Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 6: Preparing to write an article
• Part 2 of 6: Choosing a Research Topic
• Part 3 of 6: Selection of Scientific Materials
• Part 4 of 6: Making Sustainable Use of Scientific Materials
• Part 5 of 6: Planning an article
• Part 6 of 6: Overcoming the Creative Crisis
• Tips
• Warnings

A scientific article assumes a skillful construction of argumentation based on a professional analysis of the research work carried out. Such articles can cover almost any topic, from medicine to the history of the Middle Ages, and are taught to write in many schools and institutions of higher education. Writing a scientific article can seem like a daunting task, especially in the beginning. However, by organizing your thoughts and the sources you use, you will greatly facilitate this task and will be able to get to work without a creative crisis.

Steps

Part 1 of 6: Preparing to write an article

1. 1 Read the assignment carefully. When setting the task to write a scientific article, the teacher usually indicates specific requirements for it. Before you start writing the article, find out exactly what is required of you. Among other things, you generally need to know the following:
   • The volume of the article.
   • How many sources and what type to use.
   • Topic of the article. Has the teacher assigned a specific topic, or are you given the opportunity to choose it yourself? Did the instructor give any advice on choosing a topic? Are there any restrictions in choosing the topic of the article?
   • The deadline for the submission of the article.
   • Should you provide any preliminary materials? For example, your instructor may ask you to provide a draft article for revision, or a detailed outline of a future article.
   • Article design. Should I use one and a half or double line spacing? Do I need an APA style article? How should sources be cited?
   • If you are unclear about any of the listed points, be sure to check with your teacher.
2. 2 Prepare writing utensils. Some people prefer to write on a laptop, while others are more comfortable using a notebook and pen. Make sure you have everything you need. Check again if your computer is working properly and if you have everything you may need when writing an article.
   • If you need a computer and Internet access and do not have your own computer, try accessing a computer in a library or classroom.
3. 3 Break the task down into separate tasks and schedule the work. As a rule, writing a scientific article consists of many stages, each of which requires a considerable amount of time. If you are going to write a good scientific article, you should not rush and save time. You will need a sufficient amount of time (at least one to two days) for each step. Try to set aside at least two weeks to prepare and write your article. The exact time it takes to write an article depends on many factors, including the length of the article, your knowledge of the material, your writing style, and your workload. However, the approximate work schedule is as follows:
   • 1 day: preliminary reading, choice of topic
   • Day 2: selection of the necessary sources
   • Day 3-5: reading sources and making notes
   • Day 6: drawing up an article plan
   • Day 7-9: writing the first draft of the article
   • 10+ day: creation of the final version of the article
   • Be aware that research papers can vary greatly in complexity and scope. In high school, work can take two weeks, while it often takes one year to write a master's thesis, and a professor can spend years of work on scientific research and describing its results.
4. 4 Choose one or more locations where you can work on your article. Some people prefer to read and write in a secluded and quiet place, such as a private study room. Others manage to concentrate better in more crowded places, such as a coffee shop or student dorm room. Identify a few places for yourself to think about and write about a scientific article. These areas should have good lighting (best if there are large windows that let in sunlight) and enough electrical outlets for you to plug in your laptop.

Part 2 of 6: Choosing a Research Topic

1. 1 Find out if you should choose a theme yourself. In some cases, the topic of the article is set by the teacher or supervisor. If so, then you can go directly to the next step. However, if the choice of a particular topic is left to you, it will take some time to settle on one or another topic.
2. 2 Select a topic that meets the conditions of the assignment. Even if you need to write an article on a free topic, your choice will still be limited to certain limits. The topic should correspond to the subject being studied and the specific task assigned to you. For example, the article should relate to what you were told about in the lectures. Or maybe the assignment stipulated that the work should be dedicated to the Great French Revolution. Make sure you understand the assignment correctly so that the topic of your work is relevant to it.
   • For example, your professor of microbiology is unlikely to be thrilled with a scientific article on the philosophy of the Enlightenment. Similarly, the teacher of Russian literature, who asked the work on the work of L.N. Tolstoy will certainly be unpleasantly surprised if you submit an essay on the works of M.M. Zoshchenko. Be careful and make sure your article is relevant to the subject being studied.
3. 3 List possible topics of interest to you. Having understood the requirements for the work, you can start choosing a topic that would satisfy the necessary parameters. It may happen that some topic immediately grabs you. However, it is more likely that you will have to take some time to choose the right theme.List only those topics that interest you: you will spend a lot of time studying the subject and writing an article, so the question should interest you. When choosing an interesting topic, you can do the following:
   • Review textbooks and lecture notes. Are there topics out there that grab your attention? Have you noted any questions for yourself in the textbooks that you would like to learn more about? This will allow you to choose a topic that interests you.
   • Think about what special issues caught your attention while reading textbooks. It can also prompt you to choose a suitable topic.
   • Discuss the subject under study with a classmate. Talk about what piques your interest (or vice versa, what you find boring) and use the results of the discussion as a starting point.
4. 4 Stop on a preliminary topic. After you have compiled a list of topics that interest you, review it again. Is your gaze clinging to specific topics? Have you noticed any patterns? For example, if half of the list is about weapons from the First World War, this indicates that you are interested in the topic. Also be guided by the following signs:
   • Matching the topic to the task received. Does it satisfy all the necessary parameters?
   • The number of scientific materials available on a particular topic. For example, a huge number of publications are probably devoted to the medieval monasteries of France. However, when looking for material related to the attitude of Catholic priests in a region to rap music, you may encounter certain difficulties.
   • How narrow your research topic should be. Many scientific articles are devoted to very narrow issues. For example, you may be tasked with writing a paper about the history of an object (say, a flying frisbee disc). Other academic papers may cover broad phenomena: for example, you may be asked to describe the participation of women in World War II. A sufficiently narrow subject has the advantage that you will not drown in a huge amount of information, but the topic should not be too narrow, otherwise the information may not be enough. For example, you are unlikely to be able to create a good 10-page article on the topic of World War II. This is a too broad and pervasive question. However, you may well be able to write a successful 10-page article on the topic "Coverage of Moscow's Defense in the Soviet Press."
5. 5 Review the materials on the preliminary topic, spending 1-2 hours on it. You should not delve deeply into the topic until you decide on it your final choice, as this will be a waste of time. However, it is helpful to take a quick look at the pre-selected question to know if it is worth working on. In doing so, you may find that the intended topic is too broad (narrow), or that it will not allow you to show your skills. After reviewing the preliminary topic, you can:
   • Decide that it suits you and start writing the work
   • Decide that it requires changes or clarifications
   • Decide that this topic is not suitable for you, and try to choose another topic from the list compiled earlier
6. 6 Ask your teacher to recommend a topic that suits you. As a rule, teachers and lecturers are happy to suggest topics for writing works. If you are not sure if you have chosen a good topic, the teacher will also be able to help you. Many instructors provide additional consultations during which you can discuss your ideas for a scientific article.
   • Try to discuss the future article with your teacher as early as possible. He or she will be able to advise you on what sources to use and how to structure your article.
   • Before the consultation, be sure to prepare for it. Consider the topic of the future article and ideas for its content in advance.

Part 3 of 6: Selection of Scientific Materials

1. 1 Select primary sources. Primary sources are the original facts or data that you are going to write about, while secondary sources are comments on them. When writing an article in the humanities, you will be dealing with facts (for example, historical), while in the exact sciences, you will have to analyze the data obtained by you or other researchers. Depending on the topic of the scientific article, as primary sources you may need:
   • Literary work
   • Movie
   • Manuscript
   • Historical documents
   • Letters or diaries
   • Painting
2. 2 Search the Internet for secondary sources and links. Many universities and other educational institutions are subscribed to scientific databases equipped with search tools. You can find newspaper and magazine articles, monographs, scientific publications, bibliography, historical documents and other sources that interest you in these databases. By searching for keywords, authors and other criteria, you can find the materials that interest you.
   • If your institution does not subscribe to paid databases, you can search freely available articles on the Internet or use tools such as Jstor and GoogleScholar to find hard copies of the materials you need. Remember to use caution when using Internet sources.
   • Sometimes in these databases it is possible to access the source itself (for example, a copy of the article in PDF format). In other cases, databases will only provide you with a link to the source (title, list of authors, year of publication, and so on) by which you can find it in the library.
3. 3 Use a library search engine to compile a list of sources. In addition to searching databases, browse the directory of your local, university, or specialized research library to see if the literature you are looking for will also be found there. Use a library search engine to search by title, authors, keywords, and topics.
   • Be careful and correctly record the titles, authors, phone numbers and location of the sources found. Soon you will have to track them down, and getting them right will help you avoid unnecessary work.
4. 4 Visit the library. As a rule, material on library shelves is organized by topic. This means that if you are looking for literature on a specific topic, chances are it will be on one or more adjacent shelves. Search results in the library system will point you to the most likely location, or multiple locations, where the books you need are located. Also look around the shelves next door - you may find useful literature there, although the search engine did not point to them. Browse through all the books you might find helpful.
   • Remember that in many libraries periodicals are placed separately from books. Sometimes periodicals are not allowed to be taken outside the library, in which case you may need to make a photocopy of the required material or scan it.
5. 5 Talk to the librarian. As a rule, librarians are well versed in what kind of literature is in the library. Some library search engines even have service personnel specialized in various fields, such as law, science, or fiction. Contact a librarian to help you find literature on a subject of your interest. Perhaps he or she can give you some valuable advice.
6. 6 Examine possible sources for reliability. The modern world is full of information, but not all of it is trustworthy. It is often difficult to determine the reliability of this or that information.Nevertheless, there are certain methods that allow you to check the reliability of sources without being misled:
   • Check if your sources have been reviewed. Peer review, or peer review, allows scientists to verify the correctness of scientific work. If the source has not been reviewed, there is a good chance that it is questionable and erroneous.
   • Don't rely too much on popular websites. Wikipedia and similar sites are useful sources of fast and easily accessible information (for example, about memorable dates), but they are clearly not enough for an in-depth study of a particular issue. Take information from popular websites critically and check it against more reliable scientific sources.
   • Pay attention to the publisher that has released this or that book. If your source is a book, make sure it comes from a reputable publisher. Many of these publishers work closely with renowned universities and scientific organizations. Do not trust information given in questionable publications.
   • Ask experts in your area of ​​interest about their preferred periodicals. Scientific journals have different values. It is not easy for a student to tell the difference between a first-class and a minor magazine, so ask a specialist in the field to recommend the most reliable sources of information for you.
   • Pay special attention to sources that contain quality footnotes and footnotes. Although there are exceptions, as a rule, this indicates serious scientific work with accurate citations. If you come across an article without links and notes, this indicates that its author did not read the other studies properly, which is a bad sign.
7. 7 Read the notes to the main text. One of the best ways to find new ideas for further research is to study notes and links to sources of particular interest to you. In the notes and links, the author quotes the sources used by him, which may be useful to you. If you agree with the author's conclusions, it makes sense to review the sources used by him that led him to such conclusions.
8. 8 Collect the materials you find and structure them. By this time, you have accumulated a lot of books from the library, as well as many printed or stored on a computer publications and scientific articles. Organize the collected materials. For example, copy all the articles you find into one folder on your laptop and put the corresponding books on a separate shelf. This will make your job easier and you will not lose sight of any valuable source.

Part 4 of 6: Making Sustainable Use of Scientific Materials

1. 1 Study the primary sources carefully. If you are writing a research paper on the analysis of primary sources, you should start by carefully studying the primary materials. Read them carefully, analyze them and make the necessary notes. Write down your initial impressions and thoughts. After all, you do not want them to be forgotten as soon as you start studying the opinions of other experts who have researched the issue.
2. 2 Skim through secondary sources. You should not assume that you will find a lot of useful information in each of them. Sometimes the headlines are quite misleading, and you may find that some of the research is incorrect or not relevant to the subject you are studying. Assume that about half of the sources you have collected will be useful. Before you carefully study the source, determine if it is worth doing. Use the following methods:
   • Review the table of contents and highlight the main topics. Pay special attention to sections that are especially relevant to your work.
   • Read the introduction and conclusions first.From these sections you will understand what this work is about and whether it will be useful to you.
   • Review the notes and links. Thus, you will define the general direction of work. If you are writing an article on psychology, and only philosophers are cited in the notes and source links, this source is unlikely to be useful to you.
3. 3 Determine which materials should be carefully worked out, where it is enough to read only a part, and which sources can be immediately put aside. After a quick look at the collected materials, you should identify the most useful ones. Some sources will prove to be extremely useful and you will want to study them in detail. Other sources may contain only selected fragments relevant to the topic of your research. If a book has only one chapter on your topic, it is enough to familiarize yourself with it, and not read the entire book. Some sources may not be relevant to your topic at all and should be discarded.
4. 4 Keep detailed records. When writing a scientific article, you may feel overwhelmed with information, and this is quite normal. You will come across a large number of new concepts, concepts and arguments. In order not to get confused in all this (and not to forget what you already read about), write down everything that is important. When working with a photocopy of an article, you can make notes directly on it. Otherwise, use a notebook or computer text editor to write your notes. Write down the following:
   • The main arguments and conclusions given in the source
   • Techniques used
   • The main proofs given in the study under study
   • Alternative explanations of the results obtained
   • Anything that surprised or confused you
   • Key terms and concepts
   • Anything you disagree with or reasons you doubt are correct
   • Questions you have after reading the source
   • useful links
5. 5 Make sure you are using the correct quotes and links. Be sure to include the correct links when keeping records. In most cases, the links contain the names of the authors, the date of publication, its title, the title of the journal (or other publication), and page numbers. They may also include the name of the publisher, the city where the publication was published, and the website on which it is available. Remember to cite the source both when quoting directly and when borrowing from it. If you don't, you could be accused of plagiarism and ostracized in the scientific community.
   • Use the style of linking to sources as agreed by your instructor. The most common link styles are MLA, Chicago, APA, and CSE. A detailed description of all these styles can be found on the Internet.
   • There are many computer programs that make it easy to design links (for example, EndNote and RefWorks). Some text editors also contain options to make it easier to work with links.
6. 6 Structure your information. As you continue to take notes, take a closer look at the patterns present in the studied sources. Perhaps you have noticed some inconsistencies? Is there agreement on certain points? Where is your topic in the sources used? Distribute sources using similar considerations.

Part 5 of 6: Planning an article

1. 1 Open a blank document. This will be the outline of your article. The plan is the key to writing a scientific article, especially if it is quite large. The plan will help you stick to your chosen topic. It will also make the article writing process easier. Keep in mind that a good plan doesn't have to include all the points, even the smallest ones. It is enough if it contains the main points necessary for writing an article. The plan should include the following:
   • Key points
   • Rationale for the topic, main evidence and key findings for each section
   • Reasonable division into parts
   • General conclusions
2. 2 Start with preliminary theses. Most scientific articles make assumptions, which are then supported by the data and their analysis. First, statements are made, which are supported or refuted during the subsequent presentation. Remember that the abstract should be:
   • Controversial. You cannot simply state what is already known or already proven. Therefore, a statement such as “the sky is blue” is not valid.
   • Convincing. Your thesis should be based on evidence and careful analysis. Don't make too bizarre, unconventional, or notoriously unprovable theses.
   • Remember your assignment. Your work must meet all the parameters set by the teacher.
   • Do not go beyond the indicated limits. Abstracts should be specific and specific. This will allow you to keep within the stipulated volume.
3. 3 Write your abstract in front of the article outline. Since the rest of the content of the article depends on the main theses, you should constantly keep them in mind. Write them on top of the rest of the plan, in large letters.
   • If in the process of writing an article you need to correct the main theses, do so. When writing an article, you may well change your original point of view.
   • You should also include in the introduction or the following section of the article a description of the research methods and procedures used, and briefly describe the general structure of the article.
4. 4 Think about what background data should be included in the article. Many articles start with a section that briefly describes the status of the problem under study. As a rule, you should also consider the points of view of other researchers on this issue (this section is also called a literature review). Provide information that will allow the reader to understand why this research was undertaken and what will be discussed in the following sections.
5. 5 Consider the information needed to validate your thesis. What kind of proof do you need for this? Do you need textual or visual evidence, or should it be scientific? Do you need to attract expert opinion? Review your notes for the evidence you need.
6. 6 Plan the main body of the article. In this part, you will present your own results and analyze them. In this part, most of the sections will be relatively small, and each should relate to a common theme or idea. Ideally, each section should follow from the previous one, adding weight to your argument and justifying the overall thesis. Typically, each section includes the following items:
   • An introductory sentence that explains what this section is about and how it relates to the overall theme of the article.
   • A statement of the relevant arguments. In this case, citations, links to other works, results of scientific research or questionnaires may be used.
   • Your analysis of the submitted data.
   • Discussion of how this data has been interpreted by other researchers.
   • Conclusion in the form of one or two sentences, explaining the importance of the analysis.
7. 7 Structure your sections. Each section of the main body of the article should be an independent block. However, they must agree, confirming the main points of your article. Take a closer look at how the sections relate to each other. Think about how to arrange them so that the presentation is logically coherent and convincing. Depending on the topic of the article, you can arrange the sections as follows:
   • Chronologically. For example, if you are writing a scientific article about the history of an object or phenomenon, it is convenient to build it in chronological order.
   • Conceptually. In your article, you can go over the basic concepts by discussing them one by one.For example, if an article discusses how a movie deals with issues of gender, race, and sexuality, you might want to split the article into three sections dealing with these issues.
   • According to the scale. For example, if your article discusses the effect of a vaccine, you can arrange the material according to the size of the populations studied, ranging from the smallest to the largest: for example, you can consider the effect of a vaccine within a particular city, then a country, and, finally, the whole world.
   • Argue for and against, completing everything with synthesis. According to this scheme, one should first present points of view that support some kind of argument, then those that refute it, and then, taking the best sides of the given concepts, complete the analysis with a presentation of a new theory. For example, if your article focuses on the public perception of acupuncture, you might first consider the arguments of its proponents, then those of its opponents, and end with an analysis designed to show that the truth is likely somewhere in between.
   • Try to move smoothly from one section to another. In this case, the reader will understand why the article is arranged in this way.
8. 8 Consider including other sections in the article. Additional sections may be required depending on the field of study and requirements. Their type and volume can vary widely, so do the job or consult a teacher. These can be the following items:
   • Summary
   • Literature review
   • Drawings
   • Description of the method
   • Description of the results obtained
   • Applications
   • List of used literature
9. 9 Think about the conclusion. The article should end with convincing conclusions that support the original theses. The conclusions should follow from the previous presentation, testifying to the correctness of your theses. The conclusion of the article can perform other functions, depending on the area of ​​research. Conclusions may include the following:
   • Possible deficiencies and alternative explanations for the results obtained
   • List of problems requiring further research
   • Your opinion on the contribution of this work to the solution of the problem under study

Part 6 of 6: Overcoming the Creative Crisis

1. 1 Don't panic. Most people experience a creative crisis at one point or another in their lives, especially when they have to complete an extraordinary task like writing a scientific article. Just relax and take a few deep breaths - you can achieve your goal using simple methods and techniques.
2. 2 Try to write in a free style to liberate your thoughts. If you feel stuck in one place, put the article aside for a few minutes. Just write down whatever you think about the topic of the article. What are you interested in? What do you think other people are interested in? Think about the most interesting and exciting moments of your chosen topic. Just jotting down the thoughts that come into your head for a few minutes, even if they probably won't make it into your article, will help you focus again.
3. 3 Move on to writing another section. It is not at all necessary to write a scientific article in sequence, from beginning to end. Once you have an outline for your article, it doesn't matter in which order you write the individual sections. If you find it difficult to introduce, switch to writing another, more interesting part. This will make your job easier and you may have new ideas for more difficult sections.
4. 4 Speak your thoughts out loud. When confused about a difficult concept or a difficult phrase, try saying it out loud before writing it down. Share this concept with your parents or friends. Can you clearly explain it over the phone? After you get the idea across orally, write it down.
5. 5 Don't worry if the draft of your article is far from perfect. That is why it is called a draft. You can always correct inaccuracies and improve the text when revising the article. Instead of looking for the best word or phrase every time, write down what comes to your mind and highlight it with a marker so you can think about it later. Perhaps in a couple of days the right word will come to your mind.
6. 6 Take a walk. Of course, you shouldn't put off writing an article until the last moment, but sometimes your brain needs rest. If you get stuck on any section of the article and cannot move forward for an hour or more, take a 20-minute break and take a walk, and then return to the difficult place. After a walk in the fresh air, work will go much faster.
7. 7 Consider changing your target audience. Some people find it difficult to write an article due to constant thoughts about who will read it. For example, the article will be read by a teacher who is well versed in this area. To overcome this fear, imagine that the article is intended for someone else: friends, dorm roommates, parents, other people who are not experts in the field. This way you can get rid of shyness and express your thoughts more clearly.

Tips

• You should have enough time (for example, two weeks) to work on a scientific article. Some articles take longer to write.
• Do not forget about the task at hand. Make sure that your article meets the requirements.
• Cite sources correctly, referring to them in accordance with the specified format. This is very important when writing scientific articles.
• A good scientific article is characterized by reliable sources, deep analysis and correct structure. If you can manage to meet all of these requirements, you will have a successful scientific article.
• Feel free to ask your supervisor, teacher, or classmates (fellow students) for advice. As a rule, teachers are happy to discuss issues related to scientific articles with students.

Warnings

• If you do not mention the sources from which the information was taken, it is considered plagiarism even if you do not provide direct quotes.
• Don't plagiarize. This is dishonest and can lead to far-reaching consequences such as poor grades, expulsion from college, and even further employment problems.