research paper vs journal

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What’s the Difference: Research Paper vs. Journal?

In the current academic environment, it is essential to understand the key differences between a research paper and a journal. Both types of publications can be used for different purposes in various areas of study but knowing what distinguishes one from another is important for any researcher. This article will explore the primary distinctions between a research paper and a journal so that readers may gain an understanding as to when each should be utilized within their field of inquiry.

I. Introduction

Ii. definition of research paper and journal, iii. similarities between a research paper and a journal, iv. differences between a research paper and a journal, v. purpose for writing different types of academic texts, vi. distinguishing characteristics in content, formatting, & tone, vii. conclusion.

As we embark on this research journey, let us take a moment to understand the scope of our exploration. Our objective is two-fold: 1) To gain insight into the field of X; and 2) To examine whether Y can be used as an effective solution.

This investigation will explore all aspects related to our inquiry and its outcomes. In doing so, both primary and secondary sources shall be consulted in order to determine if scientific or anecdotal evidence provides proof for the efficacy of Y. The findings from these resources will provide vital information which can then inform new decisions regarding how best to approach using Y as part of a larger strategy for successful implementation in practice.

Research papers and journals are integral components of the academic world. Both serve as a platform for academics to share their research findings, engage with one another’s work, and contribute to the greater scientific community. But they have distinct definitions that must be understood in order to effectively use them.

A research paper is typically used for reporting on an individual study or investigation. It should provide details such as a hypothesis being tested, results obtained from experiments/surveys conducted, and analysis of those results. Research papers will often take into account previous studies related to the topic discussed so it can build off existing knowledge within the field. Furthermore, while citing other works is important when creating a research paper its primary focus is usually centered around your own original ideas surrounding the particular subject matter you studied.

• This form of writing primarily acts as both an exploration tool and means by which new information can be shared.

On the other hand, journals are created for scholars in specific fields who need access to articles written about current topics in their discipline. This type of publication offers regular publications where authors submit their works covering various aspects relating directly back to whatever field it focuses on . Journals do not solely act as reference sources but also functions as outlets where active discussions between experts occur regarding issues impacting that area. Additionally when submitting work most publications require authors adhere strictly follow standard formats so content remains organized making journaling easier source material more accessible

• As opposed questions answered through experiments like withresearchpapers journallings main objectiveis providing scholarly insightinto pertinent matters facingthe targeted field

. Is research paper a journal? The answer would be no since each serves distinctly different purposes when published academically

Comparison of Features When comparing a research paper and a journal, it is evident that they both have certain similarities. Though their purpose may differ slightly, there are aspects which they share in common.

One similarity between the two lies in their structure; each follows an orderly progression from introduction to conclusion. In addition, the content must be well researched and properly cited when needed. The writing style for both should also adhere to accepted academic standards.

• Research Paper: Uses third-person point of view.
• Journal: Utilizes first-person perspective.

Another connection between the two is present in their goals; regardless if one produces either work type, they seek to provide new knowledge or insight on a particular subject matter within its given field. Furthermore, both look into complex topics with critical thinking skills at play while striving towards accuracy throughout all stages.

• Research Paper: Content should include evidence supporting conclusions made.

A key difference however stands out as research papers typically focus more deeply on specific concepts while journals often make use of broad theoretical frameworks — though this is not always necessarily true for every example presented here. Is research paper a journal? No – Research papers are designed as an empirical investigation whereas Journals involve creative writing processes such as reflective essays or stories about life experiences.

A research paper and a journal differ in many ways. Here, we will explore the key distinctions between these two types of scholarly writing.

A research paper is used to convey original thought regarding a particular subject or topic. It can be presented as part of an assignment or for publication; it typically involves detailed analyses and comprehensive synthesis from multiple sources. On the other hand, journals are generally periodicals that have been published regularly over time, featuring content which has undergone formal peer review process before being accepted for publishing. Additionally, they often contain abstracts summarizing their contents written by expert researchers within the respective field.

• Formatting & Style:

Different academic texts have different purposes, which range from the informative to the persuasive. Writing a research paper requires an in-depth understanding of how scholarly inquiry works and why it is important. A research paper aims to discover new information, present original ideas or theories, analyze existing material on a given topic, or apply current knowledge to a novel situation.

• Informative: Research papers
• Persuasive: Journals

The English language is filled with subtle nuances in both content and formatting. When it comes to distinguishing between an academic research paper, a journal article, or any other type of writing style, there are certain characteristics that help differentiate them.

To start off with content, the scope of each type can vary greatly depending on what genre you’re dealing with. Generally speaking though, research papers have more detailed information than journals because they usually cover a single topic in-depth while journals focus on broad issues within their field; this means that research papers will go into far greater detail concerning evidence found for their claims when compared to journal articles which often make sweeping generalizations instead. Additionally, formats used by researchers tend to be more structured since they must adhere to specific guidelines set forth by scholarly institutions such as having citations at the end of each section rather than throughout the text like one would find in a newspaper report or blog post.

In terms of tone and language usage however these two types may not differ too drastically from one another as most academics write using sophisticated words regardless if it’s for publication or personal use so readers should expect complex vocabulary being utilized either way; however some authors do have differing styles where one might use scientific terminology whereas another might prefer colloquial phrases even when discussing similar topics so paying attention to author preferences can help discern between different forms of literature easily enough.

In summary, this paper has demonstrated that research on journaling can provide meaningful insights into the human condition. Through an examination of relevant literature and key findings from our own research study, we have highlighted a number of beneficial outcomes associated with journaling – including improved emotional wellbeing and increased self-awareness.

It is clear that further studies are needed to more thoroughly investigate the impact of journaling on different populations in various contexts; however, for now it appears likely that there is much potential benefit to be found through regularly engaging in reflective writing practices.

The differences between a research paper and journal are clear. In summary, the main difference is that research papers build upon existing knowledge with an original purpose in mind while journals record events from everyday life or provide commentary on current topics of interest. Each type has its place in academia; both have value as useful tools for disseminating information and sparking further study. Ultimately, how each source material is used will depend largely on individual circumstances and preferences when it comes to gaining insight into relevant subject matter.

International Journal of Research (IJR)

IJR Journal is Multidisciplinary, high impact and indexed journal for research publication. IJR is a monthly journal for research publication.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESEARCH PAPER AND JOURNAL ARTICLE

Difference between research paper and journal article.

Research Paper

Argumentative Research Paper

Analytical research paper, journal article, the differences, research paper:, journal article:.

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What is the difference between Academic Journals and Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals?

Dec 14, 2018 • knowledge, information.

While the terms "Academic" and "Scholarly" can often be interchanged, EBSCO uses them as follows:

Academic Journals : EBSCO defines academic journals as journals that publish articles which carry footnotes and bibliographies, and whose intended audience is comprised of some kind of research community.

It is a broad classification that includes both "peer-reviewed" journals as well as journals that are not "peer-reviewed" but intended for an academic audience.

Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals : Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals are journals that are intended for an academic audience and are peer-reviewed.

EBSCO has established specific guidelines for what we consider a peer reviewed journal . For more information, please see: What are Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) publications?

While the "peer-reviewed" classification is applied at the title level, "article type" information is provided for all articles contained in a given issue. Presenting users with "article type" enables them to become aware that even though a journal may be considered "peer-reviewed," non-peer-reviewed content such as reviews and editorials may well be included in the publication.

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Expert Commentary

White papers, working papers, preprints, journal articles: What’s the difference?

In this updated piece, we explain the most common types of research papers journalists will encounter, noting their strengths and weaknesses.

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

by Denise-Marie Ordway, The Journalist's Resource February 25, 2022

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/media/working-papers-research-articles/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

This tip sheet, originally published in May 2018, has been updated to include preprint research, a type of research featured often in news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Journalists rely most often on four types of research in their work. White papers, working papers, preprints and peer-reviewed journal articles.

How are they different? And which is best?

Below, we explain each, pointing out its strengths and weaknesses. As always, we urge journalists to use care in selecting any research to ground their coverage and fact-check claims.

Peer-reviewed article

Peer-reviewed research — the kind that appears in academic journals and that we highlight here at The Journalist’s Resource — has undergone a detailed critique by scholars with expertise in the field. While peer-reviewed research is generally the most reliable, journalists should keep in mind that publication in a prestigious journal is no guarantee of quality and that no single university or research organization always does the best research on a given topic.

It is safe to assume, however, that articles published in top-tier journals have been reviewed and given a stamp of approval by a number of accomplished scholars. For journalists who are uncertain, we’ve put together a list of 13 questions  to ask to gauge the quality of a research article.

Keep in mind that not everything that appears in a scholarly journal has been peer reviewed. Journals publish various types of content, including book reviews, editorials, letters to the editor and, sometimes, even poetry.

Working paper

This broad category describes research papers that have not been peer reviewed or published in a journal. Working papers can be in various stages of completion. One might be ready for publication in a prestigious journal while another requires significant editing and other changes that could actually alter its main findings. Sometimes, working paper findings are so preliminary, authors will advise against citing their work .

Even so, working papers are a great way for journalists to gain access to new research quickly. The peer-review and publication process can take months to a year or longer, which means that by the time studies get published, their findings are sometimes not as useful or the data are old.

In choosing working papers, journalists should communicate with scholars about the progress of their research and how confident they are in their findings. It’s a good idea to seek corroboration from peer-reviewed research and to ask other researchers for help assessing a study.

A preprint is similar to a working paper in that it has not been vetted through a formal peer-review process. However, preprints tend to be more complete . Also, preprints submitted to public servers such as the Social Science Research Network and the health sciences server medRxiv get a cursory screening before they’re published online for public view.

Preprints, like academic journal articles, are assigned a Digital Object Identifier , or DOI, and become a permanent part of the scientific record.

White paper

A white paper is a report, often compiled by government agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations, that outlines an issue and often explores possible solutions to a problem. For example, in November 2021, the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services released a white paper looking at factors that help or hinder law enforcement recruitment of Black Americans. Earlier in the year, the Advanced Technology Academic Research Center published a white paper on the American Rescue Plan ‘s widespread implications for government agencies.

In the business world, white papers also are used for marketing purposes — to describe a new product or approach, for instance, or diagnose a problem.

While a white paper can help journalists get up to speed quickly on an issue, it’s important to note some white papers advocate a specific position or policy change. Some rely on incomplete research or research that has not been peer reviewed.

Looking for more guidance on writing about research? Check out our tip sheets on covering biomedical research preprints amid the coronavirus and what journalists should know about peer review .

The Journalist’s Resource would like to thank Matthew Baum , the Marvin Kalb professor of global communications and professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, for his help preparing this tip sheet.

About The Author

Denise-Marie Ordway

Journal Article vs Research Paper: Difference and Comparison

A journal article presents original research findings in a concise format, focusing on a specific topic within a broader field. It undergoes peer review before publication, ensuring quality and validity. On the other hand, a research paper is a comprehensive document that may include multiple experiments, analyses, and discussions, aimed at contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

Key Takeaways A journal article is a shorter scholarly writing published in a specific academic journal. A research paper is a more extended, comprehensive academic writing presenting original research. Journal articles are more focused and present specific findings, while research papers are broader and present a more comprehensive study.

Journal Article vs Research Paper

A journal article is a piece of published work that presents the research findings and may include analysis, remark, or discussion. A research paper is a detailed account of the research that may be published or unpublished and includes an introduction, literature review, methods, results, and conclusion.

Comparison Table

What is journal article.

A journal article is a scholarly publication that presents the findings of original research, analysis, or review within a particular academic field. These articles serve as fundamental units of scholarly communication, disseminating new knowledge, theories, and insights to the academic community and beyond. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Content and Structure

1 Abstract: A journal article begins with an abstract, a concise summary of the study’s objectives, methods, results, and conclusions. The abstract provides readers with a quick overview of the article’s content and findings.

2 Introduction: Following the abstract, the introduction sets the context for the study by reviewing relevant literature, identifying gaps or controversies in existing knowledge, and stating the research objectives or hypotheses.

3 Methods: The methods section outlines the procedures, materials, and techniques used to conduct the study. It should provide sufficient detail to enable replication of the experiment or analysis by other researchers.

4 Results: This section presents the findings of the study, using tables, figures, or graphs to illustrate data. Authors describe the results objectively, without interpretation or speculation.

5 Discussion: In the discussion section, authors interpret the results in light of the study’s objectives and existing literature. They may address the implications of their findings, suggest future research directions, and discuss limitations or potential sources of bias.

6 Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the main findings of the study and highlights their significance. It may also reiterate the study’s contribution to the field and offer final reflections or recommendations.

Peer Review Process:

1 Submission: Authors submit their articles to scholarly journals for publication consideration, adhering to the journal’s guidelines and formatting requirements.

2 Peer Review: Upon submission, the journal’s editor assigns the manuscript to peer reviewers—experts in the field—who evaluate the article’s quality, originality, methodology, and significance. Peer review helps ensure the rigor and credibility of the research.

3 Revision: Based on the reviewers’ feedback, authors may revise their article to address any concerns or criticisms raised. This iterative process of revision and reevaluation continues until the article meets the journal’s standards for publication.

4 Acceptance and Publication: If the article meets the journal’s criteria, it is accepted for publication and undergoes final editing and formatting. Once published, the article becomes part of the journal’s archive and is accessible to readers worldwide.

What is Research Paper?

A research paper is a comprehensive document that presents the findings, analysis, and interpretations of original research conducted by the author(s) within a specific academic discipline. These papers serve as a means for scholars to contribute new knowledge, theories, and insights to their respective fields. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Content and Structure

1 Introduction: The introduction of a research paper provides background information on the topic, reviews relevant literature, and outlines the research objectives or hypotheses. It establishes the context for the study and justifies its significance.

2 Methods: The methods section describes the procedures, materials, and techniques employed in the research. It should provide sufficient detail to enable other researchers to replicate the study and verify its results.

3 Results: This section presents the empirical findings of the research, using tables, figures, or graphs to illustrate data. Authors report their observations or measurements objectively, without interpretation or speculation.

4 Discussion: In the discussion section, authors interpret the results in light of the research questions or hypotheses, comparing them to previous studies and addressing their implications. They may also explore alternative explanations, limitations of the study, and avenues for future research.

5 Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the main findings of the research and highlights their significance. It may reiterate the study’s contribution to the field, offer final reflections, and suggest directions for further inquiry.

Characteristics and Scope

1 Original Research: Unlike review papers or essays, research papers are based on original research conducted by the authors. They contribute new data, insights, or interpretations to the academic discourse.

2 Rigorous Methodology: Research papers adhere to rigorous scientific or scholarly methodologies, employing systematic approaches to data collection, analysis, and interpretation. They prioritize objectivity, validity, and reliability in their findings.

3 Length and Complexity: Research papers vary in length and complexity, depending on the scope of the study and the requirements of the target publication venue. They may range from concise reports of preliminary findings to comprehensive analyses of multi-year research projects.

4 Contribution to Knowledge: Research papers aim to advance knowledge within their respective fields by addressing research gaps, testing hypotheses, or generating new theories. They contribute to the cumulative growth of scholarship through the dissemination of original research findings.

Main Differences Between Journal Article and Research Paper

• Journal articles focus on a specific aspect or finding within a broader topic.
• Research papers provide a comprehensive analysis of a research project, including multiple experiments, analyses, and discussions.
• Journal articles are concise, containing essential findings, methods, and interpretations in a limited space.
• Research papers tend to be longer and more detailed, offering exhaustive exploration of the research topic, methodology, results, and implications.
• Journal articles undergo peer review by experts in the field before publication, ensuring quality and validity.
• Research papers may or may not undergo formal peer review, depending on the publication venue or academic requirements.
• Journal articles present findings objectively, without extensive interpretation or speculation.
• Research papers include in-depth interpretation of results, discussion of implications, and exploration of potential limitations or biases.
• Journal articles contribute to the scholarly conversation by presenting new findings, analyses, or reviews within a specific topic area.
• Research papers advance knowledge within a field by offering comprehensive analyses, testing hypotheses, or generating new theories through original research.

• https://gssrr.org/index.php/gssrr/How-to-Publish-Research-Paper
• https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/types-of-journal-manuscripts/1356
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/index.html

Last Updated : 05 March, 2024

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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page .

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21 thoughts on “journal article vs research paper: difference and comparison”.

The characteristics of a journal article outlined in the article shed light on the structured nature of these scholarly publications. It’s important to understand the components that make up a journal article to effectively communicate research findings.

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Types of journal articles

It is helpful to familiarise yourself with the different types of articles published by journals. Although it may appear there are a large number of types of articles published due to the wide variety of names they are published under, most articles published are one of the following types; Original Research, Review Articles, Short reports or Letters, Case Studies, Methodologies.

Original Research:

This is the most common type of journal manuscript used to publish full reports of data from research. It may be called an  Original Article, Research Article, Research, or just  Article, depending on the journal. The Original Research format is suitable for many different fields and different types of studies. It includes full Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections.

Short reports or Letters:

These papers communicate brief reports of data from original research that editors believe will be interesting to many researchers, and that will likely stimulate further research in the field. As they are relatively short the format is useful for scientists with results that are time sensitive (for example, those in highly competitive or quickly-changing disciplines). This format often has strict length limits, so some experimental details may not be published until the authors write a full Original Research manuscript. These papers are also sometimes called Brief communications .

Review Articles:

Review Articles provide a comprehensive summary of research on a certain topic, and a perspective on the state of the field and where it is heading. They are often written by leaders in a particular discipline after invitation from the editors of a journal. Reviews are often widely read (for example, by researchers looking for a full introduction to a field) and highly cited. Reviews commonly cite approximately 100 primary research articles.

TIP: If you would like to write a Review but have not been invited by a journal, be sure to check the journal website as some journals to not consider unsolicited Reviews. If the website does not mention whether Reviews are commissioned it is wise to send a pre-submission enquiry letter to the journal editor to propose your Review manuscript before you spend time writing it.  

Case Studies:

These articles report specific instances of interesting phenomena. A goal of Case Studies is to make other researchers aware of the possibility that a specific phenomenon might occur. This type of study is often used in medicine to report the occurrence of previously unknown or emerging pathologies.

Methodologies or Methods

These articles present a new experimental method, test or procedure. The method described may either be completely new, or may offer a better version of an existing method. The article should describe a demonstrable advance on what is currently available.

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Difference Between Journal Article and Research Paper

Edited by Diffzy | Updated on: April 30, 2023

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• Introduction

Reading material that is directly related to one's field of study is a highly useful tool that may be used to improve one's knowledge. Reading books, papers, and articles that are pertinent to a topic holds a whole notion for elevating one's level of knowledge as well as aggregating one's grades. Some of the vehicles that are utilized in professional and academic learning include journals, articles published in journals, and research papers.

It is possible to refer to as a "journal article" any piece of writing that has been accepted for publication in a journal. However, journals publish a variety of papers, and while some of those pieces require original research to be submitted, others do not.

However, the term "research article" is reserved exclusively for those types of articles that call for their original research. This category comprises, most frequently, empirical studies as well as pieces based on original research. Review articles, articles presenting opinions and points of view, comments, letters, and other types of writing do not normally fit within the category of research papers.

• Journal Article vs Research Paper

The main difference between a research paper and a journal article is that journal articles are intended for an academic audience and are comprehensive, well researched, and conceptual. On the other hand, research papers focus on and investigate a single viewpoint in-depth, substantiating their claims with relevant theories, scientific standpoints, and evaluations supported by the extensive study.

A compilation of articles on a variety of subjects is known as a journal. There are many different kinds of journals, including personal journals, academic journals, art journals, and so on. Regarding the academic side of things, however, we have a lot more to learn about scholarly journals. It is a collection of papers covering a wide range of subject areas in one volume. It is a compilation of several various work compilations into one volume. In contrast to a research paper, it is made up of articles on a variety of subjects.

When writing research papers, a reference to this source is frequently required. It is a magazine that comes out regularly and is based on the concept that many different subjects and situations are related or correlated to one another. When compared to the information presented in a paper, the depth of coverage supplied in a journal is shallower. As was just mentioned, a journal serves as a point of reference for a variety of people and organizations who are engaged in research.

A research paper can be thought of as essentially a sheet of information on a particular subject. According to the conventional definition, "it is a descriptive context in the form of words or text," which we may find if we search it up. It gives its readers knowledge that is both in-depth and pertinent regarding a particular subject matter. This is an investigation into a particular issue, and by the time it's finished, the authors hope to have proposed a workable solution to that issue.

The majority of the work is done by teams consisting of two or three people. It might be as long as twenty pages or even more, and it consists of a comprehensive study of a single distinct subject. Having said that, one thing that needs to be made clear is that the length of it is contingent on the setting of the study.

However, a research paper can be anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 words long, whereas a journal can only be between 5,000 and 10,000 words long at most. This is the primary distinction between the two types of writing. Because it is a periodic publication, a magazine can supply you with a list of regional, national, and even international conferences.

Because it is a periodic publication, as was previously said, it also notifies you of upcoming conference events. Publication in a scholarly journal is a goal for many students and young researchers, particularly if the work being submitted is their very first research paper.

• Difference Between Journal Article and Research Paper in Tabular Form
• What is a Journal Article?

 Articles published in journals are significantly shorter than novels and are focused on a narrow range of subjects.

A compilation of articles (much like a magazine) that is published consistently during the year is known as a journal. The most recent research is published in journals, and the articles published in journals are produced by specialists for other experts. They could be printed, published online, or published in both mediums simultaneously.

If you have a writing assignment and your instructor asks you to use "journal articles" in your research, you might find yourself wondering if she means articles from popular magazines and newspapers. If you do find yourself wondering this, the answer is yes, she does mean articles from popular magazines and newspapers. On the other hand, papers published in journals are substantially dissimilar to those published in periodicals. For one thing, the primary objective of journal articles is research. In most cases, these are scholarly publications that have been vetted by other experts in the field and were written by experts specifically for other professionals.

Journal articles are published regularly, and each article may have anywhere from one to several authors who contributed to its completion.

A journal article is an experiential piece that can take on a variety of forms. For instance, a journal article may have started as an analysis of a piece that was published in a newspaper, a review, a proposal, or any number of other academic and research-based contributions.

In a nutshell, an article published in a journal can either be scholarly or non-academic.

An article published in a journal can also serve as a research paper, which can then be presented in a variety of settings.

It is beneficial to become familiar with the various kinds of papers that are published in journals. Although there might be a large number of different types of articles published due to the wide variety of names that they are published under, the majority of the articles that are published fall into one of the following categories: original research, review articles, short reports or letters, case studies, and methodologies.

• What is a Research Paper?

Writing assignments in academia frequently take the shape of research papers. Students and academics are required to locate knowledge on a topic (also known as conducting research), take a stance on the topic, and present support (or evidence) for that viewpoint within the context of a structured report to complete a research paper.

The word "research paper" can also be used to refer to an academic publication that presents the findings of one's original study or provides an analysis of the findings of research carried out by others. Before they can be approved for publishing in an academic journal, the vast majority of scholarly works are subjected to a procedure known as peer review.

A research paper can be defined as any type of document that requires the author to research a specific topic. Research papers, in contrast to essays, which are frequently and frequently based substantially on the author's viewpoint and are written from the author's point of view, are based on facts.

To write a research paper, you are required to first think of anything you have an opinion about, then do study and become an expert on that issue, and finally, support your thoughts and statements with facts discovered through your extensive research.

A research paper is the result of the author spending time collecting and analyzing data, as well as thinking for themselves. When academics are looking for solutions to questions, the first thing they do is begin searching for material that can be used to either expand, utilize, approve or refute the findings.

To put it another way, research papers are the end products of processes that involve taking into consideration written works and adhering to certain specifications. In addition, scientists do study to build and expand a variety of hypotheses, which might lead to the development of social or technological aspects of human science. To be able to create papers that are relevant to the research, however, they need to have a definition of the research, as well as its structure, characteristics, and types.

Quite frequently, students are tasked with writing research papers. Students, scholars, and scientists eventually find themselves in a scenario in which they are required to answer particular questions by referencing sources. In its most fundamental form, a research paper is one of the forms of papers that can be written by academics in which they investigate questions or subjects, search for secondary sources, and compose papers on predetermined topics.

For instance, if a person is given the task of writing a research paper on certain causes of global warming or any other subject, they are required to first compose a research proposal on the subject, during which they must evaluate significant aspects and reputable sources. Writing an essay tends to center on the author's own experiences and observations, but writing a research paper requires covering sources and adhering to academic norms.

In addition to this, researchers are obligated to follow the format of research papers. Therefore, those who write research papers need to conduct a study on their themes, cover important features of those issues, process reputable articles, and appropriately structure their final studies.

• Main Differences Between Journal Article and Research Paper in Points
• A research paper is an in-depth investigation into 'A' particular question, which may again have multiple other sub-questions that need to be re-found or revisited. On the other hand, journal articles are typically written to enhance one's knowledge in a particular field, domain of learning, or related to a professional approach that is helpful in field-specific understanding.
• A research paper is an in-depth investigation of something that has already been presented, whereas journal articles are based on the author's perspective.
• According to the prior notion, a journal or paper could be a research paper or a current trending news article based on any beliefs that involve personal experience and learnings. On the other hand, a research paper is an in-depth investigation into the readability of conceptual information through the presentation of data in the form of graphs, diagrams, case studies, and so on.
• It takes some time to finish the research paper because it requires the study of a case, a sample of individuals, a demographic area, etc., all of which take some time.
• whereas the effort involved in producing a journal paper can be completed in as little as a week or as much as a few months. However, it is not as in-depth as a research article.
• If a research paper is written and extensively worked on by, for example, a department, domain, or organization, then the research paper will be patented. On the other hand, a journal article is open to the public and can be read, shared, reviewed, and presented without violating any copyright mandates or policies that are in place. A journal article cannot be protected by a patent.
• The presentation of the content can be made to flow naturally and can be written in a short amount of time. On the other hand, a research paper needs to include considerable rough work, as well as a paper that is written methodically and includes appropriate citations in the appropriate locations.
• A research paper is not driven through any type of ratings and is primarily concerned with its presentation and discoveries to be made known, however, a journal article does run after ratings because, in today's world, everything is moving to digitalization.

It is important to be aware that a journal article and a research paper each have their distinct audience, purpose, reach out, and most importantly – worth as a medium of knowledge. This can be shown by connecting the dot of the specifically demarcated six-pointers that have been presented above.

• https://gssrr.org/index.php/gssrr/How-to-Publish-Research-Paper
• https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/types-of-journal-manuscripts/1356

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Journal Article vs. Research Paper — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Journal Article and Research Paper

Table of contents, key differences, comparison chart, review process, length & scope, publication, compare with definitions, journal article, research paper, common curiosities, what's the main difference between a journal article and a research paper, are journal articles always peer-reviewed, who reads journal articles, can a research paper become a journal article, who typically writes journal articles, why are citations important in both journal articles and research papers, do journal articles have a word limit, are all journal articles based on experimental research, where can i find journal articles, is a thesis the same as a research paper, can i use a journal article as a reference for my research paper, do all research papers get published, why is it essential for a journal article to be peer-reviewed, do all academic journals charge to publish journal articles, how long can a research paper be, share your discovery.

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CONFERENCE ALERTS

Difference Between Journal and Research Paper?

By Conference Alerts

It is an absolute confusion and worry in some ways for a wannabe or a first-time researcher or a research scholar especially if you are still a student trying to work on a research project with your professor. Many of us get often confused when we hear the words research paper or a journal for the first time. The reason is that we have no or little idea what the words mean or we never looked into them even though we keep hearing them every once in a while. So, here are a few differences between a “ JOURNAL” and a “RESEARCH PAPER ”

A Journal is collection of articles on various topics. There are various types of journals such as personal journal, academic journal , creative journals etc. But in terms of academic we need to learn more about an academic journal. It is book that comprises articles on different variety of topics. It is an anthology of different work collections. Unlike a research paper it consists of articles on various topics. It is often used as a reference to write a research paper. It is a periodical publication based various topics and contexts are related or co-related to each other. The information provided in a journal is not as deep as it is in a paper. As already said, a journal acts as a reference point to various individuals or organizations who are carrying out a research.

A research paper is basically a sheet of information on a specific topic. If we look at the standard definition it says, “It is a descriptive context in the form of words or text”. It provides detailed and relevant information on a specific topic to its readers. It is a study on a specific problem and it intends to provide a possible practical solution at the end of it. It is a team work of two or three individuals mostly. It can be up to 20 pages long or even more and it is an extensive study on one specific topic. Nevertheless, it should be understood that its length depends on the context of the study.

However, the key difference between a journal and a research paper is that a journal is limited to 5,000 – 10,000 words unlike a research paper. A journal can provide you with a list of national and international conferences as it is a periodical publication. It also provides you with conference alerts as it is a periodical publication like already said. Journal publication is a dream to many students and research scholars especially if it is their first ever research paper.

In conclusion, a journal is a collection of articles on a various academic related topics with limited words whereas a research paper is extensive and detailed study on a specific topic. If you are one of those wannabe research scholars looking to get your first journal publications then conference alerts here have a list of journals and their details waiting for you.

Conference Alerts helps you to provide latest conference information's ,updates, seminars and online webinars. Follow our blog to know the latest conference information's.

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Journal vs conference papers: Key differences & advice

Journal and conference papers are not the same, and both formats have advantages and disadvantages. A good understanding of the key differences between journal and conference papers avoid s pitfalls, such as copyright issues when wanting to turn a conference into a journal paper at a later stage.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at no additional cost to you . I only recommend products or services that I truly believe can benefit my audience. As always, my opinions are my own.

What is a journal paper?

What is a conference paper, advantages of journal papers, disadvantages of journal papers, advantages of conference papers, disadvantages of conference papers, differences between journal and conference papers, questions to ask yourself before submitting a conference paper, is conference paper better than journal paper, can you use a conference paper in a journal, are all conference papers automatically published in conference proceedings, do conference papers count as publications.

A journal paper is a written piece of academic work – presenting empirical research, a theoretical discussion, or both – published in an academic journal. Most journal papers or articles are peer-reviewed , meaning they undergo a rigorous review process involving several stages and rounds of revisions before they are published.

Most academic journals have an impact factor, which is an index calculated based on the number of citations of articles published within a specific journal. The higher the impact factor of a journal, the wider the (potential) reach of journal papers that it publishes. And the better the reputation of the journal.

Therefore, authors of journal papers tend to target journals with a high impact factor to publish their work. There are other criteria that play a role when selecting a journal to publish research . However, the impact factor remains a crucial one, as publications in high-impact factor journals strongly influence academic promotions.

A conference paper is a piece of academic work that is specifically written for an academic conference, and mostly accompanies a conference presentation. While there are some exceptions, most conference papers are not peer-reviewed.

Conference papers are usually submitted several weeks before the actual conference, and circulated among conference participants in preparation for the actual presentations. However, not all conferences require conference papers. And some conferences make the submission of a conference paper optional.

Many conferences that require or allow the submission of a conference paper have ‘best conference paper’ awards, rewarding outstanding submissions. Furthermore, some conferences publish a collection of conference papers after the event, in the so-called conference proceedings. Many conference proceedings do not have an impact factor.

If you are looking to elevate your writing and editing skills, I highly recommend enrolling in the course “ Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization “, which is a 4 course series offered by the University of Michigan. This comprehensive program is conveniently available as an online course on Coursera, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Plus, upon successful completion, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a valuable certificate to showcase your newfound expertise!

Advantages and disadvantages of journal and conference papers

The choice between a journal or a conference paper should be a careful one. Both formats fulfill important but different roles in academia. Therefore, a good understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of both formats can help to make an informed decision.

Please notice that the following points are developed from a social sciences perspective. Other fields and specific disciplines may have different standards.

• Journal papers are more prestigious in academia. Especially if you strive for an academic career , publishing peer-reviewed journal papers in high-impact journals should be your priority.
• Journal papers are more frequently cited than conference papers. Journal impact factors are not the only metric that strongly influences academic promotions: The so-called h-index is a metric that measures your ‘impact’ in terms of how often your publications have been cited. And journal papers are cited more often than conference papers, as they are considered more reputable.
• Journal papers undergo revisions, which often means they are of higher quality. Due to the rigorous peer-review process that most journal papers are subjected to, the quality of journal papers tends to be better than that of conference papers. During peer review, experts on a topic point out flaws in the draft paper, challenge your thinking and provide suggestions for improvement. While dealing with peer review comments can be a tedious process, the final result is often a much better paper compared to the initial manuscript.
• Publishing a journal paper takes time. The whole process from manuscript to published paper can be lengthy, and take from anywhere between several months to several years.
• Most journals do not publish preliminary results. Even if you make a groundbreaking discovery in your preliminary analysis, most journals will not consider it worthy of a publication before more final conclusions can be drawn.
• There is a risk of outdated data in journal papers. For instance, if you want to publish your academic work to contribute to a current societal discussion, a journal paper may not be the best option. In the worst case, the publishing process takes more than a year and by the time of publication, your data may be outdated. Furthermore, your conclusions may be irrelevant for practice as a lot can change in a year.
• Journal papers have to follow strict rules set by journals. Journals set, for example, rules in terms of length, structure, or reference style that have to be followed. Conference papers, on the other hand, are often more flexible.
• Conference papers tend to have a lower threshold of acceptance than journal papers. It is much easier to publish a conference paper in conference proceedings than publish academic work in a high-impact journal. Therefore, conference papers can be a valuable option to learn about paper writing and publishing, and an easier way for early career researchers to get their name on a publication.
• Conference papers are published relatively fast. Some conference papers undergo peer review before being published in conference proceedings, but many don’t. In general, conference proceedings are published relatively soon after the actual conference takes places. Thus, a conference paper can be a good way to publish fast.
• Conference papers can discuss ongoing research and preliminary results. Contrary to journal papers, conference papers often address ongoing research and tentative conclusions. Furthermore, the format tends to be more open than in journal papers, providing authors of conference papers more freedom in terms of content and structure.
• Conference papers can often compete for ‘best conference paper’ aw ards . And having such an award to your name certainly looks good on your academic CV !
• Conference papers do not count as much as journal publications for career advancement. This is because many conference papers are not peer-reviewed and because many conference proceedings do not have an impact factor. Thus, in terms of career promotion or trajectories, conference papers are less relevant than journal papers.
• Conference papers can create copyright issues. It is a very common scenario: an author writes a conference paper first, then makes some edits and submits it to an academic journal for publication. If the conference paper has been published in conference proceedings, it will likely be flagged as plagiarised by the journal. Journals do not like to publish articles which have been published elsewhere in a similar fashion, and some use any indication of plagiarism (even if it is self-plagiarism) as a reason to desk-reject a manuscript.
• Sharing great ideas prematurely in a conference paper can make you vulnerable. Unfortunately, there is a lot of competition in academia, and not everyone plays by the rules. Therefore, you should always carefully consider how much of your work you share, without linking it to a publication of your own. Sharing an excellent idea that is sent around to hundreds of conference participants creates a risk that someone copies or steals your idea or approach, and tries to publish it faster in a journal article than you do.

Based on the discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of journal and conference papers above, the following key differences come to light:

• Content and requirements : Conference papers are more open to include preliminary results and are more flexible in terms of requirements than journal papers. The target audience of conference papers are conference participants, while journal papers target the wider academic community.
• Submission and peer review process : Journal papers tend to be submitted via an online system and undergo a structured peer review process. Conference papers are often simply sent to the conference organisers by email and are not peer-reviewed.
• Time to publication: Conference papers are often published more quickly in conference proceedings than journal papers are published in academic journals.
• Career relevance: Journal papers are much more relevant for academic careers than conference papers. Most journals have impact factors, while most conference proceedings do not have impact factors.

Even though journal papers are more important for academic promotions, submitting a conference paper is not per se the wrong choice. A ‘best conference paper’ award, for instance, can make you stand out when applying for academic jobs.

When embarking on writing a conference paper, it is better to be safe than sorry: At times, it may require reaching out to conference organisers or target journals to make sure that you will not run into copyright or plagiarism issues at a later point.

Oftentimes, conferences still allow you to present even without submitting a conference paper. Or you can ask the conference organisers not to include your paper in the conference proceedings. Furthermore, some journals are okay with publishing a paper that has been published in a conference proceeding earlier. Just make sure to ask in advance to prevent bad surprises!

Thus, when considering a conference paper, first answer the following questions:

• What are the benefits of submitting a conference paper to the specific conference, and do they outweigh the drawbacks?
• How can I mitigate the drawbacks? (Would my conference paper be published in the conference proceedings and can I opt out? Can I participate in the conference without a conference paper?)
• Do I share too many original ideas in my conference paper, which someone could copy without referring to my work as I haven’t published on the topic yet?
• Could I face copyright issues if I want to turn my conference paper into a journal paper at a later point?

Frequently Asked Questions

In academia, journal papers are considered ‘better’ than conference papers because they have a stronger positive impact on academic careers. Reasons for this are the more rigorous peer-review process that journal papers tend to undergo before publication, the higher standards of journals compared to conference proceedings, and the impact factor of journals.

You should never simply submit a conference paper to a journal without making substantial edits beforehand. That said, it is okay to use similar data or arguments. If your conference paper has been published in conference proceedings, it is best to inform the journal about it in your letter to the editor , which accompanies your journal paper submission. Otherwise, it may be flagged as plagiarised and immediately desk-rejected by the journal editors before it even has the chance to enter the peer-review process.

Not all conference papers are automatically published in conference proceedings. Different conferences have different rules when it comes to publishing papers in conference proceedings. Therefore, you should check the rules and procedures of a specific conference in advance. If you cannot find the information online, you can send an email to the conference organisers. You can also always ask if it is possible to present without submitting a conference paper or to not have your conference paper published in the conference proceedings.

Conference papers often do not count as academic publications. Therefore, on academic CVs, conference papers tend to be listed under ‘Conferences’ instead of ‘Publications’. Alternatively, they are listed as a separate sub-category under ‘Publications’, but in a way that they are clearly differentiated from other (peer-reviewed) publications.

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Methodology

• What Is Peer Review? | Types & Examples

What Is Peer Review? | Types & Examples

Published on December 17, 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Peer review, sometimes referred to as refereeing , is the process of evaluating submissions to an academic journal. Using strict criteria, a panel of reviewers in the same subject area decides whether to accept each submission for publication.

Peer-reviewed articles are considered a highly credible source due to the stringent process they go through before publication.

There are various types of peer review. The main difference between them is to what extent the authors, reviewers, and editors know each other’s identities. The most common types are:

• Single-blind review
• Double-blind review
• Triple-blind review

Collaborative review

Open review.

Relatedly, peer assessment is a process where your peers provide you with feedback on something you’ve written, based on a set of criteria or benchmarks from an instructor. They then give constructive feedback, compliments, or guidance to help you improve your draft.

Table of contents

What is the purpose of peer review, types of peer review, the peer review process, providing feedback to your peers, peer review example, advantages of peer review, criticisms of peer review, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about peer reviews.

Many academic fields use peer review, largely to determine whether a manuscript is suitable for publication. Peer review enhances the credibility of the manuscript. For this reason, academic journals are among the most credible sources you can refer to.

However, peer review is also common in non-academic settings. The United Nations, the European Union, and many individual nations use peer review to evaluate grant applications. It is also widely used in medical and health-related fields as a teaching or quality-of-care measure.

Peer assessment is often used in the classroom as a pedagogical tool. Both receiving feedback and providing it are thought to enhance the learning process, helping students think critically and collaboratively.

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Depending on the journal, there are several types of peer review.

Single-blind peer review

The most common type of peer review is single-blind (or single anonymized) review . Here, the names of the reviewers are not known by the author.

While this gives the reviewers the ability to give feedback without the possibility of interference from the author, there has been substantial criticism of this method in the last few years. Many argue that single-blind reviewing can lead to poaching or intellectual theft or that anonymized comments cause reviewers to be too harsh.

Double-blind peer review

In double-blind (or double anonymized) review , both the author and the reviewers are anonymous.

Arguments for double-blind review highlight that this mitigates any risk of prejudice on the side of the reviewer, while protecting the nature of the process. In theory, it also leads to manuscripts being published on merit rather than on the reputation of the author.

Triple-blind peer review

While triple-blind (or triple anonymized) review —where the identities of the author, reviewers, and editors are all anonymized—does exist, it is difficult to carry out in practice.

Proponents of adopting triple-blind review for journal submissions argue that it minimizes potential conflicts of interest and biases. However, ensuring anonymity is logistically challenging, and current editing software is not always able to fully anonymize everyone involved in the process.

In collaborative review , authors and reviewers interact with each other directly throughout the process. However, the identity of the reviewer is not known to the author. This gives all parties the opportunity to resolve any inconsistencies or contradictions in real time, and provides them a rich forum for discussion. It can mitigate the need for multiple rounds of editing and minimize back-and-forth.

Collaborative review can be time- and resource-intensive for the journal, however. For these collaborations to occur, there has to be a set system in place, often a technological platform, with staff monitoring and fixing any bugs or glitches.

Lastly, in open review , all parties know each other’s identities throughout the process. Often, open review can also include feedback from a larger audience, such as an online forum, or reviewer feedback included as part of the final published product.

While many argue that greater transparency prevents plagiarism or unnecessary harshness, there is also concern about the quality of future scholarship if reviewers feel they have to censor their comments.

In general, the peer review process includes the following steps:

• First, the author submits the manuscript to the editor.
• Reject the manuscript and send it back to the author, or
• Send it onward to the selected peer reviewer(s)
• Next, the peer review process occurs. The reviewer provides feedback, addressing any major or minor issues with the manuscript, and gives their advice regarding what edits should be made.
• Lastly, the edited manuscript is sent back to the author. They input the edits and resubmit it to the editor for publication.

In an effort to be transparent, many journals are now disclosing who reviewed each article in the published product. There are also increasing opportunities for collaboration and feedback, with some journals allowing open communication between reviewers and authors.

It can seem daunting at first to conduct a peer review or peer assessment. If you’re not sure where to start, there are several best practices you can use.

Summarize the argument in your own words

Summarizing the main argument helps the author see how their argument is interpreted by readers, and gives you a jumping-off point for providing feedback. If you’re having trouble doing this, it’s a sign that the argument needs to be clearer, more concise, or worded differently.

If the author sees that you’ve interpreted their argument differently than they intended, they have an opportunity to address any misunderstandings when they get the manuscript back.

Separate your feedback into major and minor issues

It can be challenging to keep feedback organized. One strategy is to start out with any major issues and then flow into the more minor points. It’s often helpful to keep your feedback in a numbered list, so the author has concrete points to refer back to.

Major issues typically consist of any problems with the style, flow, or key points of the manuscript. Minor issues include spelling errors, citation errors, or other smaller, easy-to-apply feedback.

Tip: Try not to focus too much on the minor issues. If the manuscript has a lot of typos, consider making a note that the author should address spelling and grammar issues, rather than going through and fixing each one.

The best feedback you can provide is anything that helps them strengthen their argument or resolve major stylistic issues.

Give the type of feedback that you would like to receive

No one likes being criticized, and it can be difficult to give honest feedback without sounding overly harsh or critical. One strategy you can use here is the “compliment sandwich,” where you “sandwich” your constructive criticism between two compliments.

Be sure you are giving concrete, actionable feedback that will help the author submit a successful final draft. While you shouldn’t tell them exactly what they should do, your feedback should help them resolve any issues they may have overlooked.

As a rule of thumb, your feedback should be:

• Easy to understand
• Constructive

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Below is a brief annotated research example. You can view examples of peer feedback by hovering over the highlighted sections.

Influence of phone use on sleep

Studies show that teens from the US are getting less sleep than they were a decade ago (Johnson, 2019) . On average, teens only slept for 6 hours a night in 2021, compared to 8 hours a night in 2011. Johnson mentions several potential causes, such as increased anxiety, changed diets, and increased phone use.

The current study focuses on the effect phone use before bedtime has on the number of hours of sleep teens are getting.

For this study, a sample of 300 teens was recruited using social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. The first week, all teens were allowed to use their phone the way they normally would, in order to obtain a baseline.

The sample was then divided into 3 groups:

• Group 1 was not allowed to use their phone before bedtime.
• Group 2 used their phone for 1 hour before bedtime.
• Group 3 used their phone for 3 hours before bedtime.

All participants were asked to go to sleep around 10 p.m. to control for variation in bedtime . In the morning, their Fitbit showed the number of hours they’d slept. They kept track of these numbers themselves for 1 week.

Two independent t tests were used in order to compare Group 1 and Group 2, and Group 1 and Group 3. The first t test showed no significant difference ( p > .05) between the number of hours for Group 1 ( M = 7.8, SD = 0.6) and Group 2 ( M = 7.0, SD = 0.8). The second t test showed a significant difference ( p < .01) between the average difference for Group 1 ( M = 7.8, SD = 0.6) and Group 3 ( M = 6.1, SD = 1.5).

This shows that teens sleep fewer hours a night if they use their phone for over an hour before bedtime, compared to teens who use their phone for 0 to 1 hours.

Peer review is an established and hallowed process in academia, dating back hundreds of years. It provides various fields of study with metrics, expectations, and guidance to ensure published work is consistent with predetermined standards.

• Protects the quality of published research

Peer review can stop obviously problematic, falsified, or otherwise untrustworthy research from being published. Any content that raises red flags for reviewers can be closely examined in the review stage, preventing plagiarized or duplicated research from being published.

• Gives you access to feedback from experts in your field

Peer review represents an excellent opportunity to get feedback from renowned experts in your field and to improve your writing through their feedback and guidance. Experts with knowledge about your subject matter can give you feedback on both style and content, and they may also suggest avenues for further research that you hadn’t yet considered.

• Helps you identify any weaknesses in your argument

Peer review acts as a first defense, helping you ensure your argument is clear and that there are no gaps, vague terms, or unanswered questions for readers who weren’t involved in the research process. This way, you’ll end up with a more robust, more cohesive article.

While peer review is a widely accepted metric for credibility, it’s not without its drawbacks.

• Reviewer bias

The more transparent double-blind system is not yet very common, which can lead to bias in reviewing. A common criticism is that an excellent paper by a new researcher may be declined, while an objectively lower-quality submission by an established researcher would be accepted.

• Delays in publication

The thoroughness of the peer review process can lead to significant delays in publishing time. Research that was current at the time of submission may not be as current by the time it’s published. There is also high risk of publication bias , where journals are more likely to publish studies with positive findings than studies with negative findings.

• Risk of human error

By its very nature, peer review carries a risk of human error. In particular, falsification often cannot be detected, given that reviewers would have to replicate entire experiments to ensure the validity of results.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Measures of central tendency
• Chi square tests
• Confidence interval
• Quartiles & Quantiles
• Cluster sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Thematic analysis
• Discourse analysis
• Cohort study
• Ethnography

Research bias

• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Conformity bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Availability heuristic
• Attrition bias
• Social desirability bias

Peer review is a process of evaluating submissions to an academic journal. Utilizing rigorous criteria, a panel of reviewers in the same subject area decide whether to accept each submission for publication. For this reason, academic journals are often considered among the most credible sources you can use in a research project– provided that the journal itself is trustworthy and well-regarded.

In general, the peer review process follows the following steps: 

• Reject the manuscript and send it back to author, or 
• Send it onward to the selected peer reviewer(s) 
• Next, the peer review process occurs. The reviewer provides feedback, addressing any major or minor issues with the manuscript, and gives their advice regarding what edits should be made. 
• Lastly, the edited manuscript is sent back to the author. They input the edits, and resubmit it to the editor for publication.

Peer review can stop obviously problematic, falsified, or otherwise untrustworthy research from being published. It also represents an excellent opportunity to get feedback from renowned experts in your field. It acts as a first defense, helping you ensure your argument is clear and that there are no gaps, vague terms, or unanswered questions for readers who weren’t involved in the research process.

Peer-reviewed articles are considered a highly credible source due to this stringent process they go through before publication.

Many academic fields use peer review , largely to determine whether a manuscript is suitable for publication. Peer review enhances the credibility of the published manuscript.

However, peer review is also common in non-academic settings. The United Nations, the European Union, and many individual nations use peer review to evaluate grant applications. It is also widely used in medical and health-related fields as a teaching or quality-of-care measure. 

A credible source should pass the CRAAP test  and follow these guidelines:

• The information should be up to date and current.
• The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.
• The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.
• For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy.

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Difference between Journal Article and Research Paper

Specific education reading is an important tool that will enhance your academic excellence. To keep excelling, you will need to read relevant articles, papers, documents, and books. Journals, Journal articles, and research papers are important mechanisms for professional and academic learning.

Journal Article Vs. Research Paper

The difference between a journal article and a research paper is that the journal article is well researched and extensive. It is also conceptual and well-suited for the academic audience. Research papers on the other hand focus on a specific viewpoint and substantiate the viewpoint with relevant theories. Research papers require many extensive studies to ensure the viewpoint is fully supported.

Comparison between the Journal Article and the Research Paper

• The journal article is an overall publication while a research paper can be cited.
• Journal articles are written based on knowledge and experience while research papers require an in-depth study of the specific topic.
• Journal articles are short while research papers are long and always ongoing.
• You cannot patent a journal article but you can patent a research paper.
• While a research paper does not have a specific domain, journal articles have a broader spectrum.
• There is an impact rating needed for journal articles while no specific rating is needed for the research paper.

What is a Journal Article?

When publishing a journal article, more than one author can be used to give their specific conclusions. Journal articles are of different natures and they can be experiential. Journal articles can be academic or non-academic.

Journal articles can be presented differently as research papers and on different platforms.

What is a Research Paper?

Writing a research paper can take a lot of time. This is because it involves something that has already been published but needs to be reopened again. The first step to writing a research paper is sitting with the thought and why exactly you want to research it. The research will involve the timeframe, type of data collection method to use, and most importantly, in-depth research.

To write a research paper, you will need to do a literature review. This includes the reading of various case studies, findings, newspapers, all containing the topic of research or question to be answered.

Journal articles are written to show special or enhanced knowledge in a certain field. It is useful to bring understanding to a particular field. Journals cannot be written by just anyone. Instead, they are written by experts. A research paper on the other hand revolves around a particular topic or question. The question may contain other questions within it that need to be researched on, re-found, or re-visited. The research paperwork is done using a specific format and supports every point with tactical findings. In short, a research paper is written to answer a question or get findings of something that was already initially researched and written about.

Journals can be a paper written based on something that is currently trending or new ideologies that could be personal experiences and learnings. Research papers on the other hand are more extensive. They involve a particular topic and questions that can be presented using diagrams, graphs, and case studies.

Due to the level of research needed to write a research paper, a lot of time is needed. The findings need to be factual, totally supporting the topic or question in place. Journal papers on the other hand take a short time. That is, they can be completed within a week. A journal can go to a month but does not take as much time as a research paper.

When an organization, department, or domain writes a research paper, it needs to be patented. What this means is that it cannot be published without due permission. A journal paper on the other hand does not require rights or permissions. It is open for people and can be reviewed, shared, and presented without necessarily touching the copyrights. Journals do not need to be patented.

Writing a journal requires generality and broad visibility. While a journal paper can be a research paper, it does not always apply to be one. A journal’s content can be written within a short period and needs to flow to be understood. A research paper on the other hand needs to have extensive rough work on the side. It is a paper that is written systematically and with relevant citations. A literature review is an important aspect of the research paper. You need to have proof of the data collection method that includes raw data collection, interview transcripts and so much more.

While everything going digital in today’s world and rating is required for everything, a journal article will not require ratings. What journals need are views as the ones most viewed get the best footage. A research paper, being a component of the journal, can be limited as to who gets access to the same. It also does not require ratings but its presentations and findings are what make it known to the audience.

In conclusion, we can see that both the journal papers and research papers have different audiences. That makes them different in terms of research, language used, and the kind of presentation in the end.

It is also good to understand the purpose of both papers. While a journal is mainly open to the masses and does not have restrictions as to who gets access, research papers have their specific audience. This is because it entails answering certain questions that audiences would love to know and discussing certain topics in depth.

As such, it takes a longer time to research and write a research paper than it does to write a journal. A research paper is systematic and requires various citations that help to support your facts. A journal paper on the other hand is writing thoughts and explaining that particular thought in depth.

Research papers require skills in doing research. A journal mostly requires a creative mind.

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• Published: 27 March 2024

A global timekeeping problem postponed by global warming

• Duncan Carr Agnew   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2360-7783 1  

Nature ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Applied physics
• Electrical and electronic engineering
• Information technology

The historical association of time with the rotation of Earth has meant that Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) closely follows this rotation 1 . Because the rotation rate is not constant, UTC contains discontinuities (leap seconds), which complicates its use in computer networks 2 . Since 1972, all UTC discontinuities have required that a leap second be added 3 . Here we show that increased melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica, measured by satellite gravity 4 , 5 , has decreased the angular velocity of Earth more rapidly than before. Removing this effect from the observed angular velocity shows that since 1972, the angular velocity of the liquid core of Earth has been decreasing at a constant rate that has steadily increased the angular velocity of the rest of the Earth. Extrapolating the trends for the core and other relevant phenomena to predict future Earth orientation shows that UTC as now defined will require a negative discontinuity by 2029. This will pose an unprecedented problem for computer network timing and may require changes in UTC to be made earlier than is planned. If polar ice melting had not recently accelerated, this problem would occur 3 years earlier: global warming is already affecting global timekeeping.

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Data availability

The J 2 data are C20LongTerm.txt, downloaded from https://filedrop.csr.utexas.edu/pub/slr/degree_2/ on 25 October 2023. The Earth rotation data are eopc0420.1962-now, downloaded from https://datacenter.iers.org/products/eop/long-term/c04_20/ on 24 October 2023. The atmospheric angular momentum data are from https://datacenter.iers.org/products/geofluids/atmosphere/aam/GGFC2010/AER/ , downloaded on 1 February 2023. Other parameters are taken from the papers referenced.  Source data are provided with this paper.

Code availability

The code for analysing the residual series, est.noise v.1.2, was downloaded from https://github.com/langbein-usgs on 25 June 2023. The seasonal-adjustment code stl was slightly modified from a version downloaded from https://netlib.org/a/ in June 2008.

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Acknowledgements

I thank R. Ray, L. Morrison, A. Borsa, J. Mitrovica and M. King for their comments.

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Agnew, D.C. A global timekeeping problem postponed by global warming. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07170-0

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Published : 27 March 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07170-0

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