Pandemics have been the hottest topic of research in 2020. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives has made all of us explore this vast topic. 

Students, researchers, professors – many have started their research on pandemics in order to showcase their valuable findings and help the world out in some way.

Are you too starting with your research on the topic of pandemics? Then, you’re up to a great start.

In this comprehensive article on pandemic research papers, we’ll discuss how you can create a high-quality research paper on pandemics. 

If you are looking for inspiration from other research papers on pandemics, you need not look elsewhere. We’ve got you covered. 

We’ve researched some of the top research papers on pandemics and analyzed the patterns that make these papers stand out.

We’ve listed down the same characteristics here so that you can create a winning research paper on pandemics by following the path of some of the top pandemic research papers out there.

Thorough Abstract is Necessary

Abstract is, hands down, one of the most vital parts of any research paper. The same is especially true for a research paper on the topic of pandemics.

We’ve come across hundreds of research papers on pandemics. And the thing that grabs our attention first is the abstract. 

If your abstract is carefully crafted by providing a sneak-peek of the contents of your research paper, then any interested person would be urged to read through your entire paper.

The abstract is the first impression that you have on your readers. Hence, it is essential that you spend a lot of time here and get it right.

Abstracts have to deliver the essence of your entire research paper about pandemics in a short format. This can easily go wrong.

Through your abstract, you have to make sure that you provide a brief yet detailed explanation about the topic of your research paper. 

You also need to articulate what work you have done while creating this research paper on pandemics and how it can be helpful for the reader.

You can begin writing your abstract after you are done writing your entire research paper. This will help you do a better job of covering the gist of the entire paper in a few words while sounding punchy and appealing to the readers.

You can select the major hypothesis from your introduction and conclusion sections to add it to your abstract. Also, identify the major results from your research paper and add them to the abstract in a meaningful way.

You must ensure that the abstract sounds cohesive and meaningful, even on its own. The reader should not have to go through the entire pandemic research paper to understand the abstract of the paper.

This research paper on COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the perfect example of how a good abstract should look like.

The abstract starts with a pain point and tells the reader how this research paper has a solution for the problem through a historical forecasting model.

You should understand that you are talking about a sensitive topic like pandemics.

Your research paper has the power to steer the reader in new directions and help the world out in some way. 

Hence, ensure that the abstract clearly states the benefits of reading your entire research paper on pandemics.

References to History are Important

Of course, the base of any research paper is the previous research that has been published on it. The same goes for pandemic research papers as well.

When you are writing a research paper on pandemics, it is vital that you refer to the history of research papers published on the same or similar pandemics.

Referring to history this way while creating your pandemic research paper will help you create a solid foundation for the paper. 

This way, your readers will automatically find you more credible as they would know that your findings are not baseless. And that you have quite a bit of knowledge on the topic at hand.

The readers would know that you have learned, referred, and evolved from what has already been published about the pandemic.

It is like looking back at the window of the past and to determine what has been done and what we learned from it.

For example, if you are creating a research paper on the COVID-19 pandemic, then it wouldn’t make sense to start afresh. 

There has already been a lot of research done on the topic of COVID-19. So, you should refer to all the research done on other relevant viruses and their evolution through the years. 

This way, you’ll be able to bring something new to the table. Otherwise, your research paper might be baseless and insignificant. 

Moreover, referring to history will also kindle your interests and inspiration. You’d be flooded with new ideas and viewpoints for your pandemic research paper. This can even lead to your breakthrough in research on this pandemic.

Ultimately, referring to history will help you dive deep into your solution and deliver the highest possible quality of research papers.

For example, this research paper on the spread of the plague in Europe is strongly based on historical data and observations of the pandemic.

Relevant Geographical Aspects Make Reports Relevant

While working on your pandemic research paper, you should consider narrowing down or talking about specific geographical locations. 

Many pandemics affect certain geographical locations more than the other locations. Or, some pandemics might affect different geographical locations differently. In any of these cases, talking about your research specific to locations might pique the interest of your readers.

Gathering data about geographic locations to claim some points or forecasting results can have a huge positive impact on your readers. Your pandemic research paper will resonate well and thus will stand out effortlessly.

Mentioning geographical aspects can be a favorable tool for you to convey what you are trying to deliver through your pandemic research paper.

This will strengthen the context of your paper. This will happen because you’ll get ethnic, cultural, and geographical observations to support your findings and effectively communicate with your audience. 

Your pandemic research paper will be talked about and referred to much more. Even non-technical people will find interest in learning more about your unique findings on pandemics.

For instance, this research paper on Etiologic Agent of Plague has a specific section devoted to the geographical distribution and incidence of teh pandemic. They also have a super-useful visual representation for the same. This resonates with the readers much better.

Pandemic Papers are Incomplete without Graphs and Tables

Going through all the research papers on pandemics, the most common pattern or observation was that most of these papers had visual elements such as graphs or infographics. 

Almost all research papers, especially the ones on pandemics, require graphs and tables to showcase data and information. Hence, this is something that would be an essential part of your pandemic research paper.

While textual content is great, nothing beats a self-explanatory infographic that breaks down all the essential findings and results of your pandemic research paper.

Studies have revealed that the human brain has the capacity to process images 60,000 times faster than text-based content.

Hence, we can safely say that graphs and table representations can instantly make your paper much more interesting and intriguing.

Using graphs and tables, you will have numbers and statistics to deliver your intended message effectively, which might not be possible solely through text-based content on your research paper.

A research paper on pandemics might feel rather empty without an infographic about viruses or a tabular representation of historical data on pandemics.

Therefore, adding pandemic reports, graphs, and tables can be extremely beneficial in creating an impactful research paper on pandemics. You can easily create such tables and graphs online using tools such as Mind the Graph. 

The following pandemic research paper related to pandemic vaccine immunogenicity has plenty of graphs and tables to effectively illustrate the paper’s findings.

Don’t you think the research paper would have been incomplete without these graphs?

Read more: Ultimate Guide on Creating Comprehensive Graphs for Your Research Paper

Detailed Graphical Abstracts can Create The Impact

If you are writing a research paper on pandemics, you are essentially showcasing a scenario or a solution regarding a disease.

Hence, you need to ensure that you are sharing your points in the most creative and intuitive way possible.

The best way to present your findings in a creative way is to add detailed figures to your pandemic research paper.

Imagine that you are going through two similar research papers on pandemics. One of them has a detailed infographic that clearly explains the entire gist of the paper’s findings in the most visually appealing manner. 

And the other one delivers the same message but is devoid of a figure. 

Which one do you think would be more effective in conveying the message? Of course, the one with the figure.

A scientific infographic can be powerful and will go a long way. You can use an online info graphic generator to create infographics that support your pandemic research paper.

You can show an entire biological structure and explain the necessary points through an image. 

Another great advantage of adding infographics and images is that your research paper will be shared more online. 

Non-medical people who might not understand your message through your research paper might be able to comprehend your message with the help of your detailed infographic.

This will lead to more and more people sharing your pandemic research paper’s images and infographics online. Your research paper and your unique findings on pandemics will gain immense visibility through this.

You can create such graphs online using easy to to use scientific graph generator tools such as Mind the Graph.

You can customize your infographic based on the message that you want to deliver through your research paper. You’ll instantly find your paper more impactful.

A great example of this would be the following figure that perfectly illustrates the model that is proposed by the researcher. This makes the whole picture much more clear and easier to understand.

Read more: How to Create an Effective Graphical Abstract

Relevant Stories Add Context and Make Reports Insightful

Pandemics are not a very cheerful topic to talk about. This is probably why most pandemic research papers almost always have a very serious tone and language. Such papers usually have a very strong message.

Hence, making your pandemic research paper look exciting can be difficult and an almost impossible task. So, how do you make your pandemic research paper more enticing then? Through storytelling!

Stories add the much-needed cohesion and a hook to your pandemic research. Your paper will look more put together through a story, and everything will weave together into a beautiful message.

Leading your pandemic research paper with a story will make your research paper more memorable. Your research paper will stand out amongst the hundreds of other papers, to say the least.

Studies show that messages delivered as stories can be 2200% more effective and memorable as compared to merely stating the facts and findings. This is why academic storytelling is an art that is so potent and fruitful.

You can start with a story and continue with it throughout your research paper. Start by stating a problem or pain point in hand and reveal your findings with the help of a punchy storyline.

From the abstract, discussion to the final solution, try to cultivate a personality for your research paper. This will help the audience get a deeper understanding of the ideas and solutions that you are showcasing through your research on pandemics.

You can even weave this story into your figures and infographics. You can use an online info graphic generator to create customized images that showcase your story visually.

The following research paper on the reflection about two Coronavirus outbreaks uses storytelling effectively.

It keeps the reader engaged and hooked right from the beginning and this is what a good story can do to your otherwise dry pandemic research paper.

Citations are Paramount for Proving Claims

We live in an age where anyone can create information online. Most online resources might not be as reliable as you think. And these claims made by these online sources are usually undependable.

Moreover, these online sources might not last long. This might be because the website gets shut down. 

Or the original author might have gained copyright for the source. Many websites often take their pages down. This leads to 404 error pages.

Citing these sources can hurt the effectiveness of your pandemic research paper. In a topic as sensitive as pandemics, you need to make sure that you are getting trustworthy sources as citations for your paper.

Hence, when you are citing a web source, make sure that you are taking references from trustworthy sources and popular websites.

This will decrease the chances of 404 errors and thus will ensure that your pandemic research paper is trustworthy and reliable.

For instance, this research paper on Preparedness and Preventive Behaviours for a Pandemic Disaster Caused by COVID-19 has some reliable and high-quality citations that make the research paper much more effective.

Conclusion

Creating a research paper on pandemics can be extremely rewarding in the day and age that we live in. However, things can easily go south if you fail to take special care, given the sensitivity that prevails around the topic.

There are numerous research papers on pandemics. If you do not want to be just another one of them, then the tips and tactics provided in this extensive guide will be useful for you. 

So, start right away! Take the help of these tips and start creating your next research paper, pandemics.

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