Acknowledgments is a perfect way to thank those who helped you in conducting your research or those who participated in the success of your research project. At times, the process of carrying out research and compiling the paper is an individual task. However, sometimes it is important to appreciate those who helped you in the process. It’s a polite gesture that allows you to give thanks to those who helped you with the research, without necessarily falling under the reference or citation parts. For example, a manager of a particular research paper writing services may have permitted you to take samples of their products or one of the staff from the computer science department may have helped you to recover most of the research paper that you forgot to backup before a virus hit your computer. It is always good to appreciate them in a special section of your research, known as ‘Acknowledgements.’
Writing Acknowledgment Section
There isn’t a standardized style or format of writing this section of a research paper. Just make sure that the format used matches the rest of the paper. Usually, a page of acknowledgments is included at the beginning of a research paper, just after the ‘Table of Contents’ or ‘Appendices.’ You need to give careful thoughts regarding those who deserve to be acknowledged and the order of recognizing them. You may concisely express your appreciation.
The writing style to use in the acknowledgment section may vary depending on your institution, department or paper. You may consult with your supervisor to find out the preferred writing style for acknowledging them. While some departments expect students to keep this section formal with just the names, others encourage the use of semi-formal approach, with a brief note on how the person, company, organization or a department contributed to your research.
Generally, these sections are usually written in the first person narrative. However, you should avoid strong emotive language in your acknowledgment. Remember that this is the only section of your paper that you have the freedom of using personal pronouns such as ‘my,’ ‘I’ ‘me’ and others. You should not use personal pronouns in any other section of your paper. This section can be as short and as long as you prefer, but remember it’s not a speech, so you don’t need to thank your father, mother, uncle pet and the rest. Just do a collective noun and refer to them as a family.
Phrases and Expressions to use in Acknowledgments
Some common phrases and expressions you use in your acknowledgment include;
My special thanks go to……
I greatly appreciate the assistance provided by……
I am thankful for the help provided by…
I wish to express my sincere appreciation to….
I extend my special thanks to the staff of……
Whom should I acknowledge in my research Paper?
The person you include in your acknowledgment list mostly depend on their contribution to the research. The following are some of the people that are often listed in acknowledgment:
• Your supervisor
• Other academic staff within your department
• Technical support in the department
• Academic staff from other departments
• Other institutions, organizations or companies
• Fellow or past students
• Family
• Friends.
Note that every project is different; therefore you should tailor your acknowledgment based on your case. Sometimes, you may feel that your supervisor had much input in your research paper that they deserve to be put as the co-author. However, you may just put them as the first name in your list of acknowledgments.
Acknowledging the assistance or help you got for the success of your paper is an act of demonstrating your integrity as a researcher. This is not only a polite gesture but also a show of integrity as a researcher, which in turn promotes continued collaboration in your future research or academic projects.
