Apr 4, 2023 |
14 Mins Read
Write Faster Research Papers: 5 Tips to Help Your Academic Writing Skill
It can be argued that writing research papers is a medium of its own, with the delicate academic language and fact-based citations and hypotheses; it’s a skill that is acquired. Academic writing is artistry that most researchers and students have to know how to execute. Research papers are written in a scholarly tone to convey studies and findings in a uniform manner and to eliminate language bias to communicate objectively. However, writing research papers can be considered a daunting task to some. It requires a significant amount of research, analysis, and organization, which can be time-consuming. However, with the right approach and techniques, it is possible to write a research paper faster without compromising the quality of your work. In this blog, we discuss practical tips and strategies that can help you write research papers faster, from the initial research stage to the final editing and proofreading phase. Whether you are a student, academic researcher, or a professional, these tips will help you to save time and increase your productivity when writing research papers. Map out your topic Brainstorm your academic research topic and create a mindmap. Position the title as a question and as a statement to compare how the approach to the topic changes with just the title. Make a list of aspects you can explore within your research topic and use this as a guide for potential subheadings within your research paper. Conduct Research Once you have a title finalised, it’s time to research! Find your primary sources and begin reading the relevant research that covers your academic research, figure out how your research can stand out from what is already published and studied. Ensure that there is an adequate amount of material to highlight and discuss within your paper from reliable sources. Furthermore, try to use material from academic library databases as your sources as these are easier to cite and academic databases provide a variety of research and studies across different aspects of a subject. Create an outline Creating an outline for an academic research paper is an essential step in the writing process. An outline serves as a roadmap that guides you through the paper, ensuring that all the necessary elements are included and presented in a logical manner. The first step in creating an outline is to identify the main topic. Then, break down the topic into smaller subtopics and organise them in a coherent flow. Each subtopic should be supported by evidence and examples. The outline should also include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, along with any necessary headings and subheadings. Structure Your Thesis Statement Your thesis statement drives the purpose of your paper, essentially it clearly communicates the areas your research paper will explore along with the question or issue you are proposing to solve. There is a simple formula to creating your thesis statement; limited subject, precise opinion and blueprint of reasons. It may be structured like this: (Limited subject) This study aims to thoroughly understand the accurate state of refugees globally. (Precise Opinion) The essay will effectively highlight the stereotype perpetuated by mass media in portraying refugees who have been displaced due to national conflicts. (Reasoning Blueprint) To present and challenge this notion, this study will assess and dissect the language utilised in newspaper articles from The Guardian, CNN and Fox News reporting on refugee stories. These newspapers have been selected with consideration to their audiences and general stance in the political sphere. The PEE Method Upon finalising your introduction and thesis statement, you’ll begin working on the body paragraphs that present evidence and effectively support your statement. There’s also a simple formula for these paragraphs: Point, Evidence and Explanation which is the PEE method. Having a structure to execute the lengthy part of a research paper will speed up your writing process as an effective flow has already been established. Your paragraph may be structured like this: (Point) The difficulties that refugees face are overlooked when the mass media creates a bias within the general public’s perception of refugees. (Evidence) Smith (2012) argues that there are negative and positive terminologies that can create a bias within the news headline itself and that this tactic is proven best in the case of reporting refugee-related news articles. (Explanation) A common negative term used when reporting on refugees is ‘homeless.’ An effective method to eliminate bias and portray the situation accurately is to use ‘displaced’ instead. While there are multiple techniques to write at a faster pace, the most effective is to have an organised structure that flows productively. Following structures for statements and paragraphs saves essential time by just rephrasing and restructuring your research to follow the format. Zendy can be a great addition to your academic research, access millions of articles on a seamless platform that generates citations and lets you organise your very own academic reading list.
See the Top 5 Reads of February 2023
February 2023 has been great for Zendy. From launching new features and creating a smooth research discoverability process to attending the annual STEP conference and utilising the opportunity to showcase our fantastic online library, it has been a whirlwind of positives! This curated list of February 2023 top reads is an exciting one; join us in discovering the state of refugees globally, machine-learning diagnostics, the response healthcare professionals should have upon the spread of a celebrity’s cancer journey, the financial issues among farmers in Malaysia and the history of Mathematics. Uncovering the state of refugees around the world This journal article explores the state of refugees on a global scale. It was recorded that by the end of 2011, 42 million refugees had been forced to evacuate their homes due to ongoing or arising conflict. Analysing and differentiating between refugee populations in rural and urban areas in cities all around the world, this article identifies that urbanization plays a role in the delayed responses to forced displacement. Read more here: The State of the World’s Refugees Machine-learning diagnosis of EEG pathology Dissecting the potential of machine-learning diagnosis of EEG pathology, this journal article highlights and compares hand-crafted features to learned features by creating a comprehensive feature-based framework. This article argues that machine-learning methods possess the potential to automate clinical EEG analysis, the study conducted found that the proposed feature-based decoding framework can achieve accuracies on the same level as state-of-the-art deep neural networks. Read more here: Machine-learning and EGG Diagnosis How should celebrity cancer journeys be perceived? Due to the rise of celebrity culture in the 21st century, the general population relies on celebrity cancer experiences and journeys for their personal cancer care and treatment decision-making. This journal article focuses on how the media coverage of Angelina Jolie, John McCain and Jimmy Carter’s cancer journeys had consequences on individual patients. The piece further highlights that clinicians should be comfortable in having conversations regarding celebrity medical treatments and procedures with their patients. Read more here: How Should Clinicians Respond When Patients Are Influenced by Celebrities' Cancer Stories? Financial issues among farmers in Malaysia Dated to 2015, this journal article assesses how Islamic agricultural finance can potentially play a role in Malaysian agriculture development. Given the farmers’ financial issues and the government's efforts to resolve their agricultural sector, this study derives first-hand data from the farmers via interviews and questionnaires to identify the most suitable solution for the Malaysian agriculture sector. Read more here: Financial Problems among Farmers in Malaysia: Islamic Agricultural Finance as a Possible Solution An Episodic History of Mathematics This e-book will acquaint readers with mathematical language, thought, and mathematical life by uncovering the lives of historically important mathematical figures. An Episodic History of Mathematics has engaging stories and anecdotes about Pythagoras, Galois, Cantor and Poincaré. These mathematicians were complex individuals who led colourful and fascinating lives, and brought about thought-provoking mathematics. Read more here: An Episodic History of Mathematics : Mathematical Culture Through Problem Solving Discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy now.
The Growth of Open Access: Why Researchers are Opting to Publish in OA
Open Access is a popular topic in the world of academia and research. Open Access is a movement that seeks to make academic and scientific research available to everyone, free of charge. Due to the movement gaining momentum in recent years, there has been an observed increase in open access library databases. While open access benefits users and readers, let’s take a dive into how this revolutionary publishing route can also benefit researchers and authors. Benefits of Open Access Publishing Increased collaboration among researchers This provides researchers globally with access to the latest information. Which further aids in collaboration on projects without having to pay expensive subscription fees or purchase textbooks. When paywalls and other restrictions are absent, this also allows for interdisciplinary research to grow and disseminate, helping researchers broaden their network and explore emerging and established disciplines alike. Interdisciplinary study allows for ideas and characteristics from many disciplines to be synthesised. Simultaneously, it addresses a researcher’s individual differences and helps to develop important, transferable skills. Removes barriers to promote inclusivity Open Access is also helping bridge the gap of inequality in access to research, allowing everyone equal access to scientific literature. This highlights the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) publishers compact, wherein UN signatories work towards the 10 commitments to publish knowledge and research in a way which benefits their focused SDG. Inclusivity in academic research is essential for the advancement of knowledge and lifelong learning. It ensures that all voices are heard and respected, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or any other factor. By including diverse perspectives in research, we can gain a better understanding of the world around us and create more meaningful solutions to global problems. Inclusivity in academia also aids in ensuring research is conducted ethically and with respect for all participants. It encourages researchers to consider the impact of their work on different communities and take into account any potential biases they may have when conducting their studies. Increased Citations and Overall Usage A recent study has depicted that research published in open access journals and databases gains 18% more citations than restricted research. This promotes the dissemination of an author's work at a faster pace. An increase in citations and downloads drives more traffic to academic research, indicating an improved impact factor for the research. Citations and downloads are important measures of the impact of a research paper. When research is cited by other researchers, it depicts that it is relevant to the research community. Similarly, when research papers are downloaded more frequently, it indicates that this specific research is attracting the attention of the readers. This recognition and visibility can help researchers further establish themselves as experts in their respective field. Furthermore, when research papers are widely cited and downloaded, it increases the chances of securing funding for future research. Funding institutions, bodies and organizations often observe citations and download statistics to evaluate the impact of academic research. Compliance with Open Access Mandate An open-access mandate is a policy implemented by a research institution which requires the researcher to make their published, peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers open access by self-archiving their final, peer-reviewed drafts in a freely accessible institutional or disciplinary repository. An alternative route would be by publishing them in an open-access journal. Adhering to open access mandates can help researchers to further comply with funders or institutional requirements for reporting and sharing research outputs. Many funding agencies and institutions require researchers to report on the outputs of their work, including publications, data, and software. This ensures that academic research published in open access contributes to a wide research community. Furthermore, compliance with open access mandates can increase the visibility and impact of research. As discussed, a wider reach equates to a higher number of citations and downloads of academic research. In conclusion, open access publishing is revolutionising the academic publishing spectrum. With a wider reach and an increase in the adoption of open access publishing; it can be deduced that both reader and researcher benefit from open access publishing. Researchers are increasingly opting to publish their work via open access pathways due to increased visibility, reaching a wider audience which translates to a higher number of citations. Discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy Open. Access unlimited research across an array of disciplines and languages while enjoying a smooth research process with comprehensive filters now on Zendy.
Zendy Showcases Online Library at Step Conference Dubai 2023
UAE-based startup Zendy (a product of Knowledge E) recently showcased at STEP Conference Dubai, the region's leading technology festival for emerging markets. Renowned for empowering diversity and innovation, STEP boasts a cutting-edge atmosphere, fueled by trailblazing MENA-based startups. The STEP conference is an annual event that brings entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts together to showcase their technology-driven startups At STEP 2023, startups across digital, sustainability, education, and fintech industries showcased their technology. With a key focus on making academic content more accessible and affordable, especially in emerging regions, Zendy showcased the limitless potential of its digital academic research library to hundreds of founders, funders, and technology enthusiasts. Artificial intelligence was a key trend at STEP Conference 2023. With more companies adopting AI to create user-friendly and highly persoanlised experiences, it is evident that the market is pivoting. Zendy’s vision of being like ‘Netflix for researchers’ will come to life with a host of new feature updates to be launched in the coming quarters. Powered by AI and machine learning algorithms, Zendy will soon deliver a truly personalised experience to users. Collaborative filtering and content-based filtering will ensure researchers receive recommendations and highly targeted search results based on their profile, helping them save time in the research process. “One of the many benefits of building a technology company in MENA is the immense energy, support, and talent that exists in the region. There really is an ecosystem of breakthrough innovation that is inspiring. STEP Conference never disappoints in bringing together the best of the region and it was great for Zendy to have its first showcase - especially in a year largely dedicated to advancements in AI,” said CEO of Knowledge E and Zendy Co-Founder, Kamran Kardan. Zendy’s digital research library will continue to enhance its experience with features and content that not only is inclusive of all demographics but also streamlines the process of research. Discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy now.
Let's Analyze What Makes a Good H-Index Score
Understanding H-Index The H-index is a metric that measures an author’s productivity by the number of publications that have published their work and the impact of the work based on the number of citations their research receives. In general, authors with a higher h-index score will have produced more research and therefore published more content which, to their peers, creates their reputation of credibility. This quantitative metric was brought about in 2005 by Argentinian-American professor of physics Jorge E. Hirsch to analyse publication data. Finding an author’s H-index There are multiple platforms on which you may find an author’s H-index score. To name a few, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of science etc. However, in this blog, we’ll take you through the process of locating an author’s H-index on google scholar as shown below. Visit Google Scholar Enter the author’s name in the search bar If a profile exists for the author, it will appear at the top of the search results, click the author's name, and their profile page will open. View their h-index on the right side of the screen. Calculating H-Index Score The H-index measures the importance, significance, and impact of research contributions. To calculate an author’s H-index, you’d need to create a list of all publications in which the author has been published and rank them in descending order of the citations his/her work has received. Understanding the H-index of an author is an indication of their credibility, so that brings us to the question: What is a good H-index score? J. E. Hirsch (2005) observes that Noble Prize winners in physics have an average H-index score of 30, this highlights that Noble prize winners are selected with a scientific body of research and a history of contributional impact. This proved that successful scientists do need a good h-index score. Hirsch stated that after 20 years of research; an H-index score of 20 was good, 40 was outstanding and 60 was truly exceptional. Does the H-index score evaluate an author in all important aspects? Undoubtedly, it is appealing to have a singular value that measures an author's productivity and impact. Many committees have opted the H-index as their metric of choice as well. Bordons and Costas (2007) stated that the key advantage of the H-index metric is that it measures the scientific output of a researcher with objectivity. This plays a vital role in making decisions about promotions, fund allocation and awarding prizes. However, there are suggestions that H-index does not take other important variables into account. According to Enago Academy (2022), a higher H-index score does not indicate better quality of research. The article further elaborates that the H-index score does not account for an author’s career stage, research and journal quality and contribution to the scientific community. The score also has potential unintended negative impacts; for example, a younger researcher may not challenge a researcher with a high h-index score and researchers aiming for a higher h-index may only pursue popular fields of science. Furthermore, BiteSizeBio (2021) states that the H-index score does not take into account the number of authors on a research paper. If a paper has 1 author with about 100 citations, this researcher deserves more recognition than a paper that had 10 authors with similar citations. The fluctuation of the H-index score The H-index score does not decrease unless the paper is redacted or deleted. Older papers may continue to gain new citations, and the h-index can potentially increase indefinitely, even after the researcher has stopped actively publishing. What is the difference between H-index and the journal impact factor? The Journal Impact Factor metric is used to evaluate the importance of a journal within its respective field or discipline. In simpler terms, it measures the frequency of citations the average article within this journal receives. On the contrary, the H-index metric is used to measure the productivity and quality of an author’s publications. While they are both measures of research quality, they measure different aspects of research and can therefore not be compared. To conclude, having a good H-index score is impressive. However, every author’s research contrasts with that of another. There are many more aspects to investigate when evaluating a researcher. Discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy.