To write a scientific journal article for a class assignment, you must select a focused research question, gather credible literature, and organize your writing using the standard IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) structure.
Writing a scientific paper can feel intimidating at first, but breaking the process down into manageable steps makes it much easier to tackle. Here is how to approach your assignment from start to finish.
1. Understand the Assignment and Choose a Topic
Start by reviewing your professor's syllabus and rubric to understand the specific requirements, such as page length, data requirements, and the required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, or IEEE). Choose a topic that is narrow enough to cover thoroughly within your word count, but broad enough that you can find existing research to support your claims.
2. Conduct a Thorough Literature Search
A strong scientific paper relies on a solid foundation of existing research. You will need to find peer-reviewed journal articles that provide background context for your topic. To avoid getting overwhelmed by irrelevant results during your literature search, you can use WisPaper’s Scholar Search, which understands your underlying research intent to filter out the noise and pinpoint the exact papers you need. Take notes on key findings and identify how your assignment will connect to what is already known in the field.
3. Follow the IMRaD Structure
Most scientific journals and academic research papers follow the IMRaD format. Structuring your paper this way ensures a logical flow of information:
- Introduction: Explain the background of your topic, state your research question or hypothesis, and briefly outline why this study matters.
- Methods: Describe exactly how you conducted your research or gathered your data. For a class assignment, this might involve detailing a lab experiment, explaining a survey you conducted, or describing your literature review process.
- Results: Present your findings objectively without interpreting them. Use charts, graphs, or tables if they help clarify complex data.
- Discussion: Interpret what your results mean. Did they support your hypothesis? Discuss any limitations of your study (such as a small sample size) and suggest areas for future research.
4. Format, Cite, and Proofread
Scientific writing should be clear, concise, and objective. Avoid using overly flowery language, slang, or unsupported opinions. Ensure that every scientific claim you make is backed up by a credible source, and build a reference list that strictly follows your assigned formatting guidelines. Finally, set your paper aside for a few hours, then read your draft aloud to catch typos, awkward phrasing, and missing citations before submitting your final assignment.
