Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Appendices

This guide provides advice on how to develop and organize a research paper in
the social and behavioral sciences.
 Purpose of Guide
 Types of Research DesignsToggle Dropdown
 1. Choosing a Research ProblemToggle Dropdown
 2. Preparing to WriteToggle Dropdown
 3. The AbstractToggle Dropdown
 4. The IntroductionToggle Dropdown
 5. The Literature ReviewToggle Dropdown
 6. The MethodologyToggle Dropdown
 7. The ResultsToggle Dropdown
 8. The DiscussionToggle Dropdown
 9. The ConclusionToggle Dropdown
 10. Proofreading Your PaperToggle Dropdown
 11. Citing SourcesToggle Dropdown
 Annotated Bibliography
 Giving an Oral PresentationToggle Dropdown
 Grading Someone Else's Paper
 How to Manage Group ProjectsToggle Dropdown
 Writing a Book ReviewToggle Dropdown
 Writing a Case Study
 Writing a Field ReportToggle Dropdown
 Writing a Policy Memo
 Writing a Research Proposal
 AcknowledgementsToggle Dropdown
Definition
An appendix contains supplementary material that is not an essential part of the text itself but which may be
helpful in providing a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem or it is information that is too
cumbersome to be included in the body of the paper. A separate appendix should be used for each distinct topic
or set of data and always have a title descriptive of its contents.

Tables, Appendices, Footnote s and Endnote s. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University.

Importance of...
Appendices are always supplementary to the research paper. As such, your study must be able to stand
alone without the appendices, and the paper must contain all information including tables, diagrams, and results
necessary to understand the research problem. The key point to remember when including an appendix is that
the information is non-essential; if it were removed, the reader would still be able
to comprehend the significance, validity, and implications of your research.

It is appropriate to include appendices for the following reasons:

 Including this material in the body of the paper that would render it poorly structured or interrupt the narrative
flow;
 Information is too lengthy and detailed to be easily summarized in the body of the paper;
 Inclusion of helpful, supporting, or useful material would otherwise distract the reader from the main content
of the paper;
 Provides relevant information or data that is more easily understood or analyzed in a self-contained section of
the paper;
 Can be used when there are constraints placed on the length of your paper; and,
 Provides a place to further demonstrate your understanding of the research problem by giving additional details
about a new or innovative method, technical details, or design protocols .

Appendices. Academic Skills Office, University of New England; Chapter 12, "Use of Appendices." In Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write
a Successful NIH Grant. Otto O. Yang. (New York: Kluwer Academic, 2005), pp. 55 -57; Tables, Appendices, Footnote s and
Endnote s. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University.

Structure and Writing Style

I. General Points to Consider
 When considering whether to include content in an appendix, keep in mind the following:

It is usually good practice to include your raw data in an appendix, laying it out in a clear format so the
1. reader can re-check your results. Another option if you have a large amount of raw data is to consider placing
it online and note that this is the appendix to your research paper.
Any tables and figures included in the appendix should be numbered as a separate sequence from
2. the main paper. Remember that appendices contain non-essential information that, if removed, would not
diminish a reader's ability to understand the research problem being investigat ed. This is why non-textual
elements should not carry over the sequential numbering of non -textual elements in the body of your paper.
If you have more than three appendices, consider listing them on a separate page at the beginning
3. of your paper. This will help the reader know what information is included in the appendices [always list the
appendix or appendices in a table of contents].
The appendix can be a good place to put maps, photographs, diagrams, and other images, if you feel
4. that it will help the reader to understand the content of your paper, while keeping in mind the study should be
understood without them.
An appendix should be streamlined and not loaded with a lot information. If you have a very long and
5. complex appendix, it is a good idea to break it down into separate appendices, allowing the reader to find
relevant information quickly as the information is covered in the body of the paper.

II. Content

Never include an appendix that isn’t referred to in the text. All appendices should be summarized in your
paper where it is relevant to the content. Appendices should also be arranged sequentially by the order they
were first referenced in the text [i.e., Appendix 1 should not refer to text on page eight of your pa per and
Appendix 2 relate to text on page six].

There are very few rules regarding what type of material can be included in an appendix, but here are
some common examples:

 Correspondence -- if your research included collaborations with others or outreach t o others, then
correspondence in the form of letters, memorandums, or copies of emails from those you interacted with could
be included.
 Interview Transcripts -- in qualitative research, interviewing respondents is often used to gather information.
The full transcript from an interview is important so the reader can read the entire dialog between researcher
and respondent. The interview protocol [list of questions] should also be included.
 Non-textual elements -- as noted above, if there are a lot of non-textual items, such as, figures, tables,
maps, charts, photographs, drawings, or graphs, think about highlighting examples in the text of the paper but
include the remainder in an appendix.
 Questionnaires or surveys -- this is a common form of data gathering. Always include the survey instrument
or questionnaires in an appendix so the reader understands not only the questions asked but the sequence in
which they were asked. Include all variations of the instruments as well if different items were sent to diff erent
groups [e.g., those given to teachers and those given to administrators].
 Raw statistical data – this can include any numerical data that is too lengthy to include in charts or tables in
its entirety within the text. This is important because the entire source of data should be included even if you
are referring to only certain parts of a chart or table in the text of your paper.
 Research instruments -- if you used a camera, or a recorder, or some other device to gather information and
it is important for the reader to understand how, when, and/or where that device was used.
 Sample calculations – this can include quantitative research formulas or detailed descriptions of how
calculations were used to determine relationships and significance.
NOTE: Appendices should not be a dumping ground for information. Do not include vague or irrelevant
information in an appendix; this additional information will not help the reader’s overall understanding and
interpretation of your research and may only distract th e reader from understanding the significance of your
overall study.

ANOTHER NOTE: Appendices are intended to provide supplementary information that you have gathered or
created; it is not intended to replicate or provide a copy of the work of others. For example, if you need to
contrast the techniques of analysis used by other authors with your own method of analysis, summarize that
information, and cite to the original work. In this case, a citation to the original work is sufficient enough to lead
the reader to where you got the information. You do not need to provide a copy of this in an appendix.

III. Format

Here are some general guideline on how to format appendices. If needed, consult the writing style guide
[e.g., APA, MLS, Chicago] your professor wants you to use for more detail:

 Appendices may precede or follow your list of references.

 Each appendix begins on a new page.
 The order they are presented is dictated by the order they are mentioned in the text of your research paper.
 The heading should be "Appendix," followed by a letter or number [e.g., "Appendix A" or "Appendix 1"], centered
and written in bold type.
 If there is a table of contents, the appendices must be listed.
 The page number(s) of the appendix/appendices will continue on with the numbering from the last page of the
text.
Appendices. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology.
Bates College; Appendices. Academic Skills Office, University of New England; Appendices . Writing Center, Walden University; Chapter 12,
"Use of Appendices." In Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write a Successful NIH Grant . Otto O. Yang. (New York: Kluwer Academic, 2005),
pp. 55-57; Tables, Appendices, Footnotes and Endnotes. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University;
Lunsford, Andrea A. and Robert Connors. The St. Martin's Handbook . New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989; What To
Know About The Purpose And Format Of A Research Paper Appendix . LoyolaCollegeCulion.com.