Research Paper Template — Academic Writing Template
Download and use a free research paper template template for your academic document. Structured, formatted, and ready to use with WritingBuddy.
This template follows the IMRaD structure expected by most academic journals. See our WritingBuddy for research papers page for source-import and journal-formatting tools, and our research paper structure guide for what belongs in each IMRaD section. If you're turning a thesis chapter into a standalone paper, see how it differs from our thesis template below.
What's included
Everything pre-structured so you can focus on your research, not the formatting.
- Title & Author Block
- Abstract (150–250 words)
- Keywords (5–8)
- Introduction
- Literature Review / Background
- Research Methodology
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- References
- Figures & Tables
- Abstract — Structured summary: Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion
- Introduction — Research gap, objectives, paper overview
- Background / Lit Review — Prior work, theoretical context
- Methodology — Study design, participants/data, analysis method
- Results — Key findings, statistical tables, figures
- Discussion — Interpretation, comparison to literature, limitations
- Conclusion — Summary, implications, future work
How to use this template
Start writing in minutes — no formatting or setup required.
Describe your study
Enter your research question, methodology, and key findings. The template auto-structures your paper.
Refine section by section
AI guides each IMRaD section with field-specific prompts and inline citation assist.
Export for journal submission
Word or LaTeX export with your target journal's citation style applied.
Why use WritingBuddy with this template?
AI fills the gaps
Stuck on a section? AI generates a first draft so you keep moving forward.
Auto-formatted citations
Add your sources and the reference list builds itself in APA, MLA, Chicago, or any style.
Export-ready in seconds
One click to a Word or PDF with every formatting requirement already applied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IMRaD structure in a research paper?
IMRaD stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion — the standard four-part body structure for empirical research papers, usually bookended by an abstract and reference list. Our research paper structure guide covers what goes in each section.
How many keywords should a research paper abstract include?
Most journals request 5–8 keywords chosen for discoverability in databases like PubMed or Scopus, distinct from the words already prominent in your title. Our abstract template includes a dedicated keywords section.
How do I format a research paper for journal submission?
Check your target journal's author guidelines first — they specify word limits, section order, and citation style — then use WritingBuddy to auto-format the reference list and headings to match once you've chosen the right citation style for that publication.
What's the difference between a research paper and a thesis chapter?
A standalone research paper is self-contained with its own abstract, introduction, and conclusion built for journal peer review, while a thesis results or discussion chapter assumes the reader has already read your literature review and methodology chapters. Converting one into the other usually means adding back the context a chapter can skip.