ASST.PROF.PHORRAMATPANYAPRAT  TONGPRASONG, Ph.D., FHEA UKPSF

Cited

Tongprasong, P. (2025). Classification of Academic Articles, Research Articles, and Their Use in International Journals,

     https://musterverse.dusit.ac.th/wisdom/mgt/classification-of-articles.html

Classification of Academic Articles, Research Articles, and Their Use in International Journals

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Classification of Academic Articles

3. Classification of Research Articles

4. Use of Academic and Research Articles in International Journals

5. Structural Characteristics of Research Articles

6. Challenges in Classifying Academic and Research Articles

7. Subjectivity in Classification

8. Role of Journals in Knowledge Organization

9. Conclusion

10. Table: Classification of Academic and Research Articles in International Journals

References

Classification of Academic Articles, Research Articles, and Their Use in International Journals

1. Introduction

Academic articles and research articles are fundamental components of scholarly communication, serving as the primary medium for disseminating knowledge across various disciplines. These articles are classified and utilized in international journals based on their content, purpose, and methodology. This section provides a comprehensive classification of academic articles, research articles, and their roles in international journals, drawing insights from relevant research papers.

2. Classification of Academic Articles

Academic articles can be broadly classified into several types based on their purpose, structure, and content. These classifications help in organizing knowledge, facilitating retrieval, and evaluating the quality of research. The primary types of academic articles include:

1)    Research Articles

Research articles are the most common type of academic article. They present original research, detailing the methodology, results, and discussion of a study. These articles are considered the backbone of scholarly communication and are typically structured into sections such as introduction, literature review, methods, results, and discussion (Perneger & Stonborough, 2004; Obeagu et al., 2023).

For example, research articles in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care are required to address a clearly stated research question or hypothesis, tested through a solid research protocol (Perneger & Stonborough, 2004).

2)    Review Articles

Review articles synthesize and analyze existing research on a specific topic. They provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge, identifying trends, gaps, and future research directions. These articles are often solicited by journal editors and are highly valued for their ability to consolidate information (Montesi & Owen, 2008; Obeagu et al., 2023).

3)    Methodology Articles

Methodology articles focus on introducing new research methods, tools, or techniques. They detail the development, application, and evaluation of these methods, contributing to the advancement of research practices in a field (Perneger & Stonborough, 2004).

4)    Case Studies

Case studies present detailed analyses of specific cases or scenarios. They are commonly used in fields such as medicine, business, and social sciences to provide insights into unique or complex situations (Montesi & Owen, 2008; Obeagu et al., 2023).

5)    Short Articles and Commentaries

Short articles, such as letters to the editor or commentaries, provide brief discussions or critiques on specific topics. They are often used to address timely issues or respond to previously published articles (Montesi & Owen, 2008; Obeagu et al., 2023).

3. Classification of Research Articles

Research articles can be further classified based on their research orientation, methodology, and application. These classifications are essential for understanding the focus and impact of the research:

1)    Basic Research Articles

Basic research articles focus on theoretical investigations aimed at advancing knowledge without immediate practical applications. They are often conducted in academic settings and are driven by curiosity or intellectual inquiry (Tijssen, 2010).

2)    Applied Research Articles

Applied research articles address practical problems and aim to provide solutions with real-world applications. These articles are commonly found in fields such as medicine, engineering, and business (Tijssen, 2010).

3)    Theoretical Research Articles

Theoretical research articles develop or test theories that explain phenomena. They are often used in social sciences and humanities to explore abstract concepts and relationships (Walczak & Kellogg, 2015).

4)    Empirical Research Articles

Empirical research articles rely on data collected through experiments, surveys, or observations. They are widely used in sciences, where the validation of hypotheses is critical (Walczak & Kellogg, 2015).

4. Use of Academic and Research Articles in International Journals International journals play a crucial role in the dissemination of academic and research articles.

These journals cater to a global audience and are often categorized based on their scope, impact factor, and publication criteria. The use of academic and research articles in international journals can be understood through the following aspects:

1)    Knowledge Dissemination

International journals serve as platforms for the global dissemination of knowledge. They publish articles that address issues of broad scientific interest, ensuring that research findings are accessible to scholars worldwide (Perneger & Stonborough, 2004) (Carlota, 2022).

2)    Peer Review and Quality Assurance

International journals employ rigorous peer-review processes to ensure the quality and validity of published articles. This process involves independent experts evaluating the methodology, results, and conclusions of the research (Perneger & Stonborough, 2004; Obeagu et al., 2023).

3)    Citation and Impact Factor

The impact factor of a journal is often determined by the frequency of citations of its published articles. High-impact journals are considered more prestigious and are widely recognized in their fields (Aşan, 2024; Mokhnacheva, 2022).

4)    Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Journals

Some international journals focus on interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research, addressing complex issues that require insights from multiple fields. These journals often have high disciplinary diversity, as measured by paper-level subject classification systems ("Analyzing Journal Category Assignment Using a Paper-level Classification System: Multidisciplinary Sciences Journals", 2023).

5. Structural Characteristics of Research Articles

Research articles in international journals typically follow a standardized structure that facilitates clear communication of research findings. The key sections of a research article include:

1)    Title and Abstract

The title and abstract provide a concise summary of the research, enabling readers to quickly understand the study's purpose and significance (Toczyłowski, 2022; Jeangirard, 2021).

2)    Introduction

The introduction sets the context for the research, presenting the research question, hypothesis, and background information (Toczyłowski, 2022).

3)    Methods

The methods section details the research design, data collection procedures, and analytical techniques used in the study (Toczyłowski, 2022; Perneger & Stonborough, 2004).

4)    Results

The results section presents the findings of the study, often supported by visual aids such as tables, figures, and graphs (Toczyłowski, 2022; Jeangirard, 2021).

5)    Discussion

The discussion interprets the results, relates them to existing literature, and discusses the implications of the findings (Toczyłowski, 2022; Jeangirard, 2021).

6. Challenges in Classifying Academic and Research Articles

The classification of academic and research articles presents several challenges, particularly in the context of international journals:

7. Subjectivity in Classification

The classification of articles can be subjective, as different researchers or journals may have varying criteria for categorizing articles. For example, the distinction between basic and applied research can be blurry, leading to inconsistencies in classification (Tijssen, 2010).

1)    Interdisciplinary Research

Interdisciplinary research often defies traditional classification systems, as it combines methodologies and concepts from multiple fields. This can make it difficult to assign a single category to such articles ("Analyzing Journal Category Assignment Using a Paper-level Classification System: Multidisciplinary Sciences Journals", 2023).

2)    Evolving Research Fields

Emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning pose challenges for classification systems, as their boundaries are not yet well-defined (Lü et al., 2024).

3)    Citation-Based Classification

Citation-based classification methods, such as bibliographic coupling and direct citation, can be influenced by the quality and completeness of citation data. This can lead to biases in the classification process (Rivest et al., 2021).

8. Role of Journals in Knowledge Organization

Journals play a critical role in organizing and disseminating knowledge.
They achieve this through:

1)    Establishing Standards

Journals set standards for the structure, quality, and presentation of academic articles, ensuring consistency and clarity in research communication (Toczyłowski, 2022; Perneger & Stonborough, 2004).

2)    Facilitating Discovery

Journals use classification systems and indexing to make articles easily discoverable. This is particularly important for international journals, which cater to a global audience (Aşan, 2024; Mokhnacheva, 2022).

3)    Promoting Interdisciplinary Research

Many journals encourage interdisciplinary research by publishing articles that bridge multiple fields. This fosters collaboration and innovation across disciplines ("Analyzing Journal Category Assignment Using a Paper-level Classification System: Multidisciplinary Sciences Journals", 2023).

4)    Supporting Science Policy and Evaluation

Journals provide data and metrics that are used in science policy and research evaluation. For example, citation data from journals is often used to assess the impact of research (Rivest et al., 2021; Leydesdorff et al., 2016).

9. Conclusion

The classification of academic articles, research articles, and their use in international journals is a complex but essential aspect of scholarly communication. By understanding the different types of articles, their structures, and their roles in knowledge dissemination, researchers and publishers can better navigate the landscape of academic publishing. International journals, in particular, play a vital role in promoting high-quality research and fostering global collaboration.

10. Table: Classification of Academic and Research Articles in International Journals

This table provides a concise overview of the classification of academic and research articles, highlighting their descriptions and corresponding citations from the provided contexts.

References

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