3.2: Conceptualizing the Research Article

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You may be aware that research articles have specific sections regardless of the academic discipline or journal. Generally, there are five commonly acknowledged sections of an empirical research manuscript: Introduction (including the Literature Review), Methods, Results, and Discussion/Conclusion.

Visual depiction of the sections of a research article in the shape of an hourglass. The beginning (introduction) and end (discussion/conclusion) sections are the broader parts of the hourglass while the Methods and Results constitute the more specific middle sections.

Notice that the figure depicts a research article in the shape of an hourglass. That shape provides a way for us to consider which sections of a research article will be general/broad and which will be specific/narrow. The first part — the Introduction — is one of the most general or broad parts of the entire article.

Warm-Up

Why do you think the Introduction needs to be general (broad) and not too specific (narrow)? What aspects of an Introduction contribute to its breadth?