Tips on writing a research paper? Does anybody have any?

[howlingmadpanda]

Hey guys I was wondering many things about research paper writing, (This may be horribly worded as I am on the go) but, could I say write a research paper on Hydrogen as a fuel and demonstrate and explain how the 'fuel of the future' would be able to be used in fusion and engines, and explain the pros and cons, and reactions? Or would the research paper need to be on something nobody knew much about, I mean not many who are not physicists could understand but, I feel you may get the point. Thanks guys any help would be much appreciated!

[Bignose]

It really depends on what particular magazine or journal you are trying to publish in. The best advice is to find the periodical's stated charter/topic/mission statement to understand what their intention is -- this should be findable on the publisher's website. Then get the last 10 or so issues, and look through them to see what they have been publishing lately. Lastly, make sure you adhere to any style guide (again, should be on the publisher's website).

 

Considering the topic you list above, most physics academic journals aren't going to be interested, but something like Popular Mechanics or even something more general interest like Time may be right. To get into a true academic journal, you will have to perform and write up some original research.

[Enthalpy]

You mean fusion reactors? They need deuterium (to be separated from hydrogen, this is the main effort, not the obtention from a compound) and tritium (not available on Earth, stopping problem, not solved up to now). In comparison, knowing where mixed ¹H and ²H come from is unimportant.

 

And, yes, I wouldn't call "research" a paper on hydrogen-based energy economy. It was a new idea 40 years ago and has been widely described meanwhile. Not quite sure a mass-medium would accept a paper on this topic.

[howlingmadpanda]

I am quite familiar with any commercial fusion reactors, i.e.; Plasma, Magnetic coils, etc. Thank you for the tips I was using fusion as a example and also considering the promising Hydrogen based economy.

[Enthalpy]

I am quite familiar with any commercial fusion reactors...

As there is zero commercial fusion reactor, six billion people are familiar with all of them.

[howlingmadpanda]

I apologize for those who have viewed this topic, I posted with little knowledge of the subject at the time and bad wording.

As there is zero commercial fusion reactor, six billion people are familiar with all of them.

When I had said that I meant the design of the supposed commercial reactor.