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Writing a Journal Article: Volume 13 Insights

The document outlines the general structure and essential components for writing an academic journal article, including the title, keywords, abstract, acknowledgements, introduction, main body, conclusion, and references. It also describes different types of journal articles such as original research, review articles, case studies, and methodologies, along with citation formats in APA, MLA, and Turabian styles. The guidance aims to help authors effectively communicate their research and ensure proper attribution in academic writing.

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9 views6 pages

Writing a Journal Article: Volume 13 Insights

The document outlines the general structure and essential components for writing an academic journal article, including the title, keywords, abstract, acknowledgements, introduction, main body, conclusion, and references. It also describes different types of journal articles such as original research, review articles, case studies, and methodologies, along with citation formats in APA, MLA, and Turabian styles. The guidance aims to help authors effectively communicate their research and ensure proper attribution in academic writing.

Uploaded by

abdulhaey666
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Journal Article

General structure for writing an academic journal article

Title

The title of your article is one of the first indicators readers will get of your research and concepts.
It should be concise, accurate, and informative. You should include your most relevant keywords
in your title, but avoid including abbreviations and formulae.

Keywords

Keywords are an essential part of producing a journal article. When writing a journal article you
must select keywords that you would like your article to rank for.

 Keywords help potential readers to discover your article when conducting research using
search engines.

Abstract

The purpose of your abstract is to express the key points of your research, clearly and concisely.
An abstract must always be well considered, as it is the primary element of your work that readers
will come across.

An abstract should be a short paragraph (around 300 words) that summarizes the findings of your
journal article. Ordinarily an abstract will be comprised of:

 What your research is about

 What methods have been used

 What your main findings are

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements can appear to be a small aspect of your journal article, however it is still
important. This is where you acknowledge the individuals who do not qualify for co-authorship, but
contributed to your article intellectually, financially, or in some other manner.

When you acknowledge someone in your academic texts, it gives you more integrity as a writer as
it shows that you are not claiming other academic’s ideas as your own intellectual property. It can
also aid your readers in their own research journeys.

Introduction

An introduction is a pivotal part of the article writing process. An introduction not only introduces
your topic and your stance on the topic, but it also (situates/contextualizes) your argument in the
broader academic field.

Main body

The main body is where your main arguments and your evidence are located. Each paragraph will
encapsulate a different notion and there will be clear linking between each paragraph.
Conclusion

Your conclusion should be an interpretation of your results, where you summarize all of the
concepts that you introduced in the main body of the text in order of most to least important. No
new concepts are to be introduced in this section.

References and citations

References and citations should be well balanced, current and relevant. Although every field is
different, you should aim to cite references that are not more than 10 years old if possible. The
studies you cite should be strongly related to your research question.

Types of journal articles


It is helpful to familiarise yourself with the different types of articles published by journals. Although
it may appear there are a large number of types of articles published due to the wide variety of
names they are published under, most articles published are one of the following types; Original
Research, Review Articles, Short reports or Letters, Case Studies, Methodologies.

Original Research:

This is the most common type of journal manuscript used to publish full reports of data from
research. It may be called an Original Article, Research Article, Research, or
just Article, depending on the journal. The Original Research format is suitable for many different
fields and different types of studies. It includes full Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion
sections.

Short reports or Letters:


These papers communicate brief reports of data from original research that editors believe will be
interesting to many researchers, and that will likely stimulate further research in the field. As they
are relatively short the format is useful for scientists with results that are time sensitive (for
example, those in highly competitive or quickly-changing disciplines). This format often has strict
length limits, so some experimental details may not be published until the authors write a
full Original Research manuscript. These papers are also sometimes called Brief communications.

Review Articles:
Review Articles provide a comprehensive summary of research on a certain topic, and a
perspective on the state of the field and where it is heading. They are often written by leaders in a
particular discipline after invitation from the editors of a journal. Reviews are often widely read (for
example, by researchers looking for a full introduction to a field) and highly
cited. Reviews commonly cite approximately 100 primary research articles.
TIP: If you would like to write a Review but have not been invited by a journal, be sure to check the
journal website as some journals to not consider unsolicited Reviews. If the website does not
mention whether Reviews are commissioned it is wise to send a pre-submission enquiry letter to
the journal editor to propose your Review manuscript before you spend time writing it.

Case Studies:
These articles report specific instances of interesting phenomena. A goal of Case Studies is to
make other researchers aware of the possibility that a specific phenomenon might occur. This type
of study is often used in medicine to report the occurrence of previously unknown or emerging
pathologies.
Methodologies or Methods
These articles present a new experimental method, test or procedure. The method described may
either be completely new, or may offer a better version of an existing method. The article should
describe a demonstrable advance on what is currently available.
Citing Journal Articles
The basic format for an article from a journal requires the author’s name, the article
title, the name of the journal, the date of the article, and the volume, issue number,
and inclusive page numbers. Not all journals use issue numbers. APA recommends
providing both volume and issue number if each issue of the journal paginates
separately, that is, if each issue begins with page 1. Turabian suggests that more is
better – if the journal provides both volume and issue numbers, include them both in
the citation.

JOURNAL ARTICLE WITH VOLUME – ONE AUTHOR


The example used is an article by author Truly Learned, entitled “The Web-Toed
Bibliosaurus: Cranial Measurements Indicate a Smarter Than Average Lizard,”
published in volume 85 of the Journal of the Paleocranial Society in 1995 on pages
566-592. The journal does not paginate each issue separately, but numbers
continuously over the entire volume.
APA
Learned, T. (1995). The Web-Toed Bibliosaurus: Cranial measurements indicate a
smarter than average lizard. Journal of the Paleocranial Society, 85, 566-
592.
MLA
Learned, Truly. “The Web-Toed Bibliosaurus: Cranial Measurements Indicate a
Smarter than Average Lizard.” Journal of the Paleocranial Society,
vol. 85, 1995, pp. 566-592.
TUR.
Learned, Truly. “The Web-Toed Bibliosaurus: Cranial Measurements Indicate a
Smarter than Average Lizard.” Journal of the Paleocranial Society 85 (1995):
566-592.

JOURNAL ARTICLE WITH VOLUME & NUMBER – MULTIPLE AUTHORS


The example used is an article by authors Adam Bisantz and Bea Biserk entitled
“Adaptivity and Genetic Predisposition to Temper Tantrums.” The article was
published in 2000 in volume 35, issue number 3, of the journal Misbehavior and
Medication on pages 34-48. Each issue of the journal has its own pagination beginning
with page 1.
APA
Bisantz, A. & Biserk, B. (2000). Adaptivity and genetic predisposition to temper
tantrums. Misbehavior and Medication, 35(3), 34-48.
MLA
Bisantz, Adam and Bea Biserk. “Adaptivity and Genetic Predisposition to Temper
Tantrums.” Misbehavior and Medication, vol. 35, no. 3, 2000, pp. 34-48.
TUR.
Bisantz, Adam and Bea Biserk. “Adaptivity and Genetic Predisposition to Temper
Tantrums.” Misbehavior and Medication 35, no. 3 (2000): 34-48.

JOURNAL ARTICLE WITH VOLUME & NUMBER – FOUR OR MORE AUTHORS


The example used is an article authored by Otto Nomick, Rhea Flecks, Kaye Tschin,
Nye Dzherk, and Nobbie Knease, entitled “Reaction Times in White Mice Which have
Been Administered Large Doses of MSG.” The article was published in 1998 in volume
33, issue number 1, of the Journal of Reflexology & Reactivity, on pages 22-43. Each
issue of the journal has its own pagination. APA requires listing all authors up to
seven. For references with more than seven authors, give the first six authors,
followed by an ellipsis, and followed by the last author. (Example: Adams, B., Brown,
C., Cook, D., Davis, E., Edge, F., Francis, G., Green, H., ... Zabriskie, A. ) Turabian
bibliography style calls for listing all the authors, regardless of how many.

APA
Nomick, O., Flecks, R., Tschin, K., Dzherk, N., & Knease, N. (1998). Reaction times
in white mice which have been administered large doses of MSG. Journal of
Reflexology & Reactivity, 33(1), 22-43.
MLA
Nomick, Otto, et al. “Reaction Times in White Mice Which Have Been Administered
Large Doses of MSG.” Journal of Reflexology & Reactivity, vol. 33,
no. 1, 1998, pp. 22-43.
TUR.
Nomick, Otto, Rhea Flecks, Kaye Tschin, Nye Dzherk, and Nobbie Knease.
“Reaction Times in White Mice Which Have Been Administered Large Doses
of MSG.” Journal of Reflexology & Reactivity 33, no. 1 (1998): 22-43.

JOURNAL ARTICLE – ELECTRONICALLY PUBLISHED JOURNAL (No DOI listed)


This example is based on an article published in an online journal. The article, written
by author C.B. Cybernaught, is entitled “Hyper Over Hypertext” and was published
online in volume 39, issue number 4, April 1995, in the electronic journal World Wide
Wanderer. The article is not paginated and was retrieved on 25 May 2008.
APA
Cybernaught, C.B. (1995, April). Hyper over hypertext. World Wide
Wanderer, 39(4). [Link]
MLA
Cybernaught, C.B. “Hyper Over Hypertext.” World Wide Wanderer, vol. 39, no. 4,
April 1995, [Link]/wwwander/[Link]. Accessed 25 May 2008.
TUR.
Cybernaught, C.B. “Hyper Over Hypertext.” World Wide Wanderer 39, no. 4 (April
1995). [Link] (accessed May 25,
2008).

JOURNAL ARTICLE – ELECTRONICALLY PUBLISHED JOURNAL (DOI listed)


This example is based on an article published in an online journal that assigns DOIs
(Digital Object Identifiers) to each of its articles. Most publishers are now assigning
DOIs to make it easier to link back to electronically published articles. The article,
written by author Cosette Cremedelacreme, is entitled “An Examination of
Gastronomic Imagery in the Later Poetry of Fifi LaRue. The article was published in
2008 in volume 13, issue number 2, on pages 23-43 of the journal Poetry Parisienne.
The URL for the article is [Link] The
DOI for the article is 29.1027/00013- 2893.13.2.23. The article was retrieved June 13,
2008. Note: APA recommends using both volume and issue numbers for all electronic
journal articles when both are available, regardless of pagination.
APA
Cremedelacreme, C. (2008). An examination of gastronomic imagery in the later
poetry of Fifi LaRue. Poetry Parisienne, 13(2), 23-43.
[Link]
MLA
Cremedelacreme, Cosette. “An Examination of Gastronomic Imagery in the Later
Poetry of Fifi LaRue.” Poetry Parisienne, vol. 13, no. 2, 2008, pp. 23-43. doi:
29.1027/00013- 2893.13.2.23. Accessed 13 June 2008.
TUR.
Cremedelacreme, Cosette. “An Examination of Gastronomic Imagery in the Later
Poetry of Fifi LaRue.” Poetry Parisienne 13, no. 2 (2008): 23-43.
doi:29.1027/00013- 2893.13.2.23 (accessed June 13, 2008).

JOURNAL ARTICLE FROM AN ONLINE FULL-TEXT DATABASE (No DOI or Journal


URL listed)
The example is based on the 2007 article “Entanglements in Wonderland: Children’s
Stories and Their Underlying Adult Themes,” by author Silvester Stiltskin. The article
was published in the journal Studies in Children’s Fiction in the March 2007 issue,
volume 37, number 3, on pages 123-145. The journal has no online equivalent but it
has been reproduced electronically in Literature Online. The database is available at
the Thomas G. Carpenter Library at UNF and was retrieved on August 28, 2008. Note:
APA advises that it is generally not necessary to provide retrieval information for
journal articles pulled from databases, since coverage in the database might change.
When no DOI or website is available, the citation will take the format of the print
journal article.
APA
Stiltskin, S. (2007). Entanglements in Wonderland: Children’s stories and their
underlying adult themes. Studies in Children’s Fiction, 37(3), 123-145.
MLA
Stiltskin, Sylvester. “Entanglements in Wonderland: Children’s Stories and Their
Underlying Adult Themes.” Studies in Children’s Fiction, vol. 37, no. 3, 2007,
pp. 123-145. Literature
Online, [Link]/scf/2007_37_03_stiltskin.html. Accessed 28 Aug.
2008.
TUR.
Stiltskin, Sylvester. “Entanglements in Wonderland: Children’s Stories and Their
Underlying Adult Themes.” Studies in Children’s Fiction 37, no. 3 (2007):
123-145. [Link] (Accessed
August 28, 2008).

JOURNAL ARTICLE FROM AN ONLINE FULL-TEXT DATABASE (Journal URL


listed)
The example is based on the 2006 article authored by Rubio Buttons entitled “Send in
the Clowns: Political Misadventures of 21st Century America.” The article was
published in volume 3, issue number 2, of the journal Political Profundity on pages 47-
62. The journal also maintains electronic copies of the articles and provides the URL
on the article title page ([Link] The article is
available in the database PoliSci Online and was retrieved from the database on
September 3, 2008.
APA
Buttons, R. (2006). Send in the clowns: Political misadventures of 21st century
America. Political Profundity, 3(2), 47-62. [Link]
MLA
Buttons, Rubio. “Send in the Clowns: Political Misadventures of 21st Century
America.” Political Profundity, vol. 3, no. 2, 2006, pp. 47-62. PoliSci
Online, [Link] Accessed 3 Sep.
2008.
TUR.
Buttons, Rubio. “Send in the Clowns: Political Misadventures of 21st Century
America.” Political Profundity 3, no. 2 (2006): 47-62.
[Link] (accessed September 3,
2008).

Common questions

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Citation formats differ across APA, MLA, and Turabian styles in how various elements such as author names, article titles, and journal details are formatted and punctuated. APA style emphasizes the date prominently and requires the inclusion of DOI for electronic sources, promoting recency. MLA focuses on readability and often omits publication date details in the in-text citation. Turabian, used widely in history and some humanities, emphasizes detailed citation including both volume and issue numbers when available, even for web sources. These differences affect academic consistency, impacting how easily others can locate and verify sources .

The prescribed structure of a journal article reflects the scientific method by systematizing the presentation of research, starting with the introduction (hypothesis), followed by methods (experiment), results (data), and discussion (analysis). This structure aids in clear academic communication by providing a logical flow of information that mirrors the research process, encouraging transparency and reproducibility. Readers can conveniently assess the methodology, results, and potential implications, which facilitates critical evaluation and replication efforts .

Review articles play a significant role in advancing academic disciplines by summarizing and synthesizing existing research, providing a broad overview and establishing a baseline for current knowledge. They often highlight trends, gaps, and future directions in the field, offering a contextual understanding that original research might not provide. While original research contributes new data and findings, review articles consolidate and interpret these insights, making them highly valuable for both newcomers and seasoned researchers looking to expand their understanding .

Different types of journal articles serve various purposes in academic publishing. Original Research articles provide full reports of research data and are suitable for detailed and expansive accounts of research. Review Articles offer comprehensive summaries and perspectives on a field, beneficial for introducing readers to a discipline. Short Reports or Letters present brief data reports, useful for quickly disseminating time-sensitive findings. Case Studies report specific instances of phenomena often used in medical research. Methodologies introduce new or improved experimental methods, offering demonstrable advancements in existing procedures .

Acknowledgements in a journal article enhance academic integrity by recognizing contributions from individuals who do not qualify for co-authorship but who have intellectually, financially, or otherwise supported the project. This transparency indicates that the author is giving credit where it's due and not claiming others’ ideas as their own. Furthermore, acknowledgements can aid readers by highlighting individuals who are credible resources on similar topics, thus contributing to the broader scholarly research context .

An abstract in an academic journal article typically includes the research topic, the methods used, and the main findings. Each element is important as it provides a clear and concise summary of the entire work, allowing readers to quickly understand the purpose and relevance of the study. The abstract helps readers determine the article's usefulness for their research and is often the first component examined when selecting articles for further reading .

Keywords are critical for the dissemination of a journal article because they enable potential readers to discover the article when conducting research using search engines. They function as focal points that encapsulate the theme and subject of the research, ensuring that the article reaches the right audience and ranks well in search engine results by aligning with user search queries .

The title of a journal article is critical for engaging readers and improving the research's discoverability. A concise, accurate, and informative title provides one of the first indicators of the research and concepts, helping potential readers identify the content's relevance. Including relevant keywords in the title enhances the article's visibility during search engine research, allowing it to rank higher among similar topics .

It is important for journal articles to have up-to-date references and citations because current and relevant literature ensures that the research is built upon the most recent data and theories, reflecting ongoing developments in the field. This practice not only enhances the research's credibility and relevance but also aligns with the progression of the discipline, potentially offering new perspectives or solutions. Up-to-date citations help avoid redundancy and propel the academic conversation forward, thereby enhancing research quality .

When crafting the introduction of a journal article, it is important to clearly introduce the research topic and articulate the stance being taken. The introduction should provide context, situating the research within the broader academic field, explaining its significance, and outlining the rationale behind the study. This section should also introduce key arguments or hypotheses to be explored, helping to orient the reader to the subsequent discussion and findings .

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