writing research papers iew

Writing To Learn

The Foundation of IEW Writing: Key Word Outlining

“Key Word Outlining” is the foundational writing skill that students first learn in the IEW method and Writing to Learn classes. As we progress through the different types of writing in the three levels, the way students choose the information for the key word outline (kwo) changes. Nevertheless, the kwo is always the catalyst for the writing process.

Why is Key Word Outlining so important?

Key Word Outlining is an efficient note-taking method which also helps make writing original.  When the “rules” are followed, students are freed from the wording of the original source. Students who learn to key word outline will never need to plagiarize, “copy and paste,” or use Artificial Intelligence to produce a paper. Key Word Outlining trains them to minimally note the information, leaving them free to write in their own words.

The natural way to be original

Saying things in one’s own way is completely natural. Think of hearing someone relate a story or an interesting news item. No one would use the exact words of the original speaker when repeating the information. People tend to remember the facts that they think are the most important or most interesting and repeat them in their own words.

Unfortunately, words on a page are not so easily escaped. The challenge in writing from written sources is to separate oneself from the original source. That allows the writer to write freely in their own original words. Key Word Outlining is the easiest way to escape the trap of repeating a source.

How to make a key word outline

Here are the “rules” we use in PREP-1 and Level 1 when we first start key word outlining:

• For each sentence or fact, pick out 3 words that are most important and convey the most information about the fact.    Sentence/Fact #1 is “1.” Sentence/Fact #2 is “2”, etc.
• You may use abbreviations, symbols, and numbers in place of words.  These are “free”; they do not count for your 3 words.  Use standard abbreviations. The symbols should be recognizable enough that you will be able to remember what it means when you come back to your outline at a later time.
• For each fact, list 3 Key Words and any numbers, symbols, and abbreviations.  Do not try to reproduce entire sentences for your outline. Be as brief as possible.  You want to be able to write the ideas in your own words.  Using too many words from the original makes it difficult to be original yourself.
• You may use synonyms in your KWO in place of the original word(s).  Sometimes a good synonym can be used to take the place of 2-3 words.

From Basic to complex

After students master the basics of key word outlining, they are ready to advance to the next kwo stage: taking notes from multiple paragraphs, then multiple sources to create a “fused outline” for research papers. Later comes story kwos, then “writing from the brain” kwos, and essay kwos. All of the advanced models build on the simple, effective, basic Key Word Outlines. The results are remarkable.

For a demonstration of basic Key Word Outlining, see the video below from a recent PREP-1 class. A pdf of the “Sea Turtles” paragraph and a list of Key Word Outlining symbols and abbreviations can also be downloaded below.

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Published by Jennifer Kimbrell

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4 thoughts on “ The Foundation of IEW Writing: Key Word Outlining ”

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I have a question about KWO and complex sentences.

I recently learned about KWO because I started teaching it at a hybrid school, and I’ve started implementing it for my studies. I’m a PhD archaeology student and am at the dissertation stage. I read and take a lot of notes. I’ve been able to implement three words KWO for short sentences, but for longer sentences, have been very difficult to pick only three words. Do you divide the KW by clauses? Do I pick out the pertinent facts? But what I’m reading is very data-driven, and the sentences are dense. I would appreciate any advice you could share.

Example Sentence: “The agoras in these newly created urban spaces were expressions of the regional identity of the societies in question and were modeled on these communities’ self-understanding as urban societies within their regional and imperial context.”

I picked: Agoras, new, spaces, expression, regional ID, create self-understanding, in regional & imperial context.

Way more than three words, but that sentence is jam-packed with important information.

As a Ph.D. student, I like KWO, and I wish I had learned it as a (much) younger student. It has revolutionized how I take notes and approach sources. Thank you for the model.

Thanks, Rebekah R.

Rebekah, that is so exciting that you have discovered the value of key word outlining! I was in my 40’s when I first started to learn it, and I had the same reaction: Why didn’t anyone ever teach this to me? It is so simple, yet so effective and useful.

You have learned the basic idea and skill of key word outlining and now you can expand it for more complex notetaking, which is what I teach beginning in the 3rd session of my Level 1 class.

You are right. It is not practical to write just three words from every sentence in an academic article or a book. That would be far too unwieldy. Therefore, for complex sources, you must use a more advanced note-taking method for key word outlines.

At your stage of notetaking, think of taking notes of IDEAS and FACTS, not sentence by sentence; instead of paragraphs>sentences, break your outlines into topics>facts & ideas. For very complex sentences that contain more than one fact/idea, you certainly can and must have an outline point for EACH. You will note each idea or fact using up to FOUR key words now, plus numbers, symbols, and abbreviations. If there are details you don’t need, just leave them out. You don’t have to key word outline every sentence; only notate ideas and facts that you want to remember.

The point of key word outlining is to put down the bare information about a fact or idea without copying the original source. Assuming you understand the ideas and information, it is completely natural to put ideas/information in your own words. These stripped-down notes will allow you to formulate your own unique expression of them without being hampered by the original wording of the source.

I’m a retired homeschool mom. When one of my sons was taking a difficult chemistry course and not doing very well, I required him to start key word outlining every chapter. He was really mad. 🙂 But I told him, “You don’t have to go sentence by sentence, but I want you to note the main idea and facts of each paragraph.” It didn’t take long for him to tell me that he was reading and understanding it better, and not long after that, his grade started to improve. He ultimately earned a B in that class, and we both were thrilled. Key word outlining helps the reader to focus on the MOST IMPORTANT.

It’s so simple and so beautiful, isn’t it? My most accomplished students continue to use key word outlining into college and beyond. If you want some handouts about this, I can send them to you if you let me know through my Contact tab! I never tire of discussing it!

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Iew style research papers, reports, and essays.

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• This course will begin with IEW Units 1 and 2. In these units, the concept and rules of Key Word Outlining will be introduced. Next, we will practice giving an oral summary from Key Word Outlines and conclude with a written summary from our Key Word Outline. The goal is to teach students to put information into their own words. Next, we will cover Unit 4 and learn to summerize a reference from one source. We will build on the skills taught in Units 1 & 2. The student will learn to select the information that is important and interesting from a larger text. The facts they chose will be taken from ideas and concepts in the source text. We will cover how to create a topic and clincher sentence for each paragraph and how to come up with a catchy title. In Unit 6 students will summerize from multiple references building even further on the skill taught in Units 1,2 & 4. Creating Key Word Outlines for each source, Fusing Outlines into one Key Word Outline and writing 2-3 paragraph papers. Along the way, students will learn how to add style to their sentences and papers with dress-ups, varied sentence openers, and decorations. When finished with this coarse students will have learned an organized way to synthesize information and communicate it from their point of view. These invaluable skills can be taken and applied to a myriad of subjects.

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IEW - Writing Research Papers

By 2ndGenHomeschooler , August 4, 2021 in High School and Self-Education Board

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I’m going to be working through IEW’s Writing Research Papers with my high schoolers this year. The beginner level uses pre-chosen articles on Social Media for the first “research” paper. Am I missing something regarding finding these articles? Are they all together somewhere? They don’t seem to all be in the book. Only a few. Or am I just supposed to find them all online. Not a big deal, I guess, but if I’m missing an easier way I’d love to avoid the extra work. 

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I think you're supposed to find them on your own online and provide them for the students for the beginner level. I found it confusing too, and we ended up just picking our own topic and researching it instead of trying to find the articles that were suggested.

On 8/5/2021 at 3:55 PM, Momto6inIN said: I think you're supposed to find them on your own online and provide them for the students for the beginner level. I found it confusing too, and we ended up just picking our own topic and researching it instead of trying to find the articles that were suggested.

Thanks. I like the looks of it overall and I think the step by step instructions will be helpful. It’s just not laid out as clearly as the other IEW materials we’ve used. Maybe I’ll choose a new topic too. The suggested articles are pretty dated at this point anyway. 

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8 Key Elements of a Research Paper Structure + Free Template (2024)

Table of contents

Brinda Gulati

Welcome to the twilight zone of research writing. You’ve got your thesis statement and research evidence, and before you write the first draft, you need a wireframe — a structure on which your research paper can stand tall. 

When you’re looking to share your research with the wider scientific community, your discoveries and breakthroughs are important, yes. But what’s more important is that you’re able to communicate your research in an accessible format. For this, you need to publish your paper in journals. And to have your research published in a journal, you need to know how to structure a research paper.

Here, you’ll find a template of a research paper structure, a section-by-section breakdown of the eight structural elements, and actionable insights from three published researchers.

Let’s begin!

Why Is the Structure Of a Research Paper Important?

A research paper built on a solid structure is the literary equivalent of calcium supplements for weak bones.

Richard Smith of BMJ says, “...no amount of clever language can compensate for a weak structure."

There’s space for your voice and creativity in your research, but without a structure, your paper is as good as a beached whale — stranded and bloated.

A well-structured research paper:

• Communicates your credibility as a student scholar in the wider academic community.
• Facilitates accessibility for readers who may not be in your field but are interested in your research.
• Promotes clear communication between disciplines, thereby eliminating “concept transfer” as a rate-limiting step in scientific cross-pollination.
• Increases your chances of getting published!

Research Paper Structure Template

Why Was My Research Paper Rejected?

A desk rejection hurts — sometimes more than stubbing your pinky toe against a table.

Oftentimes, journals will reject your research paper before sending it off for peer review if the architecture of your manuscript is shoddy. 

The JAMA Internal Medicine , for example, rejected 78% of the manuscripts it received in 2017 without review. Among the top 10 reasons? Poor presentation and poor English . (We’ve got fixes for both here, don’t you worry.)

5 Common Mistakes in a Research Paper Structure

• Choppy transitions : Missing or abrupt transitions between sections disrupt the flow of your paper. Read our guide on transition words here. 
• Long headings : Long headings can take away from your main points. Be concise and informative, using parallel structure throughout.
• Disjointed thoughts : Make sure your paragraphs flow logically from one another and support your central point.
• Misformatting : An inconsistent or incorrect layout can make your paper look unprofessional and hard to read. For font, spacing, margins, and section headings, strictly follow your target journal's guidelines.
• Disordered floating elements : Ill-placed and unlabeled tables, figures, and appendices can disrupt your paper's structure. Label, caption, and reference all floating elements in the main text.

What Is the Structure of a Research Paper? 

The structure of a research paper closely resembles the shape of a diamond flowing from the general ➞ specific ➞ general. 

We’ll follow the IMRaD ( I ntroduction , M ethods , R esults , and D iscussion) format within the overarching “context-content-conclusion” approach:

➞ The context sets the stage for the paper where you tell your readers, “This is what we already know, and here’s why my research matters.”

➞ The content is the meat of the paper where you present your methods, results, and discussion. This is the IMRad (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) format — the most popular way to organize the body of a research paper. 

➞ The conclusion is where you bring it home — “Here’s what we’ve learned, and here’s where it plays out in the grand scheme of things.”

Now, let’s see what this means section by section.

1. Research Paper Title

A research paper title is read first, and read the most. 

The title serves two purposes: informing readers and attracting attention . Therefore, your research paper title should be clear, descriptive, and concise . If you can, avoid technical jargon and abbreviations. Your goal is to get as many readers as possible.

In fact, research articles with shorter titles describing the results are cited more often . 

An impactful title is usually 10 words long, plus or minus three words. 

For example:

• "Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria" (word count = 7)
• “A Review of Practical Techniques For the Diagnosis of Malaria” (word count = 10)

2. Research Paper Abstract

In an abstract, you have to answer the two whats :

• What has been done?
• What are the main findings?

The abstract is the elevator pitch for your research. Is your paper worth reading? Convince the reader here. 

✏️ NOTE : According to different journals’ guidelines, sometimes the title page and abstract section are on the same page. 

An abstract ranges from 200-300 words and doubles down on the relevance and significance of your research. Succinctly.  

This is your chance to make a second first impression. 

If you’re stuck with a blob of text and can’t seem to cut it down, a smart AI elf like Wordtune can help you write a concise abstract! The AI research assistant also offers suggestions for improved clarity and grammar so your elevator pitch doesn’t fall by the wayside. 

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

3. Introduction Section

A. what does it do.

Asks the central research question.

b. Pre-Writing Questions For the Introduction Section

The introduction section of your research paper explains the scope, context, and importance of your project. 

I talked to Swagatama Mukherjee , a published researcher and graduate student in Neuro-Oncology studying Glioblastoma Progression. For the Introduction, she says, focus on answering three key questions:

• What isn’t known in the field? 
• How is that knowledge gap holding us back?
• How does your research focus on answering this problem?

c. When Should You Write It?

Write it last. As you go along filling in the body of your research paper, you may find that the writing is evolving in a different direction than when you first started. 

d. Organizing the Introduction

Visualize the introduction as an upside-down triangle when considering the overall outline of this section. You'll need to give a broad introduction to the topic, provide background information, and then narrow it down to specific research. Finally, you'll need a focused research question, hypothesis, or thesis statement. The move is from general ➞ specific.

✨️ BONUS TIP: Use the famous CARS model by John Swales to nail this upside-down triangle. 

4. methods section.

Describes what was done to answer the research question, and how.

b. When Should You Write It?

Write it first . Just list everything you’ve done, and go from there. How did you assign participants into groups? What kind of questionnaires have you used? How did you analyze your data? 

Write as if the reader were following an instruction manual on how to duplicate your research methodology to the letter. 

c. Organizing the Methods Section

Here, you’re telling the story of your research. 

Write in as much detail as possible, and in the chronological order of the experiments. Follow the order of the results, so your readers can track the gradual development of your research. Use headings and subheadings to visually format the section.

This skeleton isn’t set in stone. The exact headings will be determined by your field of study and the journal you’re submitting to. 

✨️ BONUS TIP : Drowning in research? Ask Wordtune to summarize your PDFs for you!

5. results section .

Reports the findings of your study in connection to your research question.

Write the section only after you've written a draft of your Methods section, and before the Discussion.

This section is the star of your research paper. But don't get carried away just yet. Focus on factual, unbiased information only. Tell the reader how you're going to change the world in the next section. The Results section is strictly a no-opinions zone.

c. How To Organize Your Results 

A tried-and-true structure for presenting your findings is to outline your results based on the research questions outlined in the figures.

Whenever you address a research question, include the data that directly relates to that question.

What does this mean? Let’s look at an example:

Here's a sample research question:

How does the use of social media affect the academic performance of college students?

Make a statement based on the data:

College students who spent more than 3 hours per day on social media had significantly lower GPAs compared to those who spent less than 1 hour per day (M=2.8 vs. M=3.4; see Fig. 2).

You can elaborate on this finding with secondary information:

The negative impact of social media use on academic performance was more pronounced among freshmen and sophomores compared to juniors and seniors ((F>25), (S>20), (J>15), and (Sr>10); see Fig. 4).

Finally, caption your figures in the same way — use the data and your research question to construct contextual phrases. The phrases should give your readers a framework for understanding the data: 

Figure 4. Percentage of college students reporting a negative impact of social media on academic performance, by year in school.

d. Dos and Don’ts For The Results Section

✔️ Related : How to Write a Research Paper (+ Free AI Research Paper Writer)

6. discussion section.

Explains the importance and implications of your findings, both in your specific area of research, as well as in a broader context. 

b. Pre-Writing Questions For the Discussion Section

• What is the relationship between these results and the original question in the Introduction section?
• How do your results compare with those of previous research? Are they supportive, extending, or contradictory to existing knowledge?
• What is the potential impact of your findings on theory, practice, or policy in your field?
• Are there any strengths or weaknesses in your study design, methods, or analysis? Can these factors affect how you interpret your results?
• Based on your findings, what are the next steps or directions for research? Have you got any new questions or hypotheses?

Before the Introduction section, and after the Results section. 

Based on the pre-writing questions, five main elements can help you structure your Discussion section paragraph by paragraph:

• Summary : Restate your research question/problem and summarize your major findings.
• Interpretations : Identify patterns, contextualize your findings, explain unexpected results, and discuss if and how your results satisfied your hypotheses.
• Implications: Explore if your findings challenge or support existing research, share new insights, and discuss the consequences in theory or practice.
• Limitations : Acknowledge what your results couldn’t achieve because of research design or methodological choices.
• Recommendations : Give concrete ideas about how further research can be conducted to explore new avenues in your field of study. 

d. Dos and Don’ts For the Discussion Section

Aritra Chatterjee , a licensed clinical psychologist and published mental health researcher, advises, “If your findings are not what you expected, disclose this honestly. That’s what good research is about.”

7. Acknowledgments

1. what does it do.

Expresses gratitude to mentors, colleagues, and funding sources who’ve helped your research.

When Should You Write It?

Write this section after all the parts of IMRaD are done to reflect on your research journey without getting distracted midway. 

After a lot of scientific writing, you might get stumped trying to write a few lines to say thanks. Don’t let this be the reason for a late or no-submission.

Wordtune can make a rough draft for you. 

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Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write the First Draft of a Research Paper with Paperpal? 

Do you encounter writer’s block during the first draft of a research paper? Crafting a clear outline from your initial ideas and notes can feel like a daunting first hurdle. Many researchers and students struggle with the initial stages of research paper writing. Uncertainties about content structure, information selection, and weaving complex findings into a cohesive narrative can lead to staring at a blank page. 

Table of Contents

• AI-generated outlines with a personalized approach 
• Identify gaps to strengthen your research paper 
• Step 1: Creating a research paper outline  
• Step 2: Breaking down the outline into sections  
• Step 3: Drafting the research paper  

A glimpse into academic forums and social media gives a clear picture that many researchers across the world go through similar problems while writing the first draft of a research paper. Where to begin? What should I write? How to begin? How to compile 2-3+ years of research into a 2500 or 5000-word research paper? If you’re grappling with these concerns, do not worry. You’re not alone.   

Researchers face a mountain of work when it comes to writing papers. Paperpal decided to tackle this challenge and, in the process, discovered some fascinating writing habits: 

• Start verbally: Some researchers find their flow by talking through their ideas first. They record themselves or brainstorm with a friend, then use these spoken notes as a springboard for their draft. 
• Write on the go: Others prioritize keeping their thoughts flowing freely. They write in bursts, leaving the structuring and editing for later. 
• Divide and Conquer: For some, especially new researchers, a structured approach works best. They break the paper into sections, focusing on building each one in detail before assembling the final draft. 
• Outlines: Many researchers swear by outlines. Outlines provide a roadmap, complete with headings, subheadings, and key points. This saves time in the long run by eliminating the need for major restructuring later. You can focus on polishing the language and adding academic vocabulary during the final edit . 

Inspired by the outline method, Paperpal set out to create a tool that would give researchers a head start. This led to the development of Paperpal’s AI-generated outlines, which build a rough skeleton for your draft, allowing you to flesh out each section with confidence. 

How do Paperpal’s AI-generated outlines help you write the first draft 2x faster?   

Unlike traditional outlining methods, Paperpal doesn’t just provide a generic structure. Paperpal’s AI-generated outlines identify the key topics that form the backbone of your draft, providing a clear structure without sacrificing crucial elements. 

AI-generated outlines with a personalized approach

Paperpal goes beyond just suggesting topics. It seamlessly integrates your input, including notes, ideas, and research findings. This ensures the generated outline reflects your unique perspective and aligns perfectly with your project goals. This personalized approach not only streamlines the drafting process but also fosters a sense of ownership, keeping you engaged and motivated. 

Identify gaps to strengthen your research paper

After creating an outline based on your notes, Paperpal takes things a step further by helping you flesh out each section with content suggestions. Let’s say you’re working on the introduction of your research paper . Paperpal not only analyzes your notes to generate an outline, but it also identifies potential gaps in your research. It can then suggest content additions like knowledge gaps, research questions, and rationale statements to address those weaknesses. This comprehensive support streamlines the writing process for your first draft, making it smoother and more effortless. 

Researchers who have incorporated Paperpal into their workflow, have achieved higher levels of academic writing productivity . The result? Producing the first draft of a research paper in a shorter time frame, without making it completely AI-driven. 

How to write the first draft of a research paper with Paperpal?  

Paperpal redefines the way researchers approach academic writing, transforming the once-daunting task of drafting into a breeze. Here’s a walkthrough of writing the first draft of a research paper with Paperpal.  

Step 1: Creating a research paper outline

• Sign- up to Paperpal and open a new or existing document.  
• Navigate to Templates , select Outlines and choose Research Article to begin.  
• Fill out the necessary details in the required fields according to your needs. Add your research notes to the Brief Description section and click on Generate .  

Paperpal gets you started on the right foot by analyzing your information and generating a comprehensive outline. This roadmap for your draft breaks down the content into clear, logical sections: 

• Background: Sets the context for your research. 
• Topic Importance: Highlights the significance of your research area. 
• Existing Knowledge: Summarizes what’s already known about the topic. 
• Knowledge Gap: Identifies areas where further research is needed. 
• Rationale: Explains why your research is important to address the gap. 
• Research Question: Formulates the specific question your research aims to answer. 
• Aim/Objective: Defines the overall goals and desired outcomes of your research. 
• Hypothesis: Makes a prediction about the expected results of your study (optional, not all research papers require a hypothesis). 

Paperpal’s outline provides a head-start to structure and write your research paper. This process helps in laying a strong foundation for your writing and refining it effortlessly.  

Step 2: Breaking down the outline into sections

Once you have the initial outline, you can further refine it by dividing it into subsections. This helps you explore each aspect of your research in detail, ensuring thorough coverage of your topic. You can choose from pre-built sections like Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion and start developing one by one.  

Step 3: Drafting the research paper

Start your research paper’s draft based on the outline and custom section enhancements. During the writing phase, Paperpal also offers insights into using its features:   

• Incorporating references and additional content as required  
• Rephrasing, shortening sentences, and refining language and structure using Paperpal’s Edit and Rewrite options  
• Refining your draft by adding citations and specific information relevant to the topic via Paperpal Research. This ensures originality, and clarity, and adds value to your writing.  

By streamlining the journey from raw research to a polished draft, Paperpal helps students, researchers, and academics overcome common writing hurdles and achieve greater productivity. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or a student, Paperpal serves as a trusted companion, guiding you through each stage of the drafting process. Unlock academic writing potential with Paperpal. Get your free Paperpal account today!  

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• 7 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing Process
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?
• How to Use Paperpal to Generate Emails & Cover Letters?

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