challenges of writing a research paper

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Top 10 Challenges Faced by Researchers on the Path to Excellence

The pursuit of research excellence is not for the faint of heart; you have to overcome several challenges faced by researchers to map a path to excellence. From formulating research questions to gathering data, writing research papers, and getting them published, researchers grapple with complexities that demand their unwavering dedication and perseverance. By shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers , we aim to help academics navigating the path of knowledge and foster a deeper understanding of the challenges in conducting research .

A career in scientific research can be highly rewarding and fulfilling for those who enjoy intellectual pursuits, value continuous learning, and want to make a positive impact on society. It offers exciting opportunities to unravel the mysteries of the world, push the boundaries of knowledge, and contribute to the collective understanding of humanity. However, one requires dedication, hard work, and perseverance to overcome the many research challenges you will encounter along the way.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Challenges faced by researchers

While each research journey is unique, the challenges faced by researchers share common threads that bind them together. By acknowledging and understanding these research challenges , academics can equip themselves with the knowledge and strategies needed to conduct research effectively.

1. Slow and time-consuming processes

The scientific process is often slow and iterative, and progress sometimes can only be measured in small increments over many months or years. Research takes time to execute, and oftentimes the results are uncertain. This can be frustrating for researchers who may have invested significant time, money, and effort into these projects. By being patient and persistent and inculcating a willingness to accept failure and setbacks, you can overcome this researcher challenge and make important contributions to your field.

2. Difficulty in getting grants and funds

One of the biggest challenges faced by researchers is securing adequate funding for their work. Grants can be highly competitive, and the process of applying can be time-consuming and complex. To secure research funding for your project, you need to seek out a variety of funding sources, including government grants, private foundations, and industry partnerships, and learn what is needed to write a successful grant proposal . One of the most common research challenges is writing a clear, concise, convincing grant proposal that outlines the goals and significance of your research and why the funding agency should support your project.

3. Juggling activities to ensure better time management

Managing multiple projects and deadlines successfully is among the most common research challenges . Careful time management , prioritizing work, and setting realistic goals and deadlines are simple ways for researchers to manage their many responsibilities. Experts suggest using strategies like breaking larger projects into smaller tasks and scheduling regular breaks to avoid burnout, a very real challenges faced by researchers .

4. Active networking and collaboration

Collaboration and networking is essential for research, but it can also be a big challenge faced by researchers . It can be difficult to build a network when you are just starting out, especially if you are unfamiliar with the language or uncomfortable with public speaking. It doesn’t get easier when it comes to collaborations, especially in interdisciplinary research projects. Researchers have different working styles or conflicting priorities, which can lead to tension and conflict when working with larger teams. To overcome this challenge in conducting research , scientists should set the right expectations from the start, establish clear communication channels, and be willing to work together to achieve shared goals.

5. Managing and evaluating huge amounts of information

Managing and analyzing large datasets can be a time-consuming and complex process. To overcome this research challenge , researchers should develop effective data management strategies, such as using cloud-based tools for storage and analysis and implementing best practices for data security and privacy. The collection, analysis and management of research data is critical to scientific study and career advancement, which makes it important to know how to develop an effective data management plan for researchers .

6. Successfully publishing in impactful journals

Publishing research in reputable journals is one of the biggest challenges faced by researchers globally. Researchers have to learn to navigate the peer-review process, respond to feedback, meet strict formatting and style guidelines, and develop strong academic writing and editing skills. Experts suggest seeking mentorship and guidance from senior researchers and overcoming this research challenge by using AI academic writing assistants like Paperpal, powered by Researcher Life, to ease the process.

7. Securing intellectual property

Intellectual property rights protect your research ideas and work from being used unfairly or incorrectly by others. However, protecting intellectual property can be a critical challenge faced by researchers , particularly those working in areas with high commercial potential. It’s important to know that different laws related to intellectual property rights can impact research collaboration across boundaries, so discuss this beforehand. One way to tackle this research challenge is to be aware of your rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property and seek out legal advice and guidance as when required.

8. Understanding and following the nuances of academic and scientific ethics

Research ethics are among the top challenges faced by researchers . Plagiarism, falsification, fabrication, missing ethical declarations and non-compliance with standard ethical guidelines are considered inappropriate and can have serious consequences for researchers. Overcome this research challenge by following all ethical considerations in research ; this helps to maintain the high standards of science and research, ensure accountability, prioritize transparency, and ensure trust and integrity in your work.

9. Staying abreast of technological developments

Researchers must keep track of and use technology effectively, but the continually developing landscape can also be a source of frustration. Today, there are several online tools, software, and platforms to optimize your academic writing, research reading, science communication, and more. Oddly, the challenge faced by researchers here is keeping up with technology trends, finding AI tools that are tailored for academics, and effectively integrating them into their work.

10. Balancing work and life

One of the biggest and most common challenges faced by researchers is balancing the demands of a research career with personal and family responsibilities. PhD students and researchers must learn how to achieve a healthy work-life balance , prioritize self-care, and set boundaries to avoid academic burnout. Seeking support from peers, friends, and family is a great way to manage the stress that comes with a career in scientific research. Effective time management, pursuing a hobby, and taking breaks are other ways to find ways to take care of your mental health as a researcher.

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What are the Best Research Funding Sources

Inductive vs. Deductive Research Approach

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Scientific Writing of Novice Researchers: What Difficulties and Encouragements Do They Encounter?

Dr. shah jatin.

Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore

Dr. Shah Anand

Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and consulting associate, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

Dr. Pietrobon Ricardo

Research on Research Group, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

Writing scientific articles is a daunting task for novice researchers. In this qualitative study carried out in 2007, the authors evaluated the experiences of a group of novice researchers engaged in the writing process, to elucidate the main difficulties and sources of encouragement they encountered.

Sixteen novice researchers were interviewed. Most were women (10), and most were enrolled in programs of medicine (9), followed by nursing (4) and physical therapy (3). These were drawn via convenience sampling from a randomized control trial in which 48 of them were equally assigned to either an online or a face-to-face course of instruction. On completion, interviews were conducted in focus groups of four students each. The interviews were transcribed and read independently by two of the authors, who then encoded the material based on the principles of grounded theory. Initial categories were converted to major emerging themes, which were validated when participants were asked to review the findings. Triangulation of results was carried out by discussing the emerging themes in an online forum with five specialists in college writing education.

Classifying the diverse responses of participants led to the emergence of four major themes: cognitive burden, group support and mentoring, difficulty in distinguishing between content and structure, and backward design of manuscripts.

Conclusions

The themes produced by this study provide some insight into the challenges faced by novice researchers in their early attempts at scientific writing. Remedies that address these challenges are needed to substantially improve scientific writing instruction.

Writing scientific articles is a daunting task for novice researchers. We carried out the qualitative study described below to evaluate the experiences of a group of novice researchers engaged in the writing process, to elucidate the main difficulties and sources of encouragement they encountered.

Introduction

Clear communication of research findings is essential to sustain the ever-evolving biomedical research field. Serving as the mainstay for this purpose, scientific writing involves the consideration of numerous factors while building up an argument that would convince readers and possibly enable them to arrive at a decision. Those who report research must attend to the soundness of the subject matter, to the nature of the intended audience, and to questions of clarity, style, structure, precision, and accuracy. These factors, along with the weight of responsibility to the scientific community, make scientific writing a daunting task. Consequently, many researchers shy away from this critical element of research, which may impede the progress of science and their own scientific careers.

Ability to accurately and effectively communicate ideas, procedures, and findings according to readers’ expectations are the primary skills required for scientific writing. Additionally, skills such as the ability to relate and interlink evidence, to lend permanence to thoughts and speech, to enable one’s writing to serve as a future reference to others, and to protect intellectual property rights [ 1 ] need to be developed and tempered over a period of time. These skills are necessary for all researchers but especially for novice researchers in the beginnings of their careers so that they do not face failure and lose valuable time learning these skills later.

Individuals entering the research field with no or little experience with past publications qualify as novice researchers. Even clinicians intending to explore and publish findings about research questions based on their clinical practice need to learn these skills to effectively contribute to health care.

Instruction in scientific writing and subsequent publication in peer-reviewed journals will help novice researchers refine their ideas and increase their expertise, because the act of writing is itself a valuable tool for learning and for fostering the scientific thought process [ 2 ]—this aligns with the principles of the “writing to learn” movement [ 3 , 4 ]. Effective writing skills help new scientists take part in the ongoing, ever-evolving scientific conversation [ 5 ]. The practice of scientific writing develops habits of reflection [ 2 ] that make for better researchers, and publication in respected journals strengthens the scientific process while playing a crucial role in career advancement. Failure to publish will adversely affect a researcher’s reputation, funding opportunities, and overall success [ 6 ]. Thus, consistent efforts to understand the factors influencing scientific writing and to develop and apply new training techniques to groom writing skills are important.

There are a number of anecdotal accounts of various methods used to educate novice researchers [ 7 ]. A 2003 study surveyed investigators to identify the reasons for “failure to publish” after presenting abstracts at a national meeting. The prime culprits were time constraints (the most common reason), the ongoing status of the studies, and issues of coauthorship [ 8 ] Rodgers and Rodgers [ 9 ] went a step further, identifying variables such as time constraints, institutional policy, work pressure, and motivation.

As it stands, novice researchers, often overwhelmed by their many commitments, find it difficult to hone their writing skills. To help novice researchers realize their true potential, there is a clear need for qualitative studies that can identify the barriers to good scientific writing. However, to this point, there have been few studies analyzing the various obstacles to their progress. We carried out the study reported here to qualitatively evaluate the scientific writing of a group of novice researchers to pinpoint the difficulties and encouragements they encounter while engaged in the writing process. We used a grounded theory approach and formed no preliminary hypotheses; rather, common themes emerged from a qualitative interpretation of the interviews. These themes were reconfirmed with students and mentors to identify and address any errors in the interpretation of the findings.

The present study enrolled a subset of participants from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 2007. That RCT study’s participants were students from Duke University’s schools of medicine, nursing, and physical therapy. They were enrolled to compare (1) an intervention in which students wrote sections of scientific manuscripts in a virtual writing environment using text structure templates versus (2) a control group in which students wrote sections of scientific manuscripts in a local writing environment without any formal guidance or text structure templates.

Randomized controlled study

Sections of scientific manuscripts were defined as sections of formal peer-reviewed manuscripts (e.g., introduction, discussion, etc.) or sections of term papers written with research statements, including references to sources and presentation of acceptable evidence. Virtual writing environments were created with the application Writely, now known as Google Documents [ 10 ], which allowed documents to be shared among study participants and investigators. Local environments included word processors residing on participants’ computers, such as Microsoft Word or Open Office. Text structure templates were defined as a set of templates specifying the role of each text block (a subsection of a scientific manuscript that deals with a single idea or argument). For example, the template for the introduction specified that it should have four distinct subsections, or “text blocks”: (1) a statement of the topic’s significance, (2) a description of the information gap that the study addresses, (3) a literature review to support the claim of an information gap, and (4) the study objective. Each text block was represented by a title, a brief explanation of its role in the context of the manuscript, and previous examples of text blocks in the same category from peer-reviewed publications. The list of templates was made available at the Web site for the research on research (RoR) group [ 11 ].

In the RCT, 48 participating students were randomly paired and divided into two groups (24 in each group) based on the instructional intervention involved. Each participant had a mentor who was either a faculty member from Duke University or a member of the RoR group. In the “online scientific writing workshop” group, the students used a virtual writing environment (i.e., text structure templates; e-mail and PowerPoint-based instruction were provided for guidance in using the virtual tools, such as Voice over Internet Protocol). The “standard writing guidance” group used a traditional local environment (i.e., without templates, but participants received instructions face-to-face in real time and could access mentors by e-mail or conference call when necessary). Based on the mutual areas of interest of the student pairs and their mentors, they were asked to design a research question, choosing from a list of topics that were logistically feasible within the study period of seven months. Research questions could also be formulated with the help of an experienced researcher from the RoR group under the supervision of one of the authors (R.P.). Criteria of novelty and accessibility were considered for the allocation of research projects.

Qualitative study

Following the convenience sampling method, a total of 16 novice researchers, who were students from the second and fourth years of their courses of study, were enrolled in the present qualitative study. Most students were women (10), and most were enrolled in medicine programs (9), followed by nursing (4) and physical therapy (3). Two of the students in medicine had previously worked on published manuscripts but had made only minor contributions and were not primary authors.

On completion of the writing task, we conducted interviews in four focus groups of four students each. To compare the experiences of the intervention and nonintervention participants, the focus groups combined participants from both groups. Students not available for face-to-face interviews participated through conference calls, although we did not combine face-to-face and telephone interviews within a given focus group, to avoid the unintentional exclusion of conference call interviewees. Two students who could not participate in the focus groups were interviewed individually. All interviews were audiotaped for future reference.

Interviews lasted between 73 and 95 minutes. Participants were informed that the study would not influence their grades or the likelihood of their manuscripts’ acceptance for publication. They were told that the objective of the focus groups was to learn about the challenges they encountered while writing the manuscripts and their strategies for completing the project. We did not conduct pilot interviews; rather, we used open-ended questions for the first interview and subsequently updated it as the contents of each interview were analyzed. Initial open-ended questions focused on (1) factors that made the writing process either easier or more difficult, (2) interaction with the mentor and other peers during the writing process, and (3) specific factors within the participant’s allocated section (e.g., introduction) that posed difficulties or facilitated the process. Because qualitative analyses were performed after every interview, after a time, questions tended to focus more on what seemed to be emerging themes, clarifying them and obtaining further details on how these themes affected participants. After interviewing 14 of the participants, we determined that we had reached a saturation point at which all emerging themes had been extracted and consolidated [ 12 ]. Despite this, we continued until we had interviewed all 16 participants.

Data analysis

Interviews were transcribed and read independently four times each by two of us. One of us (R.P.) was trained in qualitative research from his PhD and had previous exposure to phenomenology. The other (A.S.) had previous experience with one qualitative study and participated in study groups discussing methodological aspects of grounded theory as well as ethnographic studies. Each of us independently coded the transcripts following principles of grounded theory [ 13 ]. After each coding, the coders exchanged files and discussed points of disagreement in a Web conference. Although it was not our primary aim to reach agreement on every portion of code, successive reviews led to greater agreement in coding. Initial categories were converted to major emerging themes, agreed on by both coders. Our initial emerging themes were then respondent-validated by asking all study participants to review the findings. Each emerging theme was accompanied by a brief explanation and anonymous quotes. This comparison led to a few clarifications of meaning for one quote, which was incorporated into our results, though we were careful not to let participants’ individual observations interfere with the emerging themes drawn from data obtained from the group as a whole. We considered respondent validation an error-reducing measure rather than a strict validation. We triangulated our results by discussing the emerging themes in an online forum with five specialists in college writing education. Triangulation was used not to generate hypotheses about emerging themes but to validate them once they had been found. Rather than an attempt to achieve consensus, our aim in triangulation was to increase the comprehensiveness and reflexivity of our analysis. (Reflexivity acknowledges a researcher’s contribution into the construction of meaning in a qualitative study by highlighting his or her assumptions and values that might influence the interview. It helps in ensuring that both data collection and interpretation are well within the premises of the researcher’s knowledge [ 14 ]) Hence, not all suggestions from these two sources (i.e., respondent validation and triangulation) were taken into account, and we did not use any further methods to achieve consensus. We also described negative cases in which emerging themes seemed not to be in complete agreement with outlier observations.

To provide adequate reflexivity regarding our analysis, we describe ourselves below. All of us are clinical researchers with prior experience mentoring novice researchers. None of us sponsor any particular educational school of thought, and none of us had strong preexisting opinions about the themes that would emerge from this qualitative analysis. Each of us, however, to a greater or lesser degree, had had experiences during our research careers that reflected the emerging themes described in our study.

This study received approval from Duke University’s institutional review board. Informed consent was obtained from all participants before participation.

Classifying the participants’ diverse responses led to the emergence of four major themes (described in the following paragraphs): cognitive burden, group support and mentoring, difficulty in distinguishing between content and structure, and backward design of manuscript. The participants and their mentors confirmed the validity of these themes, which assisted in identifying communication gaps and major deviations from the themes.

Cognitive burden

The participants differed greatly in their perceptions and management of the writing task. Some considered the task excessively complex and demanding, even overwhelming, on top of their other responsibilities. For example, one respondent noted, “Every time I thought about my article I would always come up with an excuse not to do it. I either had to watch a movie because I was tired, or I had to go to the grocery store…. I am not lazy, but the task just seemed to be overwhelming.” Constraints like lack of time, procrastination, anxiety, and apprehension found expression in different ways. One participant commented, “When I started the article I was excited…. Then, on the second day things started getting difficult and I just didn’t feel like going back…. I was busy and just couldn’t find the time to go back.” Another said, “As the weeks passed, the idea that I had to write that article kept coming back to me and that kind of made me a little anxious … there was just too much going on.” Efforts directed at self-motivation and difficulty in staying focused were also reported, which can be seen from “I kept trying to pace myself … and even told my boyfriend about my deadlines to see whether that would get me going … but every time my deadline was approaching I could pull an excuse and do something else…. I don’t know, it’s so hard to be focused” and “I was sitting for about 30 minutes and it seemed like a full afternoon…. I rewrote a single sentence a thousand times … things just didn’t move.”

Other participants reported diametrically opposite responses, emphasizing the challenge and sense of achievement on getting the job done (especially those who’d taken an organized, planned approach). For instance: “Creating steps helped me because I knew my task was not to get the whole manuscript done that day. I had a limited amount of text to write and … all of a sudden my task seemed easy … something that I could complete that day and would give me a sense of ‘You’ve got the job done.’”

Group support and mentoring

Most of the respondents were open to, and even in favor of, the idea of group writing. This was reflected in responses that favored group loyalty—responsibility, comfort zone, and encouragement. The responses point toward the role of colleagues, friends, and mentors in aiding the writing task. A typical comment was, “I felt like I owed it to my team…. We had a scheduled meeting and my role was to get that text written … so, I would just sit and write it.” A friendly communal working relationship was encouraging and comfortable for some of the respondents: “For me, it was really nice that a good friend of mine was my ‘writing bud….’ Friendship and group writing definitely go together…. I can see how this wouldn’t work in a group that I didn’t feel like working with.” Healthy and productive peer competition was apparent from some of the responses such as “So, we talked on the phone and she [referring to her peers] had written a lot more than I did…. Okay, I had to catch up no matter what.”

The role of mentors in guiding, encouraging, and supporting novice researchers was also substantial. Many researchers looked to mentors for support and reassurance. One respondent said, for example, “Well, I know I could get in touch with my mentor, but then I hadn’t really done much…. So, would I send him an e-mail just to say ‘Hey, I haven’t done anything. … Can you give me a hand? … Cheer me up?’”

Difficulty in distinguishing between content and structure

Many participants’ reflections regarding the distinction between content and structure revealed initially diverse views that converged to agreement. Slow yet significant steps were taken toward overcoming initial difficulties, understanding assigned roles, and drawing on similar past experiences. Some participants found it difficult to appreciate the difference between content and structure. They found resolution by taking small steps toward the goal of understanding the distinction. One commented, “At first I couldn’t really tell the difference [between content and structure]. It helped me to start breaking the text into small portions [text blocks].” A relatively higher focus on content, based on what they had seen in other articles, along with a lack of stress on structure, context, and argument building, was also noted. This is evident from the comment, “He [the mentor] told me that my Introduction wasn’t right…. I went back and fixed it to make it focus on the topic…. I guess I was just trying to add more text, looking at what I had seen in other articles.” Some researchers had a sense of text structure but perceived it differently from the way it was communicated by the mentors: “I guess I have always thought about text structure, but just not the way you have put it.” Some were helped by remembering previous instances in which similar methods were applied; experience guided them in differentiating between content and structure and, ultimately, helped them write more effectively. “In previous manuscripts I did something similar by taking an article that my mentor had written and then using it to guide me.”

Backward design of manuscript

For some participants, comprehending the overall perspective of the manuscript was a turning point, whereas others lost focus when they began to write. Those participants who were able to have the overall perspective and visualize the completed manuscript were then able to work backward from that goal to plan and implement the steps of writing the manuscript, hence the theme “backward design of manuscript.” The big picture dawned on one of the participants while analyzing text structure: “It may sound silly, but while I was going over the [text structure] templates, I suddenly realized the connection between the project itself and how the manuscript creates a nice flow that leads the reader from the start to finish.” Clarity on the final goal assisted in avoiding time-consuming deviations. One participant communicated this through saying, “If you know where you are trying to get it, that just makes the whole writing much easier … makes it a straight line, no going around.” In another instance, despite initial clarity, focus was lost: “I can see now how the two connect … after you go over this it seems obvious, but when you are writing your section it is quite hard to keep focused. I think that at some points I just ran out of things to say, and I went on a tangent … in a way I knew it didn’t sound right, but I wasn’t really sure what exactly was wrong.”

Negative cases

Some responses highlighted critical aspects of the study that needed to be addressed. Missing important data could lead to an inaccurate article, and plagiarism was perceived as a serious threat. One of the participants had failed to note certain important points, leading to an inaccurate article: “When I got feedback about my texts I noticed that I had missed several points. [Name of mentor] asked me why I had missed them, and my answer was just that I didn’t notice them.” The participant was then asked what she would do in the future to prevent this from happening: “I would probably make documents that are easier to read … perhaps ask students [participants] to watch the video more than once … but I think that a lot of the learning comes from getting feedback from a real person instead of a set of instructions.”

Suggested solutions included user-friendly documents and personal feedback. The participants also mentioned another problem, the risk of plagiarism while using templates. “I think there is a serious risk of plagiarism when you allow people to copy from templates…. I would be very concerned to use it unless I really knew the person I was working with.” Another participant was asked what he would do to prevent this from happening, and he replied, “Today there are places on the Web where you can go, enter a text, and then check to see whether some of its portions were plagiarized.” A second researcher also referred to online plagiarism-identifying tools as a means of reducing this risk.

To our knowledge, this is the first qualitative study involving virtual and face-to-face scientific writing interventions among medical, nursing, and physical therapy students. The themes that emerged provide insight into the thought processes of novice researchers. The theme of “cognitive burden” emerged from the many constraints that limited participants’ ability to complete the writing task. The constraints ranged from those arising from within the individual (subjective) to those associated with the task (objective). One or both types of constraint placed an intellectual burden on some but not all of the participants, which had far-reaching consequences on their quality of work and likelihood of completing the task. A preference for group writing and a mentor’s guidance also surfaced during the analysis—this led to the theme “group support and mentoring.” Understanding the difference between content and structure is critical to a well-written scientific paper; the participants brought up many issues concerning the difficulty of making this distinction, which led to an important theme—“difficulty in distinguishing between content and structure.” Other statements of participants described the importance of identifying the desired end result, then planning and implementing steps in reverse. This led to the theme “backward design of manuscript.”

In our study, cognitive burden was seen to be a critical factor in the initiation, implementation, and completion of the writing task. In a similar study by Pololi et al [ 15 ] describing students’ experiences in a writing project, it was observed that, consistent with adult learning principles, the students responded positively to self-determined goals and deadlines, which helped ease their cognitive burden. Furthermore, they viewed the project as a challenging experience that helped them develop their writing skills, increase their self-confidence as writers, gain access to valuable writing resources, positively provide and respond to feedback, and recognize the importance of writing in academic medicine [ 15 ] In yet another study, it was observed that the significance of the written text can stimulate motivation [ 16 ].

In contrast, other studies have noted preexisting barriers to effective writing that were related to cognitive burden. For example, lack of writing experience, unfamiliarity with writing for scholarly publication, writing-related anxiety, lack of confidence in one’s ability, sensitivity or resistance to feedback, the perception of good writing skills as “nice” but not necessary for the job, bad habits, memories of tortuous writing experiences, and fear of failure may lead to failure in the writing process [ 15 , 16 ].

Most participants in our study favored group writing. Pololi et al [ 15 ] have demonstrated that participants working in pairs produce shorter but better texts in terms of task fulfillment, grammatical accuracy, and complexity. In fact, most students in that study reported a positive experience with group writing, though some expressed reservations. Collaboration allows students to pool ideas and provide feedback.

Group support has also been shown to increase the frequency of faculty’s publications by emphasizing the group process and respectful collaboration [ 17 ]. Collaborative collegiality was strongly apparent in all writing groups studied by Galligan et al [ 18 ]. However, significant conflicts (including task conflict characterized by disagreements on task content, affective conflict characterized by hostility or anger among group members, and process conflict characterized by approaches to the task at hand), which affect team performance, have been experienced in geographically distributed collaborative teams. This is more so in dispersed teams as opposed to localized teams [ 19 ]. Apart from these, concerns about a sociotechnical gap such as technical challenges, expanding and conflicting user needs, underuse of groupware technology attributable to insufficient incentives, subtle organizational nuances, and changing organizational structures could also mar collaborative work [ 20 ]. In addition to this, collaborators’ backgrounds, expertise, and viewpoints, lack of rapid synchronous feedback, and other communication problems may adversely affect a group’s progress [ 21 ].

Making the distinction between structure and content is crucial. A well-structured research article helps disseminate scientific information, and the content and interpretation help readers make important decisions [ 22 ]. Readers have certain expectations regarding the placement of concepts in a scientific manuscript [ 23 ], which enables them to search and access information more quickly and efficiently [ 22 , 24 ].

Awareness of structure in scientific articles affects readers’ reactions and feedback [ 23 ] Poor placement of information confuses the reader [ 24 ], and a weak structure causes confusion and misinterpretation. It draws the reader’s focus away from the content because he or she must concentrate on unraveling the structure [ 22 ]. Coordinating the structure of a research paper is a difficult task, which may discourage researchers [ 23 ].

Visualizing the completed manuscript and working backward from that goal to devise a series of manageable intermediate steps is crucial to the scientific writing process, as explained by Wiggins and McTighe [ 25 ]. The backward design method has been credited to be beneficial in writing logically organized research papers [ 26 ].

Participants in our study who used backward design wrote logically structured paragraphs and well-organized papers. It is important to note, however, that it may be difficult to avoid bias in backward-design studies, which base their hypotheses on predetermined conclusions. Also, if the protocol studied in the backward design approach lacks certain features or has some limitations, these errors may be carried to the real manuscript.

Basic writing skills acquired as early as grade school lay the foundation for future attempts at writing in any context. These skills include composition, writing reports, theme-based write-ups, paraphrasing, reading comprehension, and letter writing. Over the years, their significance and application are frequently sidelined and undeveloped. Consequently, novice researchers lack confidence and often struggle with writing. The abilities they have retained need to be revived, honed, and applied to the goal of writing and publishing quality scientific research. Writing to learn is a novel and evolving concept with diverse and fragmented views [ 27 ]. In accord with this concept, informal writing as a way of enhancing personal understanding has numerous benefits, which have resulted in its wide application. At the same time, research and teaching methods aimed at disseminating scientific ideas via good writing have been misconstrued and underutilized [ 2 ].

Our aim in undertaking a qualitative study was not to generate a statistically representative sample but, rather, to evaluate a restricted sample to bring about an in-depth discussion in the educational community of the issues involved. Our findings should be verified with additional studies, preferably using methods with greater potential for statistical validation, such as surveys or even large cohort studies. Furthermore, our study was focused exclusively on a comparison between virtual and face-to-face interventions, but the virtual environment is evolving, so some of our findings are likely to change over the years as technology improves. However, some themes, such as cognitive burden, are inherent to the writing process and will probably evolve into other forms rather than simply disappear as a result of new technology. For example, writing in virtual groups might decrease the cognitive burden that would be higher in individual writing but that, presumably, would not extinguish it. Finally, we acknowledge the potential for unintentional bias in interpreting interview transcripts in our study. We minimized the bias by ensuring that interview transcripts were screened multiple times by at least two of us.

The themes produced by this study concern the mindsets and thought processes of novice researchers and the challenges they face in their early attempts at scientific writing. Remedies that address those challenges are needed to help break down the barriers to quality scientific writing. Common detrimental beliefs and perceptions, seen especially in novice researchers, can be alleviated by considering their root cause. Our study demonstrates a number of points to be considered when evaluating the scientific writing process; these findings have important implications for the education of novice researchers. Future studies should determine whether these findings can be generalized to larger populations.

Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by the following grants: (1) Grant Number 1 UL1 RR024128-01 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research; (2) DU CIT Scientific Writing Workshop using Online Instructional Technology Surgery; and (3) School of Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Community and Family Medicine, Duke University.

The contents of this report are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the NCRR or the NIH. Information on the NCRR is available at http://www.ncrr.nih.gov . Information on Reengineering the Clinical Research Enterprise can be obtained from http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/clinicalresearch/overview-translational.asp .

Contributor Information

Dr. Shah Jatin, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.

Dr. Shah Anand, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and consulting associate, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Dr. Pietrobon Ricardo, Research on Research Group, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Challenges in Writing a Research Paper

Why Do Students Face Challenges in Writing a Research Paper?

Writing a proper research paper is not easy for every student. Some might face difficulty collecting relevant information, while others argue that the key obstacle is the lack of time. However, the main challenges of writing a research paper vary from student to student. Thus, there is no definite answer for facing challenges in writing a research paper, as each student encounters individual difficulties.

Moreover, crafting an impressive research paper can be difficult when you are unaware of your teacher’s expectations or lack experience in academic or essay writing. One way to overcome this challenge is to review well-written, trusted research papers to understand how to structure and present your ideas. Additionally, you can hire a qualified writer to help you collect and organize relevant information. This article will explore the top 10 challenges in writing a research paper and its practical solutions.

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10 Challenges in Writing a Research Paper (With Solutions)

The following are the top 10 challenges or difficulties in writing research papers and how to overcome them.

#1. Choosing a Research Topic

The most common challenge is finding a suitable and interesting research topic. Additionally, every writing guide suggests that you must choose a topic that aligns with your interest to have enough motivation to work on that. At the same time, it should be relevant to the topics or subjects of your academic curriculum.

Talking with professors or teachers is important to overcome this challenge as they can narrow down a chosen topic and refine your research question. Moreover, explore recent news and advancements in your field to select a trending topic.

#2. Understanding Complex Concepts

After selecting your topic, academic research papers are all about explaining or comprehending new or complex theories and ideas. However, it might not be easy to understand every detail to sound convincing while writing a paper.

You can discuss difficult concepts with professors or classmates for clarification. Also, you can consult online resources and tutorials to explain complex information in simple language. You can find content writing tips for research and academic papers. Most importantly, you should comprehensively demonstrate your understanding of the topic and key concepts in your paper.

#3. Finding Evidence to Support Data

When writing a research paper, it is essential to support your ideas using evidence or credible sources of information. It can be hard to distinguish between authentic academic sources and biased or non-scholarly information. Moreover, when plenty of information is available on a topic, it becomes difficult to identify the authentic or original paper.

To overcome this problem, you can check library databases to find valuable resources on relevant literature and academic research material. Also, verify the source’s credibility by examining author affiliations, i.e., whether they are associated with reputed institutions and peer-review processes.You can also use note-taking techniques , such as summarizing main points and paraphrasing quotes, to organize information effectively. In this way, you can ensure the quality and credibility of the evidence or sources in your research paper.

#4. Organizing Paper Structure

After gathering all the necessary information for your research paper, you must structure your arguments and evidence logically and coherently. However, this is not as easy as it may seem.

To address this challenge effectively, you can develop a well-structured outline for presenting your ideas and thoughts. This way, you can include all the points you want to discuss without losing any of them. However, you must follow a typical research paper structure, such as an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.

#5. Writing in Academic Style

Even though you aim to describe complex concepts with simple terms, you must use an academic writing style. Mastering the formal tone and language conventions of academic writing can be challenging.

To make this task easier, read multiple research papers within your field. Many online services provide free samples for reference. You can also develop your vocabulary and seek feedback from professors or writing tutors on your writing style to refine your academic writing skills. Also, incorporate transition words and phrases to facilitate smooth connections between ideas.

#6. Formatting Citation or Reference

A crucial part of a research paper is citation or reference. Every journal follows different citation styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), or Chicago style. Adhering to all the required formatting guidelines may be difficult.

One possible solution is to use citation management tools. Alternatively, you can ask your professor or librarian for clarification. Remember, the more papers you write, the more familiar you will be with the citation styles and formatting. Therefore, by practicing, you can polish research papers that impress a scientific community.

#7. Avoiding Plagiarism

Your research paper aims to add something new to the academic field. To do that, you need to use other scholars’ findings. However, unintentionally copying someone else’s work without proper citation can lead to serious consequences, including academic penalties.

To prevent plagiarism, familiarize yourself with plagiarism rules, including paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting with proper in-text and reference list citations. You can also use citation management tools to manage and format citations accurately.Moreover, you can use paraphrasing software to rephrase sentences while maintaining the original meaning. Lastly, you should use popular plagiarism checkers to spot unoriginal material that needs proper citation or rephrasing in your research papers.

#8. Proofreading and Editing

Typing and grammatical errors are unacceptable in academic writing. Before submitting an article, it is necessary to make sure that there are no grammatical and sentence formation errors.

To address this challenge, proofread your paper multiple times and try reading it aloud to find awkward phrasing. Spell-checking tools can identify and correct spelling errors, and it also takes less time. Additionally, consider asking someone to review your work for errors, as it might be hard to spot errors after you have read the paper numerous times.

#9. Time Management

Balancing research, writing, and other academic commitments within a deadline can be difficult. Thus, time management skills are essential to reaching your academic goals and meeting deadlines.

You can start by creating a realistic research and writing schedule. Break down tasks into manageable parts and prioritize your work accordingly. Thus, developing a detailed action plan will help you stay organized and focused.Also, you can use apps that boost your concentration and limit time spent on non-academic activities such as checking notifications or browsing social media .

#10. Staying Motivated

It is difficult to maintain focus and enthusiasm throughout the research and writing process, especially for college students. You might also lose interest while writing a research paper.

The first step is rewarding yourself for reaching milestones in your research because you will publish those milestones in a research paper. Sometimes, discussing with friends or your guide will help you recall the interest points that motivated you to choose this topic. Remember to take short breaks to refresh your mind.

Final Thoughts

Even though you may face many challenges when writing a research paper, there is always an effective solution you can find. Try to use these solutions mentioned in this article to overcome writing difficulties and produce high-quality research papers.

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Academic writing challenges and supports: perspectives of international doctoral students and their supervisors.

$\r\nShikha Gupta*$

1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
2 School of Optometry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
3 Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada

Introduction: Academic writing is a core element of a successful graduate program, especially at the doctoral level. Graduate students are expected to write in a scholarly manner for their thesis and scholarly publications. However, in some cases, limited or no specific training on academic writing is provided to them to do this effectively. As a result, many graduate students, especially those having English as an Additional Language (EAL), face significant challenges in scholarly writing. Further, faculty supervisors often feel burdened by reviewing and editing multiple drafts and find it difficult to help and support EAL students in the process of scientific writing. In this study, we explored academic writing challenges faced by EAL doctoral students and faculty supervisors at a research intensive post-secondary university in Canada.

Methods and Analysis: We conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-method study using an online survey and subsequent focus group discussions with EAL doctoral students (n = 114) and faculty supervisors (n = 31). A cross-sectional online survey was designed and disseminated to the potential study participants using internal communications systems of the university. The survey was designed using a digital software called Qualtrics™. Following the survey, four focus group discussions (FGDs) were held, two each with two groups of our participants with an aim to achieve data saturation. The FGD guide was informed by the preliminary findings of the survey data. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data was managed and analyzed using NVivo.

Discussion: The study findings suggest that academic writing should be integrated into the formal training of doctoral graduate students from the beginning of the program. Both students and faculty members shared that discipline-specific training is required to ensure success in academic writing, which can be provided in the form of a formal course specifically designed for doctoral students wherein discipline-specific support is provided from faculty supervisors and editing support is provided from English language experts.

Ethics and Dissemination: The general research ethics board of the university approved the study (#6024751). The findings are disseminated with relevant stakeholders at the university and beyond using scientific presentations and publications.

Introduction

The international student population at Canadian Universities is on the rise. Statistics Canada reported that over the past 10 years, between 2008/2009 and 2018/2019, enrollments for Canadian students in formal programs grew by 10.9% whereas number of international students tripled over the same period ( Statistics Canada, 2020 ). The same report highlighted those international students contribute an estimated 40% of all tuition fees collected by Canadian universities, accounting for almost $4 billion in their annual revenue in 2018/2019 ( Statistics Canada, 2020 ). Not only international students contribute toward the tuition revenue of universities, but they also increase the social and cultural diversity of campuses leading to excellence in scientific achievement and innovation. The heterogeneity and diversity of graduate students contribute toward globalization of universities and enhance quality of educational experiences for all students ( Campbell, 2015 ).

Academic writing is one of the core elements of a successful graduate program, especially at the doctoral level ( Itua et al., 2014 ). The ability to present information and ideas in writing plays an integral role in graduate students’ academic and professional success ( Caffarella and Barnett, 2000 ; Aitchison et al., 2012 ). Research has shown that writing process is related directly with the doctoral students’ identity development and is not just can be seen as a skill acquisition but a socio-cultural tool that need to be learnt. In fact, in many cases it is a socially situated process that happens in social discourses and is based on intensive interactions with the text and scientific communities. The process eventually leads to the development of an academic identity of graduate students which determines expression of a scientific arguments, epistemologies, methodologies, and theoretical approaches that they align with and adopt as they grow into scientists ( Lee and Boud, 2003 ; Sala-Bubaré and Castelló, 2018 ; Inouye and McAlpine, 2019 ; Lonka et al., 2019 ). The complexity associated with scholarly writing is further compounded at the doctoral level due to the expectation of systematic understanding and comprehensive knowledge of the field of study, mastery of research methods associated with that field, and ability to communicate the complex ideas with the peers, the larger scholarly community and society in general ( Inouye and McAlpine, 2019 ). This process can be challenging to even native speakers, meaning that non-native English speakers may face not only problems with grammar, idea expression, etc., but this may lead to low self-esteem of doctoral students, especially those with English as an additional language (EAL), and interfere with their researcher identity and authorial voice development.

Many EAL doctoral students face numerous scholarly writing challenges ( Pidgeon and Andres, 2005 ). Previous research highlights that international students navigate a complex cultural adaptation like institutional, departmental, disciplinary, and individual culture ( Ismail et al., 2013 ). The internationalization of higher education enhances academic writing’s intricacies, challenging international students and their supervisors to tackle differences in English language understanding and proficiency ( Doyle et al., 2018 ). Previous research also suggests that academic writing practices are socio-culturally specific and subject to change for academic disciplines ( Abdulkareem, 2013 ). Second language learners need more time to gain similar understanding levels than first language learners ( Ipek, 2009 ). Individuals from a variety of disciplines and parts of the world adopt dissimilar rhetorical writing styles, with some preferring inductive forms while others prefer deductive styles. Writing styles also reflect specific cultural nuances that are not applicable or employed in different parts of the world.

Not only students, but faculty supervisors who supervise graduate students often feel burdened of reviewing and editing multiple drafts; and find it hard to help and support students in the process of scientific writing ( Maher et al., 2014 ). Furthermore, the university centers that provide services to support students develop their writing skills face difficulties in matching services according to the supervisor’s expectations ( McAlpine and Amundsen, 2011 ; Gopee and Deane, 2013 ). While extensive scholarly attention has been given to the challenges of doctoral studies, research directed toward understanding the challenges in academic writing from the perspectives of doctoral students and their graduate supervisors at Canadian institutions has been very limited ( Pidgeon and Andres, 2005 ; Jones, 2013 ). The goal of this study was to understand the challenges in academic writing faced by EAL doctoral students and graduate supervisors at a research-intensive post-secondary institution. To achieve our research goal, we had two main objectives:

1. Understand academic writing challenges from the perspectives of EAL doctoral students, knowledge and use of existing services, and writing support from supervisors.

2. Explore areas for support and services needed to improve academic writing, from the perspectives of EAL doctoral students and faculty supervisors with graduate supervision responsibilities and experience.

Understanding these challenges will inform the mechanisms adopted by Canadian or other universities across the world to strengthen the existing services and development of an academic writing model that support graduate students and their supervisors toward successful academic writing.

Materials and Methods

The project was undertaken at a research-intensive post-secondary university in Canada. This university is one of the Canada’s renowned universities that has been granting graduate degrees for over 130 years, and currently offers more than 125 graduate programs to over 4,200 graduate students. Figures from the university suggest that, in 2017, international students from 80 different countries across the world comprised 26% of the total graduate student population. This project was funded by an educational research grant provided by Centre for Teaching and Learning and was a collaborative effort among key stakeholders concerning graduate students, faculty, and staff at the university. These stakeholders included members of the School of Graduate Studies, university’s International Centre, Student Academic Success Services, Centre for Teaching and Learning, and Society for Graduate and Professional Students that provided guidance at every stage of the research process.

A mixed-method approach with sequential explanatory design was used, wherein quantitative data was collected first followed by qualitative data. Participants belonged to major academic disciplines at the university which included science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Study Participants

The study participants included doctoral students doing PhD at the university who were non-native English language speakers and in any year of their program and faculty supervisors with experience of supervising EAL doctoral students. The non-probability sampling was used wherein participants were invited to participate in the study voluntarily. The eligibility to participate in the study was self-determined by the participants.

Doctoral Students

A total of 114 students participated in the study. The average age of doctoral students who responded the survey was 31 years, ranging between 23 and 51 years. Out of 114, 47 students identified themselves as male (41%), 63 identified as female (55%), and four (4%) chose not to declare. With regards to ethnic origin and native languages, there was a large heterogeneity within the sample. Participants belonged to ten different ethnic backgrounds, and thirty-four different languages were reported as their native spoken language. The most indicated racial/ethnic backgrounds were South Asian (22%) and Middle Eastern (18%) followed by European (16%), and Chinese (15%). Four most commonly represented native languages were Arabic (12%), Farsi (9%), Mandarin (9%), and Spanish (6%). Most of the students belonged to Arts and Science (26%), followed by Health Sciences (21%), Engineering (20%), School of Business (13%) and Education (6%). Majority of students who completed the survey were in their first year of PhD program (38%). The remainder of the respondents were almost evenly distributed amongst second year (14%), third year (15%), fourth year (17%) and upper year (16%). With regards to the stage of PhD studies; 48% of respondents were commencing PhD studies, 28% of respondents were mid-candidature, and 24% of respondents were completing PhD studies at the time of the survey.

Faculty Members

A total of 31 faculty members participated in the study. Out of 31, almost half were females. In terms of their faculty ranks, 48% identified as associate professor, 36% as professor, 16% as assistant professor. The number of years of experience of participant supervisors with graduate supervision ranged from 1 to 35; with 45% of respondents having 11–15 years of experience supervising graduate students. Majority of the respondents had supervised less than 10 doctoral students, with 2 EAL doctoral students on an average (46%).

Data Collection and Analysis

The general research ethics board of the university approved the study (#6024751). The data was collected over a period of 6 months, from January to June 2019.

Quantitative Data

Two cross-sectional online surveys were designed and disseminated to the potential study participants (EAL doctoral students and faculty supervisors) using internal communications systems of the university. The surveys were designed using a digital software called Qualtrics™ and developed based on the literature and an environmental scan of academic writing support across ten universities in Canada. The environmental scan helped us to identify the extent and nature of support and services in Canadian universities such as a dedicated academic writing center, online resources for academic writing, personal consultation services for academic writing, workshops/seminars/other events dedicated to academic writing, and resources specific to EAL graduate students and supervisors. The instruments were validated through expert consultation and pilot testing with four potential participants ( Supplementary Materials 1 , 2 ). We followed the general recommendations of anonymity, privacy, and confidentiality from ethical practice guidelines for online research ( Gupta, 2017 ). Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). All continuous variables are presented as mean (standard deviation) and median (interquartile range). Dichotomous variable values are presented as proportions/percentage.

Qualitative Data

Following the survey, four FGDs were held, two each with two groups of our participants with an aim to achieve data saturation. A semi-structured interview guide was developed based on the objectives of the study and the key findings obtained from the quantitative phase of the study ( Supplementary Material 3 ). Participants for focus group discussions (FGDs) were recruited from the pool of survey respondents who agreed to participate in the qualitative phase of the study. The FGD guide was pilot tested with two participants and revised in light of their responses. The focus groups were conducted in-person. FGDs were conducted by the first author, who was a EAL PhD candidate at the time. All FGDs lasted between 40 and 60 min and were recorded using two audio-recorders and transcribed verbatim. To maintain anonymity, all personal identifiers were removed before data analysis.

Inductive thematic analysis approach was used for qualitative data which involved identifying, analyzing, and reporting themes that are important in the phenomenon of being investigated ( Braun and Clarke, 2006 ). The coding process in inductive thematic analysis started with the preparation of raw data files after data cleaning; close reading of the text to understand the content; the identification and development of general themes and categories; the re-reading to refine the categories and reduce overlap or redundancy among the categories; and creating a framework incorporating the most important categories ( Guest et al., 2014 ) ( Supplementary Material 4 ). The first two authors (SG, AJ) coded the four transcripts independently to ensure inter-coder consistency and peer examination of the codes developed by the first author. The coding scheme was confirmed and corrected by the senior author (JK) for any imprecise code definitions or overlapping of meaning in the coding scheme. Eighty percent of the total codes were identified within the first two FGDs. Two more FGDs were conducted to confirm thematic saturation in data. These additional FGDs verified that saturation is based on the widest possible range of data on the emerged subcategories. This process increased the comprehensibility of analysis and provided a sound interpretation of the data. The NVivo software was used to manage the data. Research rigor was ensured through an audit trail and peer debriefing ( Lincoln and Guba, 1985 ). For an audit trail, a logbook was maintained that contained the notes on the data collection process, the analysis process, and the final interpretations. The research team met at regular intervals to provide critical inputs on the research methods and lead researcher’s interpretation of meanings and analysis. The peer-review process involved deliberations and debriefing of the emerging codes, categories, and their relationship with the data.

Integration of quantitative and qualitative data

Using the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the quantitative and qualitative data was connected at the intermediate stage when results obtained from the quantitative data analysis informed data collection of the qualitative study and guided the formation of the semi-structured interview guide. The quantitative and qualitative studies were also connected while selecting the participants for the qualitative study and conduct follow-up analysis based on the quantitative results. The development of the qualitative data collection tool was grounded in the results from the quantitative study to investigate those results in more depth through collecting and analyzing the qualitative data. Finally, an overall interpretation was framed, which is presented in this paper, and implications of the integrated findings on future research, policy and practice are discussed. Figure 1 describes this process and depicts the various stages of integration, along with the specific aspects of this research that were explored in subsequent phases or informed the subsequent phase.

Figure 1. Study process.

Findings From the Online Survey and Focus Group Discussions

Academic writing challenges.

Out of total respondents, almost 90% doctoral students felt that they need to improve their academic writing skills and 46% indicated that a university supervisor or faculty has at some point indicated that they need to work on improving their academic writing skills. The highest rated areas of difficulty were the writing process (25%), followed by developing content/ideas (24%), use of grammar (16%) and vocabulary (12%), and the organization of sentences or paragraphs (11%).

When explored further over a focus group discussion, the students provided reasons for their academic writing challenges. For example, a few students shared that because they frame their ideas in their native language, it becomes challenging for them to express those ideas in English due to the differences in structures, vocabulary, mechanics, and semantics between the two languages. These were depicted in these quotes:

“I tend too much often to use French grammatical structures and to apply it in English. Some words are not in my database of my vocabulary and I don’t think of those words. So, for me it’s two problems: it’s grammatical structures; and vocabulary.” (7th year PhD student, French speaker)

“In my … mother tongue- the syntax, or the semantics, how to organize sentences is totally different from English. in my writing … people find it quite easy to see that this kind of paper is written by a foreign people and not by a native speaker.”(1st year PhD student, Farsi speaker)

“One of the challenges that we have, that at least I have, is the difference in structures and organization … between my language, which would be Italian and English. So sometimes I tend to write sentences in the Italian structure, which is not the correct one.” (2nd year PhD student, Italian speaker)

Some students also highlighted the challenges they face while writing with their faculty supervisors such as getting timely and adequate feedback from them and making sure if they understand that feedback correctly. They further shared how this lack or delay of clear communication between them and their supervisors about their writing challenges led to loss of time and stress during their doctoral programs. This is depicted in these quotes:

“How to differentiate between a comment about concepts from a comment about writing. Like, sometimes I’m like, so is the idea correct and it’s not written well? Or are you saying the idea itself is crap? Like, can you tell me, if you know, where should I make the change. That took me many months to figure out. And yes, I think that more feedback would mean that you can actually talk to them and say I don’t understand what this comment means, but if you get less number of feedbacks and then that itself is like very confusing then you’re just stuck with four comment which you’re like … okay I think I’m terrible, I think I should just leave, this makes no sense.” (2nd year PhD student, Italian speaker)

“I’ll need to work more- just read them again and again and again and sometimes I’ll realize, oh I could use precise language … words that I was not thinking about. So it’s just more time consuming and time is against us in the PhD program.” (3rd year PhD student, French speaker)

Commonly Used Resources

The most common English language development or academic writing support sought out by doctoral students was university workshops (n = 28 students, 25%). After university workshops, the university writing center (20%) was listed as other commonly used English language support. Less common sought out supports were tutoring (9%) and writing retreats (8%). Some students also used resources outside the university such as grammar-check tools. However, around 62% doctoral students ( n = 71) indicated that they had not sought out any support for their academic writing development.

When asked about the reasons for not using university’s academic writing center over the subsequent focus group discussions, participants shared that either they were not aware of those services or felt that they needed support from someone belonging to their own discipline, as depicted in the quotes below:

“I started coming to the writing center only in my fourth year, which I was not aware of before … and I’m in fifth year now, and … it’s just … I’m here because of my editing, or the lack of editing (laughs) in my first draft because I didn’t know what to edit for. these things are something I could have started looking for in my first year.” (5th year PhD student, Hindi speaker)

“I think I was kind of aware of this possibility, but I think right now the major challenge I’m facing is improving on clarity in a way that can possibly only be done be somebody who’s in a research field. So, I think I notwithstanding that I could improve on structure and grammar and so on and so on, I think a major challenge I have is on particularly on specific points.” (2nd year PhD student, German speaker)

Participants further shared although they appreciate the support provided by English language experts, lack of technical or subject knowledge by them creates a barrier to either use those services. Lack of discipline specific knowledge among English language experts made those services less relevant for doctoral students across highly specialized disciplines. This was depicted in this quote:

“When they try to suggest us re-writing the sentence in a way that I know is not correct. So, their suggestion is not right because the science is modified for a different clarity purpose.” (3rd year PhD student, Hindi speaker)

Academic Writing Supports Needed

Students were also asked what writing supports would help improve their academic writing skills. The most important written language support as indicated by 64 respondents (56%) was personal feedback on writing tasks. Doctoral thesis writing workshops and working one-on-one with language experts to check writing regularly were identified as the next most important writing supports each with 47 students (41%). Finally, students were asked what they believe is the best way for their supervisors to give them feedback about their writing. The majority of students (56%) identified that the best way for supervisors to provide written feedback to students was highlighting the errors and informing the student of the type of error.

In the subsequent FGDs, students highlighted several aspects of the support that they thought would help in academic writing. For example, participants shared that a formal training should be provided to all PhD students, right from the beginning of their PhD, though this support should be available to them throughout their PhD program.

“If in the first year itself that they had a course, or just someone or something- an online module on little things like punctuation or comma splices, and length of sentences. Um … it would have definitely helped me figure out what was going wrong with my writing earlier.” (5th year PhD student, Hindi speaker)

“If there was a two-week time that we just dedicated all the efforts and energies to correcting systematic errors that we do when writing in English, then it would be so much easier afterwards.” (3rd year PhD student, Hindi speaker)

When asked further about their preferred arrangements to receive such support, they suggested a hybrid model wherein university’s writing center provides support on English language in the form of online modules, classes or one-on-one appointments with English language experts, while their department and its faculty members provide them training in discipline specific writing via seminars or workshops. These are depicted in the several of the quotes highlighted below:

“I think the support should be more department-specific rather than the entire university. I would say it’s more beneficial because academic writing’s different for every department …. (agreement in group)” (3rd year PhD student, Farsi speaker)

“May be the professors who have 10 to 15 years’ experience writing research reports can have a one-hour seminar throughout the semester, every 2 or 3 weeks, so they can share what they basically do when they’re reviewing reports, as well as also when developing their writing styles.” (1 st year PhD student, Arabic speaker)

“um … that is something for sure we could do like every year like a couple seminars on uh, semantics and punctuation- whatever topic in writing. But uh … sometimes it’s also about the structure of the … of the paper or the thesis. Um … writing my proposal of research um … research proposal? (laughs) I was uh, it was really helpful for me- both because it’s a great writing exercise and also because I learned the importance of having um, a frame when I start writing.” (3rd year PhD student, Spanish speaker)

“I think that not only if even the first year when it’s recommended for them or as we see now it’s most beneficial to them, if it’s open for later for second or third year they will still go if they think it’s useful…” (4th year PhD student, Mandarin speaker)

With respect to supervisors, students shared that they would like their supervisors to communicate expectations and give examples of good writing from the beginning of their program. They also suggested that there should be a link between supervisors and university’s writing center, so that they can be referred whenever they need support in English language, as depicted in this quote:

“I’m not aware that supervisors or profs at [university name] have been in contact with SASS at all, so I think it would be helpful to improve on this link because if supervisors find that students need sort of help that could be provided in the framework of these services, then they could say, well why don’t you ask, you know, the people here and then they will help you with the structure, the grammar and so on, and they don’t have to spend time on things that we could get help on otherwise.” (3rd year PhD student, French speaker)

Faculty Supervisors

The most common areas of difficulty highlighted by faculty supervisors were grammar ( n = 27, 87%), followed by logical organization ( n = 20, 65%), mechanics ( n = 19, 61%), vocabulary ( n = 19, 61%), content/ideas generation ( n = 14, 45%), writing process ( n = 14, 45%) and semantics ( n = 11, 35%).

In the FGDs, faculty members expanded further on the academic writing challenges that their EAL students face or have faced in the past. Using correct grammar and synthesizing and expressing ideas in a cohesive way were the two main challenges highlighted by faculty members. They also acknowledged that academic writing in general is a skill that even native English speakers find difficult. These are reflected in the quotes below:

“It’s as much as being grammatically correct as being able to express ideas in a concise and accurate succinct manner…” (Assistant Professor, Arabic speaker)

“I think I see this part of the training as not only you want them to be grammatically correct, but you want them to be able to say things to an audience – that they can say the right thing to the right audience and be persuasive in certain manner that they would be effective public speakers. But this will take time and some process we go through.” (Associate Professor, Mandarin speaker)

“Academic writing issues affect domestic students also, but especially if you have done an undergraduate degree outside Canada, then you’re going to be limping … ” (Assistant Professor, French speaker)

“Sometimes I find that our domestic students have trouble writing and these are the people who went through the Canadian system in high school and undergraduate, so it’s not … I think writ- professional writing in general is … an issue and it would take some time generally for all of us … ” (Professor, English speaker)

When explored further, faculty members shared the challenges they face while supervising EAL students in academic writing. For example, the quote below from a faculty member highlights how they need more time and effort to clearly understand and supervise the work of EAL students in comparison to students who are native English speakers.

“Before I can look at the idea, I have to go over and over and over the actual presentation so that I can understand the idea and argument clearly, and those additional rounds of assistance are not required for people who, who would perhaps have English as their first language. (Professor, English speaker)

Basically, we ask the student to write something and then rewrite it and rewrite it again depending on the student and how – how quickly, how quickly they’re getting it. The iteration can be anywhere between three and five times … ” (Assistant Professor, French speaker)

Expanding on this further, another faculty member who was also a department head at the university shared that the extra amount of time and effort required to supervise EAL students lead to reluctance from faculty supervisors in supervising international students.

“I have had faculty members say they don’t wish to supervise international students because they have to spend so much more time editing their work. And it’s nothing to do with their brightness – they’re very competent, but to get to the same level of output requires a lot more effort on the part of the supervisor and so some prefer not to work with international students.” (Professor and Department Head, Chinese speaker)

Academic Writing Supports Provided and Awareness of Academic Writing Support on Campus

In terms of writing supports provided, 75% of faculty supervisors said they provided models of good writing such as academic papers, previous successful and/or unsuccessful theses, dissertations and journal publications. The next question asked if the supervisor has any specific processes they use when supervising EAL doctoral students. The answers were fairly evenly split between yes (45%) and no (55%). Some examples provided by respondents of specific processes included: providing writing exercises, earlier submissions compared to native English speakers, peer reviews and one-on-one writing support.

The next question asked about what writing support services the participants were aware of on campus that support student writing. This was an open-ended question that resulted in various answers; however, the most common answer was ‘The Writing Centre’ with 50% respondents indicating this as the only writing support service they were aware of on campus. However, some comments indicated that respondents felt the writing center was not intensive enough or merely supplemental for doctoral students.

“I’ve never sent any students there. I have assumed that because undergraduates at the end of the semester are waiting a month to get access to it, it’s simply not available for the kind of intensive work, the kind of on-going intensive work that is required for graduate-level students.” (Assistant Professor, Cantonese speaker)

Around 10% of faculty supervisors did not know of any writing supports. Other responses included: graduate school seminars, the University International Centre, the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and graduate school workshops. Finally, 2 respondents knew that support services exist, but did not know the name. Participants were also asked if they had referred students to these services, and 24 respondents (75%) said yes, and 7 respondents (25%) said no.

Academic Writing Supports Required

Participants were then asked in what ways they thought academic writing for EAL students could be strengthened at the university. The most frequent response ( n = 18, 58%) was one-on-one group guidance from someone in a similar area of study. The second most frequent response was editing services/proofreading/grammar check tools ( n = 17, 55%). The third most frequent response chosen by respondents was sitting one by one with a language expert to check writing regularly ( n = 16, 52%). Also, courses on academic writing ( n = 12, 39%), training on grammar, structure, and expressions in sentences ( n = 11, 35%), and PhD thesis-writing workshops ( n = 11, 35%) were in the top-most frequent responses.

In the subsequent FGD, we asked faculty members for suggestions for supporting EAL doctoral students. A common theme in the responses was that more resources should be allocated to EAL doctoral students with respect to writing supports; particularly one-on-one writing supports and editing services. Another suggestion that emerged in the discussions is that expectations, needs and challenges will be subjective based on the department and the student’s individual needs. Specifically, the faculty supervisors suggested for a course specifically designed for graduate students, offered by respective discipline-specific departments but designed and delivered in partnership with academic writing centre of the university.

“I think dedicated graduate supervision on graduate writing would be very valuable. But the problem I would have with that is the kind of supervision you could provide in the science is going to be very different than what you provide in the social sciences, and you provide in humanities. So, there would have to be people who really can write in the different modes.” (Assistant Professor, Italian speaker)

“I think you could have dedicated courses. This is possible, but the courses would have to be designed in conjunction with the departments that are involved.” (Assistant Professor, Cantonese speaker)

“I would say that ongoing support and continuous support through a feedback loop, which will return some gains, because if a course is just provided in the first year, by the time the student actually gets into the intensive writing phase – third year, fourth year, it might not turn out to be very effective … ” (Assistant Professor, English speaker)

Finally, the discussions indicated that faculty supervisors would like to have resources external to themselves in terms of academic writing support, so that they have more time to focus on technical content of the student’s writing.

The purpose of this study was to explore academic writing challenges faced by EAL PhD graduate students and their faculty supervisors. The students chose writing process and content/ideas as their highest rated areas of difficulty whereas for faculty members, grammar and logical organization were the two most common areas where EAL students need improvement. Our study was confined to one post-secondary institution in Canada, though the findings can be applied widely to other universities in Canada and around the world where international student population is growing. We discuss three key recommendations that emerged out of this study ( Figure 2 ) while comparing our findings with other similar studies.

Figure 2. Study recommendations to improve academic writing for EAL doctoral students.

Need of Specialized Writing Support Services for Doctoral Students

Writing at the doctoral level requires a highly specialized understanding of the subject area that cannot be expected to be provided by the support staff at university writing centers. This was echoed by faculty supervisors and students in our study that felt the existing writing support center needs more capacity to support the intensity of a doctoral program. This finding has important implications for the universities where there are currently no writing centers dedicated to doctoral students and that for EAL doctoral students only. A previous study examined a doctoral support group for EAL students. In this program, native English speakers volunteered to review doctorate’s academic writing at the draft stages for clarity, grammar, and spelling/punctation ( Carter, 2009 ). Although the service was specific for doctoral EAL students, the volunteers did not receive EAL training or had to be doctorate holders ( Carter, 2009 ). Therefore, some EAL students of the program had suggested for volunteers to be academically trained or department specific to receive more thorough assistance ( Carter, 2009 ). On the other hand, a study in the United States examined a university that has a Doctoral Support Center (DSC) which provides technical and emotional support to doctoral students only ( West et al., 2011 ). Technical services at the DSC included one-on-one consultations with writing class papers/dissertations, preparation support for proposal and dissertation defenses, and writing retreats/workshops ( West et al., 2011 ). The services were offered by three writing advisors who are doctorate holders ( West et al., 2011 ). These findings suggest that a doctoral focused writing service can be more beneficial compared to general writing centers and can provide more tailored support. More specifically, since EAL doctoral students require both English language and general dissertation support throughout their program, one-on-one support in this area can assist with student success, address common writing errors, and reduce workload of faculty having to provide continuous feedback.

Significance of Faculty Supervisors/Advisors Support for EAL Doctoral Students

Some faculty supervisors within our study reported allowing EAL students to submit their work early, provided examples of strong academic papers or previous dissertations, and/or provided individual writing support. Previous literature has identified one-on-one consultations with advisors helped EAL doctoral students receive personal feedback, improve their writing, and build confidence in themselves, ( Odena and Burgess, 2017 ; Ma, 2019 ). On the other hand, our study and other studies reported some students did not receive timely, clear, or direct/specific constructive feedback from faculty, adding as a challenge to improve their writing ( Sidman-taveau and Karathanos-aguilar, 2015 ; Abdulkhaleq, 2021 ). Faculty supervisors should be aware of the initial learning curve EAL students may face and ensure they have ample time and capacity to provide English language support to doctoral EAL students, in addition to general academic writing mentorship. Although in our study, faculty indicated some staff prefer not to supervise international students due to the extra time required, it is important to recognize the diversity, value, and enriching experiences that EAL students bring to teams. Based on our study findings and that of previous literature, it is evident faculty supervisors play an integral role in supporting doctoral students to become strong writers.

Furthermore, in our study, EAL students reported facing stress due to untimely feedback from supervisors. Other studies found that EAL students often feel discouraged, lack confidence, feel vulnerable, and greater pressure due to their English speaking/writing abilities ( Maringe and Jenkins, 2015 ). One study had a participant suggest that academic writing courses should be taught by EAL staff since they will understand the technical and emotional challenges that EAL doctoral students face ( Odena and Burgess, 2017 ). Based on these findings, it is recommended writing support centers and supervisors help build confidence in student’s writing skills by providing positive encouragement and acknowledging student’s improvement, while also understanding the additional pressure international EAL students face.

EAL Doctoral Students Use University Resources and Invest Time in Building Their Academic Writing Skills

One of the intriguing findings of this study was that while 89.5% of students felt that they do need to improve on their academic writing skills, 62% indicated that they had not sought out any support for their academic writing development. Further in the study, participant students have explained the challenges that prevent them seeking support for academic writing. However, it is important to highlight the importance of intrinsic motivation for academic and social integration of international students and role it plays to determine their success. Previous studies have found that international students’ motivation and learning attitudes are significant for their academic success and cultural adaptation in a new learning environment ( Hsu, 2011 ; Zhou and Zhang, 2014 ; Eze and Inegbedion, 2015 ).

There are many things that EAL doctoral students can do to improve their academic writing skills, as demonstrated to be effective by research evidence. Recently, a number of published studies suggest that participation in writing retreats help graduate students in developing academic writing abilities through a community of practice formed during writing retreats and interacting with their peers afterward ( Kornhaber et al., 2016 ; Tremblay-Wragg et al., 2021 ). A few studies also suggest students examine their beliefs about writing and form a writer identity to improve their style and come up with effective strategies that work for them. Authors suggest that these activities can be useful across any discipline, in which high-stakes writing is used ( Boscolo et al., 2007 ; Fernsten and Reda, 2011 ). Some of the other effective strategies that could be helpful include developing a network for peer feedback, writing regularly, personal organization while keeping time aside for academic writing, and building self-motivation and resilience ( Wellington, 2010 ; Odena and Burgess, 2017 ).

Limitations

Our findings were only limited to a Canadian university; hence, the findings may not be generalizable to other contexts. The participation in the study was voluntary, hence the survey respondents were not representative of all EAL doctoral students on campus. Although the sample for qualitative data ( n = 31) is reasonable, it was not representative of all disciplines. The findings should be interpreted with caution with respect to discipline-specific nuances toward academic writing challenges and supports. Gathering data on students’ level of language proficiency, previous educational setting or background and personal characteristics could have provided a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomena. Moreover, this study was limited to academic writing challenges and supports for international graduate students; it will be interesting to explore this phenomenon among domestic doctoral students and their supervisors to ascertain the impact of writing culture and level of language proficiency on scientific writing. Despite these limitations, we believe that our findings still provide original and meaningful insight into academic writing challenges and required supports for EAL doctoral students and have the potential to inform programs on academic writing in higher education.

This study explored academic writing experiences—challenges and potential solutions from the perspective of EAL PhD graduate students and their faculty supervisors at a Canadian University. With the rise in international student population across Canada, understanding the doctoral academic writing challenges is critical to strengthen the existing services and development of an academic writing model that support students and their supervisors toward successful academic writing experience and outcomes. Our study indicated that EAL doctoral students require both English language and general dissertation support throughout their program. A doctoral-focused writing service will be beneficial compared to general writing centers given they can provide more tailored support. One-on-one support in this area can assist with student success, address common writing errors, and reduce workload for faculty members. There is a need for multipronged approach at various levels to provide a conducive and enabling environment and support resources for the students to thrive in their doctoral journey, and timely complete their thesis with success.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article/ Supplementary Material , further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by General Research Ethics Board of the Queen’s university. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

SG and AJ contributed to the conception and design of the study. JK contributed to the design of data collection tools. SG, AJ, and AP were involved in writing the first draft of the manuscript. JK and SG edited the final manuscript for submission. All authors read and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Klodiana Kolomitro, Susan Korba, Marta Straznicky, Agniezka Herra, and Colette Steer for their support to this research project. We would also like to thank the students at Queen’s University who participated in this study and shared their experiences. We would like to acknowledge the support of Centre for Teaching and Learning at Queen’s University for providing educational research grant to conduct this research.

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.891534/full#supplementary-material

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Keywords : international students (foreign students), academic writing and publishing, supervisors and supervision, university resources, support and services

Citation: Gupta S, Jaiswal A, Paramasivam A and Kotecha J (2022) Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors. Front. Educ. 7:891534. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.891534

Received: 07 March 2022; Accepted: 31 May 2022; Published: 29 June 2022.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2022 Gupta, Jaiswal, Paramasivam and Kotecha. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Shikha Gupta, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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A Guide to Writing a Research Paper

This handbook hopes to assist students studying international affairs, political science, and history. Students of political science should focus their research papers on identifying a theoretical puzzle (e.g., a case that cannot be explained by an existing theory, or that illustrates conflicts between two competing theories) and solve it. Policy-oriented political science students should center their research papers on identifying a significant policy issue; analyze it, and present recommendations. Cultural history students approach the study of world politics by examining not only history and politics but also literature and film as artistic expressions interpreting history. Why don’t we begin thinking about your research paper as your opportunity to improve by setting your goals: write out what your weaknesses are in your writing and add what are your strengths. Secondly, state your goals in improving writing and how you will meet your goals. Lastly, check out your professor’s comments and restate your goals: what goals have you met and which still need to be met. Build on your writing skills by being very aware of your weaknesses and your strengths. Remember you are not alone: consult GWU’s The Writing Center at GWU (202-994-3765) and WID Studio .

All good writing starts with analytical reading. When you start reading a book or viewing a film, immediately make connections, stretch your imagination, ask questions, and anticipate conclusions. By becoming an active reader your mind will be analyzing the information simultaneously as you experience the journal article, book or film. Evaluating sources is a skill perfected over several years; this handbook offers ways to assess texts quickly.

Structuring and writing research papers can be challenging and in the end rewarding because it is your unique contribution to understanding a body of texts, a series of historical events, and cultural expressions in film, art, and literature. Your personal voice and your particular interpretation will intrigue your readers if your thesis is clearly argued. Creating Writing Strategies including clustering ideas, drawing diagrams, and planning a “road map” will help you visualize the stages that you need to map out to build a strong paper. Research papers always start with disparate ideas, indiscriminate notions, and false starts. This process is necessary to think through your strategy. Harnessing and structuring your random ideas is essential at the beginning to ensure solid results in your line of argument.

An initial draft helps you generate ideas, sketch a plan, and build on your first impressions. Revision and more revision will ensure that your case is chiseled into a fine paper with clear objectives and well-argued beliefs. This is perhaps the most essential piece to receiving high grades. If you write your paper the night before it is due, you will not allow time to revise. Instead, plan to write your initial draft two weeks before it is due. You will have time to rewrite the draft at least twice. Comparing each draft should convince you to always make time to write three drafts. Formatting your paper appropriately to your professor’s taste is crucial. Routinely papers follow this format: a Title Page, after which each page is numbered consecutively; pages are double-spaced with left one-inch margins at top, bottom, and sides.

Citations add depth to your opinions and will substantiate them. A variety of sources always makes a paper interesting to read and intensifies your argument. The risk that all writers confront is over use of quoting from secondary texts. The overuse of citations buries your personal voice and your particular point of view.

Reading Analytically

It is often possible to confuse or understand partially what a scholar, journalist, or author is trying to argue. This is the first wrong step towards a weak paper. In evaluating a scholarly argument, you are making claims about what an author has stated. You do not have the freedom to put arguments in authors’ mouths; you must be able to back up every claim you make about an author’s argument through reference to the text. This exercise in analyzing arguments intends to strengthen your skills in developing your own argumentation.

Read an article in The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, American Political Science Review, or Foreign Affairs and start to record your thoughts:

What is the author’s argument?
What is the thesis question?
What are the premises underlying it?
What is the thesis?
What is the “road map” or the individual points the author will have to prove to make the thesis be true?
What assumptions has the author made which remain unaddressed?
What arguments does the author make that may be challenged?
Premises underlying thesis question.
Individual points of the argument in the “road map,” or body of the work.
If you wanted to challenge this author, how would you go about it?
Choose one point — either a premise underlying the thesis question, or a part of the author’s “road map.”
What kind of primary source evidence would you be looking for to “test” this point? What kinds of primary source evidence would tend to support the author? What kinds would undermine the author’s argument?
The last step would be to go to the primary source evidence itself, and see what you find.

Exercise for reading analytically

Read the excerpt below taken from the first issue of Foreign Affairs for 2009 and write out your questions and answers (the entire article is online):

Beyond Iraq

A New U.S. Strategy for the Middle East

Richard N. Haass and Martin Indyk

Summary: To be successful in the Middle East, the Obama administration will need to move beyond Iraq, find ways to deal constructively with Iran, and forge a final-status Israeli-Palestinian agreement.

On taking office, U.S. President Barack Obama will face a series of critical, complex, and interrelated challenges in the Middle East demanding urgent attention: an Iraq experiencing a fragile lull in violence that is nonetheless straining the U.S. military, an Iran approaching the nuclear threshold, a faltering Israeli-Palestinian peace process, weak governments in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories challenged by strong militant Islamist groups, and a U.S. position weakened by years of failure and drift. He will also discover that time is working against him.

For six years, U.S. policy in the Middle East has been dominated by Iraq. This need not, and should not, continue. The Obama administration will be able to gradually reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, limit their combat role, and increasingly shift responsibility to Iraqi forces. The drawdown will have to be executed carefully and deliberately, however, so as not to risk undoing recent progress.

The improved situation in Iraq will allow the new administration to shift its focus to Iran, where the clock is ticking on a dangerous and destabilizing nuclear program. Obama should offer direct official engagement with the Iranian government, without preconditions, along with other incentives in an attempt to turn Tehran away from developing the capacity to rapidly produce substantial amounts of nuclear-weapons-grade fuel. At the same time, he should lay the groundwork for an international effort to impose harsher sanctions on Iran if it proves unwilling to change course.

Preventive military action against Iran by either the United States or Israel is an unattractive option, given its risks and costs. But it needs to be examined carefully as a last-ditch alternative to the dangers of living with an Iranian bomb. To increase Israel’s tolerance for extended diplomatic engagement, the U.S. government should bolster Israel’s deterrent capabilities by providing an enhanced anti-ballistic-missile defense capability and a nuclear guarantee.

The U.S. president should also spend capital trying to promote peace agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors, in particular Syria. Damascus is currently allied with Tehran, and an Israeli-Syrian deal would weaken Iran’s regional influence, reduce external support for Hamas and Hezbollah, and improve the prospects for stability in Lebanon. On the Israeli-Palestinian front, there is an urgent need for a diplomatic effort to achieve a two-state solution while it is still feasible. Although divisions on both sides and the questionable ability of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to control any newly acquired territory make a sustainable peace agreement unlikely for the moment, these factors argue not for abandoning the issue but rather for devoting substantial time and effort now to creating the conditions that would help diplomacy succeed later. What all these initiatives have in common is a renewed emphasis on diplomacy as a tool of U.S. national security policy, since the United States can no longer achieve its objectives without the backing of its regional allies as well as China, Europe, and Russia.

Some might argue that these efforts are not worth it, that the Bush administration paid too much attention to and invested too much American blood and treasure in an ill-advised attempt to transform the Middle East and that the Obama administration should focus its attention at home or elsewhere abroad. But such arguments underestimate the Middle East’s ability to force itself onto the U.S. president’s agenda regardless of other plans. Put simply, what happens in the Middle East will not stay in the Middle East. From terrorism to nuclear proliferation to energy security, managing contemporary global challenges requires managing the Middle East.

Three easy questions to ask yourself:

Is there a “valid” argument: an argument structured such that, given that the premises are correct, the conclusion must be correct. How do the authors construct their argument, dissect paragraph by paragraph their line of debate.
What would a scholar from Egypt write on this subject and perhaps a scholar from Iran. Can you now come up with a counter argument?
What is the “road map” for this paper? That is, what is the chain of reasoning this paper must pursue if it is to demonstrate the veracity of its thesis?

Good reading is about asking questions of your sources. Keep the following in mind when reading primary sources. Even if you believe you can’t arrive at the answers, imagining possible answers will aid your comprehension. Reading primary sources requires that you use your historical imagination. This process is all about your willingness and ability to ask questions of the material, imagine possible answers, and explain your reasoning. Reading a primary source may seem simple but you would be surprised how easy it is to become distracted, unfocused, and when your mind wonders you lose the impact of the thesis. This also happens when we sit at our computers to write, but with a strong foundation and a road map, it should be easier to compose.

Professor Patrick Rael of Bowdoin College has drawn up a useful evaluating system when reading primary sources:

Purpose of the author in preparing the document
Argument and strategy she or he uses to achieve those goals
Presuppositions and values (in the text, and our own)
Epistemology (evaluating truth content)
Relate to other texts (compare and contrast)
Who is the author and what is her or his place in society (explain why you are justified in thinking so)? What could or might it be, based on the text, and why?
Why did the author prepare the document? What was the occasion for its creation?
What is at stake for the author in this text? Why do you think she or he wrote it? What evidence in the text tells you this?
Does the author have a thesis? What — in one sentence — is that thesis?
What is the text trying to do? How does the text make its case? What is its strategy for accomplishing its goal? How does it carry out this strategy?
What is the intended audience of the text? How might this influence its rhetorical strategy? Cite specific examples.
What arguments or concerns do the author respond to that are not clearly stated? Provide at least one example of a point at which the author seems to be refuting a position never clearly stated. Explain what you think this position may be in detail, and why you think it.
Do you think the author is credible and reliable? Use at least one specific example to explain why. Make sure to explain the principle of rhetoric or logic that makes this passage credible.

Presuppositions

How do the ideas and values in the source differ from the ideas and values of our age? Offer two specific examples.
What presumptions and preconceptions do we as readers bring to bear on this text? For instance, what portions of the text might we find objectionable, but which contemporaries might have found acceptable. State the values we hold on that subject, and the values expressed in the text. Cite at least one specific example.
How might the difference between our values and the values of the author influence the way we understand the text? Explain how such a difference in values might lead us to miss-interpret the text, or understand it in a way contemporaries would not have. Offer at least one specific example.

Epistemology

How might this text support one of the arguments found in secondary sources we’ve read? Choose a paragraph anywhere in a secondary source we’ve read, state where this text might be an appropriate footnote (cite page and paragraph), and explain why.
What kinds of information does this text reveal that it does not seem concerned with revealing? (In other words, what does it tell us without knowing it’s telling us?)
Offer one claim from the text which is the author’s interpretation. Now offer one example of a historical “fact” (something that is absolutely indisputable) that we can learn from this text (this need not be the author’s words).
Relate: Now choose another of the readings, and compare the two, answering these questions:
What patterns or ideas are repeated throughout the readings?
What major differences appear in them?
Which do you find more reliable and credible?

As you can begin to see, once you start thinking about it, one simple question can lead to a huge chain of questions. Remember, it is always better to keep asking questions you think you cannot answer than to stop asking questions because you think you cannot answer them. But this can only happen when you know enough about your subject to know how to push your questioning, and this depends on reading and understanding the assigned material.

Evaluating Sources

Reading secondary historical sources is a skill which is honed over years of practice and becomes second nature after a while. Reading academic material well is an active process and you’ll find success reading even the most difficult material if you can master these skills. The key here is taking the time and energy to engage the material — to think through it and to connect it to other material you have covered. A good idea is to keep a journal recording your ideas about a variety of sources to see later if there are connections among them.

How to read a book

You can quickly size up a volume to judge if it is indeed a book that you need to read fully. Read and define the title. Think about what the title promises for the book; look at the table of contents; read the foreword and introduction (if an article, read the first paragraph or two). Read the conclusion or epilogue if there is one (if it is an article, read the last one or two paragraphs). After all this, ask yourself what the author’s thesis might be. How has the argument been structured?

The same idea holds for reading chapters quickly: read the first and last paragraph of each chapter. After doing this and taking the step outlined above, you should have a good idea of the book’s major themes and arguments. Good topic sentences in each paragraph will tell you what the paragraph is about. Read actively and just take notes when necessary; avoid taking copious notes on minor details. Remember to record your gut reactions to the text and ask: What surprised you? What seemed particularly insightful? What seems suspect? What reinforces or counters points made in other readings? This kind of note taking will keep your reading active, and actually will help you remember the contents of the piece better than otherwise.

To better write your own research paper it is very useful to dissect an author’s work asking the following: How has the author structured her work? How would you briefly outline it? Why might she have employed this structure? What historical argument does the structure employ? After identifying the thesis, ask yourself in what ways the structure of the work enhances or detracts from the thesis. How does the author set about to make her or his case? What about the structure of the work makes it convincing?

A thesis is not just a statement of opinion, or a belief, or a thought. It is an argument and therefore it is subject to evaluation and analysis. Is it a good argument? How is the big argument (the thesis) structured into little arguments? Are these little arguments constructed well? Is the reasoning valid? Does the evidence support the conclusions? Has the author used invalid or incorrect logic? Is she relying on incorrect premises? What broad, unexamined assumptions seem to underlay the author’s argument? Are these correct? This part of the evaluation process asks you not for your opinion, but to evaluate the logic of the argument. Finally, when you have recorded your thoughts, mapped out the author’s points sustaining the thesis argument, now need to come to a conclusion: Where is the author’s argument weak or vulnerable? Where is the evidence thin? What other interpretations of the author’s evidence is possible? At what points is the author’s logic suspect? If the author’s case is weak, what is the significance of this for the argument as a whole?

If you read actively, record your opinions, and map out arguments you are creating your own research paper as you are analyzing. Eventually you will create your own voice and style through this method.

Writing Strategies

Perhaps the most important message to understand is that you should start thinking about possible theses from the very start of your paper preparation, but you need to examine your primary sources before you can develop a strong thesis. It is impossible to develop a good thesis without already having begun to analyze the primary sources which supply your evidence. How can you know what is even possible to argue if you haven’t looked closely at your data?

Good writing is a process of continually evaluating your work — of constantly asking yourself if your evidence and analysis supports your thesis. Remember, the thesis is not the starting point of your exploration, but the result of it.

Writing exercises — to flush out all your ideas and then to reduce them to the essentials — are useful for structuring your paper. Making lists of your ideas, free writing in prose about your thesis, and clustering relationships among your ideas, can all be helpful in the first phase. Subdividing your subject and restricting your purpose will help you narrow your thesis.

INTRODUCTION

Introduce the problem
Define key terms
State the thesis
Stems from good question
Tentative answer is “hypothesis”
Refine hypothesis into thesis
How is the paper organized?
Topic sentence (mini-thesis)
Argument supporting topic sentence
Transition to next mini-thesis
Arguing in paragraphs
Mini-thesis
Analysis (what does evidence support?)
Re-state the thesis
Significance of thesis (why should we care about the problem?)

The introduction is usually one paragraph, or perhaps two in a paper of eight pages or more. Its purpose is to: (1) set out the problem to be discussed; (2) define key terms that will be used in that discussion; (3) outline the structure of the argument; (4) CLEARLY STATE THE THESIS.

Quickly establish the issue your paper confronts. Where and when are we? What are we examining? It is especially important to clearly define the limits of your exploration. Tell the reader how interested you are in the subject, set a tone conveying that the topic is of vital concern. Some writers grab the reader by starting with an example, a quotation, a statistic, or a complaint. This opening theme must run through your paper so that it unifies your paper.

Provide a clear road map of your argument: Let your reader know where you are headed, how you plan to substantiate your thesis but without giving away your best ideas. If, for instance, your paper breaks down into political, cultural, and social components, announce this to your reader so she will know what to expect.

The last function of the introduction is to present your thesis. The thesis is the central idea around which you construct the rest of your paper. The best theses are good precisely because the questions they answer are significant, complex, and original. The thesis statement is the one-sentence version of your argument. A good thesis will require you to introduce the gist of the thesis itself without revealing your conclusion.

The body takes up several pages, and constitutes the bulk of your paper. Here is where you argue your thesis. The content of this section largely will depend on your thesis, and what it requires you to argue. Think to yourself, “What do I need to support this argument?” If you find yourself unable to answer, consult your analyses of secondary texts to review how authors construct their body. You may not have an interesting enough thesis.

The general movement in the body is from the general to the specific. Start with general statements and then move on to specific statements which support your general statement. Your paper is built on paragraphs. Each paragraph should be a minimum of four sentences and not exceed 10. The first sentence of each paragraph is called the “topic sentence.” The topic sentence introduces what the paragraph will be about similar to a mini-thesis. You may have several mini-theses in your paper supporting your general thesis.

When you add support from secondary texts remember that you should not merely quote or paraphrase from the raw data but you need to interpret and analyze the quoted material. This is especially true of quotes. Never just plop a quote in and expect it to be clear to the reader how it supports the mini-thesis. Explain how it supports the point you are making.

The body of the paper must flow from one idea to the next and transitions from one paragraph to the next must be clear. This linking of ideas is accomplished through transitional phrases. There are transitions between paragraphs, and transitions within paragraphs. Often, but not always, the last sentence of a paragraph begins to guide the reader to the next idea. It is often a good idea to end paragraphs with a sentence summing-up your findings.

As you structure the body, your scholarly arguments marshal facts — and analyze those facts — in a fashion intended to persuade the reader through reason. The most important technique for doing this is to anticipate the counter-arguments your argument is likely to receive. You must constantly ask yourself, what arguments which counter my thesis make sense.

Your conclusion is usually one paragraph long, and briefly recapitulates your thesis, pulling all your arguments together. The first sentence of the concluding paragraph is a clear, specific re-statement of the thesis. The conclusion should do more than simply re-state the argument. It also suggests why the argument is important in the bigger scheme of things, or suggests avenues for further research, or raises a bigger question.

Revision, Revision, Revision

Write first draft: Even if you haven’t finished all your research but you feel ready to start writing a first draft, read over your clustering notes, your sketch of how to execute the paper and arrange your notes according to your outline. Your paragraphs should correspond to your outline, and each should advance your goal of supporting your hypothesis. A first draft will challenge you to articulate ideas that have been floating around in your head. As you start writing you will probably realize that what you thought were simple ideas are actually complex, and are more difficult to express than you expected. That is normal.

Let your paper sit for awhile, two or three days. As the researcher and writer, you have been too close to your work. You might want to change some of the original organization, or delete parts which are tangential or insignificant to your main argument. You may also need to do some additional research and strengthen your arguments. Revise your argument first to tighten the thesis and your “road map” lining up all the evidence. Reduce your evidence to only the relevant pieces and strengthen your argument by including the most salient of citations.

Think about how you have arranged the arguments in your paper. Does the paper’s organization offer the most effective arrangement of your ideas and evidence to support the theme? Reread the topic sentence for each paragraph. Does the sentence make your point and does the information in the paragraph support it? Be sure that you have placed your topic in its historical context, preferably in the first few pages of the paper.

Locate your argument among those offered in the secondary historical works which you have read. At this point, you should have some idea of how your approach/theme adds to the body of historical literature on your topic. Think about your introduction and conclusion. Remember that these are crucial to the paper and you should take some time when writing them. The introduction not only interests the reader in getting beyond the first few pages but it also presents the focus of your argument. The conclusion is your chance to make a lasting impression on your audience; take advantage of it!

The final revision of your paper should include a check of overall organization, style and composition, spelling, proof of thesis, and format (arrangement of title page, pagination, endnotes if applicable, bibliography, citation form.) Scrutinize your words, sentences, and paragraphs. Look at the VERBS are they active (not passive)? Are there a variety of verbs, if not use the thesaurus and empower your prose by strong verbs. REDUCE the use of the verb to be. Wordy sentences weaken your thesis, take out the “fat”: prepositional phrases (change to gerunds –ing); count the number of prepositions in a sentence and limit to two. Check on misplaced and dangling modifiers if you don’t know what this means, look it up. Longer sentences can be reduced to several sentences or with the use of semicolons. Lastly, literally check the logic of the transitions among paragraphs. Do you find a paragraph not making sense and not linking up to the paragraph above and below it?

Very important to your revising is to read your paper out loud and listen to it. Does it flow well? What do you hear that is superfluous? Is the logic sound and is the thesis clear? What is unessential weakens your thesis, so eliminate.

The best known authors follow this advice: Throughout the paper writing process, the most important and challenging task will be to constantly edit and revise your work.

Formatting Your Paper

Use the MLA-Chicago style to format your research paper and consult the following:

William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style

Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Manual to Writing in History, 3rd ed.

Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed.

Diana Hacker, Rules for Writers, 3rd ed. (Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1996).

Quotations, footnotes, and bibliographies: Small matters of style, such as where footnote numbers are placed, the use of commas, or how indenting works, are important. You will be learning and using citation styles for the rest of your life; it is crucial that you become proficient in following them closely. Citations

A citation is the part of your paper that tells your reader where your source information came from. This is one of the most important elements to your paper. In order to evaluate your argument, your reader must be able to consult the same sources you used. Proper citing is crucial to making a credible and persuasive argument.. Citations in history papers can take the form of footnotes or endnotes. History papers should not use the parenthetic citation style common to literature and social science papers. These do not perform the other function of footnotes and endnotes, which is to provide space to clarify your use of complex data or arguments, expand on points you believe do not merit lengthy consideration in the body of your text, and to directly address the arguments of other historians.

Each time you quote a work by another author, or use the ideas of another author, you should indicate the source with a footnote. A footnote is indicated in the text of your paper by a small Arabic numeral written in superscript. Each new footnote gets a new number (increment by one). The number refers to a note number at the bottom of the page (or following the text of the paper, if you are using endnotes). This note contains the citation information for the materials you are referencing. For examples of footnotes in action, consult Rampolla (“Quoting and Documenting Sources”).

Either footnotes or endnotes are fine. Most history books are now produced using endnotes, which are commonly thought to provide cleaner looking pages. Most history professors, however, prefer footnotes, so they can quickly check sources. Especially if you have a computer word-processor, which makes the task easy, you should try to use footnotes.

Paraphrase or quote your sources or do both; but do only one at a time. You either paraphrase or quote, but do nothing in between. To paraphrase a source (or part of a source) is to reproduce it in words and word orders substantially different from the original. When you paraphrase well, you keep the sense of the original but change the language, retaining some key words, of course, but otherwise using your own words and your own sentence patterns. As a rough guide, if you copy more than three words in a row from a source, these words should be in quotation marks.

To quote a source (or part of a source) is to reproduce it exactly. When you quote well, you keep both the sense and language of the original, retaining its punctuation, its capitalization, its type face (roman or italic), and its spelling (indeed, even its misspelling).

Remember to include a source citation every time you use the ideas or words of another author, either directly (through quotation) or indirectly (through paraphrase). The only exception is common factual knowledge of the variety found in encyclopedia. The easiest and most important rule to remember is: when in doubt, it is better to cite a source than to not cite a source. In avoiding plagiarism, it is always wiser to choose more rather than less information.

Enjoy researching your paper and enjoy writing it. Professors grade students on their effort, their ability to improve during the semester, and on their willingness to follow directions. GOOD LUCK THIS SEMESTER.

Online guides for citing sources:

Citing Electronic Sources (from the Library of Congress) http://memory.loc.gov/learn/start/cite/index.html

Guides for citing standard electronic sources

A Brief Citation Guide for Internet Sources in History and the Humanities http://www.h-net.msu.edu/about/citation/

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Knowledge Base
Research paper

How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide

A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.

Research papers are similar to academic essays , but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original contribution to the debate.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding your assignment to proofreading your final draft.

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Understand the assignment, choose a research paper topic, conduct preliminary research, develop a thesis statement, create a research paper outline, write a first draft of the research paper, write the introduction, write a compelling body of text, write the conclusion, the second draft, the revision process, research paper checklist, free lecture slides.

Completing a research paper successfully means accomplishing the specific tasks set out for you. Before you start, make sure you thoroughly understanding the assignment task sheet:

Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your professor.
Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting, and submission method.
Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as you’re writing.

Carefully consider your timeframe and word limit: be realistic, and plan enough time to research, write, and edit.

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There are many ways to generate an idea for a research paper, from brainstorming with pen and paper to talking it through with a fellow student or professor.

You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.

You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics that require further examination.

Once you have a broad subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that interests you, m eets the criteria of your assignment, and i s possible to research. Aim for ideas that are both original and specific:

A paper following the chronology of World War II would not be original or specific enough.
A paper on the experience of Danish citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be original enough.

Note any discussions that seem important to the topic, and try to find an issue that you can focus your paper around. Use a variety of sources , including journals, books, and reliable websites, to ensure you do not miss anything glaring.

Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of view.

Is there anything people seem to overlook in the sources you research?
Are there any heated debates you can address?
Do you have a unique take on your topic?
Have there been some recent developments that build on the extant research?

In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you. To write research questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”

A thesis statement is a statement of your central argument — it establishes the purpose and position of your paper. If you started with a research question, the thesis statement should answer it. It should also show what evidence and reasoning you’ll use to support that answer.

The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two, make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.

You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop this central claim.

A research paper outline is essentially a list of the key topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include, divided into sections with headings so that you know roughly what the paper will look like before you start writing.

A structure outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it’s worth dedicating some time to create one.

Your first draft won’t be perfect — you can polish later on. Your priorities at this stage are as follows:

Maintaining forward momentum — write now, perfect later.
Paying attention to clear organization and logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences, which will help when you come to the second draft.
Expressing your ideas as clearly as possible, so you know what you were trying to say when you come back to the text.

You do not need to start by writing the introduction. Begin where it feels most natural for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with the easiest part. If you created an outline, use it as a map while you work.

Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written or find it doesn’t quite fit, move it to a different document, but don’t lose it completely — you never know if it might come in useful later.

Paragraph structure

Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.

Example paragraph

George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on thought about the relationship between politics and language. This impact is particularly obvious in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay. For example, consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-rights leader,” “diversity,” and more). Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of his day. Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.

Citing sources

It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism . Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from.

You can use our free citation generators to automatically create citations and save your reference list as you go.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

The research paper introduction should address three questions: What, why, and how? After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, why it is worth reading, and how you’ll build your arguments.

What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background, and define key terms or concepts.

Why? This is the most important, but also the most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What important issues does your essay help define or answer?

How? To let the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper, the introduction should include a “map” of what will be discussed, briefly presenting the key elements of the paper in chronological order.

The major struggle faced by most writers is how to organize the information presented in the paper, which is one reason an outline is so useful. However, remember that the outline is only a guide and, when writing, you can be flexible with the order in which the information and arguments are presented.

One way to stay on track is to use your thesis statement and topic sentences . Check:

topic sentences against the thesis statement;
topic sentences against each other, for similarities and logical ordering;
and each sentence against the topic sentence of that paragraph.

Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Aim to create smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

The research paper conclusion is designed to help your reader out of the paper’s argument, giving them a sense of finality.

Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how you’ve settled the issues raised in the introduction.

You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper offers to future students of the topic, and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but cannot or does not try to answer.

You should not :

Offer new arguments or essential information
Take up any more space than necessary
Begin with stock phrases that signal you are ending the paper (e.g. “In conclusion”)

There are four main considerations when it comes to the second draft.

Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly, that your paper still answers the assignment.
Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot substantiate them further.
Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and whether your ideas could be better organized.
If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.

The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible. You can speed up the proofreading process by using the AI proofreader .

Global concerns

Confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment sheet.
Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.

Fine-grained details

Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:

each sentence helps support the topic sentence.
no unnecessary or irrelevant information is present.
all technical terms your audience might not know are identified.

Next, think about sentence structure , grammatical errors, and formatting . Check that you have correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look for typos, cut unnecessary words, and check for consistency in aspects such as heading formatting and spellings .

Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading or create an APA title page .

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Checklist: Research paper

I have followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.

My introduction presents my topic in an engaging way and provides necessary background information.

My introduction presents a clear, focused research problem and/or thesis statement .

My paper is logically organized using paragraphs and (if relevant) section headings .

Each paragraph is clearly focused on one central idea, expressed in a clear topic sentence .

Each paragraph is relevant to my research problem or thesis statement.

I have used appropriate transitions to clarify the connections between sections, paragraphs, and sentences.

My conclusion provides a concise answer to the research question or emphasizes how the thesis has been supported.

My conclusion shows how my research has contributed to knowledge or understanding of my topic.

My conclusion does not present any new points or information essential to my argument.

I have provided an in-text citation every time I refer to ideas or information from a source.

I have included a reference list at the end of my paper, consistently formatted according to a specific citation style .

I have thoroughly revised my paper and addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers, headers, spacing, etc.).

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Identifying Problems of Undergraduate Students in Writing Research: Basis for Scaffolding

15 Pages Posted: 15 Jun 2018 Last revised: 17 Jul 2018

Jovita Villanueva

Bulacan state university.

Date Written: January 8, 2017

The paper identified the various areas in research writing where undergraduate students of Bulacan State University are having difficulties more particularly on the parts of research from writing chapter 1 to chapter 5. The researcher made used of the descriptive survey method in which the questionnaire is the main tool in data gathering. Furthermore, the researcher made use of a self –constructed research questionnaire using Likert Scale of five and the instrument was duly validated by experts in the field of research. Research instrument also underwent test of validity and reliability prior to distribution to respondents. Respondents of the study were students of college of education of Bulacan State University taking research as a subject and enrolled in the 2nd semester of 2016-2017. Data gathered were tallied, tabulated, treated and analyzed using the SPSS and interpreted accordingly. Based on the results of the study, an intervention program will be proposed to help addressed the problems of undergraduate students in research writing.

Keywords: Research, Writing Research, Problems of Undergraduate Student, Scaffolding for Students

JEL Classification: I23

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Jovita Villanueva (Contact Author)

Philippines

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8 Common Obstacles in Writing Research Papers

Writing a research paper is not always an easy task. Students undertaking the task for the first time may find it difficult to overcome some obstacles that come with it.

According to the thesisrush.com , undergraduates tend to experience either external or internal limitations when writing their research paper. In this article, we have compiled the eight most common obstacles students face while writing a research paper.

8 Most Common Obstacles Students Face While Writing A Research Paper

1. problem of choosing a topic.

Anyone writing a research paper will encounter this problem first. It is a fundamental step of research writing, as there is a need to overcome it before anything else. Choosing a befitting topic for your research can be a problem until you consider factors like; Is it a topic of interest? Do you have adequate knowledge on the topic? Do you have available resources needed for writing on such a topic?

If you consider the above factors critically, choosing a topic will not be a problem. Once you have been able to overcome this block, other challenges are going to be a flash in the pan for you.

2. Problem Of Choosing The Right Methodology

Choosing the right methodology for your research writing can be a tough challenge. The methodology is not just picked by preference but by analyzing the procedure, you will be using in your research writing. You need to come up with research questions first. Furthermore, you need to proffer a suitable answer to the questions.

The answers given to the research questions are going to be your guide for the research methodology. The need for either a qualitative or quantitative research methodology depends on your research questions.

3. Qualitative Time For Your Research Analysis

One major problem undergraduates faces when writing their research paper is the problem of time. Many find it difficult to devote their time to carrying out qualitative research before writing because most students share their time between academics, family, and work.

Writing a research paper requires a lot of time and demand for a lot of attention. Ensure you create a specific time for your research writing in your daily routine . It will aid your concentration and the quality of your research.

4. Problem Of Data Collection

Collection of data can be a big obstacle especially for research dealing with primary data. The process of accessing data from the source sometimes takes time. You might have to request permission from the organization involved. At times, there may be a delay before such organizations give permission or even deny you the request.

You must, therefore, ensure that your data for the research writing is accessible. Also, you must get in touch with the appropriate quarters seeking for permission as early as possible.

5. Problem Of Creating A Compelling Argument

Writing a good research paper requires you to prove your level of understanding on the topic. This aim can be done by the relevant argument you put up in the course of the writing. Your argument must be relevant and not baseless. You must support it with proofs and facts from reliable sources to make it solid.

Visit the library and update your knowledge on the chosen topic. Read books, journals, and previous research on similar topics. You can also get more information through the internet to broaden your knowledge.

6. Making Use Of The Right Tone Of Voice

Like any other book, a research paper is written to communicate a particular message to the reader. As such, there is the right usage of tone when writing a research paper. As an academic paper, the right tone to be used for a research paper is a third-person voice. You must avoid the use of words like I, Me, You, and Yours.

Also, colloquial words and slang should be strictly avoided. Every word used must be official and suitable for academic writing. Likewise, terminologies and jargons should be minimal.

7. Problem Of Staying Motivated

Writing a research paper, in the long run can become a boring activity, especially when dealing with a wide topic. Therefore, maintaining your focus on writing can be a challenge. A student tends to face a lot of distractions like family, friends, social activities , and other personal commitments.

However, it is possible to stay motivated while writing your research paper when certain things are done. You must ensure the topic chosen is an area of interest. The passion for such a topic can serve as your drive while writing. Ensure you reward yourself after finishing a task. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it.

8. Problem Of Editing and Proofreading Of The Research Paper

This common obstacle is faced by every student when writing a research paper . You must ensure your writing is top-notch and void of the error to get an A in your research work. As such, thorough editing and proofreading must be carried out. Most times, even after reading several times, you may not be able to identify what is wrong with your write up.

As a result, it is advisable you seek the help of a third party in editing and proofreading of your writing. It can be a friend, a colleague, or an associate. Also, there are professional writers, both online and offline, that can help with such services.

Writing a top-notch research paper is possible when all of the above obstacles are removed. Overcoming them will require the students’ effort and diligence.

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THE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS FACED BY STUDENTS IN THE EARLY STAGE OF WRITING RESEARCH PROJECTS IN L2, UNIVERSITY OF BISHA, SAUDI ARABIA

Research, by its nature, is a critical challenging task requires in depth knowledge of the subject matter, planning, care, and hard work. From the students’ point of view, this paper attempts to explore the challenges that are faced by undergraduates when they are writing proposals and research projects at the early stages. The study target group comprised undergraduates in the final year in the College of Science and Arts, Al-Namas, University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Around 60 subjects participated in this study and they were from Department of English and Department of Computer Science who conducted their research projects in English as Second Language (ESL). The Research tools of the study include questionnaire and informal interviews with students and teachers of the target groups. Clearly, the results from study showed that around 70 % of the participants who are writing research or conducting research projects in English is one of the predominant challenges for them. Around 50% prefer to conduct their research in L1. The study explored various and common challenges/difficulties during writing the research proposals and projects such as: difficulty in deciding the topic for research, lack of good knowledge of the methodology, inability of finding modern, specialized and related references, lack of interest in research, lack of understanding of the subject matter, lack of time, and research guiding. The study also attempts to give some suggestions/recommendations for developing the process of writing research proposals and research projects.

Article visualizations:

Ahmed, F. & Mahboob, U. (2016) Analysis of Research Proposals and Challenges Faced by Postgraduate Trainees in Internal Medicine and Allied Disciplines during Fellowship Training Program: A Qualitative Study. Khyber Medical University Journal, 8(2).

Alfakih, A. H. A. (2017) Training Program to enhance Postgraduate Students’ Research Skills in Preparing a Research Proposal in the Field of Curriculum and Instruction of Arabic. Retrieved from: DOI: 10.9790/7388-0703040106

Al-Khairy, M. A. (2013). Saudi English-Major Undergraduates' Academic Writing problems: A Taif University Perspective. English Language Teaching, 6(6), 1-12

Al-Khatib, M. (2001). The pragmatics of letter writing. World English, 20(2), 179-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-971X.00208

Almehmadi, M. M. (2012). A contrastive rhetorical analysis of factual texts in English and Arabic. Frontiers of Language and Teaching, 3, 68-76.

Almutairi, N. H. (2007). The influence of educational and sociocultural factors on the learning styles and strategies of female students in Saudi Arabia (Doctoral dissertation, University of Leicester)

Al-Qaseri I. (2016) How to Write a Research Paper: Exploring the challenges faced by Yemeni undergraduate students in writing their graduation research projects. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, German.

Ankawi, A. (2015) The academic writing challenges faced by Saudi students studying in New Zealand. Thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology as MA requirement.

Atay, D., & Kurt, G. (2006). Prospective teachers and L2 writing anxiety. Asian EFL Journal, 8(4), 100-118.

Aydin, S. (2008). An investigation on the language anxiety and fear of negative evaluation among Turkish EFL learners. Asian EFL Journal, 31(1), 1-35.

Baron, M. A. (2008). Guidelines for writing research proposals and dissertations. Division of Educational Administration: University of South Dakota, 1- 52.‏

Bell, J. (2014). Doing Your Research Project: A guide for first-time researchers. McGraw- Hill Education (UK).

Cumming, A., Lai, C., & Cho, H. (2016). Students' writing from sources for academic purposes: A synthesis of recent research. Journal of English for Academic purposes, 23, 47-58.

Fareh, S. (2010). Challenges of teaching English in the Arab world: Why can’t EFL programs deliver as expected?. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 3600- 3604.

Hinkel, E. (Ed.). (2011). Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (Vol. 2). Routledge.

Hyland, F. (2013). Understanding the Challenges Faced by EFL Postgraduate Writers and Their Self-initiated Writing Strategies. In Symposium on Second Language Writing.

Javid, C., & Umer, M. (2014). Saudi EFL learners’ writing problems: a move towards solution. Proceeding of the Global Summit on Education GSE, 4-5.

Khan, I. (2011). Learning difficulties in English: Diagnosis and pedagogy in Saudi Arabia. Educational Research, 2, 1248-1257.

Kikula, I. S. and Quorro, M. A.S. (2007). Common Mistakes and Problens in Research Proposal Writing. Dar es Salaam: Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA).

Kombo, D. K. and Tromp D. L. A (2011). Proposal and Thesis Writing. Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.

Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Age International.

Manchishi, C. P., Ndhlovu, D., & Mwanza, S. D. (2015) (Common mistakes committed and challenges faced in research proposal writing by University of Zambia postgraduate students. Int of Humanit Soc Sci Educ, 2 (3), 126-138.

Mat Daud, N. S., Mat Daud, N. & Abu Kassim, N. L. (2005). Second language writing anxiety: Cause or effect? Malaysian Journal of ELT Research, 1, 1-19.

Mhute, I. (2013) Academic Standards, Plagiarism and Research Ethics. In Tichapondwa, M (ed) Preparating Your Dissertation at a Distance. A Research Guide. Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth. Vancouver.

Moskovsky, C., & Alrabai, F. (2009). Intrinsic motivation in Saudi learners of English as a foreign language. The Open Applied Linguistics Journal, 2(1)

Research on Poverty Alleviation REPOA (2007) ‘Common Mistakes and Problems in Research Proposal Writing: An Assessment of Proposals for Research Grants Submitted to Research on Poverty Alleviation REPOA in Tanzania.’ Special Paper 07.24, Dar-es-Salaam, REPOA. Research Proposal Writing. Dar es Salaam: Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA).

Rumsey, S. (2008). How to find information: a guide for researchers. McGraw-Hill Education (UK)

Rungruangthum, M. (2011). Writing Anxiety: EFL Postgraduate Students Writing Research Papers in English. Journal of English Studies, 6.

Tayie, S. (2005). Research methods and writing research proposals. Pathways to Higher Education.

Tsui, A. B. M. (1996). Reticence and anxiety in second language learning. In K. M. Bailey & D. Nunan (Eds.). Voices from the language classroom (pp.145-168). Cambridge: Cambridge.

Walsh, M. and Wigens, L. (2003) Introduction to Research. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.

Widagdo, A. (2017, April). An Analysis of Writing Problems of PGSD Unnes Students. In English Language and Literature International Conference (ELLiC) Proceedings (Vol. 1, pp. 46-55

Yiu, R. H. H. (2009). Disciplinary writing: A case study of Hong Kong undergraduates undertaking their writing tasks. Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Education at the University of Leicester.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number ( ISSN ) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library ( Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei ). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms.

All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) .

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Challenges Faced by Students in Writing Thesis: An Investigation from Research Students

Journal of Information Management and Practices

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by research students during thesis writing. Qualitative research methodology was adopted to conduct this study. Research questions were developed to achieve the research objectives. The population of the study was comprised of research students working on their thesis or recently passed out. Purposive sampling technique was adopted. The research tool of the study was interview guide. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 40 research students studying in Library and Information Science/Information Management Departments in public and private sector universities of Punjab province. Thematic approach was adopted to analyze the interview data. The results showed that it is challenging for research students to select the topic for research, develop focus on study, acquiring knowledge of information sources, developing online searching skills, developing data analysis skills and time management skills. They also faced ...

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DR. GEETHANJALI NARAYANAN

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Masood Hassan

European Journal of Special Education Research

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Research, by its nature, is a critical challenging task requires in depth knowledge of the subject matter, planning, care, and hard work. From the students' point of view, this paper attempts to explore the challenges that are faced by undergraduates when they are writing proposals and research projects at the early stages. The study target group comprised undergraduates in the final year in the College of Science and Arts, Al-Namas, University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Around 60 subjects participated in this study and they were from Department of English and Department of Computer Science who conducted their research projects in English as Second Language (ESL). The Research tools of the study include questionnaire and informal interviews with students and teachers of the target groups. Clearly, the results from study showed that around 70 % of the participants who are writing research or conducting research projects in English is one of the predominant challenges for them. Around 50% prefer to conduct their research in L1. The study explored various and common challenges/difficulties during writing the research proposals and projects such as: difficulty in deciding the topic for research, lack of good knowledge of the methodology, inability of finding modern, specialized and related references, lack of interest in research, lack of understanding of the subject matter, lack of time, and research guiding. The study also attempts to give some suggestions/recommendations for developing the process of writing research proposals and research projects.

CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo

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challenges of writing a research paper

IMAGES

COMMENTS

Top 10 Challenges Faced by Researchers on the Path to Excellence

Top 10 Challenges faced by researchers

1. Slow and time-consuming processes

2. Difficulty in getting grants and funds

3. Juggling activities to ensure better time management

4. Active networking and collaboration

5. Managing and evaluating huge amounts of information

6. Successfully publishing in impactful journals

7. Securing intellectual property

8. Understanding and following the nuances of academic and scientific ethics

9. Staying abreast of technological developments

10. Balancing work and life

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Dr. Shah Anand

Dr. Pietrobon Ricardo

Conclusions

Introduction

Randomized controlled study

Qualitative study

Data analysis

Cognitive burden

Group support and mentoring

Difficulty in distinguishing between content and structure

Backward design of manuscript

Negative cases

Acknowledgments

Contributor Information

Challenges in Writing a Research Paper

Why Do Students Face Challenges in Writing a Research Paper?

10 Challenges in Writing a Research Paper (With Solutions)

#1. Choosing a Research Topic

#2. Understanding Complex Concepts

#3. Finding Evidence to Support Data

#4. Organizing Paper Structure

#5. Writing in Academic Style

#6. Formatting Citation or Reference

#7. Avoiding Plagiarism

#8. Proofreading and Editing

#9. Time Management

#10. Staying Motivated

Final Thoughts

Recommended Articles

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Study Participants

Doctoral Students

Faculty Members

Data Collection and Analysis

Quantitative Data

Qualitative Data

Integration of quantitative and qualitative data

Findings From the Online Survey and Focus Group Discussions

Commonly Used Resources

Academic Writing Supports Needed

Faculty Supervisors

Academic Writing Supports Provided and Awareness of Academic Writing Support on Campus

Academic Writing Supports Required

Need of Specialized Writing Support Services for Doctoral Students

Significance of Faculty Supervisors/Advisors Support for EAL Doctoral Students

EAL Doctoral Students Use University Resources and Invest Time in Building Their Academic Writing Skills

Limitations

Data Availability Statement

Ethics Statement

Author Contributions

Conflict of Interest

Publisher’s Note

Acknowledgments

Supplementary Material

A Guide to Writing a Research Paper

Reading Analytically

Exercise for reading analytically

Evaluating Sources

How to read a book

Writing Strategies

Revision, Revision, Revision

Formatting Your Paper