then filter your Top Sources by subtopic. Click the drop-down box for "All Topics" and pick one.

While most of the material is contained within Word, you may come across a source here and there that you must open in your browser. Click the link to open the source site in your default web browser.

Along with viewing information on your topic, you can add headings, text, and images directly to your document using Researcher.

Add Headings

On the top right of each source's section, you'll see a plus sign. Click the "+" icon to add that section as a collapsible heading for your document outline. Remember, this only adds the heading, not the text, within the section.

If you want to add a snippet of text to your document, you can do this as well. Select the text from the source by dragging your cursor through it. When you release, you'll see a small box appear with options for "Add and Cite" and "Add."

When you choose "Add and Cite," the text will pop into your document with the source cited at the end of the snippet. The citation is formatted automatically, so you can add it to a bibliography easily.

When you choose "Add," the text will still appear in your document, but without the citation.

If your topic offers images, and you click "See All Images," you have the option to add one or more of those, too. This is super convenient because you don't have to hunt them down yourself.

Click the "+" icon in the corner of the image to add it to your paper.

It will appear in your document with the source cited beneath it.

Be sure to respect copyrights when using the available images for your purpose. If you're unsure whether you can use an image, click "Learn More" above the image grid. This takes you to the Microsoft legal webpage explaining copyright and offering FAQs. You can also check our article on images with a Creative Commons License for those sources from Creative Commons.

College essays and research papers are enough work in themselves. By using Researcher in Microsoft Word, you can ease the burden of the research for your document and get a jumpstart on its contents.

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• v.13(Suppl 1); 2019 Apr

Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key

Milind s. tullu.

Department of Pediatrics, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

This article deals with formulating a suitable title and an appropriate abstract for an original research paper. The “title” and the “abstract” are the “initial impressions” of a research article, and hence they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, and meticulously. Often both of these are drafted after the full manuscript is ready. Most readers read only the title and the abstract of a research paper and very few will go on to read the full paper. The title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper and should be pleasant to read. The “title” should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate, interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading. The “abstract” needs to be simple, specific, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, stand-alone, complete, scholarly, (preferably) structured, and should not be misrepresentative. The abstract should be consistent with the main text of the paper, especially after a revision is made to the paper and should include the key message prominently. It is very important to include the most important words and terms (the “keywords”) in the title and the abstract for appropriate indexing purpose and for retrieval from the search engines and scientific databases. Such keywords should be listed after the abstract. One must adhere to the instructions laid down by the target journal with regard to the style and number of words permitted for the title and the abstract.

Introduction

This article deals with drafting a suitable “title” and an appropriate “abstract” for an original research paper. Because the “title” and the “abstract” are the “initial impressions” or the “face” of a research article, they need to be drafted correctly, accurately, carefully, meticulously, and consume time and energy.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] Often, these are drafted after the complete manuscript draft is ready.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] Most readers will read only the title and the abstract of a published research paper, and very few “interested ones” (especially, if the paper is of use to them) will go on to read the full paper.[ 1 , 2 ] One must remember to adhere to the instructions laid down by the “target journal” (the journal for which the author is writing) regarding the style and number of words permitted for the title and the abstract.[ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ] Both the title and the abstract are the most important parts of a research paper – for editors (to decide whether to process the paper for further review), for reviewers (to get an initial impression of the paper), and for the readers (as these may be the only parts of the paper available freely and hence, read widely).[ 4 , 8 , 12 ] It may be worth for the novice author to browse through titles and abstracts of several prominent journals (and their target journal as well) to learn more about the wording and styles of the titles and abstracts, as well as the aims and scope of the particular journal.[ 5 , 7 , 9 , 13 ]

The details of the title are discussed under the subheadings of importance, types, drafting, and checklist.

Importance of the title

When a reader browses through the table of contents of a journal issue (hard copy or on website), the title is the “ first detail” or “face” of the paper that is read.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 13 ] Hence, it needs to be simple, direct, accurate, appropriate, specific, functional, interesting, attractive/appealing, concise/brief, precise/focused, unambiguous, memorable, captivating, informative (enough to encourage the reader to read further), unique, catchy, and it should not be misleading.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 12 ] It should have “just enough details” to arouse the interest and curiosity of the reader so that the reader then goes ahead with studying the abstract and then (if still interested) the full paper.[ 1 , 2 , 4 , 13 ] Journal websites, electronic databases, and search engines use the words in the title and abstract (the “keywords”) to retrieve a particular paper during a search; hence, the importance of these words in accessing the paper by the readers has been emphasized.[ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 12 , 14 ] Such important words (or keywords) should be arranged in appropriate order of importance as per the context of the paper and should be placed at the beginning of the title (rather than the later part of the title, as some search engines like Google may just display only the first six to seven words of the title).[ 3 , 5 , 12 ] Whimsical, amusing, or clever titles, though initially appealing, may be missed or misread by the busy reader and very short titles may miss the essential scientific words (the “keywords”) used by the indexing agencies to catch and categorize the paper.[ 1 , 3 , 4 , 9 ] Also, amusing or hilarious titles may be taken less seriously by the readers and may be cited less often.[ 4 , 15 ] An excessively long or complicated title may put off the readers.[ 3 , 9 ] It may be a good idea to draft the title after the main body of the text and the abstract are drafted.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]

Types of titles

Titles can be descriptive, declarative, or interrogative. They can also be classified as nominal, compound, or full-sentence titles.

Descriptive or neutral title

This has the essential elements of the research theme, that is, the patients/subjects, design, interventions, comparisons/control, and outcome, but does not reveal the main result or the conclusion.[ 3 , 4 , 12 , 16 ] Such a title allows the reader to interpret the findings of the research paper in an impartial manner and with an open mind.[ 3 ] These titles also give complete information about the contents of the article, have several keywords (thus increasing the visibility of the article in search engines), and have increased chances of being read and (then) being cited as well.[ 4 ] Hence, such descriptive titles giving a glimpse of the paper are generally preferred.[ 4 , 16 ]

Declarative title

This title states the main finding of the study in the title itself; it reduces the curiosity of the reader, may point toward a bias on the part of the author, and hence is best avoided.[ 3 , 4 , 12 , 16 ]

Interrogative title

This is the one which has a query or the research question in the title.[ 3 , 4 , 16 ] Though a query in the title has the ability to sensationalize the topic, and has more downloads (but less citations), it can be distracting to the reader and is again best avoided for a research article (but can, at times, be used for a review article).[ 3 , 6 , 16 , 17 ]

From a sentence construct point of view, titles may be nominal (capturing only the main theme of the study), compound (with subtitles to provide additional relevant information such as context, design, location/country, temporal aspect, sample size, importance, and a provocative or a literary; for example, see the title of this review), or full-sentence titles (which are longer and indicate an added degree of certainty of the results).[ 4 , 6 , 9 , 16 ] Any of these constructs may be used depending on the type of article, the key message, and the author's preference or judgement.[ 4 ]

Drafting a suitable title

A stepwise process can be followed to draft the appropriate title. The author should describe the paper in about three sentences, avoiding the results and ensuring that these sentences contain important scientific words/keywords that describe the main contents and subject of the paper.[ 1 , 4 , 6 , 12 ] Then the author should join the sentences to form a single sentence, shorten the length (by removing redundant words or adjectives or phrases), and finally edit the title (thus drafted) to make it more accurate, concise (about 10–15 words), and precise.[ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 ] Some journals require that the study design be included in the title, and this may be placed (using a colon) after the primary title.[ 2 , 3 , 4 , 14 ] The title should try to incorporate the Patients, Interventions, Comparisons and Outcome (PICO).[ 3 ] The place of the study may be included in the title (if absolutely necessary), that is, if the patient characteristics (such as study population, socioeconomic conditions, or cultural practices) are expected to vary as per the country (or the place of the study) and have a bearing on the possible outcomes.[ 3 , 6 ] Lengthy titles can be boring and appear unfocused, whereas very short titles may not be representative of the contents of the article; hence, optimum length is required to ensure that the title explains the main theme and content of the manuscript.[ 4 , 5 , 9 ] Abbreviations (except the standard or commonly interpreted ones such as HIV, AIDS, DNA, RNA, CDC, FDA, ECG, and EEG) or acronyms should be avoided in the title, as a reader not familiar with them may skip such an article and nonstandard abbreviations may create problems in indexing the article.[ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 12 ] Also, too much of technical jargon or chemical formulas in the title may confuse the readers and the article may be skipped by them.[ 4 , 9 ] Numerical values of various parameters (stating study period or sample size) should also be avoided in the titles (unless deemed extremely essential).[ 4 ] It may be worthwhile to take an opinion from a impartial colleague before finalizing the title.[ 4 , 5 , 6 ] Thus, multiple factors (which are, at times, a bit conflicting or contrasting) need to be considered while formulating a title, and hence this should not be done in a hurry.[ 4 , 6 ] Many journals ask the authors to draft a “short title” or “running head” or “running title” for printing in the header or footer of the printed paper.[ 3 , 12 ] This is an abridged version of the main title of up to 40–50 characters, may have standard abbreviations, and helps the reader to navigate through the paper.[ 3 , 12 , 14 ]

Checklist for a good title

Table 1 gives a checklist/useful tips for drafting a good title for a research paper.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 12 ] Table 2 presents some of the titles used by the author of this article in his earlier research papers, and the appropriateness of the titles has been commented upon. As an individual exercise, the reader may try to improvise upon the titles (further) after reading the corresponding abstract and full paper.

Checklist/useful tips for drafting a good title for a research paper

Some titles used by author of this article in his earlier publications and remark/comment on their appropriateness

The Abstract

The details of the abstract are discussed under the subheadings of importance, types, drafting, and checklist.

Importance of the abstract

The abstract is a summary or synopsis of the full research paper and also needs to have similar characteristics like the title. It needs to be simple, direct, specific, functional, clear, unbiased, honest, concise, precise, self-sufficient, complete, comprehensive, scholarly, balanced, and should not be misleading.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 17 ] Writing an abstract is to extract and summarize (AB – absolutely, STR – straightforward, ACT – actual data presentation and interpretation).[ 17 ] The title and abstracts are the only sections of the research paper that are often freely available to the readers on the journal websites, search engines, and in many abstracting agencies/databases, whereas the full paper may attract a payment per view or a fee for downloading the pdf copy.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 14 ] The abstract is an independent and stand-alone (that is, well understood without reading the full paper) section of the manuscript and is used by the editor to decide the fate of the article and to choose appropriate reviewers.[ 2 , 7 , 10 , 12 , 13 ] Even the reviewers are initially supplied only with the title and the abstract before they agree to review the full manuscript.[ 7 , 13 ] This is the second most commonly read part of the manuscript, and therefore it should reflect the contents of the main text of the paper accurately and thus act as a “real trailer” of the full article.[ 2 , 7 , 11 ] The readers will go through the full paper only if they find the abstract interesting and relevant to their practice; else they may skip the paper if the abstract is unimpressive.[ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ] The abstract needs to highlight the selling point of the manuscript and succeed in luring the reader to read the complete paper.[ 3 , 7 ] The title and the abstract should be constructed using keywords (key terms/important words) from all the sections of the main text.[ 12 ] Abstracts are also used for submitting research papers to a conference for consideration for presentation (as oral paper or poster).[ 9 , 13 , 17 ] Grammatical and typographic errors reflect poorly on the quality of the abstract, may indicate carelessness/casual attitude on part of the author, and hence should be avoided at all times.[ 9 ]

Types of abstracts

The abstracts can be structured or unstructured. They can also be classified as descriptive or informative abstracts.

Structured and unstructured abstracts

Structured abstracts are followed by most journals, are more informative, and include specific subheadings/subsections under which the abstract needs to be composed.[ 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] These subheadings usually include context/background, objectives, design, setting, participants, interventions, main outcome measures, results, and conclusions.[ 1 ] Some journals stick to the standard IMRAD format for the structure of the abstracts, and the subheadings would include Introduction/Background, Methods, Results, And (instead of Discussion) the Conclusion/s.[ 1 , 2 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] Structured abstracts are more elaborate, informative, easy to read, recall, and peer-review, and hence are preferred; however, they consume more space and can have same limitations as an unstructured abstract.[ 7 , 9 , 18 ] The structured abstracts are (possibly) better understood by the reviewers and readers. Anyway, the choice of the type of the abstract and the subheadings of a structured abstract depend on the particular journal style and is not left to the author's wish.[ 7 , 10 , 12 ] Separate subheadings may be necessary for reporting meta-analysis, educational research, quality improvement work, review, or case study.[ 1 ] Clinical trial abstracts need to include the essential items mentioned in the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials) guidelines.[ 7 , 9 , 14 , 19 ] Similar guidelines exist for various other types of studies, including observational studies and for studies of diagnostic accuracy.[ 20 , 21 ] A useful resource for the above guidelines is available at www.equator-network.org (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research). Unstructured (or non-structured) abstracts are free-flowing, do not have predefined subheadings, and are commonly used for papers that (usually) do not describe original research.[ 1 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]

The four-point structured abstract: This has the following elements which need to be properly balanced with regard to the content/matter under each subheading:[ 9 ]

Background and/or Objectives: This states why the work was undertaken and is usually written in just a couple of sentences.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 ] The hypothesis/study question and the major objectives are also stated under this subheading.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 ]

Methods: This subsection is the longest, states what was done, and gives essential details of the study design, setting, participants, blinding, sample size, sampling method, intervention/s, duration and follow-up, research instruments, main outcome measures, parameters evaluated, and how the outcomes were assessed or analyzed.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]

Results/Observations/Findings: This subheading states what was found, is longer, is difficult to draft, and needs to mention important details including the number of study participants, results of analysis (of primary and secondary objectives), and include actual data (numbers, mean, median, standard deviation, “P” values, 95% confidence intervals, effect sizes, relative risks, odds ratio, etc.).[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]

Conclusions: The take-home message (the “so what” of the paper) and other significant/important findings should be stated here, considering the interpretation of the research question/hypothesis and results put together (without overinterpreting the findings) and may also include the author's views on the implications of the study.[ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]

The eight-point structured abstract: This has the following eight subheadings – Objectives, Study Design, Study Setting, Participants/Patients, Methods/Intervention, Outcome Measures, Results, and Conclusions.[ 3 , 9 , 18 ] The instructions to authors given by the particular journal state whether they use the four- or eight-point abstract or variants thereof.[ 3 , 14 ]

Descriptive and Informative abstracts

Descriptive abstracts are short (75–150 words), only portray what the paper contains without providing any more details; the reader has to read the full paper to know about its contents and are rarely used for original research papers.[ 7 , 10 ] These are used for case reports, reviews, opinions, and so on.[ 7 , 10 ] Informative abstracts (which may be structured or unstructured as described above) give a complete detailed summary of the article contents and truly reflect the actual research done.[ 7 , 10 ]

Drafting a suitable abstract

It is important to religiously stick to the instructions to authors (format, word limit, font size/style, and subheadings) provided by the journal for which the abstract and the paper are being written.[ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ] Most journals allow 200–300 words for formulating the abstract and it is wise to restrict oneself to this word limit.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 22 ] Though some authors prefer to draft the abstract initially, followed by the main text of the paper, it is recommended to draft the abstract in the end to maintain accuracy and conformity with the main text of the paper (thus maintaining an easy linkage/alignment with title, on one hand, and the introduction section of the main text, on the other hand).[ 2 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] The authors should check the subheadings (of the structured abstract) permitted by the target journal, use phrases rather than sentences to draft the content of the abstract, and avoid passive voice.[ 1 , 7 , 9 , 12 ] Next, the authors need to get rid of redundant words and edit the abstract (extensively) to the correct word count permitted (every word in the abstract “counts”!).[ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ] It is important to ensure that the key message, focus, and novelty of the paper are not compromised; the rationale of the study and the basis of the conclusions are clear; and that the abstract is consistent with the main text of the paper.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 22 ] This is especially important while submitting a revision of the paper (modified after addressing the reviewer's comments), as the changes made in the main (revised) text of the paper need to be reflected in the (revised) abstract as well.[ 2 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 22 ] Abbreviations should be avoided in an abstract, unless they are conventionally accepted or standard; references, tables, or figures should not be cited in the abstract.[ 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ] It may be worthwhile not to rush with the abstract and to get an opinion by an impartial colleague on the content of the abstract; and if possible, the full paper (an “informal” peer-review).[ 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 17 ] Appropriate “Keywords” (three to ten words or phrases) should follow the abstract and should be preferably chosen from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) list of the U.S. National Library of Medicine ( https://meshb.nlm.nih.gov/search ) and are used for indexing purposes.[ 2 , 3 , 11 , 12 ] These keywords need to be different from the words in the main title (the title words are automatically used for indexing the article) and can be variants of the terms/phrases used in the title, or words from the abstract and the main text.[ 3 , 12 ] The ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors; http://www.icmje.org/ ) also recommends publishing the clinical trial registration number at the end of the abstract.[ 7 , 14 ]

Checklist for a good abstract

Table 3 gives a checklist/useful tips for formulating a good abstract for a research paper.[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 22 ]

Checklist/useful tips for formulating a good abstract for a research paper

Concluding Remarks

This review article has given a detailed account of the importance and types of titles and abstracts. It has also attempted to give useful hints for drafting an appropriate title and a complete abstract for a research paper. It is hoped that this review will help the authors in their career in medical writing.

Financial support and sponsorship

Conflicts of interest.

There are no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgement

The author thanks Dr. Hemant Deshmukh - Dean, Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital, for granting permission to publish this manuscript.

How to write a great research paper

Academic resource.

Simon Peyton Jones

This talk offers seven simple, concrete suggestions for how to improve your research papers. You may also find my talks on how to write a great research proposal  and how to give a great research talk  useful.

• Powerpoint slides of the talk:  PDF   PPT  (you should feel free to repurpose these slides for your own use as long as you acknowledge ownership)
• Another video of the talk (shorter: 34 mins), Cambridge Computer Lab, Spring 2013, with thanks to Neil Dodgson for the editing and production.
• Slides translated into Arabic (Suzan Alkhodair),  Japanese (KADO Masanori), and another Japanese version
• I have also collected a set of links to other useful material about technical writing, on the Other Resources tab

Related links

How to write a great research proposal

How to give a great research talk

Simon Peyton Jones: [email protected]

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Title: realm: reference resolution as language modeling.

Abstract: Reference resolution is an important problem, one that is essential to understand and successfully handle context of different kinds. This context includes both previous turns and context that pertains to non-conversational entities, such as entities on the user's screen or those running in the background. While LLMs have been shown to be extremely powerful for a variety of tasks, their use in reference resolution, particularly for non-conversational entities, remains underutilized. This paper demonstrates how LLMs can be used to create an extremely effective system to resolve references of various types, by showing how reference resolution can be converted into a language modeling problem, despite involving forms of entities like those on screen that are not traditionally conducive to being reduced to a text-only modality. We demonstrate large improvements over an existing system with similar functionality across different types of references, with our smallest model obtaining absolute gains of over 5% for on-screen references. We also benchmark against GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, with our smallest model achieving performance comparable to that of GPT-4, and our larger models substantially outperforming it.

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Formatting a Research Paper in Word

Formatting a research paper in Microsoft Word can be daunting, and many students struggle with the task. However, this process doesn’t have to be complicated; if done properly, it can actually enhance the quality of one’s paper. In this article we’ll discuss how to correctly format a research paper in Word so that both its content and form are effective and appropriate for submission or publication. We will cover topics such as font choice & size, line spacing & margins, page numbering & headers/footers along with specific instructions for setting up the document layout for MLA style formatting or APA style formatting. By following these steps readers should find they have an easier time creating well formatted documents that adhere to proper writing conventions.

I. Introduction to Research Paper Formatting

Ii. setting up margins and page size in word, iii. creating the header/running head, iv. establishing line spacing, alignment and indentation settings, v. inserting citations & references properly into the text, vi. utilizing tables of contents or outlines for organization, vii. strategies for obtaining desired results with ms word.

Research paper formatting is an important step in the academic writing process. As a student, you must be aware of how to structure your paper correctly so that it reads well and conveys its intended message. Formatting includes things such as font size, page margins, line spacing and more.

• Font: Most research papers are written using a 12-point Times New Roman font
• Margins: Page margins should be set at 1 inch on all four sides of the document.

Weaving together strong arguments with careful attention to detail is essential for any successful research paper. The proper use of format elements helps ensure that each component works together harmoniously within your overall composition—leading to better clarity in communicating ideas across disciplines. With these techniques under your belt, even the most daunting task of completing a research paper will become easier!

One of the most important steps in formatting a research paper is setting up margins and page size. Word offers several tools to help users properly align and format their document for easy readability, especially when using a specific paper format such as APA or MLA.

Margin settings are crucial for adhering to academic standards – all text should be within 1 inch margins on every side, top and bottom included. To achieve this look in Microsoft Word, simply go to “Page Layout” , click on “Margins” , then select “Normal”. This will set all sides of your page at one-inch distance from the edge of your paper.

• Paper Size:

Most word processors allow you to choose from multiple options when selecting what type of paper size you’d like use – either standard (letter) or legal sizes. Academic papers must have the default 8 ½ x 11” dimensions; therefore it’s best practice to select “Letter” instead “Legal” during this stage. In Microsoft Word 2010 under “ Page Layout > Paper Size > Letter. ” Once both margin settings and page size have been adjusted appropriately, it’s time to start working towards perfecting other facets necessary for producing an exemplary research project!

Formatting the Header

When it comes to research paper writing, one of the most important elements is getting your header right. A well-crafted running head can make a huge difference in how readers perceive and understand your work. The header should appear on every page of your document and must include the title as well as any other required information such as course name or number, author name, date etc. Generally speaking, when formatting a running head for an APA style research paper you will want to use standard capitalization rules and keep it short – no more than 50 characters including spaces.

• Choose a font size that stands out from the body text.
• Make sure all words are in upper case letters (except prepositions).

In addition to adhering to these guidelines for overall format consistency there are also some specific requirements with regards placement of each element within the header/running head:

Placing Elements Within Your Running Head

As a researcher, the importance of correctly setting line spacing, alignment and indentation for your paper cannot be overstated. Your document will appear more organized to readers if these elements are carefully crafted.

Using HTML formatting in Microsoft Word can help you quickly adjust your settings with minimal effort. Start by selecting all content in the document using Ctrl+A . Then open the Page Layout tab on the ribbon menu at the top of Word’s window. Here you’ll find options for adjusting indents and margins as well as justifying text right or left-aligned under Paragraph Settings.

• Set Line Spacing: Select “Multiple” from dropdown list located beneath Spacing.
• Set Alignment: Choose either Left, Right or Centre option from Justification group within Paragraph section.

Alternatively, use keyboard shortcuts to set both line spacing and alignments.

For example; press [Ctrl]+[2] , which sets double-spaced lines while pressing [Ctrl]+[E] (for centred) or any of [L], [R] (left/right justified respectively). Finally you may need to apply different indentations such as First Line Indent ( “0 cm” )and Hanging Indent ( “0 cm – 2cm) . By doing so consistently throughout your research paper format ,you’ll ensure uniformity that’s visually pleasing!

Correctly Citing Resources Creating well-structured and referenced research papers is a skill that takes time to master. Achieving this standard of academic writing involves correctly citing all the resources you use in your work, while also adhering to one of the accepted formatting styles for research papers such as MLA or APA. Knowing when and how to properly cite other people’s ideas can help make sure you don’t commit plagiarism.

Maximizing Structural Coherence

Organization is essential for any research paper, and one of the best ways to ensure structure is by utilizing a table of contents or an outline. When constructing either document, it can be helpful to consider how topics connect with each other so that readers understand the main idea more clearly. By organizing ideas into distinct sections and subsections, a researcher can better communicate their findings in an organized way.

• Creating a table of contents will create hierarchy between different levels of information within your paper; this allows readers to easily navigate through various parts and find relevant information quickly.
• An outline also creates order but often does not include page numbers which makes navigation slightly less intuitive than with tables.
• Whichever tool you choose, take advantage of its ability to help arrange content logically while following traditional conventions such as introduction-body-conclusion format common in most academic writing.

Using these tools strategically will enable writers craft more efficient documents that keep readers engaged from start to finish. With well placed headings marking off important points in logical progression across subtopics related to the overall topic at hand – all references cited properly using accepted formatting methods – researchers have what they need for greater readability on both sides.

As a Microsoft Word user, you have many options for achieving the desired results in your projects. These strategies can help ensure that each document looks professional and is easy to understand.

• Choose an appropriate format:

When formatting any document it’s important to choose a standard layout like APA or MLA research paper formats. This will make the content look neat and organized which helps readers quickly find what they’re looking for. Additionally, sticking with one consistent style throughout all documents allows them to be easily combined into larger pieces of work without having to reformat everything.

• Utilize page layout tools:

Page setup options such as margins, columns and orientation give you control over how the text appears on the page; giving more impactful visuals than simply using font size changes alone. When used correctly these settings also make reading easier by breaking up large chunks of information into smaller sections – great for long reports or articles! Also consider utilizing page breaks between sections which prevents clutter caused by widows/orphans (single lines at either top or bottom) when printing multiple pages of your document.

It is clear that formatting a research paper in Word requires attention to detail and the proper utilization of key features within the program. By taking advantage of built-in capabilities, such as page layout, header/footer options, and citation styles, students can easily create sophisticated documents with minimal effort. Furthermore, these templates serve to streamline the process for future papers while simultaneously allowing users to customize their documents according to personal preferences or instructor guidelines. With this newfound knowledge at hand it should be no surprise why using Word remains one of the most popular methods among academic authors today!