Apr 18, 2023 |
13 Mins Read
See the Top Reads of March 2023
Globally, March is recognized as the month of reading; which is fitting for this blog post. The 2023 month of reading on Zendy followed a pattern of natural and social sciences with a hint of engineering. Join us in discovering the research methods and techniques commonly used in social psychology, a study on human capital and its benefits within Africa, the formulation of a polyherbal soap and hand sanitiser, the next generation of obesity research and finally, the basics of development engineering. Research Methods and Techniques Utilised in Social Psychology The objective of this study was to identify research methods utilised by researchers within the field of social psychology. This study was conducted between 2011 and 2012 with 545 psychologists globally; the methods had been divided into two groups, participative research which included life history, action research, in-depth interviews, discourse analysis and observational research. The latter was field & lab experiments which consisted of computer simulations and correlational studies. Read more here: Social Psychology - Research Methods and Techniques The Importance of Human Capital in Africa This study argues and presents that countries that invest in human capital have improved economic development prospects. Utilising comparative analysis methods, it was observed that South Africa had better developmental outcomes than Nigeria because the nation spends an increased percentage of income on human capital. Read more here: Human as Capital - An Imperative for Africa Formulation of Poly Herbal Soap and Sanitizer This journal article dives into a soap and hand sanitiser being formulated using leaf and bark extracts of Cassia fistula, Ficus religiosa and Milletia pinnata. This concoction was then evaluated for various physiochemical parameters and depicted both good characteristics and antimicrobial effects. The researchers propose to standardize this formula for antiseptics and disinfectants. Read more here: Formulation and Evaluation of Poly Herbal Soap and Hand Sanitizer The Next Generation of Obesity Research Arguing that science by itself cannot combat obesity in America, this journal article argues that while obesity is not the only epidemic within the United States, it does pose a significant challenge. Reducing the percentage of obese individuals requires changing two fundamental aspects of life: food consumption and physical activity. This article suggests that America needs effort in every aspect of society, like households, schools, community organisations, all government levels, transportation, agriculture, the food industry, media, medical practice, and biomedical research. Read more here: The Next Generation of Obesity Research The Basics of Development Engineering Development engineering is an emerging field and this textbook serves as an introduction to the discipline’s theories, methods and applications. The book has a broad scope, covering everything from the development of mobile apps to hardware and software solutions to providing electricity and water. Furthermore, it is also interdisciplinary as it draws methods and theories from social and natural sciences along with different branches of engineering. Dive deep into the 6 sections which are energy and environment, market performance, education and labour, water sanitation and health, and digital governance and connectivity. Read more here: Introduction to Development Engineering Discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy now.
Understanding Citation Styles: Your Pocket Guide to Citing Academic Sources
One of the most defining aspects of academic research writing is a demonstration of research-oriented findings. Referring to credible sources and data is made possible through the concept of citations. In this blog, we’ll equip you with citation knowledge across multiple different formats and aid in understanding the purpose of each one. The purpose of citations When you search the definition of the term ‘citation’ on google, you’re met with the following description: a quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work. Citing sources has multiple purposes, the primary focus is to give credit to the original author. When writing a specialised research paper, the author will cite external sources when referencing the material in their own work to establish strength, transparency and authority within their research. This positions their work in a specific context to depict their stance in the larger discussion. Citations also serve as an efficient way to provide references to others wanting to explore the subject or even use them within their own academic research papers. Overall, citing establishes an important roadmap in the research process. Why are there different types of citations? Different citation formats are utilised across different disciplines. While it might be convenient to have one universal citation format, it is not possible because different fields focus on unique information within their respective research; this requires citation formats to be tailored to the field’s primary focus. The APA (American Psychological Association) citation format is utilised in social sciences like psychology, sociology, anthropology as well as education. Moreover, the MLA (Modern Language Association) citation format is largely used within humanities and the Chicago citation format is applied in the fields of Business, History & Fine Arts. Finally, the Harvard citation format is primarily used in education. Citing in APA Referencing Format APA (American Psychological Association) referencing style is a widely used referencing style in social science disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, and education. The style is characterised by the use of in-text citations, which typically include the author's last name and the year of publication of the source being cited. The APA style requires a detailed reference list, which includes all sources referenced in the text. The reference list is arranged alphabetically by the author's last name, and each entry provides comprehensive information about the source, including the title, publisher, and publication date. Book: Author, A.A. (Year of Publication). The Title of work. Publisher City, State: Publisher. Journal Article: Last name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL Magazine: Author, A.A. (Year, a month of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp. Newspaper: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, pp. xx-xx. Website: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL Citing in MLA Referencing Format MLA (Modern Language Association) referencing style is a popular method of citing sources used in academic writing, particularly in the humanities. The style is characterised by the use of in-text citations, which typically include the author's last name and the page number(s) of the source being cited. The MLA style also requires a comprehensive list of Works Cited at the end of the document, which includes all sources referenced in the text. The Works Cited page is arranged alphabetically by the author's last name or, if there is no author, by the first word of the title. Book: Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. Medium. Journal Article: Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Name, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, Page range. DOI or URL. Magazine: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Magazine Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium. Newspaper: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium. Website: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title.Sponsoring Institution/Publisher. Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium. Citing in Harvard Referencing Format Harvard style referencing, also known as author-date referencing, is a widely used referencing system that originated from Harvard University. It is a method of acknowledging sources of information in academic writing, by citing the author's last name and the year of publication in the text. Harvard referencing style also requires a detailed list of references at the end of the document, arranged alphabetically by the author's last name, which includes all the sources cited in the text. This style of referencing is used in many disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Journal Articles: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page reference. If accessed online: Available at: DOI or URL (if required) (Accessed: date). Books: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title. Edition if later than first. Place of publication: publisher. Series and volume number if relevant. Newspaper Article: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper, Day and month, Page reference. Online Newspaper Article: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper, Day and month, Page reference if available. Available at: URL (Accessed: date). Website: Surname, Initial. (Year that the site was published/last updated) Title of web page. Available at: URL (Accessed: date). Citing in Chicago Referencing Format The Chicago referencing format is commonly used in the fields of Business, History and Fine Arts. It offers two main citation styles: the notes and bibliography style and the author-date style. The notes and bibliography style involves the use of footnotes to provide brief citations within the text and a corresponding bibliography at the end of the document. In contrast, the author-date style involves in-text citations that include the author's last name and the date of publication. A comprehensive reference list is also required at the end of the document. Journal Article: Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Month or Season Year): Page range. DOI or URL. Book: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. Magazine: Last Name, First Name. Article title. Magazine Title, Month Date, Year of publication. Newspaper: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Publication Date. Website: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed). Citations and referencing bring attention to details within each format. While it is a time-consuming section to fulfill in an academic paper, it’s also an important skill to have as a researcher, to be able to dissect other research papers and build an authoritative and strengthened academic paper with your own research. Understanding which citation format is best suited for your discipline is equally important; this citation pocket guide covered the 4 commonly utilised citation styles which are APA, MLA, Harvard and Chicago. Discover an array of academic resources now on Zendy where you can read through research worry-free because we offer automatic citations across all our books, journal articles, proceedings and more.
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.