Survey Paper: Meaning, Format, Steps, Tips, and Example

So you have been assigned a survey paper? However, you do not know its meaning and how it differs from a survey research paper. Worry not, you are not the only one; many people confuse both because of their similar names. But your issue can easily be solved if you read this blog till the end. It will discuss the survey paper's meaning and how it differs from the survey research papers. Further, you will learn the format, steps, tips, and an example to help you write it on your own. So, without wasting any time, let us begin.

What Is a Survey Paper?

You might think that survey papers are something related to surveys. But it is not the case; they are an academic write-up that provides an overview of a topic. In this writing, you go through the previous work on a topic and analyse it to give insightful pointers and limitations of previous work in your paper. Further, it includes various sections like methodology, abstract, introduction, etc. to fulfil all its objectives. But why do you need to write it? The scope of your survey paper is to:

1. Summarise the previous work.
2. Provide a newer perspective on a topic.
3. Generate insights by thorough analysis.

It is all about what a survey paper is. However many people confuse them with survey research papers. So, if you are one of them, then the next section is for you.

Survey Paper Vs. Research Paper

Here is the difference between writing a survey paper and a survey research paper. Knowing it is essential, as many people confuse between the two and use them interchangeably as of their same names. But they are very different, as you will realise by reading the table below.

It is all about the difference between the two. Now is the time to go in-depth about it, starting with their format.

Format of a Survey Paper

Now, let us talk about the survey paper format, which describes the main section that goes into its creation. Understanding the structure is essential, as it goes in almost all types of writing, like a research paper. If you want to know more about completing it, consider reading the research paper writing. It will teach you everything you need to know about the paper. Now, let us begin with its first section.

Title

The first thing that goes into your work is the title. It is a statement that provides an overview of your research question. Remember to make it concise, as long ones can disinterest the reader. Also, ensure clarity in it, as an unclear title may confuse the audience.

Abstract

The second section that goes into your survey paper format is the abstract. It is a small part of your whole write-up that provides a summary of your whole paper in less than 150 words. You will describe your research purpose and what you have talked about in your write-up.

Introduction 

After your abstract, you will write the introduction to your paper. It is a one-page section that provides the paper's hook, background information on the topic, and a thesis statement. Ensure you make it interesting, as by reading it, the audience will decide whether they want to go further or not.

Literature Review

As the name suggests, a literature review is a section where you provide a summary and analysis of the previous work done on your topic. You not only go through them and write their findings in your literature review section but also add their limitations.

Result Analysis

In this section, you will discuss the insights you have gathered during your comprehensive research paper process. You will present and analyse the findings you collected. Further, it is better if you use statistical data, graphs, tables, and charts for better presentation.

Conclusion

Now comes the second last section of your whole write-up, i.e., the conclusion. Here, just like any other academic writing, you summarise all the pointers you have discussed in your paper. After that, you also tell about how the paper would provide value to the reader.

Future Direction

It is time to talk about the direction of future research; you can either add it to your conclusion or make a separate section for it. Here, you will describe in what direction you will take your future research by addressing the limitations of previous work or providing new avenues on the topic.

References

Now, you will complete your work by adding the references you have used for your research. Moreover, ensure you cite your sources in the correct format, as many students make mistakes in this section as they are in a rush. Further, adding the sources enhances the credibility of your research.

It is all about the survey paper outline. Now is the time to talk about the steps to help you do your work effectively.

Read Also: Nursing research topics

How to Write a Survey Paper?

Now, let us understand how to write a good survey paper. The upcoming content will teach you four steps that will help you start and finish your work with quality. But just like it, if you are facing issues with a research paper, then you can read our blog, How to Write a Research Paper, to learn how to develop it. Now, let us begin with the first step.

Decide the Topic

The first thing you need to do is decide the topic of your paper. It is an essential step as if you chose something boring, you may not research in depth. Further, it will lead to you not getting good insights to talk about in your paper, and your quality will degrade. So, get an interesting idea for your paper based on your intestine, past work, the field's problem, or trending events.

Research Content

The next step you will take after deciding your topic is to conduct extensive research. It means getting insights to talk about in your paper. You do it by going through various work done on your topic, like books, articles, databases, journals, newspapers, or past papers. You will read them and make notes about what they have discussed. You do it to understand the content better and frame an outline later. 

Develop an Outline

After you are done with your research, develop an outline. It is the collection of the pointers you will discuss in your writing and in what section they go. You frame it using the notes you made during your research. Further, developing it is beneficial while writing, as you know what you have to write and do not waste time researching the pointers.

Start Your Writing

It is time to start your writing using the outline you made. You will begin with writing your title and then other sections. Ensure that your writing is top-notch, if your delivery of your ideas is poor, your reader will leave your work. It does not matter how insightful your pointers are. So, ensure your writing is concise, clear, and has no connectivity issues to impress your audience.

These are the steps on how to write a survey paper. But they are not enough to make your writing great; you need tips, for which you can read the next section.

Tips to Enhance Your Survey Paper

Now let us talk about the tips to help you enhance the quality of your work. If you use them, your work will sound more impressive to the reader. Further, your work will be more engaging for your audience. So, let’s begin with the first one. 

Use the latest sources.

When you are researching for your paper, you should use updated sources to gather data. It is because if you use the old and relevant ones, your paper quality will degrade. Further, you will add old pointers, whose accuracy can be low. So, use the updated references to research for your paper.

Make Library Your Friend

The best way to make your survey paper superior is to get great insights to tell. To get them, you need to conduct extensive research, and the best place to do it is the library. So, go to your university library and get various types of documents, like encyclopedias and introductory texts, to broaden your knowledge of your research topic.

Write in Appropriate Format

Your paper will be more appreciated if you use the standard format. So, do not go with any fancy or less popular ones; stick to the basics. The one that is taught above is the best, as it includes all the required sections one has to add. Further, you can also use the format specified by your academic institution.

Understand Research Question

Before you begin writing your work, you must understand the research question. It is advisable because that is how you will gain apt insights and provide a better direction to the readers. So, get the research question and understand its objective and research direction.

It is all about the tips you need to follow to help you do your work effectively. But you should read the next section to know the examples to develop a deeper understanding to write your paper better.

Example of a Survey Paper

Now, let us discuss the survey paper example. Knowing it is essential, as you will understand how to frame its different sections effectively. So, here is an example whose topic is the Techniques in Big Data Analytics for Healthcare.

It is the survey paper example that will help you develop a deeper understanding of the topic. If you read it, you will better formulate your writing. But if all these sound complex, you can read the next section to know how to get the help of experts to do your paper.

Need Help to Write Your Survey Paper

It is all about how to write a survey paper. The blog has first discussed the meaning, format, and steps to help you learn how to write this section. Further, you read the tips and examples to help you enhance the quality of your write-up. But even after reading this blog, developing it seems challenging. Then you can get the help of experts to do your work by searching for assignment help. The professionals will aid you in delivering quality writing on time. So, if you assign them your survey paper, you do not have to take any tension.