Academic writing for researchers

A research proposal outlines your research objectives, methods and its significance. It explains what you aim to achieve and how you will do it. It highlights what the audience will learn from your research and establishes its relevance in the field.

The structure depends on your school and supervisor but typically includes:

• introduction
• literature review
• methodology
• significance.

You may need to include a realistic timeline for completion and the required budget and justification for expenses.

As your research progresses you may need to produce progress reports.

Check out this resource from the Australian National University (ANU) Research proposals.

A literature review brings together, analyses and evaluates a range of sources related to a specific topic or research question.

Write your review

• Establish context by providing background information and identifying previous research in the area.
• Critique different theories and methodologies, explaining why they might be problematic or useful for your research.
• Demonstrate the relevance, importance and strength of the research problem or argument you are presenting.

Review structure

The structure may vary depending on the review type and your discipline.

• Narrative-style—includes an introduction, body and conclusion.
• Systematic-style—includes sections such as introduction, methods, results, discussion and conclusion.

If you need to submit your literature review as a stand-alone document for publication, follow the publisher's guidelines.

Work through our self-paced tutorial Analysing the literature and writing your review.

Thesis

A thesis demonstrates how your research contributes to the body of knowledge in your field by presenting a coherent argument in a logical way.

The structure of your thesis is discipline-dependent. Consult your supervisor for advice.

A traditional thesis includes:

• introduction
• literature review
• methods
• results
• analysis
• discussion
• conclusion.

An integrated thesis incorporates published and unpublished papers.

Exegesis

An exegesis is a detailed document that explains and interprets a piece of creative work. It demonstrates your understanding of past work in the field, how it fits into the broader context and how your research contributes new knowledge.

Traditional exegesis—comes after the original work is finished and does not influence it.

Research exegesis—both the research and the exegesis inform each other. As your research develops, it tracks and interprets what happens, while insights from existing theories and studies help shape both the research and the creative project.

Find examples

Use a published thesis or exegesis as a guide to structure your work and provide useful phrases and examples relevant to your discipline.

Griffith theses

Australian theses

Griffith exegeses

View the Writing thesis sections tutorial from the University of Melbourne to learn how to structure your thesis.

A clear methods and methodology section allows readers to understand how the data was collected and analysed. It should show that your methods align with standard practices and are suitable for your study's aims. Sometimes your methods or methodology may be the original part of your research. Being able to clearly describe and justify your choices is expected of researchers.

Find examples of methods and methodologies using Sage Research Methods.

Explore our self-paced tutorial Writing the methods and methodology section to learn more.

Developing the skills to write journal articles is crucial for your academic career. Journal articles can showcase your research expertise and ability to effectively communicate findings to an audience.

The structure of the article will depend on the journal's requirements—check the publishing guidelines prior to submission.

HDR candidates are required to have at least one peer-reviewed output accepted for publication during candidature. Get advice about publishing strategies and how to select a relevant journal.

Explore our self-paced tutorial Writing a journal article.

A blog post is a useful way to communicate your ideas and research informally to a broad audience. This allows you to increase the visibility of your work and build your reputation and networks.

Decide whether to create your own website, join an existing blogging platform or use a networking site, for example LinkedIn. This choice affects your audience reach and may impose structural limitations.

Write an engaging post

• Write clearly and concisely. Posts can range from 500 to 2500 words, so tailor the content to your audience.
• Focus on one aspect of your research, such as background, methods, results, motivations or challenges. Include a link to your paper.

Capture reader attention

• Use a catchy title and an engaging introduction to hook your reader.
• Use headings, subheadings, examples and evidence to guide your reader.
• Avoid overwhelming your reader with too much information.
• End the post with a call to action or a question that encourages discussion.
• Reply to comments to keep the conversation going.

Check out The Thesis Whisperer for ideas and tips on structure and writing blog posts.