A scientific article is made up of the following Elements.

• Title – Appears at the very top and provides a concise description of the study.
• Authors – Names and affiliations of the contributors to the research.
• DOI (Digital Object Identifier) – A unique identifier for the article, often included alongside the title or in the header.
• Abstract – A summary of the study, located below the title and authors.
• Keywords – Relevant terms to enhance searchability, found after the abstract.
• Introduction – Provides the research background, objectives, and problem statement.
• Ethics Statement – Details ethical compliance, if applicable, often mentioned in or after the introduction.
• Conflict of Interest Statement – Declares the absence or presence of conflicts, usually placed after the ethics statement or introduction.
• Headings and Subheadings – Organize the structure of the article, beginning from the main sections.
• Methods (Materials and Methods) – Detailed steps of the research process.
• Figures/Diagrams – Appear within the Methods section to illustrate procedures or designs.
• Equations/Formulas – Found within the Methods or Results section, presenting mathematical frameworks.
• Tables – Typically included in the Methods or Results to summarize data.
• Graphs – Often part of the Results section to visually represent trends.
• Results – Presents the research findings in detail.
• Images – Added in the Results section for visual evidence or context.
• Discussion – Interprets the results, compares them with prior studies, and explores implications.
• Consistency in Formatting – Maintained throughout all sections for readability.
• Clarity – Achieved through concise language across the article.
• Objectivity – Reflected in the neutral tone used throughout.
• Technical Vocabulary – Appears throughout the article, particularly in methods and results.
• Conciseness – Ensures focused and direct communication across all sections.
• Formal Tone – Used consistently in all parts of the article.
• Conclusion – Summarizes the findings, implications, and future research directions.
• Acknowledgments – Credits contributors, funding agencies, or institutions, appearing after the conclusion.
• References – Lists all cited works, placed at the very end.
• Appendices – Includes supplementary material or additional data, if required.
• Peer-Review Process – Not part of the article itself but noted in journals where applicable.
• Numbering/Bullets – Used throughout the article to structure content logically.
• Formatting Consistency – Ensures that headings, fonts, and styles remain uniform across sections.

Abstract Sample:

In absence of national legislation, local governments may stimulate outdoor sports clubs to become smoke-free. However, it is unknown whether and to what extent such efforts are effective in encouraging sports clubs to adopt a smoke-free policy (SFP). The aim of this study was to assess the association between tobacco control policies of municipalities and the prevalence of SFPs among outdoor sports clubs.

Methods

In a research article, the methods section outlines the approach and techniques used to conduct the study. These methods vary depending on the field of study and research goals. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of methods commonly used:

1. Experimental Methods: Involves controlled experiments to test hypotheses. Example: Laboratory experiments, clinical trials.
2. Observational Methods: Focuses on observing and recording phenomena without interference. Example: Field studies, naturalistic observations.
3. Survey Methods: Gathers data through questionnaires, interviews, or polls. Example: Surveys on consumer behavior or social attitudes.
4. Case Study Methods: Provides an in-depth analysis of a single case or a small group of cases. Example: Case studies in psychology or business.
5. Longitudinal Methods: Studies subjects over an extended period. Example: Tracking health outcomes over decades in medical research.
6. Cross-Sectional Methods: Analyzes data collected at a single point in time. Example: Snapshot surveys to study prevalence of a disease.
7. Mixed Methods: Combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. Example: Using surveys (quantitative) alongside interviews (qualitative).
8. Qualitative Methods: Explores subjective experiences and interpretations. Example: Interviews, focus groups, thematic analysis.
9. Quantitative Methods: Focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis. Example: Regression analysis, statistical modeling.
10. Computational/Modeling Methods: Uses computer simulations or mathematical models to study phenomena. Example: Climate models, economic simulations.
11. Meta-Analysis: Combines and analyzes data from multiple studies to draw broader conclusions. Example: Reviewing multiple studies on vaccine efficacy.
12. Historical or Archival Methods: Examines existing documents and records to understand past events or trends. Example: Analyzing old manuscripts for historical insights.
13. Comparative Methods: Compares different groups or variables to identify patterns. Example: Comparing urban vs. rural health outcomes.
14. Ethnographic Methods: Involves immersive observation to understand cultural or social dynamics. Example: Studying rituals in an indigenous community.

Guiding Question:

How does the article contribute to existing knowledge in the field?

Go to the article.

More Sample Guiding Questions

1. How are visual elements (graphs, tables, diagrams) used to convey information effectively? Are they integrated with the text?
2. How does the article’s structure contribute to the overall flow of ideas and comprehension?
3. How does the use of formal and technical language reflect the scientific nature of the article?
4. Who is the intended audience for the article (academics, professionals, general public)? How does the tone adapt to their needs?
5. How does the article maintain objectivity and credibility in its tone?
6. What key themes or concepts emerge from the article, and how are they developed across sections?
7. How do the findings contribute to the broader context of the subject?
8. What stylistic choices (headings, bullet points, numbering) aid in clarity and emphasis?
9. How do transitional phrases or connectors enhance cohesion and readability?

Sample Article

A question of time

Nature

volume 505, page454 (2014)

Timekeeping is boosted by the advent of an optical clock based on strontium atoms.

When the history of the twenty-first century comes to be written, one of the most puzzling questions asked will be why, well into the information age, millions of people still paid to dial a number on their phone to find out the time. Almost 80 years after its formation, the UK speaking clock, the world’s original tele­phone time service, remains an essential part of British life. This is despite the near ubiquity of time displays — not least on the mobile phones that people discard to call 123 from a fixed line.

For some people, at some times, accuracy matters. Peaks in the use of the speaking clock come, for instance, on New Year’s Eve, or when the clocks are put forward and back by an hour to mark, respectively, the start and end of British Summer Time.

There is another way, at least in Britain. BBC Radio regularly broadcasts the same time signal used to set the speaking clock — affectionately known as the pips. Indeed, it has become as much a feature of some shows as the content planned around it. Time is more than a British institution; it is woven into the cultural fabric of everyday life.

The pips are drawn from an atomic clock held at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Teddington, near London. One of the most accurate in the world, the NPL clock is tuned to the regular bursts of light emitted by cesium atoms when they are excited by microwaves. The clock would lose roughly one second every 138 million years — a sufficient degree of accuracy for a bleary-eyed hour-late commuter who forgot to set their clock the night before, but not accurate enough for some.

In a paper published on Nature’s website this week, time lords in the United States describe the latest advance in chronometry, and one that is as superior to the atomic pips as those pips were to the mechanical devices they replaced (B.J.Bloometal.Naturehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature12941;2014). The researchers have built a timepiece based not on caesium but on strontium. More importantly, it uses much higher, optical frequencies. This gives such devices, called optical clocks, greater accuracy than those that rely on microwaves. The new optical clock, for example, would not lose one second even if it were to run for 5 billion years.

It is also extremely stable — another key measure of timekeeping. (Accuracy defines how closely a clock’s output matches the desired time signal, whereas stability is a measure of how steady that output is. A clock that loses precisely one second each day is inaccurate but stable, for example.)

The unveiling of the super-accurate strontium optical clock comes just a few months after a related group revealed a device based on ytterbium. Other laboratories across the world have their own designs. Inevitably, the increased precision and reliability of optical clocks are fueling debate about whether they could be used to set the ultimate time, and redefine the second. (There are no official plans to do so, but plans are afoot to redefine other SI units.) These are heady times for metrology: a World View on page 455 describes attempts to measure another fundamental constant: Big G.

Nature has a particular stake in the race to develop new atomic clocks. Back in January 2003, we published a News Feature that surveyed the scene and tried to predict what would happen (D. Adam Nature 421, 207–208; 2003). Within a decade, the piece suggested, optical clocks could rise to prominence and raise fresh debate about the definition of the second. A ten-year event horizon is a staple of scientific journalism, and most promised breakthroughs fail to materialize on deadline. The latest development in atomic timekeeping, by contrast, has arrived bang on time. Well, almost.

A question of time. Nature 505, 454 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/505454a

Guiding Question: In what ways does the use of language in this article help to entertain the reader?

Sample Analysis