How to Write a Research Article

https://web.stanford.edu/class/ed150x/week1a.ppt
Role and Purpose of Empirical
Research
• To provide answers to questions about
behavior by using the scientific method.
• Descriptive (to “describe’)
• Correlational (to “predict”)
• Causal-(to “control, explain causation”)
– Experimental
– Comparative
 Process of Empirical Research
• Identify and define research problem and
questions.
• Formulate hypotheses on basis of theory, prior
research and/or hunches.
• Design research study to collect data bearing on
questions.
• Conduct the research.
• Analyze the data (through statistical methods).
• Interpret the data in light of the research questions.
 Standard Format of Research
Articles
• Abstract
• Introduction: Context, Research Problem,
Review of Literature
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• References
 Introduction

• Background - the reasons the author(s)

conducted the study; theoretical framework
• Statement of Purpose - the goal of the
research (the destination); the problem
statement
• Hypotheses - “educated guesses” about
relationships or differences
 Evaluating Introductions:
Literature Review
• Literature review: to place current study in
context of what is known/not known
– Nature of literature cited
– Researcher bias
– Rationale/need for study
– Theoretical framework
– Link of framework to research questions
– Sufficiency of information
– Usefulness of review
 Evaluating Introductions:
Research Questions/Hypotheses
• Research questions and hypotheses drive
the study
– Clarity of problem
– Sufficient rationale
– Contribution to existing knowledge
– Link to theoretical framework and lit review
– Assumptions explicit/implicit
– Operational definition of terms
– Statement of hypotheses
 Methodology

• Participants (sample) - who the subjects are,

how obtained/selected
• Materials (equipment, apparatus, measuring
instruments) - what was used, quality of
measuring instruments
• Procedures - how study was conducted;
what subjects did or what was done to them
 Evaluating Methodology

• Sufficient detail of procedures (treatment),

design and instruments
• Full description of population
• Full description of sampling method
• Quality of measures used
• Obvious weaknesses in design
 Results

• Technical summary of the statistical

analyses used:
• In text
• In tables
• In figures
 Evaluating Results

• Appropriateness of statistical techniques

used
• Clarity of presentation of results
• Adequacy of presentation of results
 Discussion/Conclusions

• Non-technical interpretation of results

• Linking results to original purposes and
hypotheses
• Why the results turned out the way they did
• Identifying the study’s limitations
• Suggesting steps for further research
Evaluating Discussion/Conclusions

• Consistency of conclusions with findings

• Appropriateness of generalizations
• Discussion of implications of findings
• Discussion of limitations of study
• Alternative explanation for findings
• Linkage of conclusions with theoretical
framework, research questions
sasongko@che.itb.ac.id
hendra@che.itb.ac.id
winny@che.itb.ac.id