There are slight variations on basic format, but in general all of them contain the same sections. The following will explore the most common sections of a research article and explain their purpose.
A dissertation typically contains some type of front matter before the formal introduction begins. One can find many variations on front matter and each university typically has a preferred format. Front matter can include: a signature page, title page, copyright statement, acknowledgements, abstract, table of contents, and a list of tables and figures found in the study.
The first Chapter is the Introduction. The Introduction introduces the reader to the problem. It sets forth the purpose of the study and lays down the theoretical context of the problem. It describes the present state of research on the problem and the impact that the study will have on the field of study. The Introduction gives the reader a roadmap to follow so that they can understand the remainder of the research report. It fills in gaps in knowledge that the reader may have and prepares them to understand the topic at hand.
The next formal section of the Research study is the Literature Review. This section reviews previous work on the topic area, critiques it and attempts to consolidate it into a form that represents the body of research available. This section places the present study within the context of research already in existence. It explores gaps in present knowledge of the subject and relates the literature to the research questions. It explores the relationships of previous findings on the topic.
The third section of the research report is the Methodology section. This section lays out the specific research techniques that will be employed in the study. It examines the sample population, instruments tools, and general plan for conducting the study. This section examines validity issues, and how they will be addressed.
The fourth section of the research study is the Results section....
This section presents the results of the data and the statistical treatments that have been applied to it. It may contain tables or figures to help explain the trends. It explains any significant trends, either expected, or unexpected and how they were treated in the analysis.
The final section of the research study is the Conclusions/Discussion section. This section interprets the results of the study and places them within the context of the research questions. It examines the theoretical and interpretative consequences of the results. It may suggest the next step in research and future topic suggestions. The final section of the research study ties the data to the theoretical basis of the study and the research questions. It discusses any potential limitations and biases that may affect the ability to draw conclusions. It ties together any loose ends that may be present.
After the conclusions section of the study are the References and any Appendices that are necessary. The most important factor in the research study is not what section headings are included, but that it accomplishes task of placing the current research in the context of body of research that exists in the field. The main purpose is to make certain that the conclusions and results of the study answer the research questions of the study (Creswell, 2003)..
Works Cited
Berg, Bruce L. (2004). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (5th Ed). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Creswell, J. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed method approaches. 2nd Ed. Thousand Oaks, California; Sage Publishing.
Roth, Wolff-Michael (2005, November). Textbooks on Qualitative Research and Method / Methodology: Toward a Praxis of Method [63 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [Online Journal], 7(1), Art. 11. Available at http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/1-06/06-1-11-e.htm[Date of access: December 9, 2006].
