Research Paper Writing Guide

Applying for graduate school? 🎓🙌🏾 I recently attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education Open House to learn more about the Doctor of Education Leadership program. I'm not an admissions counselor but here's my advice informed by all that I learned: 1. Clarify Your Vision: Take time to define your educational purpose and passion, articulating your goals in alignment with the ethos of the institution. Your vision should reflect your genuine commitment to making a positive impact in your chosen field. 🚀 2. Research Professors & Programs: Delve deep into the works of the institution's faculty and explore the diversity of programs offered in the department. Identify professors whose research and teaching resonate with your interests and objectives. Connecting with the academic community in your application demonstrates your dedication to becoming an integral part of the institution. 📚 3. Demonstrate Impact: Present tangible examples of your past experiences, highlighting instances where your contributions have made a significant difference. This not only underscores your potential but also shows that you are already a proactive agent of change. Let your application tell the story of your real-world impact. 💪 4. Craft a Unique Story: Your statement of purpose is your canvas to share a narrative that stands out. It should authentically represent your experiences, challenges overcome, and your passionate pursuit of personal growth. Uniqueness in storytelling captures the reader's attention and makes them feel your fervor for education and change. 📖 5. Connect with the Community: Reach out to current students and alumni to gain insights into the campus' culture and values. Networking with the community fosters a sense of belonging and mentorship. Building these connections early not only provides you with valuable guidance but also showcases your proactive approach to being part of the community. 🤗 Do you have other tips? Comment below!

Due to the suggestion of Emmanuel Acheampong, here are some tips when submitting your papers for publication in a major Machine Learning Journal/Conference such as NeurIPS. This point of view is completely my own and I am sure other reviewers may have their own measure of what makes a good paper. So without further ado: 1. Make sure your paper has a point of view. Position it amongst the work of other seminal work in the space as either a contributor/ opposition to/ reconciler of the work that has come before. Otherwise, it is hard to figure out how your work builds upon the area it is being written in. 2. Show the reader why they should care about your paper. A lot of papers get published in ML. Not a lot of papers are actually read in ML and even fewer are cited more than a handful of times. A lot of that is because researchers get excited about a topic and the results and put them to paper and forget to show the reader why this work is worth reading. Papers that show why they are worth reading are much more likely to not only be accepted for publication but also get ranked highly and may even receive larger recognition in the form of an award or even the opportunity to present your work. 3. Don’t forget to write a good abstract. Writing your abstract should take a significant portion of your time. In fact, do not be discouraged if writing your abstract takes as long as writing your paper’s results. The abstract is not only what reviewers read first but is also typically the only thing ML practitioners actually read of your work other than the conclusion. I know, that makes you sad- do not worry, reviewers read your entire paper from start to finish multiple times, but the world will not. This is why it’s important to have a great abstract. 4. Please, please, please make sure your analysis in the paper matches the output we see in your code. And make sure your submitted code runs. Yes, reviewers check. 5. Lastly, have fun. Don’t just submit a paper on a topic because it’s the popular topic. Submit papers that are important to you. Attention is All You Need, YOLO and Gender Shades were all written between 2015 and 2018 when all anyone could talk about in the industry was “Going to the Cloud” and “Data Mesh”. Yet, those papers laid down the foundations that changed everything. Write what you are passionate about and it will all fall into place. #ai

Who is your audience for your #graduate application Statement of Purpose (SOP) and why does it matter?   When we write, we need to consider our intended audience’s needs, interests and level of understanding.   Your Audience = Graduate Admissions Committee of the program to which you are applying and (possibly) the individual faculty member with whom you want to work. Yes, it’s specific!   What do they need to know from your SOP? 📍 You are prepared to do a #PhD (or other degree) – prior experience and perseverance to finish. 📍 Your #research interests align with their program. 📍 You can communicate clearly and effectively. 📍 You have an idea of what is going on in the field. 📍 You understand that the PhD is about creating new knowledge in the field, and that you can identify gaps in existing knowledge.   What does the admissions committee NOT need in your SOP? ⛔️ Your entire life story. Tell us only what is relevant. ⛔️ A description of how at 5 years old you knew you loved “science.” ⛔️ Words without evidence or support. You are ready to do a PhD? Prove it. ⛔️ General statements about the field you want to enter being important. Be specific.   How do you do this is an SOP?   🤔 Be clear about your interests. Show that your research interests align with the Program and Advisor’s interests. Don’t make the admissions committee guess what you want. (Yes, this often requires rewriting parts of the SOP for each program.)   📝 Use direct language that shows you know the field, not how to use a thesaurus. Be Concise – make each word count. (This is where things like #ChatGPT get you into trouble – we catch those “tortured phrases” AI puts in very quickly!)   📕 Craft a Story, not a list. Demonstrate that you can organize and synthesize ideas – this reflects your ability to contribute to scientific literature.   🦄 Give the faculty members reading it reasons they need you on their team. What is unique about you? What experience, perspective or knowledge do you bring to the program that others might not?   For more tips on how to write your SOP (and not write it) check out my prior posts!  

On taking time to do a good lit review & craft a strong paper (or you can't take shortcuts). As a senior editor, I read dozens of reviews a year. Often, a reviewer complains that the authors have failed to cite papers or miscited papers. Sometimes, they use that lack of due diligence to reject a paper. I wrote about the problem of rejection bc of missing papers here - * took a strong position against doing so: https://lnkd.in/eAHSZKW5 However, I want to offer a clarification for early career authors. Calling for reviewers to educate & help authors, does not mean that you should submit papers that are under-researched or quickly assembled. It means that errors of omission occur even in well-researched & thoughtfully assembled papers. It is up to you, the authors, to do your very best job to stay up to date on the literature, write reasonable arguments, & submit work using current methods. This is easy to write - but hard to do - so how to ensure you've done a good job? First, check for updated references before submission. Papers take months to write. It's natural a few relevant citations may pop up once you've completed the literature review. I like to check for new references to key citations in my paper. I do so on Googlescholar.com. If I find relevant references, I add them to the paper. Second, edit once, edit twice, edit thrice. Early career authors often submit papers with small grammatical errors. I've asked a few of them why? They say that grammar should not get in the way of seeing the ideas. Clearly, they have not met my OCD friend Reviewer Two. Grammar matters. Third, check author names. Grammar & spelling checkers won't catch author name errors. In fact, they often amend them to be incorrect. If your checker recommends an alternative spelling, check the reference. Nothing makes a reviewer crabbier than seeing their name misspelled - it's happened to me! Fourth, really take time to know your topic. In the high-volume, high-pressure world that we work in, many authors are submitting papers on diverse topics. That they have a superficial understanding of a topic shows up in the literature review. The early stages of your work on a new topic should involve a few weeks, if not months of reading. Note, bc of this high overhead, I suggest people write synergistic studies or sets of papers on related topics or questions. Finally, have a knowledgeable peer read the paper before submission. The issue isn't just having the right citations, as Bryan Gaensler points out, it takes time to understand the nuances of a literature. Have a second set of eyes read the paper to make sure that not only the right citations are there but that they are used in the right spirit. If you take time to update references, carefully edit the paper, & solicit a knowledgeable peer review, you will have much more luck in securing a revision at a good journal.

The best learning during my time at Amazon was improving my writing. Here is my list of how to edit your writing to improve it and how to get an idea down on paper in the first place. TL;DR craft compelling documents by anticipating reader needs, addressing potential questions, and clearly articulating the desired outcome. This will take time and a lot of editing. Make your writing better, editing tips: A. Use data and logic to lead the reader to a conclusion. Using adverb and adjective is less effective. B. Eliminate weasel words C. Use readable scores to get data on how readable your doc is now and improve it D. Use read-a-loud extension or read it out loud yourself E. Edit words that don't add value. Look for repetitive language. Don't tax your reader with big words How to crafting an idea in writing: 1. Start with bullet list of what your thinking about 2. Start by writing with limited edits. Sleep on it and then edit like crazy. 3. Know your reader and write for them. 4. Write down FAQ to the end of a doc that you think your reader will have. If you can, you should answer these in your writing but it's not always possible.  5. Take ownership not ask for ownership. If you are asking for ownership or asking the reader to force someone to do something you are doing it wrong.    6. Ask why 5 times on customer facing questions to get to the detail why this is important 7. Think in 3s. How would you explain this with a 3 word (The Title), 3 sentences (TLDR), 3 paragraphs (a 1 page page overview), 3 pages (longer form with more detail). 8. Bonus: add some long term thinking topics to your doc. If the reader is excited about what you are writing about, give them more and think big about the future. 9. Close with what decision you need help from the reader 10. Finally writing a couple page document should take a week(s) not days or hours to complete.

#Countdown to August 1st (Part 3) #GradSchoolApplication: Top 5 Tips for Writing a Strong SOP Aiming for a PhD/MSc at a top R1 university? Your Statement of Purpose (SOP) could be the deciding factor. It’s more than a document; it's your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions committee before your transcript or CV says a word. Let me share a structure that has helped many of my mentees secure spots at Ivy Leagues and top-ranked programs around the world: I call it the 5-Paragraph (P) SOP Approach, and it works. P1. Start Strong Begin with a compelling hook. Tell a story, present a fact, or describe a moment that sparked your interest. Include: ↪️ What inspired your interest ↪️ A bit of relevant context ↪️ What you’re aiming to achieve through this PhD ✔️ Example: “According to UNICEF, there was a 60% increase in deaths in Africa caused by air pollution between 1990 and 2017. Growing up in X, where air pollution is a serious issue, I witnessed its impact firsthand. This ignited my passion for creating sustainable environmental solutions…” P2. Walk Through Your Academic Journey What courses, projects, or pivotal experiences helped shape your current interest? ✔️ This is where you connect your classroom exposure to your intellectual curiosity. P3. Highlight Your Thesis Work Talk about your undergrad or master’s thesis. What problem were you solving? What methods did you use? What did you learn? ✔️ Emphasize the impact and novelty of your work. P4. Expand on Your Research Experience Beyond your thesis, what else have you explored? Mention internships, lab roles, independent projects, or co-authored publications. Talk about the technical skills you’ve gained and how they will support your future research goals. SHOW, don't TELL. P5. Align with the Program Now, tie everything together. Why this school? Why this department or lab? What are faculty members doing that aligns with your research interest? Be intentional. ✔️ This shows you’ve done your homework and aren’t just applying broadly; you’re applying strategically. Final Reminders: ✔️ Be Authentic: Let your voice come through; don’t sound like ChatGPT 😉 ✔️ Be Specific: Generic goals don’t stand out. Be clear and focused. ✔️ Proofread: Clean writing shows professionalism. Typos distract from your brilliance. Your SOP should tell your story—past experiences, present passions, and future goals—all with one message: ⏩ "I’m ready to do this, and this is exactly where I belong." ↪️ What are your current struggles or questions about SOP writing? Drop them in the comments; someone else might be wondering the same. ↪️ Suggest other SOP tips in the comments. ♻️ Repost if you found this helpful. You never know who needs it. I remain your Partner-in-Success. Click the blue name, Peter Oyefolu, to connect with me. #Fall2026 #GradSchool #PhD #SOP #AcademicTips #StudyAbroad #StatementOfPurpose #GraduateApplications #StudyinUS #PhDLife #Mentorship #STEM #GradSchoolAdvice

✨🎬 Behind the Scenes: Crisp Writing 🎬✨   New Year! New Goals! New Ideas! This means lots of new communications - emails, papers, presentations - are currently being drafted. Here are my Top 5 TIPs when reviewing✳ my writing. ✳And yes, I mean reviewing and not drafting. If I overthink format when creating a first draft, I don't focus on getting out my ideas. I usually brain-barf an outline with all my major concepts and themes, then write a bad draft. After the major content is on paper, I review and rewrite. If possible, I share with a trusted reviewer. If I am self-editing, I change the font on screen or print out a hard copy. Why? Changing the way words look decreases my blindness to my own mistakes. 📍 Over-Modifying: Look at what modifiers are in a sentence. Are they redundant? Do each of them add unique value to the sentence? Chances are you can remove some without diluting your point. 🔎 TIP: Search for "and". When I got fired up about something, my boss told me "Only Nouns and Verbs". This great advice helped me avoid modifiers filled with emotion I would not feel in the morning. 📍 Passive Voice: I admit it - as a techie who spent most of my career in government, I struggle with passive voice. 🔎 TIP: Search for all forms of the verb "to be". One way I self-correct is to search for every has, had, is, have, are, will, would, etc in my writing and consider if I really need that word. Often it can be removed or reworded to become more active. For example, "I had a boss who would tell me" becomes "my boss told me" 📍 Caveats & Hedges: Adding caveats or hedges to soften the message undermines the strength of your message. Some people call these weasel words. 🔎 TIP: Ending recommendations with "Does that make sense?" because it's a confusing, nuanced topic can be mistaken as insecurity. Using "some people think" or "it's possible that" to present alternative ideas can be viewed as unvetted. Be mindful of your caveats as some are needed! 📍 Own It: Similar to caveats, adding polite words creates distance for the reader to get through before they find out the point. When the reader is short on time, this decreases the time left to focus on your reason for writing in the first place. 🔎 TIP: While doing something, are you stating that you want to do it? For example, starting an email with "I wanted to drop a quick note because I am wondering if you had an update on if you saw my paper?" instead of "Did you have time to read my paper?" or even "Did you read my paper?" 📍 Be Brief. Be Brilliant. Be Gone. - President Woodrow Wilson and others 🔎 TIP: If your sentence is longer than 3 lines, you risk lost readers. Before you break it into smaller sentences, check for modifiers, caveats, and passive voice. When breaking sentences apart, check for focus shifts. Most of my long sentences occur when I am trying to pack in too many ideas. What TIPs do you use when reviewing written products? Thanks for joining me on this journey. 💖

I’ve been writing professionally for 21 years now. (!!👴!!) One thing that happens when you’ve been at it that long is you develop the ability to write first drafts extremely quickly. There are two reasons for this: 1) You get a lot less precious about that first draft. Trying to nail it perfectly in the drafting stage is a recipe for a slow, frustrating writing experience. Editing is when you make it sound good. That comes later. 2) You realize that the simplest, most straightforward way of expressing a thought is usually the best way. In the first draft, just write whatever it is you’re trying to express. (“Here’s what happened. Here’s how to do this important thing. Here’s how this new information will affect your life, dear reader. The end.”) Often, when you’re done getting it on the page, you’ll notice that the draft in question doesn’t need much extra set-dressing to accomplish its goal. If you’re trying to write simply and it still feels like a battle, the idea just might need more time to bake in your head. As I’ve said before, “good writing = good thinking + good editing.” So think some more, research some more. Then open your laptop again and bang it out. #writingadvice #writingcommunity #writing

Three things writers need to remember during the writing process: 1. Embrace the mess of drafting. William Stafford said to “lower your standards.” Remind yourself your first draft will not be your final draft. Your final draft will be better than this, but you won’t find your final draft until you’ve written a first draft. See your drafting as an invitation to get productively lost in language. Avoid forcing an ocean of words into a thimble of editorial expectations. As Donald Murray said, “Yes, your draft will need editing, but first it needs writing.” 2. Give yourself grace as you edit. As you edit, you’ll find gaps in your writing. It won’t be as tight or focused as you’d hoped. You’ll find paragraphs where you cleared your throat and found your confidence. Unclear sentences will emerge and almost-right words will no longer be helpful. You’ll discover empty linking verbs and gray abstract nouns and long warm-up phrases that start with “while” and “although.” Avoid the depression that wants to follow these discoveries and encounters with your humanity. Remember that readers want writing that came from a human. Yes, make cuts with robotic pragmatism, but don’t be embarrassed when you shed a tear for a “murdered darling.” 3. Publish when the piece is ready, not when it’s perfect. Revising is about interrogating your choices and finding alternatives, which can be infinite. Enjoy the adventure of testing every word and phrase and sentence. But remember that the task of editing isn’t to create a perfect piece of writing but the right piece of writing. #writing #storytelling #writingcommunity

8 things that I do to edit my research manuscripts as an award-winning researcher: ✅ CARVE OUT SHORT PERIODS FOR EDITING Good editing requires focused energy. It’s helpful to edit over multiple, short periods to maintain focus. So, find 30 to 60-minute periods in your day that you can dedicate to the editing process. Once this time is over, stop and schedule another editing phase for a later date. ✅ PRINT OUT A PHYSICAL COPY OF THE MANUSCRIPT Reduce distractions in the editing phase by having a physical copy of the manuscript. Doing so helps to increase focus on the content by limiting computer interruptions. An alternative is to edit the manuscript on a tablet. Either way, making physical edits with a pen and paper can be beneficial. ✅ READ YOUR WRITING OUT LOUD You can hear bad grammar or awkward phrasing easier than you can see it. Additionally, if you find yourself running out of breath while reading a sentence, it may be that it’s a run-on. This simple step will help you to understand how your audience will perceive and interpret your writing. ✅ FOCUS ON ONE LINE AT A TIME Treat each sentence as a standalone piece of the editing phase. Avoid glossing over your writing by highlighting each sentence or using a sheet of paper to cover the sentences below. It’s all about focus, so do whatever you need to concentrate on each sentence. ✅ COMPARTMENTALIZE DIFFERENT EDITING PHASES You can edit a paper for (a) structure and format; (b) narrative flow; (c) grammar and spelling; and (d) writing style. It’s difficult to edit for each type all at once, so do each one separately. ✅ FIND GOOD READERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK It’s difficult to edit your work with complete objectivity. So, find trusted advisors and colleagues who can provide you with critical feedback to improve your manuscript. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, others will need readers too. ✅ REALIZE THAT EDITING IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS The editing process is not something that is done once. You have to edit your research proposal, outline, and each section of your manuscript multiple times. Every time that you do so, ask yourself, “How can I make this 10% better?” 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAY Editing is a key step in the research process. It helps to make sure that your findings and implications are communicated clearly to your readers. So, take the time to go over your work carefully using the strategies shared above. P.S. Do you like to edit your manuscripts electronically or on paper? I like paper, but maybe I'm just old school. ➖ ➖ ➖ ➖ I'm Joseph Rios, the founder of Grad Student Academy. Follow me if you enjoyed this. I write about graduate school and professional development issues for PhD students. My mission is to unveil the hidden PhD curriculum to all, not just the privileged few. Learn the strategies I used to go from being rejected by nearly every PhD program to: ✅ obtaining a top-notch industry job ✅ landing a tenure-track faculty position ✅ becoming an award-winning researcher