Paper Preparation Guidelines
Preparing a research paper requires careful planning, organization, and adherence to specific guidelines to ensure clarity, accuracy, and the effective communication of your research findings. Here's a comprehensive set of guidelines to assist you in the preparation of your research paper:
1. Title:
Choose a concise and informative title that reflects the main theme of your research.
Avoid jargon or obscure language in the title.
2. Abstract:
Write a clear and concise abstract summarizing the key objectives, methods, results, and conclusions of your research.
Keep the abstract between 100-300 words.
3. Introduction:
Provide background information on the topic.
Clearly state the research question or hypothesis.
Explain the significance and relevance of the research.
4. Literature Review:
Summarize relevant prior research and theories related to your study.
Highlight gaps in existing literature that your research aims to address.
5. Methodology:
Describe the research design, including data collection methods, instruments, and materials used.
Explain the sampling technique and justify its appropriateness.
Detail data analysis methods, including statistical tools if applicable.
Ensure that your methodology is replicable.
6. Results:
Present your research findings in a logical and organized manner.
Use tables, figures, and charts to illustrate important data.
Avoid interpretation or discussion in this section.
7. Discussion:
Interpret your results and explain their implications.
Discuss how your findings relate to your research question or hypothesis.
Address the limitations of your study and suggest areas for future research.
8. Conclusion:
Summarize the main findings and their significance.
Restate the research question or hypothesis and whether they were supported.
Offer practical implications and potential applications of your research.
9. References:
Cite all sources used in your paper accurately and consistently.
Follow a specific citation style APA.
10. Formatting:
Use a consistent and legible font Times New Roman and font size12-point.
Set 1-inch margins on all sides.
Single-space the entire document.
Number pages consecutively.
Include a header with your last name and page number.
11. Figures and Tables:
Label and title all figures and tables.
Ensure that they are clear and easy to understand.
Refer to figures and tables within the text.
12. Citations and References:
Cite sources within the text using appropriate citation style.
Include a comprehensive list of references at the end of the paper.
13. Proofreading:
Carefully proofread your paper for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
Check for consistency in style, formatting, and citation.
14. Ethical Considerations:
Ensure that your research adheres to ethical guidelines and regulations, including proper informed consent, data privacy, and authorship attribution.
15. Peer Review:
Consider seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors before submission.
Revise and edit your paper based on their feedback.
16. Submission:
Prepare your manuscript following the specific submission guidelines of the TAJ.
You can also download the Formal by clicking [Download Format] at the bottom of the home page.