In the academic publishing process, a research paper is a formal academic document in which the author(s) investigates a specific question or problem. This typically involves methodologically presenting analysis and data and drawing conclusions based on what was found. Research papers are generally written for peers and follow conventions for structure, citation, and copyrighting. They are distinct from the final published journal and preprints, and we shall cover these distinctions in detail below.
Types of research paper
Different types of research paper exist to serve different purposes. Here are some of the main academic paper types and the functions they provide:
- Original research paper: Constructs an original argument and reports new data.
- Review paper: Offers a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature within a field, identifying current gaps or problems.
- Case report: Presents detailed, clinically relevant information on the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment (including all types of interventions), and outcomes of an individual case.
- Conference report: Provides a comprehensive overview of a meeting or session at a conference or seminar, along with relevant background information for the reader.
Standard structure
Research papers tend follow the standardised IMRaD structure. This acronym stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
- Introduction: Context and research question.
- Methods: How the study was conducted.
- Results: What was found.
- Discussion: Interpretation of results and implications.
However, not every type of research paper uses the IMRaD structure. For example, review papers often omit a Methods section.
Research paper vs journal article
The terms ‘research paper’ and ‘journal article’ are often used interchangeably, but there is a technical distinction between the two.
The research paper is the document itself containing the contents resulting from the author’s work. The journal article is the ‘finished product’ following submission, peer review, and acceptance for publication in a scholarly journal. Not all research papers become journal articles.
Research paper vs preprint
A preprint is a research paper that the author has made publicly available before or during formal peer review. Technically, a preprint is the same as a research paper document; what differs is the stage in the academic publishing process both are at.
After passing a short screening stage, preprints are typically posted on preprint servers such as Preprints.org.
Preprints give research a global presence, accelerated dissemination, citable DOI, and the opportunity to receive early community feedback before or during formal peer review.
The publication journey
For a standard research paper and a preprint, the publication journey differs greatly, as you can see from the image below.
The publication journey of a research paper consists of specific steps towards publication in a scholarly journal. These steps include editorial screening, peer review, revisions and resubmissions (if required), and acceptance and typesetting. Altogether, this process can take months to years before official publication.
For preprints, there is only one step towards making your research public. This is a small screening stage after submission of your manuscript. On Preprints.org, this typically takes around 24 hours, after which your research is made immediately accessible to a global audience under open access licensing. After posting, preprints can be freely updated, receive community feedback, and submitted to a journal and undergo peer review (so long as the target journal accepts research previously posted as a preprint).
To learn more about the publication lifecycle and the different types of research manuscript, see our article on preprints vs postprints vs version of record. If you are interested in posting your research with Preprints.org, see our guide on submitting.