Learning to determine the relevance of a given resource is one of the core skills of the research process. The present work will examine two research articles; one belongs to the field of medicine and the other to the field of education. By deeply exploring both studies, a more complete understanding of the structure of academic papers will be achieved. The introduction, literature review and methods section will be compared in order to focus on their main similarities and differences considering research papers’ layout and organization.
The researchers on the medicine field, Bessiére, Pressman, Keisler and Kraut (2010) deal with the effects of Internet use on health and depression, while the paper on the education field, refers to the strategies of coping with effective teaching and learning in large secondary schools in Kampala District. Even though both studies provide clear views on each field, there are some similarities and differences as regards their organization which should be considered towards developing a deep understanding of both articles.
The first part to be analyzed is the introduction section. The initial sentence in the introduction section in the paper on medicine is a generalization statement which is used to refer to the idea of how fast the Internet has spread offering a load of information on health issues. The following sentence in the paper emphasizes the idea of the amount of people who used the Internet as a health tool in the year 2001 and 2009. Of particular interest is the fact that the reader’s attention is drawn by this statement which stresses the Internet use in relation to health ends and its effect not only on mental but also on physical state. In such manner, the researchers assert the importance of conducting the research. The past simple tense is used to report on the results of the findings in the field, while the present simple tense is used to address the importance of Internet use. It is certain that this introduction will arouse the reader’s curiosity.
The introduction in the education paper focuses on the strategies teachers should resort to dealing with teaching and learning in large classes in Secondary Schools in Kampala District. The term education is defined through a simple definition as education is considered “a key factor in the development of any society” (Sekiwu, 2009, para.1). The second sentence in the introduction of the article, describes the term through a comparative definition. That is to say, the concept of education is metaphorically described as a “backbone for social and economic prosperity.” (Sekiwu, 2009, para.1). Then, the researcher exemplifies the benefits education brings to society by the usage of the conjunction as. It is highly probable the reader will be eager to explore this article after the researcher’s claim for the importance of education to humankind.
Following the researchers’ organizational patterns, in papers, three moves or cycles may be analyzed and compared to detect relevant information (Pintos and Crimi, 2010). In the field of medicine, the researchers had reviewed previous research on The United States Internet uses in the year 2001. Thus, the necessary data is collected to compare it with more recent reports. The past simple tense is used to compare the results while establishing the research territory.
As regards the paper on the education field, the researcher mentions the United Declaration of providing basic education to schools in 1998. This data constitutes the background information and evidences the researcher’s previous research with the purpose of grasping the present situation in the educational sector in this particular district. The present perfect tense and the present simple tense are used to address to what has been done and what is currently occurring as regards the legal aspect of providing basic education. Despite the fact both authors have undergone a deep analysis in order to establish the research with the purpose of establishing the research territory, Sekiwu (2009) has developed the literature review isolated from the introduction while Bessiére, et al. (2010) may have embedded it in the introduction section due to organization requirements.
In order to signify a gap in previous research, the researcher in the area of medicine, implies contrast by using the conjunction although, so as to highlight that even though the Internet provides a big deal of information, much of it is not trustful. In this regard, the researcher implies there is research worth carrying it out. Moreover, the word little, is used to indicate a lack of reliable information about the impact Internet produces on people who search the web looking for health resources.
However is the conjunction selected by Sekiwu (2009) to imply there is a gap which deserves to be observed and analyzed. In other words, according to reports, not enough secondary schools have been constructed. Consequently, there is an increasing tendency for overpopulation at Kampala
In order to outline the purpose of study in the medicine paper, Bessière, et al. (2010), addresses data provided by a National US random household survey, stating that the purpose of this paper is to study the impact of Internet use, as a health resource. The present simple tense is used to set the purpose of the paper. According to Sekiwu, (2009), the purpose of the paper is to search about the strategies various teachers handled to solve the problem of teaching in overpopulated schools. Three questions are displayed in order to anticipate what the paper will be about. The present simple tense and the present perfect tense are used in this section.
The literature review is included in the introduction section in the medicine paper. It is developed under two studies which contribute to the paper background information. Those sections deal with the usage of the Internet for nonmedical purposes and the Internet as a health resource. The literature review section in the area of education could be described as complete, detailed and interesting (Pintos, et al., 2010). Various writers and researchers are cited in order to conduct the investigation under the light of the following question “Can teachers plan for achieving proper teaching in large classes?” (Sekiwu, 2009, para.1). The usage of this question anticipates the organization of the content of the following section in the paper. Furthermore, a vast number of researchers have been cited to give more validity to the study.
The last section to be analyzed is the methods section. In Besséire(et al., 2010) paper, the word method is centered but it is typed at the left margin while Swales and Feak (1994) (cited in Pintos et al., 2010) state that the word methods should be centered. The procedure and the participants are included in this part. This section provides information about the procedure that has been followed for gathering the data. Moreover, it is mentioned that the participants voluntary agreed to contribute with the investigation. The word measure is typed at the left margin. Under this subheading, there is information about the demographic control variables. A wide range of procedures had been used to obtain and measure the findings. The past simple voice is used to address the steps in this section following Swales and Feak (1994) (cited in Pintos and Crimi, 2010) requirements for this section of the research.
The paper developed by Sekiwu (2009) does not include a methods section, but it refers to a methodology section, which describes the type of survey that had been used to obtain the information. It is highly likely that the author has used the word methodology instead of methods in order to meet publishing requirements. The researcher states the reasons for selecting a specific type of survey research. The population selected for conducting the research is made up of head teachers, teachers and students from purposively selected schools. The past simple passive voice is used in this section respecting APA rules (Pintos and Crimi, 2010).
On balance, it may be stated that it is worth analyzing different research papers to address their main points and general organization. It is of great importance the fact of knowing how research papers are developed in order to be aware of what section of the paper should include, and what information could be expected to get in each section, for a deep understanding of this academic field. A deep literature review, clear purposes for carrying out research and a knowledgeable selection of language devices will attract reader’s attention to worth reading pieces of academic texts.
References
Bessière, K., Pressman, S., Keisler, S., & Kraut, R. (2010). Effects of Internet use on health and depression: A longitudinal study. J Med Internet Res 2010; 12(1) e6. Retrieved from
Pintos, V. & Crimi Y. (2010) Unit 2: The research article: Introduction, literature review and methods section. Universidad CAECE. Buenos Aires , Argentina
Sekiwu, D. (2009) Strategies of coping with effective teaching and learning in large classes in secondary schools in Kampala District. Retrieved May 20 from
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