Empirical Research Article Template

This structure is designed for social science and STEM faculty writing empirical (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods) articles. Use the guiding questions to draft and revise each section.

Section	Guiding Questions & Prompts
Introduction	What problem or phenomenon does this article address? Why is this issue important or urgent in your field? What key research or policy gaps does it respond to? What is your research question, hypothesis, or objective? How will your study contribute to knowledge or practice?
Theoretical Framework (Optional)	What theories, models, or prior studies shape your approach? How do these inform your research design or interpretation?
Methods	What type of study did you conduct (design, time frame, data source)? Who or what was studied? (Include setting, sample, inclusion/exclusion criteria) What ethical approvals (IRB, consent) were required and obtained? What variables or measures did you use? What tools, instruments, or procedures did you follow? How did you analyze the data? (e.g., thematic analysis, regression models, software used)
Results	What are the characteristics of your participants/sample? What major patterns or findings did you observe? Include tables/figures if appropriate. Do not interpret yet—stick to what the data shows. For qualitative: What were your key themes? Include representative quotes.
Discussion	What do your findings mean in relation to your research questions? How do they compare to prior studies or expectations? What new insight or implication emerges from your results? Were there any surprises or contradictions?
Limitations	What limitations affected your study (methods, sample size, bias)? How might these affect generalizability or interpretation? What did you do to reduce or acknowledge these limitations?
Implications / Conclusion	What should scholars, practitioners, or policymakers do with this information? What are the next steps for research or application? Wrap up with a 2–4 sentence summary of your key contributions.