The Best Science Publications to Follow
Whether you’re browsing science articles online or reading an in-depth interview in a glossy magazine, following science publications is a great way to continue your education, learn about new technology or even study an exciting subject. Check out this guide to the best science publications to follow.
Available online or delivered right to your mailbox, “Discover Magazine” is filled with news articles about science, colorful photos and interesting interviews. Read about health and medicine, the mind and body, technology, space, physics and even the environment in a format designed to entertain and enlighten. “Discover Magazine” offers a large variety of short science articles for readers to enjoy.

“Science Magazine”
Filled with science news, cutting-edge research and scientific articles, “Science Magazine” offers both online and printed options. View the latest technological journals, learn about robotics and space exploration and pick up tips to stay healthy throughout your life. Science articles are divided into categories that include climate issues, biology, medicine and ecology.
Designed to explore the inner workings of anything that involves technology, “Wired” is known for its cutting-edge articles on computers, business and the world of technological discoveries. Check out articles on innovation in the auto industry, gene editing and viral videos, or explore the excitement of new tech gear, both online and in print format. “Wired” offers short science articles that dip into anything that affects technology in today’s market.
“National Geographic”
Unmistakable bright yellow borders give “National Geographic” a look that collectors cherish. Known for its incredible wildlife photography, “National Geographic’s” online and print magazines also feature scientific articles designed to shine a light on the natural world (including animals, plants and people across the entire planet). Check out the children’s version of the magazine for younger readers who love science.
Popular Mechanics
Follow “Popular Mechanics” to pick up practical advice on projects that you can accomplish on your own. This science magazine is made for those who love DIY projects, with short scientific articles and insights on everything from modern industry trends to technology. Read opinions from experts in robotics, automotive engineering and inventing, or check out article about the military, space, tools and gadgets, both online and in a printed format. “Popular Mechanics” is a science magazine for anyone who wants to keep up with the world today.
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A Look Inside The New Yorker’s Editorial Process: From Pitch to Publication
The New Yorker is a legendary publication that has been in existence for nearly a century. It is known for its in-depth reporting, insightful commentary, and captivating fiction. But what goes on behind the scenes at this prestigious publication? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at The New Yorker’s editorial process from pitch to publication.
Pitching Ideas
Before an article can be written, it must first be pitched to The New Yorker’s editors. This can be done by anyone, from staff writers to freelance contributors. The key is to have a unique perspective or angle on a topic that hasn’t been covered before. Once an idea is pitched, it goes through several rounds of review by the editors before being accepted or rejected.
Writing and Editing
Once an idea has been accepted, the writer begins the process of researching and writing their article. This can take anywhere from a few days to several months depending on the complexity of the topic. During this phase, the writer works closely with their assigned editor who provides feedback and suggestions for improvement.
After the initial draft has been completed, it goes through multiple rounds of editing and fact-checking. This ensures that the article is accurate, well-written, and adheres to The New Yorker’s high standards of journalism.
Art Direction
In addition to its outstanding writing, The New Yorker is also known for its striking visual imagery. Each article is accompanied by custom illustrations or photographs that are carefully chosen by art directors who work closely with writers and editors.
The art direction team helps bring each story to life visually through design elements such as typography, color palettes, and layout.
Publication
Finally, after all these steps have been completed successfully – pitching ideas; writing and editing; art direction –the article is ready for publication. The New Yorker is a weekly publication, so each issue contains a variety of articles that have gone through this rigorous editorial process.
Once published, the article is promoted through various channels such as social media, email newsletters, and the magazine’s website. This helps ensure that it reaches as many readers as possible.
In conclusion, The New Yorker’s editorial process is a complex one that involves many different stages. From pitching ideas to writing and editing to art direction and publication, each step is carefully managed by a team of dedicated professionals. The result is a magazine that continues to set the standard for quality journalism and storytelling.
This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.
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Steps of Article Writing
Article Writing Format: Suppose you have some opinions regarding a topic and you want to tell people about it. How will you do so? You can tell the opinions to persons near you. But what if you want to tell not only those people but, say, the world? How will you do so? You will write those opinions, isn’t it?
Many a time you have seen some writers or people write their problems and suggestions in some newspapers, magazines, and journals or in their blogs. They are writing their opinions and beliefs in the form of an article. In this section, we will get ourselves familiar with article writing and the article writing format.
An article is a piece of writing written for a large audience. The main motive behind writing an article is that it should be published in either newspapers or magazines or journals so as to make some difference to the world.

It may be the topics of interest of the writer or it may be related to some current issues. The topic can either be serious or not-so-serious; Same goes for its tone and language.
Browse more Topics under Article Writing
- Definition, Essential Elements of Article Writing
Objectives of Article Writing
An article is written with the following objectives
- It brings out the topics or the matter of interest in the limelight
- The article provides information on the topics
- It offers suggestions and pieces of advice
- It influences the readers and urges them to think
- The article discusses various stories, persons, locations, rising-issues, and technical developments
The Format of Article Writing
An article must be organized in a proper way so as to draw the attention of the readers. The basic outline for an article writing format is
- Heading / Title
- A line having the writer’s name
- Body (the main part of the article, 2 – 3 paragraphs)
- Conclusion (Ending paragraph of the article with the opinion or recommendation, anticipation or an appeal)

Steps for Article Writing Format
Think of the topic you want to write the article about. Only after you’ve decided your topic you can go ahead and undertake the further steps in the process one by one:
- Target Audience: Identify the concerning reading group
- Purpose: Find the objective or aim of writing the article
- Collect & Select: Gather as such information as possible. Also, identify the details that are most significant
- Organize: Arrange the information and the facts in a logical way
Once you’ve taken care of all the Above steps you move forward to the final step- Writing.
- While writing an article, always use proper grammar , spelling , and proper punctuations
- Use vocabulary skill
- Keep the introduction of the topic catching, interesting, and short
- Discuss the opinion and the matter in an organized and descriptive manner
Common Mistakes in the Article Writing Format
Now that you know the steps of article writing and the article writing format, the occurrence of mistakes becomes obvious. Some of the common mistakes are:
- Not using facts or quotes or similar cases
- The language should not be too formal
- The article must be in easy language for better understanding
- The title of the article must be catchy and clearly understandable
- No use of paragraphs
- Expressing personal views is fine but the author must never talk about himself/herself
Points to Keep in Mind for the Article Writing Format
- The topics of the articles should be unique and relevant
- The article has to get attention
- It has to be interesting
- It has to be easy to read
- The reader is identified
- Find the main goal of writing an article. The goal can be anything from providing information, entertainment, and advice or for comparing, etc.
- The title must be eye-catching, clear, and interesting
- The introduction or the starting paragraph must be highly attentive. Use your vocabulary skills or try to use some interrogative words for the start
- Use clear statements and make assertions
- Avoid repetition and over the top logic and reasons
- Use the style of paragraph writing and write the contents uniquely and unambiguously
- Avoid using the points which interest you only and not for the general public
- Write a good and logical ending
Solved Example on Steps of Article Writing
Problem: Classify the following into Do’s and Don’ts in article writing.
- Write very lengthy articles
- Add the writer’s name
- The title should be lengthy and clear
- The heading of the article should be short, clear and informative
- Only the introduction and the conclusion should be attractive and attention seeking
- Target the audience
- One can advise, suggest and give the solutions to a problem in any paragraph other than the starting one
- The language and the style of writing should be according to the concerning readers
- There must be only three paragraphs in an article – introduction, middle one, and conclusion
- Use proper punctuations
- Use any tense , person, voice, as many abbreviations , and self-made words while writing an article
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How to start writing an article: step-by-step guide.

Jacqueline Luberto
The ParagraphAI Team
- Updated on 09/12/2022

Want to write an article but are unsure ofow to adequately convey a message to your intended audience? Getting started can be challenging, especially if you’re still organizing your thoughts or deciding on an appropriate tone. If you find yourself struggling with how to start writing an article, following a few simple steps can streamline the process. With the right strategies on your side, you’ll be creating well-written articles in no time.
Using an established strategy makes the business of article writing a smooth journey rather than a daunting task. However, if you want to make the steps for how to write a good article a breeze, then it’s time to leverage AI. Exploring the endless opportunity that lies within a free AI writing tool like ParagraphAI can streamline the techniques behind what makes a good article, giving your readers the information they need.
What is an Article?
What is article writing ? Article writing is a form of written communication aimed at engaging a wide audience through various media outlets. In the context of article writing, these media outlets encompass publishing entities such as newspapers, magazines, journals, and more.
Articles are written works intended for a wide audience to view, and traditionally are published in magazines, newspapers, or journals. Therefore they are typically shorter than other forms of writing, such as books or essays.
If you’re contemplating how to write a great article, a key point to remember is that it can be about any topic, from current events to personal experiences. They are intended to inform, educate, or entertain the reader. As you gain proficiency in organizing your thoughts, understanding your audience, and building a coherent structure, you will inevitably learn how to write articles fast, a skill that improves over time.
What Should Be in an Article?
As with any medium designed to deliver any type of information, there should be coherent follow. Regarding articles, it can begin with how to start writing an article and then transition into a logical structure that introduces, explores, and delivers the main point of the article. You can achieve this by creating the following sections:
- Title: Something that will make the reader want to learn more about the topic.
- Introduction: Where you present the topic and summarize the main points of the article.
- Body: The main argument, made up of supporting paragraphs.
- Conclusion: Summarization of the argument and call to action.
By following this structure and these article writing tips, your articles will effectively communicate their arguments in a clear and concise manner to your audience.
How to Write an Article
Here is a quick list to get started on articles:
Find a topic.
Find your target audience., perform research on your story to create trust., write an outline., get a rough draft together., create the subject matter., read and or share with friends for any errors..
Before proceeding, one should first consider the topic of the article and what its objective is. Is the article meant to be informative or entertaining? Perhaps you are making an argument to convince the reader of something. This would be a good starting point if you’re wondering how to start writing an article.
With your topic in mind, also consider your audience. What might draw them in? If you were someone with less knowledge on this topic, what questions would you want this article to answer? This is where tips for writing an article can be really useful. Think about your writing from the perspective of potential readers. This process will help you communicate your ideas are clearly and make your content a good read.
Research will be a necessary step for most articles intending to inform or argue a certain topic, as supporting evidence allows you to write with more credibility. Drawing from your experience can also provide unique insights, as people might find value in your anecdotes. Seeking out statistics, quotes from interviews, and references from academic publications is an important step in creating a well-informed argument.
(Source: Wings )
You will also have to come up with a title for your article, which should be eye-catching while accurately reflecting the content of your writing. It can be helpful to brainstorm a few ideas and consider which one fits the main idea while being the most engaging to a potential reader looking to learn more about the topic.
When writing an introduction, you will want an interesting hook that draws the reader in and a brief overview of your article. This is where you can set the tone for your article and deliver the thesis statement that the following paragraphs will support.
The body is then made up of paragraphs that each will support the main point that was laid out in the introduction. This is where you will dig deeper into your arguments and answer any questions that you anticipate readers may have going into the article. The paragraphs should ideally be short and concise to retain the reader’s interest.
For your conclusion, you should summarize the main point as a means of tying up all of the points made by the article. With an effective call to action to close out your argument, you will leave the audience reflecting on your writing.
How to Write an Article in ParagraphAI in Two Easy Steps
While developing techniques for how to write an article more efficiently, learning to make use of a free writing tool such as ParagraphAI is a worthwhile way to increase your productivity. If you’re curious about how to write an article using AI, this is the perfect place to start. If you’re looking to brainstorm ideas, structure your thoughts, or come up with words and phrases to use in your articles, ParagraphAI has you covered. This tool can provide help in a variety of ways. Here’s how you can get started.
Step 1: Enter Your Topic
By supplying ParagraphAI with the topic of your article, it generates an introduction paragraph and two body paragraphs. This gives you a strong starting point with which you can work off of to write the rest of your article. However, the article produced is unquestionably incomplete as it lacks a conclusion—and in the case of this Macbeth article, body paragraphs exploring the other two themes mentioned in the introduction need to be addressed. This is a good thing to remember and understand to utilize the tool effectively. Luckily, this can be remedied.
Step 2: Prompt Using Specifics
For any paragraphs left that you may need to complete your article, you can enter the topic of that paragraph specifically and plug that result into your article to fill in the gaps.
In the case of a body paragraph, you would enter one of the supporting ideas that help to make up your overall point, while with a conclusion paragraph, you would enter the thesis from the introduction in order to summarize the whole article. With everything assembled, you have a complete article to revise as needed!
With the right understanding of how to write an article and the importance of one’s structure, style=”color: #EC693F”ParagraphAI can help you create articles more efficiently than ever before.
Once you’ve decided on your topic, you can start your article off strong with a click of a button and similarly create the rest of your paragraphs as you go along.
So if you’ve got an article to write, consider getting some assistance from ParagraphAI’s free AI writing tool. You may be surprised at how quickly you’ll be able to organize and present your thoughts.
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10 Practices and Tips for Good Article Writing
The scope of creation has widened from some scholars writing on a subject to a majority of the population evolving into creators through research. articles are like the basic layout of the knowledge we receive in today’s world. the different types of articles now disintegrated need guidance on practices and tips for good article writing, provided herein simplified and useful format. thus, if you are jumping on articles to understand and learn everything-format, tips, types, etc., about article writing, keep reading to clear up every clogging area..

What is an Article ?
Articles are one of the simplest forms of literature. A written composition of content, for the online or offline world, on mostly a specific topic is called an article. What you are reading right now is an article itself. A specific article revolves around a specific keyword to cover enhanced A-Z aspects of the given topic.
Articles are printed in newspapers, magazines, research papers, online websites, blog pages, and many other forms of digital communications.
This wide range of availability, on one hand, gives it huge exposure, rendering no one to be completely unknown from article writing, but on the other hand, the traffic created by lakhs of articles requires a vibrant sheet of work to be exposed to people. Before any of that though, let us be familiar with the basic format of article writing.
Format of Article Writing
The Basic Format of Any Article Is Divided into 3 Parts:
- Introduction
- Body/ main text
- Introduction : This part of an article consists of a medium-length paragraph. Here is where you depict the importance of your article. It is like a snippet of the beginning of the problem you will be resolving in your article. Also, the introduction is where readers decide to lend their time to the whole article or not, so your job is to make it interesting or filled with value.
- Main Body: The body is the main area where you make your article useful to people. Fill it with each and every aspect of your topic. Roam around with a 360 degrees approach and write it all down in a formulated way. The body is the longest and the most useful part of an article.
- Conclusion: At the end of all, a small conclusion becomes a good full stop to the work. The conclusion is a precise and concise statement from the article. It can be just a statement conveying how the article was helpful, or what topics the article covered under its umbrella.
Now let us move to the interesting part! Below is the list of some easy and effective tips and practices to improve the quality of your article.
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Best Tips for Article Writing
We know that uncountable creators put up uncountable articles, whether it is online or offline. More than 5000 articles are published on the internet on a daily basis, and that is excluding blogs and other such forms. Over this huge number, how should you compete with your challenging competitors? So how will you make sure that your work stands out?
For this seemingly difficult work, there are some very easy practices and tips for good article writing that will surely improve the standard of an article. We will start from some very basic tips you should keep in mind while writing articles, and then move on to some more specific ones.
1. Researching
For an article, you need to circulate valuable information so that people continue to read it. Researching is the pillar of any article you write, on any topic. You may be an expert in a given topic, but with research, you can state facts, which is much more valuable than blank sentences.
Some Good Practices for Researching are:
- Reading other good articles on related topics
- Reading more than one article on the topic
- Making a list of topics around the topic beforehand
- Going through questions searched by people on your chosen topic
In conclusion, read at least 2 good articles on your topic before writing your own, make a list of topics you want to have in your article beforehand so that no last-minute searches are needed, and take notes from people’s questions.
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2. Heading/Keyword of the Article
Before moving further, let us not forget the importance of the title of an article. The heading of the article decides whether the readers are going to read the whole article or not. For offline mode, keep the heading unique, interesting, and resonating with your article. How can you make your heading interesting?
Some of the options are:
- Writing a question in the headline
- Giving a metaphorical approach to the heading
- On-point heading
- Writing a very valuable/helpful looking heading
Like, in newspaper articles, we also write a subheading, a bit longer than the heading, which further describes the main point of your article, giving your readers an overview as to what your article is about.
In online mode, you need to do a bit more research according to your keyword. You need to do good keyword research , for example through Ubersuggest , to choose a tempting heading for your article that could rank well in search engines as well.
Here, the title should resonate with what people search for, otherwise, they would simply move to the next one. Your title should include your chosen keyword so that search engines (Google) rank your article well.

3. Writing Style
Be as simple and comprehensive as you can. An article should be valuable to each person regardless of one’s vocabulary strength. Use easy words. Write small and easily understandable sentences. Write as per the reader’s persona and build up a systematic article.
As told earlier, the number of articles on the internet is as wide as it can get, giving a reader negligible tolerance if they do not get a sense of value from your article. Speaking of low tolerance and patience, readers do not keep on searching for the meaning of words if they come across something incomprehensible in an article. So, your approach should be, to either explain a difficult word or to not use it if not necessary.
The writing style also depends upon your type of article. For example, if your keyword is article writing, you need to write a basic article with negligible technical words. But if your keyword is SEO article writing, then you need to use some digital terms .
- Use easy language
- Explain technical words, if used
- Write comprehensive and short sentences
- Write according to the reader’s perspective
Overall, it is always advisable to write 8th class standard of English to be easily comprehensive and valuable to all the readers.
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4. Compelling Introduction
After the headline, what determines whether the majority of readers are going to read your article or not depends on the first part of the article, which is the introduction. This puts around 40% of the value in the introduction part of your article. The introduction is usually a small paragraph containing some basics about the following article. Some ways to make the introduction compelling and interesting are:
- Describe the problems (if your answer is in the article) related to your topic
- Start with asking a series of questions
- Begin with a story, fictional or non-fictional, to build up the readers’ interest
- State facts about some topics that fall under your article
- Use the magic of famous or creative Quotes
Following one of these will make the introduction of your article much more powerful and compelling for the readers. Writing a story, whether fictional or non-fictional, will make the readers interested in the further storyline and conclusion of your article, thus it is always a good approach.
Asking questions usually renders the readers pondering on the problems, and thus, keeping them motivated to expect answers and valuable information from your article. The whole point of introduction being of great value lies in people’s lack of patience and the number of hollow articles present on the internet. Make sure the article you write has a genuinely informative eye.
5. Use Spaces
To make your article as well defined and inflow as possible, use spaces. By spaces, I mean bullet points, short paragraphs, subheadings, tables, and normal white spaces. While writing online, white spaces should be more than in offline writing. Your article should be formulated in a way it is very easy for the reader to grab important points from, even in very little time.
To make your article well-spaced and easily anecdote so that it is beneficial for readers, use the following practices:
- Use Bullet Points: It is quite common to ignore long sentences. It is highly convenient for readers to rely on simple bulletins. So, use bullet points whenever you can.
- Use Subheadings: Divide your article into relevant parts. Give those parts subheadings if possible so that readers have the option of jumping to the one valuable to them. Subheadings also define and shape the article.
- Small Paragraph: Give your article spaces. Leave a line after a paragraph. It is like giving some fresh air to the readers. Compact writing overwhelms readers before even beginning to see if your article is good or not. So better to make the article visually clean.
6. Create a Draft for Topics
A systematic article is a way to go. Begin from A and end on Z. It is unwise to drop off the pieces of information on the page as you receive them. Do research wisely and write the valuable topics and facts as drafts before actually writing them. You will probably gather information and inspiration in bits and pieces; it is your function to curate them into a structured building.
So, before jumping into the writing part, select your topics, find the notes and facts about them, select the questions you will be looking into, and then you will be ready with a loaded pen. Drafts ensure you don’t waste your time rummaging for extra pins, as well as helps in some overview on the article. This point was clearly not for the readers, but for your own convenience.
7. Highlight Important Texts
We already talked about how less the attention span of people has gotten. This means, make the solutions as concentrated as possible. A paragraph is like diluted acid, it may be effective for some people who are actually taking all the time to do in-depth research. But for most of the audience, the article should be concentrated on solutions, knowledge, facts, and whatever our reader is looking for.
Thus, highlight the important points. One method is to use bullet points and subheadings. But what if some important pieces of stuff are inside a paragraph? Bold them! Use bold fonts for valuable scripts.
8. Accompany with Stats or Facts
Do not risk being a hollow writer!
Write as statistically correct and well-furnished in an article as possible. Obviously, you will get better with experience, but always try to be on point. With well-done research and well-organized notes, it is easy to write a connecting article accompanied with the required statistics, examples, and facts.
Work in numbers along with words if possible. All these true figures add true value to the article. For example, which one sounds more compelling and truer?
A huge number of articles are published on the internet in a day.
More than 5000 articles are published on the internet on a daily basis.
The second one, right? Anyone would rather choose a statement with perfect figures, even if not needed because this shows how well searched an article is. You can add some images, not a huge number though. 1-2 images are enough for a 2000+ word article. But images, especially graphs or proofs on facts, images, add a lot of value to the article if chosen wisely.
9. Proofread and Edit
At last, no one would be interested to read a whole article filled with small grammatical and spelling mistakes.
To avoid these mistakes that could ruin an otherwise perfect article, do thorough proofreading and edit the parts which are wrong or seem not as clear as they should be. Read your article again thoroughly. Every writer, however famous or good he/she may be, makes mistakes that are only put into the right place via extra and tiring efforts of going back into the work and being vigilant.
Reading the Article Again can Provide You with the Following Options.
- It gives you another chance to update some of the contents.
- You can check for redundancy and omit repeated parts.
- You can edit your mistakes.
You can use useful online tools like Grammarly, Hemingway editor, Ginger, Language tool, and much other software available to decrease the number of spelling or grammatical mistakes on the spot. These remarkable tools make the tedious work of editing much easier.
10. Focus on Digital Optimization
The final task is to optimize the article for the digital world. You might have learned everything about article writing, but it is of no use if it doesn’t rank on search engines at all. For this, you must have knowledge about Search Engine Optimization (SEO ) . Your article will rank well given you have managed to perform good off-page and on-page SEO.
Some very simple things for on-page SEO are writing thick content (i.e., an article of at least 3000-5000 words), choosing a good keyword (using tools like Ubersuggest for keyword research, removing plagiarism , and writing as per your keywords. Listicles are highly effective articles; thus, they rank better than normal articles. They are more helpful to readers as well, given they are structured better. So, write listicle articles if possible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. what are the 5 parts of an article.
The main 5 parts of an article are:
- Headline/title
- Body /main text
2. How many paragraphs is an article?
There is no fixed number. If you are writing an offline article, 2-5 paragraphs in the body are enough. As for online article writing, short paragraphs are recommended, thus writing on 2-5 topics in an article should be the goal.
3. How do I write an article for content writing?
Here is the Series:
- Do keyword research and choose your keyword
- Write an eye-catching headline
- Compelling and short introduction
- Research well
- Create a draft, with all the required topics, information, …
- Optimize digital content
- Proofread and edit
- And finally, publish!
4. What are the tools for editing content?
Some tools for editing grammar are Grammarly, Hemingway editor, Ginger, and Language tool. These will help to edit your content easily.
Give this list of 10 practices and tips for good article writing a practical approach to gain improved results in the area. The points mentioned above can improve the quality of the articles you write.
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How to Write Articles
Last Updated: June 13, 2023 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Janet Peischel . Janet Peischel is a Writer and Digital Media Expert and the Owner of Top of Mind Marketing. With more than 15 years of consulting experience, she develops content strategies and builds online brands for her clients. Prior to consulting, Janet spent over 15 years in the marketing industry, in positions such as the Vice President of Marketing Communications for the Bank of America. Janet holds a BA and MA from the University of Washington. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,264,698 times.
There are a multitude of different types of articles, including news stories, features, profiles, instructional articles, and so on. While each has specific qualities that are unique to its type, all articles share some common characteristics. From forming and researching your idea to writing and editing your work, writing articles can give you a chance to share compelling and important information with readers.
Forming Your Idea

- News: This type of article presents facts about something that happened recently or that will happen in the near future. It usually covers the 5 Ws and H: who, what, where, when, why and how.
- Feature: This type of article presents information in a more creative, descriptive way than a straight news article. It can be an article about a person, a phenomenon, a place, or other subject.
- Editorial: This article presents a writer’s opinions on a topic or debate. It is intended to persuade the reader to think a certain way about a topic. [1] X Research source
- How-to: This article gives clear instructions and information about how to accomplish some task.
- Profile: This article presents information about a person, using information that the writer typically gathers through interviews and background research.

- What interests you about this topic?
- What is a point that people usually overlook?
- What do you want people to know about this topic?
- For example, if you want to write about organic farming, you might say to yourself, “I think it’s important to know what organic labeling means on food packages. It can be confusing to know what it all means.”

- Your goal is to convey enough passion that your readers think the issue in your article is worth caring about.

- Enter some keywords into an online search engine. This can lead you to sources that write about your topic. These sources can also give you an idea of different approaches to the topic.
- Read as much as you can on the topic. Visit your local library. Consult books, magazine articles, published interviews, and online features as well as news sources, blogs, and databases for information. A good place to start looking for data not apparent on the Internet is the Gale Directory of Databases, which exists in both book format (available in libraries) or online .

- For example, for the organic food topic, you might focus on one grocery shopper who doesn’t understand organic food labeling. Use that opening anecdote to lead into your main argument, known as a "nut graph," which summarizes your unique idea or perspective.

- For example, if you are writing about how one person learns how to read organic labels, your overall argument might be that the public needs to be aware that many companies misuse organic labeling. This leads to dishonest practices in product advertising. Another topic might be: it’s important to know who owns your local media outlets. If corporate media organizations own your local newspaper, you may get very little media coverage of your area and not know much about your community.
- Write your argument in one sentence. Post it near your computer or writing area. This will help you stay focused as you start working on your article.
Researching Your Idea

- Primary sources can include a transcript from a legislative hearing, lawsuit filing, county property indexes with folio numbers, discharge certificates from the military, and photos. Other primary sources could include government written records in the National Archives or special collections sections of your local or university library, insurance policies, corporate financial reports, or personal background reports.
- Secondary sources comprise published databases, books, abstracts, articles in English and other languages, bibliographies, dissertations, and reference books.
- You can find information on the internet or in a library. You can also conduct interviews, watch documentaries, or consult other sources.

- You can make a longer list of evidence and examples. As you gather more evidence, you will be able to prioritize which ones are the strongest examples.

- Don’t assume that one source is completely accurate. You'll need several unrelated sources to get the full picture.

- Choose a citation style sooner rather than later, so you can compile citation information in the correct format. MLA, APA, and Chicago are some of the most common citation styles.

- Don’t copy any text directly from another source. Paraphrase this text instead, and include a citation .
Outlining Your Idea

- For example, if you are writing an article for a specialized academic audience, your tone, and approach will be vastly different from if you’re writing an article for a popular magazine.

- It’s helpful to start with the five-paragraph essay outline. [4] X Research source This outline devotes one paragraph to an introduction, three paragraphs for supporting evidence, and one paragraph for a conclusion. As you start plugging in information into your outline, you may find that this structure doesn’t suit your article so well.
- You might also find that this structure doesn’t suit certain types of articles. For example, if you’re doing a profile of a person, your article may follow a different format.

- Make sure to fully attribute your quote and use quotation marks around anything that you didn’t write yourself. For example, you might write: A spokesperson for the dairy brand Milktoast says, “Our milk is labeled organic because our cows are only fed organic grass.”
- Don’t overdo the quotes. Be selective about the quotes you do use. If you use too many quotes, your reader might think you’re using them as filler instead of coming up with your material.
Writing Your Article

- Telling an anecdote.
- Using a quote from an interview subject.
- Starting with a statistic.
- Starting with straight facts of the story.

- Be flexible, however. Sometimes when you write, the flow makes sense in a way that is different from your outline. Be ready to change the direction of your piece if it seems to read better that way.

- For example, you might write about the grocery shopper having trouble with organic food labels: “Charlie concentrated on jars of peanut butter on the shelf. The words ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ seemed to jump out at him. Every jar said something different. He felt they were shouting at him: ‘Choose me!’ ‘Buy me!’ The words started swimming in front of his eyes. He left the aisle without buying anything.”

- For example, use words or phrases such as “however…,” “another important point is…,” or “it must be remembered that…”

- For example, a newspaper article will need to offer information in a narrative, chronological format. It should be written with accessible and straightforward language. An academic article will be written with more formal language. A how-to article might be written in more informal language.
- When writing your article, use a strong "anchoring" sentence at the beginning of each paragraph to move your reader forward. Moreover, vary the length of your sentences, both short and long. If you find all your sentences are about the same word length, chances are your reader will be 'lulled" into a standard rhythm and fall asleep. Sentences which are consistently choppy and short may give your reader the impression you are writing advertising copy instead of a well-thought-out article.

- If you started with an anecdote or statistic in your introduction, think about reconnecting to this point in your conclusion.
- Conclusions are often strongest when they use a last, brief, concrete example that leads the reader to new insights. Conclusions should be 'forward-thinking' -- point the reader in a direction that keeps his or her "thirst" for knowledge going strong.

- For example, you could include photographs, charts, or infographics to illustrate some of your points.
- You could also highlight or develop a major point more with a sidebar-type box. This is an extra bit of writing that delves more deeply into one aspect of the subject. For example, if you’re writing about your city’s film festival, you might include a sidebar write-up that highlights one of the films. These types of write-ups are usually short (50-75 words, depending on the publication outlet).
- Remember, these materials are supplemental. This means that your article should stand on its own. Your writing needs to be understandable, clear and focused without the help of charts, photographs or other graphics.
Finalizing Your Work

- Look closely at the central argument or point you’re trying to make. Does everything in your article serve this central argument? Do you have a unrelated paragraph? If so, this paragraph should be eliminated or reframed so that it supports the main argument.
- Eliminate any contradictory information in the article or address the contradictions, showing how the contradictory information is relevant to readers.
- Rewrite sections or the entire thing as necessary. Revisions like this are common for all types of articles, so don’t feel like you’ve failed or are incompetent.

- It’s helpful to print out a hard copy of your article. Go through it with a pen or pencil to catch mistakes. Then go back and correct these mistakes on the computer.

- It is common to be able to identify your mistakes in grammar or writing while reading aloud as well; this could cut down on the feedback that you may receive from someone else.

- This person may also catch errors and inconsistencies that you have overlooked.

- If you want to convey slightly more information, write a sub-headline. This is a secondary sentence that builds on the headline.
Article Outline Template

Expert Q&A

- Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to write the article. If you don't, you'll be rushing at the last minute to create something that isn't representative of what you can truly do. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
- To find out more about using primary research tools and databases, consult the Investigative Reporters and Editors website or get a copy of The Investigative Reporter's Handbook: A Guide to Documents, Databases and Techniques, Fifth Edition. Authors: Brant Houston and Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's 2009). Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
- Determine whether you actually have an interest in writing. Try writing 2 paragraphs with as much creativity as possible. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

- When writing for a newspaper or magazine, do not do so free. Ask what the freelance fee is beforehand. Your pay will usually be calculated on a per-word basis or per-article basis. Your work is valuable. Writing for free makes making a living more difficult for those who depend on freelance fees to pay the bills. If you're just starting out, volunteering to do some articles for smaller community papers, student publications and trade magazines is a great way to build your portfolio. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
You Might Also Like

- ↑ http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/journalism/types.html
- ↑ Janet Peischel. Digital Media Expert. Expert Interview. 30 March 2021.
- ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/creating-a-5-paragraph-essay-outline.html
- ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/why-is-context-important-in-writing#quiz-0
- ↑ http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/166662
About This Article

To write an article, use both primary and secondary sources to gather information about your topic. Primary sources include photos, government records, and personal interviews, while secondary sources include books, abstracts, scholarly journals, other articles, and reference books. When you’re writing, use facts, quotes, and statistics from your sources to support your point, and explain your topic as if the reader has never heard of it before. To learn the different types of articles, including news, features, and editorials, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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How to Write a Good Article: 7 Tips
Want to learn how to write a good article? Craft attention-grabbing titles? Pull readers in and keep their focus?
Knowing how to say something is as important as knowing what to say. The following seven tips will help you create articles that engage readers from beginning to end.
<div class="tip">Need help with content creation? Hire writers through our content marketing platform and receive high-quality content for your site.</div>
1. Create a catchy title.
A title is the first thing your reader will see, and it's the first chance you have to convince them to continue reading your article. You don't need to resort to clickbait-style titles to get readers interested. There are many different strategies for formulating good titles . Here are a few suggestions to help you formulate one that is perfectly eye-catching:
- Promise a solution. What problem are you going to solve for the reader? Draw them in with a promise of answers. For example, start out with phrases like "how to" and "tips for."
- Be succinct. Blog posts with 6- to 13-word titles get the most traffic , so make sure your titles aren't too wordy.
- Ask a question. Write your title in the form of a question to which you know the answer will be "yes."
2. Start strong—write a strong hook.
You only have, at most, a few sentences to draw a reader in. Let your reader know that this is going to be an article worth taking the time to finish. The first sentence is the most important of the entire article and should be carefully crafted. You want to hook your reader in and not let go from that point forward. Here are a few tips:
- Pose a question. What's the driving question behind your article? Start there and make your reader want to stay for the answer.
- Present a surprising fact. Right out of the gate, the reader knows they will learn something new in this article.
- Start with a controversial statement. Get the reader invested immediately.
3. Write succinctly.
Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. Long, dense paragraphs can be intimidating. You don't want your reader to open the link, see a block of text and think. “I don't have time for this.” Shorter sentences pull the reader along and encourage a quick reading pace. Here are some suggestions for how to trim your sentences:
- Avoid excessive words. You're a writer. You like to write. But don't get too caught up in creating flowery prose. Make sure that your writing isn't getting in the way of the information you are conveying.
- Check your adverbs. If you find adverbs paired with weaker words, use a stronger word to convey the same meaning instead. Is something “very important” or “critical”? Cutting out adverbs not only saves you a few words, but it also makes your writing stronger.
- Watch redundancy. Adverbs are often at fault here too. Something is just “harmless,” not “completely harmless”. Something is “blank,” not “totally blank”.
<div class="tip">What about the length of an article itself? It's a common question, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Follow these guidelines about how long a blog post should be.</div>
4. Edit your work. And then edit again.
In other words, don't be afraid to edit. It's common to feel that every word you write is crucial, and it can be painful to cut things out. However, editing is just as important—if not more important—than the actual writing.
When you've finished your first draft, go back over it with a critical eye, deleting anything unnecessary or repetitive. If a sentence doesn't function to strengthen your argument, give it the ax! After this initial and brutal editing phase, read over your piece again to ensure that every sentence feeds naturally into the next.
5. Pay attention to visuals.
It would be nice to think that only the quality of your writing matters, but the truth is looks matter too. Learning a few tricks allows you to use this to your advantage.
Variation in sentence length, paragraph length, text size, and text type breaks up the visual landscape in an appealing way. This variation also serves to guide the reader to the most important parts of your article.
Images can also serve to break up the text, and they are another way to draw in the reader. A catchy title draws clicks, but an enticing image piques readers' interest enough to continue reading. Remember, it's important to consider which images will work best for your article and how to access them.
- Keep paragraphs short and visually appealing.
- Use bullet points to break up blocks of text. Since 43% of readers skim blog articles , it's important to highlight your main points.
- Bolding is another way to break up your text, directing the skimmer's eyes to those ideas that you want to stand out.
- Use images to break up the text and draw in readers.
6. Use the appropriate format.
Not all articles are created the same. It's important to be aware of different types and to consider which format is the best fit for what you're writing. Will your topic work best as a numbered listicle ? Keep in mind that titles with numbers generate the most clicks.
Formatting your article as a how-to is also a good way to generate clicks . Consider your topic and what will work best in terms of the presentation of ideas.
7. Use keywords strategically.
Keywords are an important part of search engine optimization (SEO). However, keep in mind that Google penalizes sites for keyword stuffing . We are still aiming for quality content and the appropriate use of keywords. Include the primary keyword in the title of your blog post. Secondary keywords should be featured in the subheadings and the body of the text.
Last Thoughts
There are two additional tips that will drastically affect how you write an article: practice and read. The more you practice writing, the better you will get. Actively practice implementing these tips in your writing. Then when you read other articles, engage with them as a writer. Were you drawn in by the opening? Is the layout visually appealing? Thinking critically while you read is another way to improve as a writer.
Happy writing!
This article was written by Compose.ly writer Grace Neveu.

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How to write a research article to submit for publication
Pharmacists and healthcare professionals who are undertaking research should have an understanding of how to produce a research article for publication, and be aware of the important considerations relating to submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

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Undertaking and performing scientific, clinical and practice-based research is only the beginning of the scholarship of discovery [1] . For the full impact of any research to be achieved and to have an effect on the wider research and scientific community, it must be published in an outlet accessible to relevant professionals [2] .
Scientific research is often published in peer-reviewed journals. Peer review is defined as the unbiased, independent, critical assessment of scholarly or research manuscripts submitted to journals by experts or opinion leaders [3] . The process and requirements of reviewers has been covered recently [4] . On account of this rigorous process, peer-reviewed scientific journals are considered the primary source of new information that impacts and advances clinical decision-making and practice [5] , [6] .
The development of a research article can be helpful for the promotion of scientific thinking [7] , [8] and the advancement of effective writing skills, allowing the authors to participate in broader scientific discussions that lie beyond their scope of practice or discipline [2] .
This article aims to provide pharmacists and healthcare professionals who are undertaking research with an understanding of how to produce a research article for publication, as well as points to consider before submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
Importance of the research question
This article will not go into detail about forming suitable research questions, however, in principle, a good research question will be specific, novel and of relevance to the scientific community (e.g. pharmacy – pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, pharmacy technicians and related healthcare professionals). Hulley et al . suggest using the FINER criteria (see ‘Figure 1: FINER criteria for a good research question’) to aid the development of a good research question [9] .

Figure 1: FINER criteria for a good research question
Source: Hulley S, Cummings S, Browner W et al . [9]
The FINER criteria highlight useful points that may generally increase the chances of developing a successful research project. A good research question should specify the population of interest, be of interest to the scientific community and potentially to the public, have clinical relevance and further current knowledge in the field.
Having a clear research question that is of interest to those working in the same field will help in the preparation of an article because it can be used as the central organising principle – all of the content included and discussed should focus on answering this question.
Preparing a first draft
Before writing the article, it is useful to highlight several journals that you could submit the final article to. It also helps to familiarise yourself with these journals’ styles, article structures and formatting instructions before starting to write. Many journals also have criteria that research articles should be able to satisfy. For example, all research article submissions to Clinical Pharmacist must demonstrate innovative or novel results that are sustainable, reproducible and transferable [10] .
Having researched potential target journals, you should have a clear idea about your target audience, enabling you to pitch the level of the article appropriately [11] (see ‘Box 1: Top tips to prepare for writing’).
Box 1: Top tips to prepare for writing
- Know the focus of the paper – identify two or three important findings and make these the central theme of the article;
- Gather important data, perform any analyses and make rough data plots and tables beforehand. These can then be refined for inclusion or submitted as supplementary information if needed;
- Organise your results to flow in a logical sequence;
- Know the structure and requirements of your target journals (check websites and author guidelines, as well as published articles);
- Think about the style of the piece and look to pitch the article at the level of the intended audience;
- Clarity should be your guiding principle.
Structuring a research article
Most research articles follow a similar structure and format that includes an abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion, as well as a summary of the key points discussed in the article.
One approach is to start with the methods section, which can be derived from the protocol and any pilot phase. Many of the figures and tables can be constructed in advance, which will help with writing the results section. The questions addressed by the study can be used alongside the results to formulate the introduction, which can guide how the discussion is written [11] .
Clinical Pharmacist , like other peer-reviewed journals, has specific author guidelines and formatting instructions to help authors prepare their articles [10] , [12] , [13] . The following sections will discuss the required sections and important considerations for authors when writing.
Title, abstract and keywords
The title, abstract and keywords are essential to the successful communication of research. Most electronic search engines, databases (e.g. PubMed/MEDLINE) and journal websites extract words from them to determine whether your article will be displayed to interested readers [14] , [15] , [16] , [17] , enabling accurate dissemination and leading to future citations.
In addition, the title and abstract are usually freely available online. If an article is not published in an ‘open access’ format, (i.e. it is free and immediately available online and access is combined with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment) [18] , or if the reader does not have a subscription to the journal, they will have to decide on whether to pay to access the full article to continue reading. Therefore, it is imperative that they are informative and accurate.
The title should accurately reflect the research, identify the main issue and begin with the subject matter, while being both simple and enticing enough to attract the audience [19] . Authors should avoid using ‘a study of’, ‘investigations into’ and ‘observations on’ in titles. It is also worth remembering that abstracting and indexing services, such as MEDLINE, require accurate titles, because they extract keywords from them for cross-referencing [19] .
Many journals require the abstract to be structured in the same way as the main headings of the paper (e.g. introduction, methods, results, discussion and conclusion) and to be around 150–300 words in length [10] . In general, references should not be cited in the abstract.
Introduction
The introduction should provide the background and context to the study. Two or three paragraphs can be dedicated to the discussion of any previous work and identification of gaps in current knowledge. The rest of the introduction should then outline what this piece of work aims to address and why this is important, before stating the objectives of the study and the research question [20] .
The methods section should provide the reader with enough detail for them to be able to reproduce the study if desired [3] . The context and setting of the study should be described and the study design specified. The section should further describe the population (including the inclusion and exclusion criteria), sampling strategy and the interventions performed. The main study variables should be identified and the data collection procedures described [3] .
Authors should provide specific, technical and detailed information in this section. Several checklists and guidelines are available for the reporting of specific types of studies:
- CONSORT is used for developing and reporting a randomised controlled trial [21] ;
- The STARD checklist can help with designing a diagnostic accuracy study [22] ;
- The PRISMA checklist can be used when performing a metaâ€analyses or systematic review, but can also help with compiling an introduction [23] .
For the reporting of qualitative research studies, authors should explain which research tradition the study utilises and link the choice of methodological strategies with the research goals [24] .
For studies describing the development of new initiatives or clinical services, authors should describe the situation before the initiative began, the establishment of priorities, formulation of objectives and strategies, mobilisation of resources, and processes used in the methods section [10] .
The final portion of the methods section will include the statistical methods used to analyse the data [25] . The statistical methods employed should be described with enough detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to be able to judge its appropriateness for the study and verify the results [3] . For survey-based studies and information on sampling frame, size and statistical powers, see ‘When to use a survey in pharmacy practice research’ [26] .
Findings should be quantified and presented with appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty (e.g. confidence intervals). Authors should avoid relying solely on statistical hypothesis testing, such as P values, because these fail to convey important information about effect size and precision of estimates [3] . Statistical terms, abbreviations and most symbols should be defined, and the statistical software package and versions used should be specified. Authors should also take care to distinguish prespecified from exploratory analyses, including subgroup analyses [3] .
The results section should be straightforward and factual and all of the results that relate to the research question should be provided, with detail including simple counts and percentages [27] . Data collection and recruitment should be commented on and the participants described. Secondary findings and the results of subgroup analyses can also be presented [27] .
Figures, schemes and tables
To present data and results of the research study, figures, schemes and tables can be used. They should include significant digits, error bars and levels of statistical significance.
Tables should be presented with a summary title, followed by caption, a sentence or two that describes the content and impact of the data included in the table. All captions should provide enough detail so that the table or figure can be interpreted and understood as stand-alone material, separate from the article.
Figures should also be presented with a summary title, a caption that describes the significant result or interpretation that can be made from the figure, the number of repetitions within the experiment, as well as what the data point actually represents. All figures and tables should be cited in the manuscript text [11] .
When compiling tables and figures, important statistics, such as the number of samples (n), the index of dispersion (standard deviation [SD], standard error of the mean [SEM]), and the index of central tendency (mean, median or mode), must be stated. The statistical analysis performed should also be included and specific statistical data should be indicated (e.g. P values) [11] .
Discussion and conclusions
The discussion section should state the main findings of the study. The main results should be compared with reference to previous research and current knowledge, and where this has been extended it should be fully described [2] , [11] , [25] . For clinical studies, relevant discussion of the implications the results may have on policy should be included [10] . It is important to include an analysis of the strengths and limitations of the study and offer perspectives for future work [2] . Excessive presentation of data and results without any discussion should be avoided and it is not necessary to cite a published work for each argument presented. Any conclusions should include the major findings, followed by a brief discussion of future perspectives and the application of this work to other disciplines [10] .
The list of references should be appropriate; important statements presented as facts should be referenced, as well as the methods and instruments used. Reference lists for research articles, however, unlike comprehensive reviews of a topic, do not necessarily have to be exhaustive. References to unpublished work, to documents in the grey literature (technical reports), or to any source that the reader will have difficulty finding or understanding should be avoided [27] . Most journals have reference limits and specific formatting requirements, so it is important to check the journal’s author guidelines [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] , [19] .
Authorship and acknowledgements
Determining contributors who qualify as authors and those who should be acknowledged can be difficult. Clinical Pharmacist follows guidance from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, which recommends that authorship be based on the following four criteria:
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved [3] .
Therefore, only individuals who meet all four criteria should be identified as authors [3] . The contribution of individuals who do not meet all four criteria should instead be included in the acknowledgements.
In addition, a statement that recognises any funding sources for the work should be added to the acknowledgements. This statement should adhere to the guidelines provided by the funding institution [11] .
Supplementary and supporting information
A key principle of research publication is that others should be able to replicate and build upon an author’s published claims. Therefore, submitted manuscripts should contain the necessary detail about the study and analytical design, and the data must be available for editors and peer-reviewers to allow full evaluation to take place. This is now commonplace and is seen as best practice. Author guidelines now include sections related to misconduct and falsification of data [28] . By participating in self-archiving practices and providing full data sets, authors can play their part in transparency.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society website hosts a database to help share data from research studies. The map of evidence collates existing evidence and ongoing initiatives that can ultimately inform policy and practice relating to pharmacy; enables the sharing and showcasing of good pharmacy practice and innovation; and aims to increase the knowledge exchange and learning in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences [29] .
Revising your article prior to submission
Once a draft research article has been prepared, it should be shared among all of the co-authors for review and comments. A full revision of the draft should then take place to correct grammar and check flow and logic before journal submission. All authors will have to agree on the authenticity of the data and presentation before formal submission can take place [3] (see ‘Box 2: Common mistakes and reasons why research articles are rejected for publication’).
Box 2: Common mistakes and reasons why research articles are rejected for publication
- Lack of novelty and importance of the research question;
- Poor study design;
- Methods not accurately and adequately described;
- Results poorly reported, along with little analysis of data;
- Lack of statistical analysis;
- Not acknowledging the study’s limitations;
- Providing unsupported conclusions or overstating the results of the study;
- Poor writing;
- Not following the journal’s style and formatting guidance;
- Submitting a manuscript that is incomplete or outside of the aims and scope.
Selecting a journal and submitting your manuscript
It is important to select a journal for submission wisely because this choice can determine the impact and dissemination of your work [13] . Impact factor (a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year), the scope and readership of a title may also influence your choice.
Furthermore, approval and adequate disclosures must be obtained from all co-authors. A conflict of interests form is also completed as part of the submissions process (normally completed by the lead author on behalf of all authors).
Many journals now request that a cover letter is also submitted to the editor, putting the study in context and explaining why the research is of importance to their audience and why it should be considered for publication in their journal.
Once this is all completed, the article can be formally submitted (usually via email or an online submission system). Figure 2 provides a sample process for a manuscript once submitted to a journal for consideration for publication.

Figure 2: Sample process for a submitted manuscript
Source: The Pharmaceutical Journal
All journals follow a similar process for article submissions, whether they use a formal online submissions system or simply email. Clinical Pharmacist uses a process similar to this and it is useful for authors to be aware of how their submission may progress once submitted to a journal for publication.
Useful Links
- The EQUATOR Network
- Research4Life – Authorship skills modules
- Pharmacy Research UK
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