{"id":199,"date":"2021-05-25T15:50:53","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T15:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/postgradproofreader.co.uk\/blog\/?p=199"},"modified":"2022-11-03T15:48:54","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T15:48:54","slug":"how-to-write-a-qualitative-paper-in-seven-easy-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgradproofreader.co.uk\/blog\/2021\/05\/25\/how-to-write-a-qualitative-paper-in-seven-easy-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"How to write a qualitative paper in seven easy steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

By this stage in your postgrad journey, you have probably read thousands of academic papers \u2013 or at least it feels that way. Indeed, you may have written one or two as well. But was the process quick and painless \u2013 or did it involve tears, tantrums and having to cut far too many of your carefully honed words? If you fall into the latter camp, you\u2019ve come to the right place. Don\u2019t panic; paper writing is challenging at first. But the more you practice, the slicker the process gets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We already looked at how to get your qualitative study ready for publication<\/a> in a previous blog. In this entry, we look at the more practical steps for writing a paper as efficiently as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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We’ve all felt like this at some point during the writing, right?

Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1. Start with the method <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The method section is the simplest section of the paper. What did you do? Can you remember? If so, write it down. Check your target journal to see whether they have certain subheadings they want you to include (examples might be data collection, analysis, ethics and so on). If they don\u2019t, have a look at other papers and copy their headings. Writing this short, factual series of paragraphs gets you into your stride and breaks that terrifying \u2018blank page\u2019 syndrome.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you can, it\u2019s often a good idea to start writing your method section while you\u2019re still conducting the research. This ensures that you don\u2019t forget any of those details about exactly where you found participant 14 or when you made those all-important changes to your interview schedule.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2. Use your table of themes to create your findings section<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The findings are the most important section of a qualitative paper. This should be the longest and most detailed element and will guide the material you include in your introduction and discussion sections. This is why, once you\u2019ve got started with the super-simple method, you should tackle the findings next.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You\u2019ve got a table of themes that you lovingly created during your analysis, right? Well \u2013 I say lovingly created \u2013 what I mean is wrote, crossed out, re-created, kicked down the stairs a few times and cried over until you reached this final draft. Am I right?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Well, there\u2019s good news and bad news. The good news is that (nearly all) of the hard work is already done. Created correctly, your table of themes should be the blueprint for your findings section. This means that you already know what points you want to make, in what order, and supported by which quotes. Brilliant, right? Well done past you. In theory, all you need to do now is turn write about why you named the themes and subthemes as you did, how those ideas are supported by the quotes and any interplay between the themes. With the right table of themes, this is easier than it sounds \u2013 the section almost writes itself.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The bad news \u2013 which really isn\u2019t all that bad \u2013 is that analysis continues during writing<\/a>. This means that, as you write your findings up, you are likely to realise that some quotes don\u2019t quite do the right job, or that some points need shuffling around. You might need to seek out some different quotes, or re-order things. That\u2019s fine; it\u2019s good, in fact, as it shows you\u2019re really engaging with the material. In this instance, use your new findings section to re-order the table.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Take the time to reflect on your own ideas.

Photo by Dollar Gill<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Introduction <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The next stage is the introduction. These can be tough to write when you start writing papers as opposed to a thesis. They are somewhat equivalent to the lit review chapter of the thesis \u2013 but much, much shorter. And shorter does not mean easier!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Start by making a bullet point list of all the points you need to make in your introduction. These should include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n