How to Write Appendices in Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide

An appendix contains supplementary material or information that is not an essential part of the main body of the paper but can enhance the reader's understanding of the research problem. The supplementary information gives readers a more comprehensive understanding of the research paper, thesis, or dissertation without prolonging or distracting the flow of thoughts in the document.

Separate appendices must be provided for specific topics or datasets, comprising titles with detailed descriptions of the contents. Although appendices contain relevant information, research papers must be complete without them.

The appendix should contain additional materials such as interview transcripts, raw data, statistical analyses, maps, diagrams, and questionnaires without which the research paper can still be complete. Tables and figures included in the appendix should be on a separate page and follow a sequential numbering different from the main body of the paper. More than one appendix should be labelled using letters of the alphabet.

If there are more than three appendices, one should list them on a separate page at the beginning of the research paper, if such a paper has a table of contents, to help readers find relevant information quickly. Additionally, the appendix should be included in the table of contents like other elements of the paper. This article contains a step-by-step guide on how to make an appendix in a research paper formatted in APA style.

What is an Appendix in a Research Paper?

An appendix contains supplemental information after the reference list of the research paper. A professionally written appendix provides readers with additional information about the subject discussed in the paper. It could include non-textual elements such as maps, diagrams, graphs, or photographs.

One should not include vague or irrelevant information in an appendix to avoid distracting readers rather than helping them understand the subject matter better. If one has additional information deemed relevant to the research paper, that could be potentially distracting or inappropriate to the body of the paper, such information ought to be included in the appendix. However, the exact content of the appendix depends on the nature and scope of the study.

The Importance of Appendices in Research Paper

In a research paper, an appendix is helpful because:

• It provides readers with additional information without distracting them from the paper’s main purpose.
• It accommodates raw data and voluminous information that cannot be easily presented in textual form without making the paper poorly structured.
• Appendices make raw data available for re-analysis to help other researchers replicate the study.
• It helps maintain word limits where there are constraints on the required word count.
• In the appendix, a scholar can provide additional details to prove their expertise and understanding of the research topic/problem.

How to Create an Appendix in Research Paper

Creating an appendix for a research paper requires prior knowledge of what to include and how to structure and format it. What to include in the section depends on the type, nature, and scope of the research conducted. This guide shows how to create an effective appendix for a research paper. The steps include:

Step 1: Decide What to Include in the Appendix

Consider the type of information that would best fit in the appendix rather than within the essential text. Although the information is helpful, the research paper should be complete and meaningful without it.

Step 2: Supplementary results

While the most relevant results to answering the research question are included in the main body of the paper, less significant ones can be part of the appendix. These include detailed sample descriptions or supplemental analyses that are not directly related to the research question/problem.

Step 3: Statistical analyses

Statistical tests run using software such as the statistical software package for social sciences (SPSS) should be catered to in the results section of the research paper. However, one may include the outputs of such analysis in the appendix to help readers understand how the research results were obtained.

Step 4: Additional details on interviews or surveys

Written materials, questionnaires, interview transcripts, and emails, can also be included in the appendix.

Step 5: Non-textual elements

Non-textual elements that can be included in the appendix of a research paper include maps, photographs, diagrams, tables, figures, and others that can help the reader to understand the paper comprehensively.

Step 6: Format the Research Paper Appendix

Before formatting appendices, students ought to consult with their supervisors about the appropriate style to use. The appendix should bear the same format as the main text based on the writing style guide used. The general guideline for a journal-style scientific paper that can be used to format appendices include:

• The appendices should be located before or after the reference list of the research paper.
• Each appendix begins on a new page.
• The appendix title should begin with a capital letter, followed by a number or a letter (for example; Appendix A, Appendix B), bolded and centered on the page. The appendices should follow the order in which they were mentioned in the research paper. If the research paper has only one appendix, it is called, Appendix.
• Each element should be numbered and titled to ease referencing.

Appendices Examples in Research Paper

In APA style, appendices are located at the end of the research paper, after writing the reference list. This article contains an example of a questionnaire and a table in the appendix section as shown below. When referring to an appendix within the text, write, (see Appendix A) at the end of the sentence.

For instance: In addition to interviewing women who visited the mother-child health (MCH) department of ABC Clinic Phoenix about contraceptives, we issued questionnaires focused on women aged between 20 to 45 years to understand their perception of contraceptives (see Appendix A for questionnaires and Appendix B for Summary responses)

Example 1: A Contraceptive Questionnaire

Example 2: A Response Summary Table

The content in a research paper's appendix ought to be well organized and formatted according to the preferred or recommended style guide. The content should be easy to access and comprehend. Always consult with the assigned supervisor on the specific requirements of the appendix to ensure compliance.

After including all the relevant information, it is essential to edit and proofread the document to ensure the details presented are relevant to the research paper. Any errors, mistakes, and inconsistencies should be detected and corrected before submitting the paper.