{"id":3820,"date":"2021-12-02T07:47:44","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T07:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-to-write-the-acknowledgements-section-of-a-research-paper\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T09:23:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T03:53:19","slug":"how-to-write-the-acknowledgements-section-of-a-research-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-to-write-the-acknowledgements-section-of-a-research-paper","title":{"rendered":"How to write the Acknowledgements section of a research paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Among all the sections of a typical research paper, the acknowledgements section is the easiest to write\u2014which is probably why most books on writing research papers tend to ignore it. Yet, acknowledgements can be politically tricky. By forgetting to acknowledge those whom you should have acknowledged, you risk offending them; but even those whom you have acknowledged in your paper can take offence at the manner in which this is done. At times, when the help received is substantial, it can be hard to decide whether you should acknowledge the support or offer authorship instead. Wish this were as simple as remembering that it is Acknowledgments without the \u2018e\u2019 in US English but Acknowledgements with the \u2018e\u2019 in UK English.<\/p>\n

This article discusses the purpose of the acknowledgements section in a research paper and offers tips on who should be mentioned in it and how, who should be excluded, and how the section should be formatted.<\/p>\n

Why acknowledge?<\/a><\/p>\n

Who should be acknowledged?<\/a><\/p>\n

Who should not<\/em> be acknowledged?<\/a><\/p>\n

Phrasing the acknowledgements<\/a><\/p>\n

Formatting the acknowledgements<\/a><\/p>\n

Why acknowledge?<\/h2>\n

In academic writing, the time-honoured method of acknowledging people is to cite their work, but that does not apply here. And yet, it is only proper that you put on record \u2013 by means of an appropriate mention in the acknowledgements section \u2013 any help that you received in conducting your research, in writing about it and publishing it. By doing so, albeit indirectly, you make your work more credible: for instance, when you acknowledge the help you received from a statistician in designing your experiment and in analysing its results, you reassure journal editors and, more important, those who review your manuscript, about the experimental design and the analysis of results. Similarly, acknowledging the help you received from a copy editor shows that you have taken care of the language, style, and formatting.<\/p>\n

Who should be acknowledged?<\/h2>\n

Broadly, you should acknowledge those who helped you by going beyond their normal call of duty, especially those whose help proved crucial to your work or who provided expertise that you lacked. Such people may include some of your peers, your mentors (research supervisors or guides), and even your students. If you received funding, the fact should be acknowledged. Some funding agencies may have specific instructions about how their funding should be mentioned; if that is so, make sure that the form of acknowledgement is consistent with such instructions. You should also consider acknowledging any material or other resources made available to you free of charge. However, if such help is mentioned as part of a conflict-of-interest statement, it should not be repeated in the acknowledgements section.<\/p>\n

Consider including reviewers, even if they are anonymous, if their suggestions have resulted in a substantially improved manuscript.<\/p>\n

It is also advisable to have your phrasing approved by those mentioned in the acknowledgements, because such a mention may imply that they approve of the contents of the research paper.<\/p>\n

Who should not<\/i> be acknowledged?<\/h2>\n

Unlike dedications and acknowledgement commonly found in books, acknowledgements in research papers do not feature parents, family members, or friends (unless of course they qualify on other grounds). Similarly, those who provide a service as part of their job (laboratory technicians, field assistants, and so on) are usually excluded. Heads of departments, directors of laboratories, and people in similar positions also should not be acknowledged routinely: include them only if they went out of their way to help you.<\/p>\n

Phrasing the acknowledgements<\/h2>\n

In general, be factual and avoid going overboard. Something along the lines of \u201cThe authors thank John Smith for advice on experimental design and statistical analysis\u201d should be fine. Courtesy titles (Mr, Ms, Dr, etc.) before the names are rarely used (but check your target journal), and job titles or designations are seldom given. Avoid such expressions as \u2018kind help\u2019, \u2018eternally grateful\u2019, and \u2018greatly indebted to\u2019. If the acknowledgement is specifically by one of the authors of the paper, it is customary to use only the initials, as in \u201cJS thanks…\u201d.<\/p>\n

In terms of sequence, any intellectual contributions come first, followed by technical support, help in revising and writing; financial support is mentioned at the end.<\/p>\n

Acknowledgements Examples for Research Papers<\/h2>\n

The examples below cover the most common scenarios. Each uses the recommended active, factual tone and avoids overly effusive language.<\/p>\n

Example 1: Journal article with funding and technical support<\/h3>\n
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The authors thank Dr. Sara Okonkwo (University of Cape Town) for assistance with statistical analysis, and Dr. Miguel Ferreira (Instituto Gulbenkian de Ci\u00eancia) for providing bacterial strains used in this study. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health under grant number R01GM123456 awarded to J.L.H. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, or the decision to publish.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What this covers:<\/strong><\/h4>\n