Course Instructor: Ms.

Summera Malik Federal Urdu University Islamabad

Research Paper Guidelines

(Final Project)
Your research paper is the final formal record of your project. It is also your chance to
shine, to show off your work and what you've learned. Write a paper can be a milestone for you
towards future endeavor.
A good paper requires time, multiple drafts, careful editing, and attention to detail. Start
writing early. Use a formal, scientific style. Most of the paper should be in the third person. Use
the active voice whenever possible, except in descriptions of procedures. Follow APA format of
writing and citation. Direct quotations should be reserved for the rare occasions when the exact
words of another are required. You should be able to place ideas in your own words and thus cite
them as a paraphrase. If you cannot explain an idea in your own words, it doesn't belong in your
paper. Although individual papers may vary a bit, a typical paper includes the sections below.
Paper Format
Cover Page: Include your project title, name, research advisor, research period (e.g. Fall 2018).
Abstract: Generally not longer than a half a page, the abstract is a concise statement of what was
accomplished. While the goals of the project are often included, an abstract is not primarily a
statement of a project's goals or purpose. In an abstract, you should summarize your results and
give a brief overview of your conclusions.
Introduction: Often the longest section of a research paper, the introduction places the work in
context by providing appropriate theoretical background, a history of previous work, reaction
mechanisms, background on significant techniques or instruments, etc. A review of information
available in the literature is often part of the introduction. Include structures, figures, graphs, etc.
as appropriate. Place figures as close as possible to the point where you describe them. Number
figures and equations to help your reader. Be sure to include citations for sources of information
and sources of any figures you borrow. A proper introduction contains:
1. Literature Review - this is a summary of your area of study. This should be a thorough and
in depth review and will likely involve at least TEN different primary literature sources
on your topic. The literature review should be presented in a logical format and relate
directly to the goals of your project.
2. Broader Impact - As a part of the introduction to your paper, you will need to discuss the
broader impacts of the project. What is the purpose of your study? Beyond the specific
results, how does this project fit into the world as a whole?
3. Project Goals - The introduction typically ends with a paragraph that explains the overall
goals of the specific project. As opposed to the broader impacts, these should focus on the
goals you set forth at the beginning of the project or the problem that you wish to address
with the research.

Business Communication Handout: 3

Course Instructor: Ms. Summera Malik Federal Urdu University Islamabad

Methods and Materials: Describe the sources of all materials and the details of procedures
followed. You need to provide enough detail so that a reader is able to understand the procedure
of your research. Data collection procedures are written in the third person, passive voice, past
tense. While we try to avoid passive voice most of the time, we use it in descriptions of procedures
because the doer is not considered important.
Results and Discussion: A large focus of your paper will be this section, where you will describe
what you have done and observed, and offer explanations for any observations. Data should be
presented clearly in tables and graphs. Any scale that would be useful to your discussion should
be included here as well. All included figures, graphs, spectra, and pictures should be clearly
captioned, labeled, and embedded into the text at the appropriate location (near where you discuss
it). Be sure to include units for any given numbers. Note that raw data is not always presented in
this section, and large raw data tables may be more appropriate for the Appendix. If your project
had multiple parts, you may wish to subdivide this section as to provide additional organization
for your thoughts.
Conclusions: Discuss your findings and the conclusions you draw. Explain the basis for
conclusions. Offer explanations for problems encountered and suggestions for future work. This
section should also include what you have learned over the course of the research project.
References: Follow APA format guidelines latest edition available at google.com.
Appendices: If your project generated data or spectra that should be preserved with your final
paper but that were not directly referred to in the body of the paper, place them in an
Appendix. See your research advisor for help deciding if you need an Appendix.

Writing Style Good scientific writing should be clear and concise, and written in third
person. Write for clarity. Write in the active voice whenever possible (except for that
Experimental Section!). While you must include technical language to properly discuss your
work, avoid the excessive use of jargon.
Constructing Figures, Schemes, and Graphs One of the most important aspects of science is the
effective communication of your results. Figures, schemes, and graphs are visual representations
of your data meant to help the reader understand your results and conclusions. Therefore, they
must have a logical layout and design to function correctly.
1. Please be sure to include the appropriate labels for all axes, columns, and pictures.
2. If you do not discuss a specific figure in the text of your paper, the figure should be in an
appendix and not the body.
3. There should be a caption to all figures that provides context for the reader.

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