What is the difference between a research paper and a research article? Frequently these two terms are considered in the same category. So, what features distinguish these two terms?
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I always thought paper to be a kind of slang :)– AlchimistaMar 24, 2019 at 12:12
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2 Answers
Research article refers mainly to research published in a journal, whereas research paper refers to a research report whether it is a published one or not.
I don't think you will find a general definition that is universally applicable. But a research article could, in some cases, be a work that covers a number of papers, or the work of many people, and that attempts to bring ideas together, rather than to present fresh research itself.
A research paper, probably is more specific, presenting the work of some particular author(s) on a particular project.
Thus a research paper, presents an advancement in a field, whereas an article can be more general, not tied to a specific project, but generalizing a bit to give context to other work and bring it together.
But others can have different definitions, and this is just a personal observation. Your usage may vary. And I notice from other comments made here, that there are other views. Some will use the terms interchangeably, of course.
