One of the most important decisions you will make when writing an academic paper is how to present your data; that is, which data should be placed in tables, which data is best shown in figures, and how to make both of these display items as clear and as easy to interpret as possible. Presenting data in figures and tables instead of describing it in the text enables you to quickly and easily convey large amounts of complex information, and enhance and even accelerate reader understanding of your paper.

One of the most important decisions you will make when writing an academic paper is how to present your data; that is, which data should be placed in tables, which data is best shown in figures, and how to make both of these display items as clear and as easy to interpret as possible. Presenting data in figures and tables instead of describing it in the text enables you to quickly and easily convey large amounts of complex information, and enhance and even accelerate reader understanding of your paper.

An abstract is a brief paragraph at the beginning of an academic paper that provides an overview of the article. Abstracts are often also included on posters or submitted to conferences as a way of applying to give a talk. Virtually all articles listed on indexing sites such as PubMed have a freely available abstract.

An abstract is a brief paragraph at the beginning of an academic paper that provides an overview of the article. Abstracts are often also included on posters or submitted to conferences as a way of applying to give a talk. Virtually all articles listed on indexing sites such as PubMed have a freely available abstract.

Many authors and researchers worry that their academic writing is too repetitive, but repetition can be a useful tool when used correctly. It is important in developing academic manuscripts, it can benefit readers, and is encouraged (in appropriate contexts) by editors and publishers.

Many authors and researchers worry that their academic writing is too repetitive, but repetition can be a useful tool when used correctly. It is important in developing academic manuscripts, it can benefit readers, and is encouraged (in appropriate contexts) by editors and publishers.

In recent years, there has been a big focus on researchers being able to demonstrate the impact of their research.  One great way to get your research out there, or to have an input into the public dialogue around your field of interest, is to appear on television or radio.

In recent years, there has been a big focus on researchers being able to demonstrate the impact of their research.  One great way to get your research out there, or to have an input into the public dialogue around your field of interest, is to appear on television or radio.

At some point, we all take notes for our research.  It might be jotting down the results of experiments, pulling out the key points from a text, or setting out the key points made by a speaker at a conference.  You might already have excellent note-taking skills, but it’s easy to miss something important, or end up with notes that make little sense when you return to them months or even years later.

At some point, we all take notes for our research.  It might be jotting down the results of experiments, pulling out the key points from a text, or setting out the key points made by a speaker at a conference.  You might already have excellent note-taking skills, but it’s easy to miss something important, or end up with notes that make little sense when you return to them months or even years later.

If you’re running interviews or focus groups as part of your research, you’re going to end up with plenty of audio, or perhaps video, which needs transcribing.  If you’ve ever tried transcription, you’ve probably found it can take a surprisingly long time, and there are inevitably bit of audio which you find yourself puzzling over – what exactly was that word?  Who was speaking then?

If you’re running interviews or focus groups as part of your research, you’re going to end up with plenty of audio, or perhaps video, which needs transcribing.  If you’ve ever tried transcription, you’ve probably found it can take a surprisingly long time, and there are inevitably bit of audio which you find yourself puzzling over – what exactly was that word?  Who was speaking then?

Research produces data, and as researchers, we develop the skills to interpret it and draw out the details, the trends, and the correlations, that are of interest.  For a wider audience, we need to present the data in a way that makes these important points as clear as possible.  Publishing in a journal, readers don’t want to have to wade through all the data to see whether the arguments stand up.  When writing for a general audience, it’s even more important to present data in an easily digested manner.

Research produces data, and as researchers, we develop the skills to interpret it and draw out the details, the trends, and the correlations, that are of interest.  For a wider audience, we need to present the data in a way that makes these important points as clear as possible.  Publishing in a journal, readers don’t want to have to wade through all the data to see whether the arguments stand up.  When writing for a general audience, it’s even more important to present data in an easily digested manner.

The purpose of a literature search is to obtain an overview of the current state of the field; that is, what is currently known about a specific topic and what questions remain unanswered. There are a variety of reasons why you may wish to perform a literature search over the course of your research career.

The purpose of a literature search is to obtain an overview of the current state of the field; that is, what is currently known about a specific topic and what questions remain unanswered. There are a variety of reasons why you may wish to perform a literature search over the course of your research career.

The main purpose of the title of your academic research article is to quickly and clearly convey the most important overall conclusion from your study; essentially, it is a one-sentence summary of the entire study. 

The main purpose of the title of your academic research article is to quickly and clearly convey the most important overall conclusion from your study; essentially, it is a one-sentence summary of the entire study. 

The introduction to an academic article is the first section of the paper, immediately following the abstract. One of the most important functions of an introduction is to answer the question ‘why?’: why was the study performed, and why is it interesting and/or important? 

The introduction to an academic article is the first section of the paper, immediately following the abstract. One of the most important functions of an introduction is to answer the question ‘why?’: why was the study performed, and why is it interesting and/or important?