Abstract
Writing a research paper is one of the culminations of a research activity and is often a major challenge for novice researchers, including graduate students. Although a wealth of materials on academic writing has been published, most are limited to general guidelines on how to write research papers. As a result, it can be difficult for novice researchers to understand more detailed and specific rules, skills, manners, and tips from these materials. In light of this, we presented examples of common pitfalls and offered strategies for addressing them, using ambiguous sentences that may be included in the paper. This work was based on the contents of the SNS project “#kenkyu aruaru (common pitfalls in research)”, conducted from May 6, 2023, to May 4, 2024, as part of the activities of the Seminar Committee and Public Relations Committee of the Japanese Society for Exercise Epidemiology. This research note focused on basic aspects of writing sentences and structuring introductions in research papers. We summarized the key points to consider when writing research papers, followed by a collection of examples to illustrate common pitfalls. While higher quality research is not always achievable, higher quality writing is always possible, regardless of the quality of the research. There is no single formula for writing research papers. We hope that this research note will prove helpful in the writing process.
