Writing your first journal article? Here’s how to get the structure right

“Publish or perish” is a common academic refrain. But many academics fall at the first hurdle. Mastering the structure of a journal article will increase your chances of getting your work seen – here’s my advice.

The basics

Title: be strategic with your title choice to increase the chances of citations. Put your research question in it, and keep it concise by using acronyms to make it easy for others to remember and cite it. A subtitle is optional, depending on the journal requirements.

Authorship: to confirm who qualifies for authorship of your article (think sole publication versus publication with one other person or versus with a group), use established guidelines such as those by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). 

Abstract: this is the chance to make a first impression and help readers decide if it’s worth reading your article. Give a concise overview of about 250 words of the problem, methods, results and implications of your research (two to three sentences for each). Read it back and then ask yourself, “Would I download this based on what I’ve read?”

Introduction: this is your chance to establish relevance and highlight your contribution to new knowledge. Comprising roughly 15-20 per cent of your article, it should attract the readers’ attention while answering three questions:

• What? – include the aims and scope of your article (ie, its limits and main interest) as well as a summary of results and conclusions.
• What for? – identify the article’s background, goals and main conclusions. This helps readers decide whether it is worth reading the whole thing.
• Why? – highlight why the work your article outlines is important. Make its relevance clear. 

This section usually contains a literature review before diving into the reason for and outline of your research. Include the definition of the research problem or issue, the theoretical rationale, propositions or hypotheses, and any target groups or beneficiaries. End with the research’s relevance to your disciplinary field or target groups. 

Body 

This section should make up 65 per cent of your article and be divided into three sections of varying lengths: methods, results and discussion. For example, your methods may comprise up to 10 per cent of the article to allow more room for your results and discussion.

It should emphasise the originality of your contribution to your area of research by developing one idea concisely and avoiding over-explanation. Write short sentences with subject, verb and object, and try to keep your paragraphs between six and eight sentences long. 

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Methods

These include the detailed how, when, who and why. Think research design, sample demographics, size and power, ethical approval and informed consent, reliability and validity of measurements and statistical analysis (note that not all of these will apply to all disciplines). Also show that you have thought about possible risks and contingencies, as well as included preconditions and assumptions relevant to the work. For example, in my first peer review for an article that I converted from my postgraduate thesis, the reviewers asked me to prove that the tests I used in my research were valid and reliable for what I sought to investigate.

Results

This section is important for proving or disproving your hypothesis. Include succinct descriptions of the consequences of the tests performed (eg, for me, it would include participants’ response rate, changes in cell structure or function after exposure to different substances or under different conditions) and the associated statistics (correlations, means, standard deviations, etc). Check that you have analysed and presented all data properly. For instance, my reviewers encouraged me to report my statistical regression results in terms of r- and beta-values. This added to the rigour and clarity of my study and its reported results. 

Discussion

Now it is time to summarise your findings and address:

• Whether your research fulfilled its objectives
• Its strengths
• Its weaknesses and limitations
• How chance and bias may influence its results
• Further work that can be done to extend the research. 

Check that each statement is backed up by data or secondary sources or references. Explicitly state your new contribution to knowledge in this section.

Conclusion

A conclusion is not a punchline, rather a succinct summary of the “what” and “how” of your research, comprising about 10 per cent of the article. Do not include new information here or rhetorical questions – remember that your readers need closure in the form of an elegant round-up of your research.

Finally, list references in the citation style of your discipline. Include other articles that concur with your argument, as well as those that oppose it, for a balanced viewpoint that your readers, editors and reviewers will appreciate.

These principles ensure your next journal article is well structured, giving you a head start on the road to publication.

AI disclaimer: No GenAI tools were used to write this article.

Natalie K. D. Seedan is a sports sciences laboratory technician and part-time lecturer at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

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