The Standards of a Scientific Paper

Research papers are the repositories of scientific observations plus the recipes used to make those observations.

Scientific papers have a stereotyped format:

• Abstract

• Introduction

• Materials and Methods

• Results

• Discussion

• Conclusion

• References

The exact section headings sometimes vary, but most scientific papers look pretty much the same from the outside. There are no novel constructions or inventive twists of the narrative. Instead, the framework is unchanging so that the content can be studied without distraction. The predictable form of a scientific paper, with its standard set of sections arranged in a stereotyped order, ensures that a reader knows what to expect and where to find specific types of information.