IMRAD

In scientific writing, IMRaD (/ˈɪmræd/) (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) refers to a common organization structure. IMRAD is the most prominent norm for the structure of a scientific journal article of the original research type.

Original research articles are typically structured in this basic order:

The plot and the flow of the story of IMRaD style writing are explained by a ‘wine glass model’.

Writing, compliant with IMRaD format (IMRaD writing) typically first presents "(a) the subject that positions the study from the wide perspective", "(b) outline of the study", develops through "(c) study method", and "(d) the results" , and concludes with "(e) outline and conclusion of the fruit of each topics", and "(f) the meaning of the study from the wide and general point of view". Here, (a) and (b) are mentioned in the section of the “Introduction”, (c) and (d) are mentioned in the section of the “Method” and “Result” respectively, and (e) and (f) are mentioned in the section of the “Discussion” or “Conclusion”.

In this sense, to explain how to line up the information in IMRaD writing, the ‘wine glass model' (see the pattern diagram shown in Fig.1) will be helpful (see pp 2-3 of the Hilary Glasman-deal ). As mentioned in abovementioned textbook, the scheme of ‘wine glass model' have two characteristic. First one is "top-bottom symmetric shape" and Second one is "changing width" i.e. "the top is wide and it narrows towards the middle, and then widens again as it goes down toward the bottom" .

The First one, "top-bottom symmetric shape", represents the symmetry of the story development. Note the shape of the top trapezoid (representing the structure of Introduction) and the shape of the trapezoid at the bottom are reversed. This is expressing that the same subject introduced in Introduction will be taken up again in suitable formation for the section of Discussion/Conclusion in these section in the reversed order. (See the relationship between abovementioned (a),(b) and (e),(f).)

The Second one, "the change of the width" of the schema shown in Fig.1, represents the change of generality of the view point. As along the flow of the story development, when the viewpoints are more general, the width of the diagram is expressed wider, and when they are more specialized and focused, the width is expressed narrower.

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