Title: Scientific Paper Writing
1Scientific Writing - The Significance of a Good
Research Question
2Scientific Paper Writing
- The first and most important step in scientific
paper writing is to choose your research
question. - You must choose a topic that will advance and add
to the existing scientific knowledge. - Even the journal editor wont accept a paper that
does not have a good research question.
3The Significance of a Good Research Question
A good research question
- Gives the researchers more clarity on developing
the study protocol, designing the study, and
analyzing the data. - Makes a good initial impression on the scientific
journal editors and peer reviewers. - Shows a well-thought research.
- Increases your chances of publication in the
journal.
4What Makes a Good Research Question?
Though this will vary for different papers and
across disciplines, there is an overall criterion
to keep in mind while planning your research
question.
51) So what?
- Foremost, after choosing your research question,
always ask yourself So what? This means that
the findings/ result pursuing from the question
must be important, interesting, and meaningful. - For example, the research question Is exercising
beneficial to reduce impairment in people? wont
yield any meaningful knowledge. A targeted
question like Is therapeutic exercise of benefit
in reducing impairment for people who would be
expected to consult a physiotherapist? could
help physiotherapists revive their treatment
procedure for the patients.
62) Unobviousness
Scientific journal editors stress on novelty and
unobviousness i.e. the research question should
not have an obvious or an undisputed answer. You
can ensure this unobviousness and provide value
in one of the following ways
- Contribute new information that has a real-world
application or leads to further lines of research - Validate the existing information and extend its
applicability - Provide findings that contradict the existing
literature OR - Critically review and analyze the literature.
73) Replication is sometimes acceptable
- Its not always necessary to convey unknown
information through your research paper. You may
replicate other researchers observations,
especially if they were controversial or weak but
significant. You can research whether the
findings in one population also apply to others
or clarify known relationships by using new
methodologies. - So, when you formulate your research question,
check whether it fulfils the above three
requirements. And if yes, youve probably got a
worthwhile research question.
8Tips for finding and formulating good research
questions
- Your field of experience and your own research
interests are obviously important to identify the
potential lines of research. However, you must
review the existing literature to know whether
your question is still relevant. - In addition, keep abreast of the current
developments in the field to avoid doing same
thing someone else has done.
9Ways of finding a new research question
- From the old literature. The Discussion section
of many papers often mentions the questions that
remain unresolved or additional studies that can
be done. You can formulate a good research
question from the old literature by identifying
the gaps and weaknesses in them. - Attending conferences. Recent advances in any
field of Science are presented at the academic
conferences. Participating in such conferences
will help you network with the experts in the
field and aid in your own research.
10Conclusion
- Since research question is the most crucial
element of any scientific paper, you must take
extreme care while choosing it. - If you write a paper with results that are
unoriginal, predictable, or trivial, its less
likely to be published. - So, contact our professional scientific writing
services team to develop the right research
question that will help you avoid problems in
future.
11Contact Us
- Email ID project_at_cognibrain.com
- Phone 044-49595223
- Visit us https//www.cognibrain.com/