A Young Researcher’s Guide to Writing an Original Research Article

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1. Understanding Original Research Articles

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An original research article is a scholarly article that reports new findings or insights from rational or systematic investigation. It is not a review article or opinion piece; it is original data that a researcher has collected from experiments, surveys, direct observations, or other means of research. Original research articles have a distinct purpose to be added to the body of knowledge of a discipline and often use evidential conclusions to further this knowledge. [1]

Original research articles provide a structured format with certain sections to follow to ensure clarity, reproducibility, and eventually validates as science and ultimately as evidence based. Original research articles are important within scholarly publishing and the important part of scholarly publishing.[2]

2. Approaching an Original Research Article

Writing an original research article starts long before you start writing. It involves intentional planning of the study, complete understanding of the literature, and careful execution of the research. Your plan of action will help you make sure your research is meaningful, scientifically valid, properly reported, and interesting to an audience. Young researchers should complete this process thoughtfully, with critical thinking, and commitment to the ethics of research.

3. Choosing a Research Question

An original research article starts with a research question that is appropriately defined. To arrive a research question, you must find gaps in existing knowledge, consider feasibility and the likely impact of the study. A good research question is specific, measurable, and specific enough to be effectively investigated by the researcher within time and available resources. [3]

For example, instead of formulating the research question on how diet effects health, you might want to pose a more specific research question such as What is the effect of high-protein diet on blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes? Formulating a relevant and original question enhances the relevance and scientific significance of your study, as well as both its chances of publication.

4. Conducting a Literature Search

It is important to conduct a detailed literature search to show what has already been studied and to avoid duplication of research. Therefore, researchers should be sure to check peer-reviewed journals, academic databases (e.g., PubMed, Scopus, or Web of Science), and textbooks or conference papers in the appropriate scholarly area.[4]
The objective of a literature search is to find previous results, data collection, and research theories and models to help narrow down the research question identify variables that impact the question and justify the uniqueness of the study. A good documentation and citation of the literature also show scholarly rigor and provides context for the study. [5]

5. Structuring a Research Article

Original research articles typically, but not always, have a fixed format for purposes of clarity. [6]

Title and Abstract	The title should be short and informative, and it should represent the focus of the study. The abstract should summarize the purpose and objectives, methods and methodology, the most relevant findings, and conclusions in 150-250 words.
Introduction	Provides the context of the research question, gives background on the problem and the relevant literature. It should clearly identify the objective or hypothesis of the current study.
Materials and methods	This is where you can contribute in-depth detail on the study design, participants, instruments, procedures and statistical analyses so that other researchers can replicate the study.
Results	The results present the findings but using either text, tables or figures. It is essential that data be clear and concise and objectively reported, without any interpretations or implications.
Discussion	The discussion explains the findings, connects the outcomes to the existing literature, identifies the implications and relevance, acknowledges limitations and proposes future research directions.

6. Formatting the Paper

Although each journal venue has different formatting standards, manuscripts generally have similar formatting requirements in terms of citation style (e.g., APA, Vancouver, or IEEE), headers, and word limits. In addition, figures and tables should be labelled and when needed referenced throughout the text. Again, written texts should be proofed for grammar, clarity, and flow. Try to ensure that your writing is succinct and professional. There are many standards for referring and organizing citations, and many reference management tools that can help manage citations and keep everything accurate.[7]

Conclusion

Writing an original research article can be a painstaking but valuable process that enables young researchers to generate worthwhile knowledge as a member of a community of inquiry. By identifying a research question of interest, investigating the relevant literature, utilizing an established structure for reporting research, and following correct formatting rules, researchers can product a potential quality article for publication.

The research article-writing process also develops important transferable skills with a focus on critical thinking, scientific writing, and research ethics that will uphold an academic career beyond graduate school.

References

Springer Nature LaTeX template. (n.d.). Original research articles. SpringerOpen. Retrieved September 9, 2025, from https://ejnmmires.springeropen.com/submission-guidelines/preparing-your-manuscript/original-research-articles
Erol A. (2024). Basics of Writing Original Research Papers. Noro psikiyatri arsivi, 61(3), 193–194. https://doi.org/10.29399/npa.28893
Alvesson, M., & Sandberg, J. (2024). Constructing research questions: Doing interesting research(2nd ed.). https://www.torrossa.com/it/resources/an/5909057
Grewal, A., Kataria, H., & Dhawan, I. (2016). Literature search for research planning and identification of research problem. Indian journal of anaesthesia, 60(9), 635–639. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5049.190618
Grewal, A., Kataria, H., & Dhawan, I. (2016). Literature search for research planning and identification of research problem. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 60(9), 635–639. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5049.190618
California State University Monterey Bay. (n.d.). Structure of typical research article. Csumb.edu. Retrieved September 9, 2025, from https://csumb.edu/library/library-instruction/structure-typical-research-article/
(N.d.). Scribbr.com. Retrieved September 9, 2025, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/