Making an outline of your paper before you start writing will make the writing process much easier!
- It will reveal places where you need more information
- You will recognise information that is irrelevant or unnecessary
- It will help you maintain focus on your main message
- Your paper will be more coherent and easier to read
The typical structure for a scientific article is IMRaD:
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- and
- Discussion
(But note that some types of articles, e.g. meta-analyses or narrative reviews, may use a different structure.)
Why a "wine glass" or "hourglass" shape? This reflects the different purposes of the sections:
