The Directorate of Grants, Research and Development (DGRD) of the Sunyani Technical University (STU) has organised a public lecture to equip researchers and students with practical strategies for producing quality academic papers.

The lecture, on the theme “The Anatomy of a Strong Academic Paper in Management Studies", was delivered by Professor Samuel Adomako, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Prof. Adomako stressed the importance of precision, relevance and originality in academic writing, urging researchers to ensure their work makes a meaningful contribution to knowledge.

He advised researchers to write abstracts after completing their studies, saying an abstract should concisely capture the research gap, objectives, methodology, findings and theoretical contribution.

On writing introductions, Prof. Adomako said the opening paragraph should immediately engage readers and establish the significance of the study. He urged researchers to identify clear research gaps and frame their studies around compelling research puzzles.

He also cautioned against vague problem statements and encouraged researchers to engage with recent literature to ensure their studies address contemporary academic issues.

On theory and hypotheses, he stressed the need to select appropriate theories to guide research, describing a hypothesis as “a bridge between theory and research".

Prof. Adomako further advised researchers to clearly explain their data, samples, variables and measurement techniques in the methodology section while identifying and addressing potential biases.

For the results section, he urged researchers to present their findings clearly without unnecessarily linking them to existing literature. He also cautioned against copying raw statistical outputs directly into academic papers.

In discussing the final section, he recommended that researchers restate the purpose of their study, interpret the findings and clearly articulate their theoretical contribution.

He also encouraged researchers to examine the limitations and suggested future research directions of previous studies as a way of identifying opportunities for further research.

The Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor of STU, Prof. Evans Zoya Kpamma, supported the call for impactful research, stressing that academics should focus on contributing to knowledge rather than publishing solely for career advancement.

“We should not just be publishing for promotion’s sake, but by contributing to knowledge,” he said.

Earlier, the Director of Grants, Research and Development, Prof. Edward Owusu, said the lecture formed part of the university’s efforts to strengthen research capacity, promote intellectual discourse and advance academic excellence.