SciSpace Academy
Tutorial

How to Write Research Papers That Meet Publication Standards

Prof. Iain JacksonEnglishAcademic writing

TL;DR

1-min read

Writing a paper that journals will accept involves far more than putting results on the page. In this tutorial, Prof. Iain Jackson, an architect and architectural historian at the University of Liverpool, walks through the process of building a research paper from initial idea to final draft. It is aimed at undergraduate, master's and PhD students, early-stage researchers and faculty who want a clearer workflow for writing publishable papers.

Key takeaways

  • IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion) is the standard structure for empirical articles in many fields, and each section has a distinct job.
  • A focused research question and a clear central argument give the whole paper direction.
  • Organising ideas and outlining before drafting saves time and makes the structure easier to follow.
  • Revision should target clarity, coherence and flow so the paper reads well from start to finish.
  • To paraphrase ethically, understand the source, write the idea in your own words and structure, compare afterwards, and always cite the original.
  • SciSpace's AI tools can support the writing process responsibly, but authors remain responsible for content, should verify every reference and claim, and should follow journal rules on disclosing AI use.
Apply it

To apply this, outline your next paper in IMRaD form, use SciSpace to support literature work and wording, and check every citation before you submit.

How to do it

  1. Sharpen your research question

    Define a focused research question and a clear central argument. Together they give the whole paper direction.

  2. Outline the paper in IMRaD form

    Organise your ideas into an Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion outline before drafting. Each section has a distinct job, and outlining first saves time.

  3. Use SciSpace for literature and wording

    Draw on SciSpace's AI tools to support literature work and wording, while you remain responsible for the content.

  4. Paraphrase ethically and cite sources

    Understand the source, write the idea in your own words and structure, compare afterwards, and always cite the original.

  5. Revise for clarity and flow

    Revise for clarity, coherence and flow, then check every citation and follow journal rules on disclosing AI use. That is how to write a research paper for publication.

Watch the tutorial53 min

How to Write a Research Paper That Meets Publication StandardsPlay video: How to Write a Research Paper That Meets Publication Standards

Chapters

  1. Welcome and tutorial overview
  2. Why is writing the hardest part of research?
  3. How to use AI responsibly in academic writing
  4. How to find time to write a research paper: one hour a day
  5. Should academics blog and build in public?
  6. Why your research paper title matters: a keyword-stuffed mistake
  7. How to plan a research paper: sources, archives and search keywords
  8. Do you really need a research gap? A data-driven approach
  9. Where to start a literature search: bibliographies, WorldCat and Google Scholar alerts
  10. What should each section of a research paper do?
  11. Why writing a research paper feels so hard, and using visuals to help
  12. How to write an abstract: the three-sentence test
  13. How can AI help researchers? Speed, languages and new fields
  14. Forward and backward citation searches in SciSpace
  15. How to build an annotated bibliography for a literature review with AI
  16. Re-use your Zotero or Mendeley library and switch citation styles with AI
  17. Can AI read scanned archive documents and government reports?
  18. SciSpace Chrome extension: explain equations and read in your own language
  19. How to outline a research paper with an AI notebook
  20. How to tighten academic writing with an AI paraphraser
  21. Should you disclose AI help in your academic writing?
  22. Closing and resources

Try this on SciSpace

Frequently asked questions

What is the IMRaD structure?

IMRaD stands for Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion. It is the standard layout for empirical research articles in many disciplines. The introduction states the problem and question, the methods explain how the work was done, the results report findings without interpretation, and the discussion explains what the findings mean, their limitations and how they relate to earlier research.

How can I paraphrase without plagiarising?

Read the source until you understand it, then write the idea in your own words and sentence structure without looking at the original. Compare afterwards to make sure you have not copied phrasing, keep technical terms where needed, and always cite the original source. Paraphrasing tools can help with wording, but the citation obligation remains with you.

Can I use AI tools when writing a research paper?

Many journals allow AI assistance for language and organisation, but authors stay fully responsible for the content. Check the target journal's AI policy, verify every reference and claim, never list an AI tool as an author, and disclose AI use wherever the journal or your institution asks you to do so.

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