research vs essay

Essay vs Research Paper: Key Disparities

Table of contents

• 1.1 What Is an Essay?
• 1.2 What Is a Research Paper?
• 2.1 Purpose and Objective
• 2.2 Structure and Organization
• 2.3 Length and Depth
• 2.4 Sources and Evidence
• 2.5 Voice and Style
• 2.6 Audience and Presentation
• 3 Essay vs Research Paper: 10 Points of Difference
• 4 What Is the Difference Between Research Paper and Different Types of Papers
• 5 Let’s Sum Up

Every student needs to write some academic papers for the university. However, even young people with experience can't determine the difference between an essay and a research paper. Although these two areas of academic writing have many similarities, the requirements are still significantly different.

• In this article, you will get a clear definition of an essay and research paper.
• We will outline the key differences between these two types of academic writing.
• You will learn more about the organization, structure, essay and research paper requirements.
• Finally, you will be able to tell the difference between a research paper and an essay.

To get to the heart of the matter of these two academic assignments, we should start by getting an essay vs research paper definition.

Definition and Overview

What is an essay.

An essay is a short piece of work, the purpose of which is to present individual thoughts regarding a chosen topic. Often, essays do not pretend to be scientific but require a defined structure. The basic requirements for an essay suggest writing a five-paragraph piece that contains an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

What makes your essay unique is your creativity and the novelty of your ideas. To easily structure your thoughts and present them clearly to the reader, you should devote time to drafting an essay . Before you start writing your essay, brainstorm the freshest ideas. Thus, even though all your classmates will use the same five-paragraph structure as you, your ideas will impress the teacher. Experiment with meaning, not form.

What Is a Research Paper?

The difference between an essay and a research paper revolves around the academic approaches. Research work is the depth of study of a selected scientific topic, which should bring scientific novelty by drawing conclusions based on existing research and experiments conducted. For students, it’s not enough to state the facts or express their point of view regarding the topic. Your task is to comprehensively study the subject of research, familiarize yourself with existing opinions, and outline the direction of the upcoming study.

Your teacher will expect you to demonstrate analytical skills, the ability to select reliable sources, and a broad theoretical base on your research topic. Research papers require creativity, erudition, and orientation in the topic.

Key Differences Between Essay and Research Paper

The central difference is the goal of these academic assignments. The essay aims to express an individual point of view and find a creative, fresh approach to an existing topic. A good research paper seeks to introduce scientific novelty by examining existing data and conducting new experiments to analyze the information obtained.

Purpose and Objective

The first and main difference between an essay and a research paper is the purpose of writing . An essay as an academic task has the goal of developing students' creative thinking. It also teaches us a structured presentation of thoughts regarding a certain topic. The student is required to have a non-standard approach, fresh thoughts, and reasoned conclusions on the given topic.

The purpose of the research work is to study a scientific topic in detail. This academic assignment is aimed at assessing the student’s analytical abilities and competence to determine cause-and-effect relationships, filter sources, and formulate logical conclusions. Such work requires theoretical knowledge, preliminary study of existing scientific works, and the ability to formulate goals and research methods.

Moreover, a student is supposed to show the capacity to draw comprehensive conclusions based on available data and information obtained during independent research. This task may seem complicated to students, so they opt for resorting to the help of PapersOwl writing service to save time.

Structure and Organization

To start with, the basic structure of any college essay involves a text consisting of five paragraphs, divided into three main factions: introduction, body part, and conclusion. When students lack time to compose a nicely structured academic essay, they can always pay to write a research paper and have their tasks done by a professional. The introduction presents the topic, sets the main direction for further text, and also works as a bait to motivate the reader to study further work. The introduction is followed by three body paragraphs. Each of the three body paragraphs presents a separate idea.

The last paragraph of any essay is a conclusion. In this paragraph, the college or university student must resume the arguments and ideas presented in the text, summarizing them into the main message of the essay. Often, the idea that you present in your conclusions will be most memorable to the reader.

Consequently, let’s overview the structure of a research paper. Compared to the structure of an essay, the organization of a research paper is much more ornate. This type of work requires a title page and abstract that go before the main body of text. On the title page, the student describes his topic of work, as well as gives contact details. An abstract is a short description of the main ideas and research methods of your work. The research work itself consists of an introduction, background, main part, and conclusions. Also, at the very end, they often add acknowledgments and a list of references, which must be formatted following the required international format.

Length and Depth

The length and depth of analysis between these two academic assignments also differ significantly. As for the essay, it is often a short prose piece whose length does not exceed 1000 words. You are faced with the task of fitting a large array of ideas into a small amount of text. The essay format itself rarely requires rigorous and thorough research of the topic, but you should work on creativity and the presence of a message in your essay. Most academic papers fall in the 300 to 600-word range.

On the other hand, a research paper is a scientific project that includes many theoretical aspects that require analysis and clarification. Thus, the volume is significantly bigger. Basic research paper lengths range from 4,000 to 6,000 words. In this case, you will no doubt have to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the selected sources, formulate a research vector, and spend time conducting your experiments, or ask PapersOwl to do a research paper for you . A research paper is a scientific project that includes many theoretical aspects that require analysis and clarification.

Sources and Evidence

The presence of theoretical sources and references is not a mandatory requirement for an essay. You can state your own thoughts on a given topic without resorting to the help of existing sources. Present your ideas on the topic, giving arguments that seem logical to you. If you do decide to base your paper on existing works, you must be sure to indicate where the information was taken from. And yet, the teacher needs to see your own thoughts rather than a dry listing of existing ideas.

Unlike an essay, a quality research paper must include primary and secondary sources, as well as a specific citation format. Surely, you are not the first person to study this scientific topic. In order not to repeat existing thoughts, you need to conduct a search to form a reliable basis for your study. If you skip this step, you risk basing your paper on misleading scientific findings.

Voice and Style

The very specificity of the essay as an academic paper is the subjective presentation of information. A large percentage of your essay should consist of your perspective and vision of the chosen topic. For this reason, essays often use a less formal and more subjective tone. However, you can still use a large amount of colloquial vocabulary, completely disregarding the norms of formal style. Students often have trouble figuring out the right style for their university assignments. In such cases, a reasonable solution is to seek help from a specialist. When you buy custom-written essays from PapersOwl, you’ll always get a perfectly balanced academic paper.

On the other hand, a research paper is a serious scientific work. The student must maintain a formal tone while complying with all structural requirements. Also, in investigative work, there is little room for subjectivity and a personal approach since an objective style is required. At the same time, do not oversaturate your research work with formalism and standard clichés.

Audience and Presentation

The essay format can be used both in the educational process and in an independent literary style. Therefore, the audience for such a written assignment can be wide and varied. When you’re writing an essay, make sure it’s understandable in academia and for a wide audience.

Research work, on the contrary, is aimed at a range of professionals in the chosen field. Written in scientific language, the goal of this work is to attract the attention of scientists and students of certain majors. Your scientific work should be rich in theory and related terms.

Essay vs Research Paper: 10 Points of Difference

As you may have noticed, research papers and essays have many differences, both global and specific. These two types of academic assignments differ in the purpose of writing, have different structures and formats, and are aimed at testing different skills. And yet, every day, students face difficulties in understanding the basic requirements, which leads to incorrect execution of the task. To summarize the main differences, let's look at the table below.

What Is the Difference Between Research Paper and Different Types of Papers

There are many types of papers, each focusing on different topics, serving different purposes, and requiring a specific structure. Those are different types of essays that share a common ground but differ in the way they present information and arguments.

Analytical paper. The purpose of such an essay is an in-depth analysis of the chosen topic, studying different approaches and points of view, and formulating one’s own conclusions based on the information studied and scientific evidence.

Argumentative paper. This type of essay takes as a basis an ambiguous topic; the author must take a certain position and provide a number of arguments.

Informative paper. It has an informative purpose — a presentation of information to the reader, preceded by careful analysis and selection of data.

Persuasive paper . The purpose of this paper is to present convincing arguments, using chosen writing techniques, confirming the author’s position regarding the selected scientific topic.

To get a high grade, you need to understand the requirements of academic requirements. No matter how informatively rich your work is, if it does not meet the requirements, it cannot be highly appreciated. Each type of academic assignment has its own clearly defined, unique format. It’s necessary to know the difference between a research paper vs argumentative essay so as not to get confused while completing a college assignment. So before you start writing an assignment, make sure you understand the type of academic writing required of you.

Let’s Sum Up

Research papers and essays are aimed at testing various skills of the student, following different structures, and having several requirements. An essay is a more creative writing task, which involves showing originality and expressing a personal opinion on a certain topic. At the same time, a research paper is a type of scientific writing that adheres to a strict structure and uses a formal tone. Understanding the main differences will make your writing process easier, saving you time researching the requirements. Remember that knowing the essence of the assignment is a key factor in writing a decent paper.

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Difference Between Research Paper and Essay

October 23, 2023

Description: Comparison of research papers vs. essays, along with the explanation of the differences and similarities between the two types of academic papers. A short guide to understanding essay writing and research writing with definitions of the terms “essay” and “research paper”.

How Does Research Paper Differ From Essay?

Students often have to deal with two different types of academic writing assignments: an essay and a research paper. Writing essays and research papers can be difficult and confusing due to the many similarities they have. To avoid confusion when writing either of these, it’s important to learn their differences. Understanding the differences between an essay and a research paper is also a great way to improve your academic writing skills. This article aims to help you understand the key differences between essay and research paper writing assignments when you come across them. We’ll study their features, look for relevant academic terminology, and learn what differentiates them. To get to the bottom of the difference between these two academic assignments, we should first define essay vs research paper.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a short piece of writing that aims to express personal views on a particular topic. It should have at least three pieces of evidence to back up the argument. Essays are typically shorter in length and less complex than research writing. At the same time, essay writing has its own specifics, so using expert proofreading services is a good idea if you aren’t confident in your skills. It’s likely that you’ll write your first essay and research paper when in high school or college. Then arises the question, “Who will write my paper for me ?” A good essay should always have a creative component, so having good writing skills is a must. Essays often aren’t as scientific as research papers, yet they nevertheless need a clear structure. The basic essay writing guidelines recommend following a five-paragraph structure with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is the in-depth study of a chosen scientific topic that aims to generate new scientific findings based on previous studies and experiments. It isn’t enough for students to just state the facts or give their opinion on this topic. Your professor will evaluate your ability to think critically, choose trustworthy sources, and have a solid theoretical grounding in the topic of your research. Writing a research paper takes originality, knowledge, and subject matter expertise. Compared to traditional essay writing, research work has a different objective and structure. Research papers use data from primary sources like books on the topic, academic papers, interviews, web sources, and journals. The basic research writing guidelines recommend following this pattern: introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions/recommendations. Research papers may also include acknowledgments, a brief biography of the author for some Master’s or Ph.D. works, references, endnotes, footnotes, and so on.

Key Differences Between Essay and Research Paper

The biggest difference between a research paper and an essay is that a research paper must have a strict methodology and set of study objectives. A research paper should outline a problem and the approaches that can be used to solve it effectively. Meanwhile, an essay can present a personal opinion without any references. Now let us go over other key differences between an essay and a research paper. The following comparison table outlines the key differences between essays and research papers:

Similarities Differences Between Essay and Research Paper

It makes sense that you could find it challenging to tell the difference between an essay and a research paper since there’re so many similarities between the two types of academic papers. That’s why it’s important to learn about the similarities of the two as well.

• Research: Basic research is still necessary in both. Even though you don’t need to do in-depth study for an essay, you still need to at least fact-check your information. However, for a research paper, you’ll need to cite more sources to demonstrate that you’re doing more than simply skimming the topic.
• Structure: The research paper has multiple paragraphs, much like an essay. Although the structure is a little different, the material presented in each paragraph should be in an easy-to-follow format to save the reader’s time from having to wade through irrelevant data and concepts. There should be an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion in both types of papers. When you want to conduct research, there’re some differences, but there’re also a few similarities because you need to present the topic properly.
• Thesis statement: Both types of papers should have a thesis statement that presents an opinion, an argument, or a hypothesis. Even though it isn’t always required for an essay, adding a thesis statement will make your essay sound even more scientific.
• Format and Style: Your professor might recommend a specific format for your paper depending on the topic matter and the class itself. The liberal arts and humanities normally utilize the MLA and Chicago/Turabian formats, while the social sciences typically use the APA format. Both research papers and essays must follow specific formatting guidelines for headers, footers, in-text citations, reference pages, and other elements. These forms guarantee consistency and point readers to the relevant sources.

Research papers and essays are two different types of writing. We can draw the conclusion that the key differences between essays and research papers are those relating to purpose, structure, and format. Even though these two types of papers have many things in common, essays and research papers are written for different purposes. The requirements for a research paper are stricter because it must follow the right structure, format, and methodology. However, an essay is more forgiving because it has a descriptive narrative that allows the author to express their own opinions. Please be advised that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog are solely that of the author or his/her sources and do not necessarily reflect those of English Forward. This includes, but is not limited to, third-party content contained on or accessible through the English Forward websites and web pages or sites displayed as search results or contained within a directory of links on the English Forward network.

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Essay vs. Research Paper: What’s the difference?

Is there actually a difference between a research paper and an essay? For some people, these two terms have so many similarities that they use them interchangeably. However, there are quite a few major differences that must be clarified. Let’s compare the key purpose of research papers and essays, their structure, and writing style.

The definition of essay and research paper

An essay is a creative but short composition on a variety of given topics. Its main purpose is to reveal the proposed topic by bringing a number of arguments written in the form of abstracts supported by personal experience and all sorts of examples.

A research paper is a report on the topic chosen by the author or a description of the content of any article, book, or other scientific work. That is, it’s an author’s research that reveals the essence of a given topic, gives different opinions on the researched issue or problem, reflects on it, and represents the author’s findings and ways to solve the problem.

The key purpose

A research paper is based on an analysis of certain literature sources that the writer used when studying the topic. It consists of the facts indicated in the source. While working on it, the writer cannot make up his or her own facts or distort information from the source with his or her own opinion. The key word in this type of work is “information,” and it can’t be taken from personal experience. It’s collected from all kinds of sources: encyclopedic and educational literature, the Internet, magazines, and so on.

Writing an essay, the author strives to show her or his own attitude towards the problem, argue his/her position, and make the reader believe that this position is right. In this case, there are no restrictions for the writer. After all, the main purpose of the author is to express the attitude to the topic and his or her opinion, not being afraid that someone will doubt it.

Differences in writing style

The essay’s arbitrary composition allows the author to use different techniques to enhance the impact on the reader’s perception, like inversions, antithesis, irony, and other kinds of allegory. Its writing style encourages the author to use assumptions, rhetorical questions, and phraseological units. They add stylistic expressiveness to the text.

The research paper, on the other hand, must have a more restricted structure, with academic style of writing prevailing. The author must follow the formal tone of his or her work, carefully choosing each word to suit the topic. It’s the formal nature of the work that puts certain restrictions on using the same units of speech that are considered acceptable when writing an essay. Instead of convincing the reader, the author needs to answer all the questions raised in the paper.

Structural features

The research paper should meet certain stylistic and structural standards. Its obligatory components include an introduction, main part, methodology, findings, and conclusion. The introductory part contains a reference to the sources used in a paper indicating the name of the authors and the date and place of publication. It’s also here that the writer describes the relevance of the topic. Then the writer specifies ways of structuring the work and explains research methods. In the main part, the author sets out the essence of the problem. In the last two parts, the writer lists the results of the analysis and the options for their application.

The structure of the essay consists of an introduction with explanation of the topic’s relevance, the main part of the work, and the conclusion. Due to the content and form, it has many similarities with a composition, but the author faces a more complicated task: he or she must encourage the reader to reflect on the topic using persuasiveness and writing skills and evoke an emotional response.

These differences should be enough for you to understand why an essay and a research paper are not the same things. Still can’t write a single page? Save your precious time for something that really matters – buying research paper and let our creative team handle it for you!

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Research Paper vs Essay: Which One Should You Choose for Your Academic Writing?

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Research Paper vs. Essay: Unraveling the Differences — Are you often left scratching your head when it comes to understanding the disparities between a research paper and an essay? Well, fear not, because in this article, we’re going to dive deep into the distinctions between these two academic beasts.

Whether you’re a student, a scholar, or just a curious mind, it’s essential to grasp the unique characteristics of research papers and essays. They may seem similar on the surface, but they have distinct purposes, structures, and requirements. Understanding these differences will not only help you excel in your academic endeavors but will also equip you with the knowledge to navigate the vast world of scholarly writing.

So, grab a cup of coffee, settle into your favorite reading spot, and prepare to embark on a journey that will demystify the research paper and essay enigma. From their objectives and formats to their writing styles and citation methods, we’ll cover it all.

By the end of this article, you’ll be armed with the knowledge to confidently discern between a research paper and an essay. You’ll no longer be left pondering over which assignment requires extensive data analysis and which one calls for persuasive arguments. So, let’s get started and unravel the intriguing distinctions between a research paper and an essay.

Research Paper vs. Essay: Delving into the Distinctions

In the realm of academia, students often encounter two distinct forms of writing: research papers and essays. While both share the common goal of presenting information and analysis, they differ significantly in their purpose, structure, and content. Understanding these differences is crucial for students to navigate these writing tasks effectively and produce high-quality work.

Purpose and Structure: Unveiling the Dissimilarities

Research papers are primarily used to gather authentic information on a given topic and summarize the findings. They involve collecting evidence during the exploratory stage and require students to summarize the findings by providing straightforward analysis or disposition. In contrast, essays offer a wide range of formats, including narrative, investigational, descriptive, and persuasive, allowing for originality and expression.

Essays are often contrasted with formal writings like research papers. Students may struggle to pay adequate attention to essays due to time constraints and lack of knowledge. Professional business case study writers can enhance the originality and relevance of essays through their experience and skills.

Crafting Essays: A Multifaceted Approach

Essays are a common part of education, with students learning the structure of five-paragraph essays early on. They are evaluated based on logic, consistency, and factualness, as well as the writer’s ability to convey their thoughts. There are various types of essays, including:

• Argumentative essays: present a claim and provide evidence to support it.
• Descriptive essays: paint a picture with words, using vivid imagery and sensory details.
• Expository essays: explain a topic or concept in a clear and informative way.
• Narrative essays: tell a story, often based on personal experience.
• Persuasive essays: attempt to convince the reader to adopt a particular point of view.

Research Papers: A Journey of Investigation and Analysis

Research papers are free of plagiarism and contain the results of a study. They can be quantitative or qualitative and typically include a thesis question, extensive research, and evidence to support points. Research papers may include reputable sources in the form of references and typically range from 5 to 15 pages in length.

Research papers provide detailed knowledge and understanding of a topic and differentiate between opinions and facts. They are often referred to as research projects or term papers and typically contain thesis statements relevant to the topic under consideration.

Methodological Nuances: Unveiling the Differences

A research paper is based on a single scholarly statement and may be a synopsis of that particular assertion. The central statement is discussed in detail, and the approach for providing methodological proof for the supplied statement is outlined. There is a technique for both qualitative and quantitative papers, and the approach is provided in different forms depending on the requirements of the specific topic.

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Essays, on the other hand, aim to critique critically previously released work done on a specific topic, with a specific purpose in mind and the writer’s own opinions. They rely mostly on the thoughts and experiences of the writer, rather than the information of other people.

Length and Content: Exploring the Variations

Research papers are typically longer than essays, with a minimum length of one page, while essays typically contain 4 to 5 paragraphs. Research papers provide an argument for or analysis of an issue, while essays provide solutions to questions.

Research papers demonstrate the writer’s genuine investigation into a particular issue, referred to as “primary literature,” while essays contain content that has already been published in other papers and does not contain any original research, referred to as “secondary literature.”

Investigative Process: Unraveling the Steps

Research papers involve genuine investigations, formulating research questions, collecting raw data, and writing the paper, while essays involve choosing a topic, summarizing previously published material, and expressing the writer’s personal point of view.

Research papers document each step of the research process, including the hypothesis, literature evaluation, methods, and findings, while essays provide a summary of the available research and viewpoint on a topic.

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Word Count Variations: Delving into the Differences

Research papers can range from 3000 to 12000 words, while essays typically range from 3000 to 5000 words. This variation in word count reflects the differing levels of depth and analysis required for each type of writing.

In conclusion, research papers and essays are distinct forms of writing with unique purposes, structures, and content. Understanding these differences is essential for students to excel in their academic pursuits and produce high-quality work that meets the specific requirements of each assignment. By mastering the nuances of each writing style, students can effectively communicate their ideas, engage their audience, and demonstrate their understanding of complex topics.

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FAQ & Common Questions about Research Papers vs Essays

Q: What is the main difference between a research paper and an essay? A research paper involves genuine investigations, collecting raw data, and documenting each step of the research process, while an essay focuses on summarizing previously published material and expressing the writer’s personal point of view.

Q: How do research papers and essays differ in terms of content? Research papers provide an argument or analysis of an issue, while essays offer solutions to questions. Research papers rely on the information of other people to support their arguments, while essays rely mostly on the thoughts and experiences of the writer.

Q: How do research papers and essays differ in length? Research papers are typically longer than essays, often spanning multiple pages, while essays typically contain 4 to 5 paragraphs and are generally shorter in length.

Q: What is the purpose of a research paper? The purpose of a research paper is to conduct a comprehensive investigation on a specific topic and produce a report that includes the author’s original findings and analysis.

Q: What is the purpose of an essay? The purpose of an essay is to provide a summary of the available research on a topic and express the writer’s personal viewpoint or perspective.

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Home » Essay Vs Research Paper

Essay Vs Research Paper

Table of Contents

An essay and a research paper are two different types of academic writing assignments that students are often required to complete during their academic careers.

An Essay is a piece of academic writing that typically presents the author’s personal opinion or interpretation on a particular topic. It is a relatively short piece of writing that may be persuasive, descriptive, or informative in nature. Essays may be assigned to students as homework, in-class assignments, or as part of an exam.

Research Paper

A Research Paper , on the other hand, is a type of academic writing that involves conducting research on a particular topic, analyzing and interpreting the findings, and presenting the results in a written format. Research papers are usually longer and more complex than essays, and require a more extensive analysis of the topic. Research papers are often assigned to students as part of a course, such as a research methods course or a capstone project.

Difference Between Essay and Research Paper

Here’s a comparison table that highlights the differences between essays and research papers:

Also see Research Methods

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Essay vs Research Paper: What are the Differences?

by  Antony W

September 10, 2021

This is the most comprehensive guide on essay vs research paper . 

We’ll look at the differences and similarities between the two papers so that you can approach either assignment with clarity and certainty.

To begin with, essays and research paper examine your research, writing and analytical skills. They also require adherence to strict formatting and the inclusion of citation and bibliography.

What’s an Essay?

An essay is a written academic assignment that requires you to look into an issue and then provide your personal opinion while using credible sources and verifiable evidence to support your work.

In addition to knowing the different types of essays , you need to have excellent research and writing skills to write great essays   that earn full marks.

The length of an essay varies from topic to topic. A shorter essay is about 500 words   and longer ones can go up to 4,000 words . 

Shorter essays don’t require extended research and you can therefore write them in one sitting.

Longer essays, on the other hand, demand in-depth research and attention to details. They can be quite time consuming to write and edit, which part of the reasons why students seek for writing help. 

So if you have a longer essay to complete within a short deadline, check our essay writing service   and let us help you get the essay completed in time.

What Essays Do Students Write in School? 

The following are some of the most common essays that you’ll write in high school, college, or university.

1. Descriptive Essays

If asked to write a descriptive essay, focus on explaining the characteristics of a subject or issue.

Descriptive essays require some literary devices ,  such as similes and metaphors, to read well and communicate your message. You can check our guide on how to write description essays . 

2. Comparison Essays

In a compare and contrast essay ,  you have to explain the differences and similarities between two subject. You can organize your writing based either on individual points or on the subjects.

3. Analytical Essays

Analytical essays don’t just appear in academic journals, newspapers, and magazines. They’re also common in academic settings.

In analytical essay writing ,  your work is to provide a substantive analysis of the topic without being biased.

3. Reflective Essays

In reflective essay writing ,  students have to examine experiences and explore the changes, challenges, developments, and growth that those experiences bring.

The standard format for a reflective essay is the same for all, but the format may change a little depending on the audience.

4. Argumentative Essays 

In argumentative essay writing ,  you have to take a stance on an issue and use objective evidence to support your position.

Check out our argumentative essay hub here   to learn more. 

5. Academic Essays 

Written at college and university levels, academic essay cover content in your coursework to gauge your writing skills and intelligence’s level.

These essays tend to be longer with the word count ranging between 3,000 and 5,000 words.

What’s a Research Paper?

A research paper   is an academic assignment that requires students to express their views on a subject using supportive sources such as books and journal articles.

They’re longer than typical essays and therefore take more time to research, write, and proofread.

In the case where you have more demanding assignments and a research paper waiting for you to complete, you can take advantage of our research paper writing service to get the project done in time.

Types of Research Papers

The following are the common types of research papers that you’ll write in college or university:

1. Analytical Research Paper

With this type of research paper, you choose a topic, collect information from credible sources, and use the data to draw your conclusion on the subject.

Maintain a neutral position when writing an analytical research paper.

2. Argumentative Research Paper

In argumentative research paper, you look into two controversial issues in the same document.

While you’ll look into both sides of the argument, you’ll have to take a side and use information from different reliable sources to persuade reader to take your side.

3. Experimental Research

Experimental research papers are practical in form. Your instructor expects you to describe procedures you used in your experiment, accompanied by in-depth data analysis and a written report.

4. Survey Research Paper

With survey research papers, you have to collect information from as many respondents as you can find. Then, you have to analyze the information and write a final report.

In this section, we’ll look at the differences between essays and research papers to give you more insight.

Differences in Writing

Since the primary objective of a research paper is to present a deeper knowledge of the subject, you have to do extensive research from different sources. 

You also have to do a deep data analysis before writing so you can make a concrete conclusion. 

Moreover, you have to be very conversant with the primary sources   on the subject to write a good research paper.  

With an essay, your goal is to show your teacher that you have good research and writing skills and can articulate your ideas in a way that shows your understanding of the given topic.

As such, essays won’t require deep research. In essay writing,   you don’t necessarily have to be familiar with the main sources on a given subject although it’s important to.

Differences in Outline and Length

An essay has three parts: an introduction, the main body, and a conclusion. The body section has at least 3 paragraphs, but there can be more depending on the subject, research, and the number of ideas you’d like to present.

A research paper has more sections. Your work needs to feature a title page, an abstract (summary of the research), the main body (divided into sections such as methodology and results), a conclusion, references, acknowledgements, and references.

An essay can be as short as one page, especially if it’s on a topic that doesn’t require extensive research. In some cases, you may have to make your essay longer .  So check the prompt to know how long your instructor expects you to make the essay.

On the other hand, a research paper is longer than a typical essay’s length and can span up to 8 pages or more.

Differences in Presentation

In essay writing,   students present their personal views on a given issue or subject and use reliable academic sources to support their opinions.

In research paper writing, you have to present other scientists and researchers’ point of views of a subject and also add your opinion as a writer. Therefore, you must not only logically organize your ideas but also formulate them academically.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Research Papers Vs. Essays (Differences and Similarities)

In high school, college, university, and even professional life, you will write many assignments, including research papers and essays. In school, instructors and professors use essays and research papers to test your understanding of concepts taught in class. It is, therefore, imperative to know the difference between essays and research papers.

You came to the right place if you struggle to get the facts right about essays vs. research papers. This guide guides you through the similarities and differences between the two common papers written at all academic levels.

In a nutshell, research papers focus on facts to argue a point, while essays focus on an individual's understanding of a topic. Understanding the difference between these two pieces of writing will help you succeed in school.

With that said, here is an overview of essays and research papers.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a short piece of writing demonstrating your comprehension, critical thinking, analytical skills, creativity, and awareness of a given topic. The length of the essay will determine the citations it should have and how long it takes to write it. So for a 500 words essay, the instructor will require at least five verifiable sources. Since they are short in length, they usually have five paragraphs starting with an introduction, followed by the body, and then a conclusion.

The main objectives of an essay are to:

• Inform the reader by providing accurate and proven information about a particular topic
• Convince the audience of a specific headline using researched evidence
• Explain a topic by providing in-depth information with flowing content
• Entertain the readers through humor and other funny statements

Check out our comprehensive guide on how to write a good essay .

Format and Structure

The basic format of an essay is an introduction, body, and conclusion. You must fashion all the ideas- one at a time - in the order that makes sense. To successfully deliver the content to the readers, you must attend to their logic. You have to introduce the arguments, analyze all the data, provide counterarguments and conclude the topic.

You should consider every part of the essay answering basic questions the reader is probably asking. These questions are: what, how, why.

The "what" explains what evidence leads you to your thesis statement, and you must therefore examine all the evidence demonstrating the truth of your fact.

The "how" explains how other arguments can counter your thesis statements. In other words, how does another way of looking at things affect your claims?

The "why" shows why the readers should care about your statements and allows them to learn more about what you are saying in a larger context.

An essay follows different formats depending on the academic style of writing requested; it could be MLA, APA, or Chicago format. For example, the APA style is used in social and health sciences, MLA in liberal arts, Language, Literature, and humanities, and the Chicago style in literature, history, and arts.

However, the structure is as follows:

Introduction

The introduction paragraph sets the stage for what is to come. It has three main parts:

• Background information
• Thesis statement

The first sentence of the introduction should grab the reader's attention . Next, you should arouse curiosity through an eye-catching statement for the reader to continue reading the essay. You can achieve this by using a joke, statistics, or research findings.

Background Information

Give the readers the context of the essay by providing some background information depending on the essay's subject. Don't give too much information — mention just a few points you will divulge later in the text. Just make sure you save the evidence for the body of the essay. The length of this information will depend on the scope of your essay.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement sums up the main ideas of your topic and helps control the essay's narrative. Therefore, the statement should state clearly the main idea you want readers to grasp.

Body (Arguments)

The body is the longest part of the essay, which is organized into different paragraphs. Each paragraph elaborates on one idea and contains between four to five sentences. Every paragraph contains three sections starting with the topic sentence, followed by a supporting sentence and a concluding sentence.

The topic sentence informs the reader about the paragraph, and the supporting sentence expounds on the central idea. And the concluding sentence summarizes what you have talked about.

The conclusion is the last paragraph of the essay. It aims to summarize the essay's main parts, show the essence of your argument, and leave the reader with a sense of closure.

When writing the conclusion paragraph of an essay , you should restate the thesis statement to remind the reader what you talked about, followed by a summary of your arguments and counterarguments. Finally, the last sentence of the paragraph should state your concluding thought.

Types of Essays

There are different types of essays, each with its own objectives. They include:

• Descriptive
• Argumentative

Narrative Essays

Narrative essays are mostly personal, and they tell a story. This essay is written from a first-person perspective.

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays describe something— object, person, place, emotion, or situation from your own perspective.

Expository Essays

Expository essays aim at explaining a topic with facts. This is where you analyze a given piece of information and explain in detail how you have reached your conclusion.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay presents both sides of an argument to inform the reader. An instructor will give this type of essay to gauge your debating skills.

Persuasive Essay

The persuasive essay aims to convince the reader. The writing presents logical information with an emotional appeal to the reader to believe your point of view.

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is academic writing that involves supportive evidence about a given topic. It provides a perspective on a given topic using various sources supported by qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Research papers are usually similar to essays, but they are much longer and involve in-depth research conducted independently. In addition, you must spend time investigating and evaluating multiple sources to offer an interpretation of a given text.

Since the main aim of a research paper is to develop a new argument, you must include a literature review. A literature review is a foundation and support for your research, and it is a survey of academic sources on a given topic that helps you identify theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research.

They are more formal as they involve rigorous and thorough research resulting in a central idea. Only when a paper meets this requirement will the instructor give a good grade. Their aim is to differentiate between opinions and facts, provide a detailed understanding of a given topic, and critique previously written work.

To effectively write a research paper, you must clearly define your research question. If your instructor has already assigned you a topic, there is no need. If not, try to choose an interesting research question.

Choose a research strategy by analyzing the materials you will use for your research. Then evaluate all the sources by focusing on their credibility and whether they support your research question.

Like essays, research papers also have paragraphs and follow the same academic writing formats, but their structure is much different. Their structure is as follows:

• Materials/methods

Acknowledgments

A title page contains all the vital information about the paper you are writing. The page is usually placed in front of the research paper. It contains your name, the name of the project, and your learning institution. Since it's the first page the reader will see, it should be well formatted. The title on the page should clearly display your thesis statement.

The abstract highlights the main points of your projects to help inform the readers what the paper is about. They are recorded along with keywords to help readers find your content more easily. The abstract should be clear and accurate.

An introduction part allows you to define the topic and establish your voice. The introduction should be interesting enough to get the reader hooked. It usually aims at:

• Presenting the problem statement, topic, and research investigation in the first part of the introduction
• Establish the aim and focus of your research in the second part
• Present the summary of your arguments in the third part

Research papers also have a thesis statement, like essays mostly found at the end of the introduction. It aims to explain what you are trying to prove and provide the main points in the research.

Materials/ Methods

The material/ methods section clearly defines what materials you used to perform your research. The aim is to direct readers to specialized materials, general procedures, and methods to weigh the value of your project. For example, these materials could be questionnaires that provide information about your paper. The materials should be specific and relevant to your field of study.

You should describe in detail how you conducted the analysis in their personal narrative and briefly list the methods used.

The results section is where you report what your findings are based on all the information you gathered with the materials you had. You should state the findings without biases or interpretation, allowing the reader to do that themselves. The findings should only be from your study, and they could be:

• Quantitative information - is data that can be measured and is presented in graphs, tables, or charts.
• Qualitative information - which is brief descriptions or explanations and is often presented as lists or essay like form

The discussion section shows the results and outcomes of your paper. It reviews and interprets the findings of the research and allows the readers to see the connection between all the parts of the paper. The discussion should include the following:

• Results you gathered from the research
• Discussion of related research
• Comparison between the research and your initial hypothesis

You must demonstrate your critical thinking skills when developing your arguments and establishing the relationship between each part the same way you would in an essay.

The conclusion section outlines why the research is important to the reader and why they should care. It summarizes all the parts mentioned in the paper and demonstrates the implications of your research. The writing should be on point to deliver your message to the readers.

The acknowledgment section appreciates all the contributors for their efforts in the research. You should mention all the contributors directly involved in your research. They could be:

• Funding Organization/ Donor
• Administrative personnel
• Your professors
• Work supervisors

The reference section is the last part of your research paper. This section shows that you have clearly and carefully conducted your research. It demonstrates that your work is credible, and readers can rely on it. You should list all the research material used. The average number of references in most research papers is 45.

Types of Research Papers

Like essays, there are different research papers, each requiring different preparation. These are argumentative and analytical research papers:

Argumentative Research Paper

When writing an argumentative research paper, you discuss your topic and then choose the stand you will be taking. The hope is to persuade the reader to take your stand.

Analytical Research Paper

You state your topic in an analytical research paper and take a neutral stance. You will then provide your arguments and facts, leaving the reader to choose their stance. The aim is not to persuade the reader but to present a well-supported analysis of a given topic.

Survey Research Paper

Survey research involves collecting data from a group of people through quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Experimental Research Paper

Based on experimental research or empirical research, this type of paper provides information about the procedures you have used in your research. It is mainly written as a scientific or empirical paper following the IMRAD format.

Definition Paper

In definition papers, you will describe an argument's facts without sharing personal emotions and only provide a list of facts without analyzing them.

What is the Aim of the Research Paper?

Learning how to write a research paper is to:

Provide Knowledge

Through research, you will gain new insights about a particular topic making you more knowledgeable.

Boost the Success, Not Business

The findings of a research paper will influence decision-makers to take positive action. For instance, if you wrote a paper about the importance of using laptops in schools, more laptops will be provided even to learners.

Enhance Public Awareness

By writing compelling research about a given headline and sharing it with the public, you give them an understanding of your ideas. Providing detailed and well-researched information will help the readers see the relevance of your conclusion.

What Are the Differences Between an Essay and a Research Paper?

After looking at each of them individually, what are the differences between them?

  They Have Different Purposes

Even though they are both academic writings, they have different purposes. When an instructor assigns you a research paper, they want to know your deep understanding of a given topic by sharing how you have come to that realization. In other words, it demonstrates your opinions and those of other scientists. On the other hand, an essay shows your opinion about something even though you will research your information, and your point of view about the topic should be unique.

  A Research Paper is More Formal

A research paper involves in-depth research from reputable sources, which you should prove in the form of references. On the other hand, an essay doesn't need in-depth research; it mainly relies on your thoughts and opinion. They are also not as complex as a research paper in terms of headings and subheadings.

  More Time and Effort Are Needed in Writing a Research Paper Than an Essay

A research paper is a long piece of academic writing that requires multiple sources and a deeper understanding of information to reach a conclusion. Since there is tons of information to find and go through, more time is taken to do the research.

So while an essay can be completed in a few hours, a research paper can take days or even weeks to complete.

  Differences in Length

Both essays and research papers are organized the same way. An essay has three parts: an introduction which includes a thesis statement, a body, and a supportive conclusion. You will need to hook your readers when writing the introduction for them to proceed with writing. The body usually has between four to five paragraphs which must be arranged systematically to make sense to the reader. Their word count ranges between 500 and 1000 words with about 5 citations.

Because research papers require in-depth research, they are much longer than essays and are usually referred to as multipage writing. A research paper typically has nine parts arranged in order with between 8 to 100 references. Regardless, both forms of academic writing follow the same organizational structure.

Here is a table that shows the similarities and differences between the two.

More differences and similarities between essays and research papers ( source )

Final Words

An essay and research paper are common types of academic writing assigned to high school, college, and university students. Essays are the shortest pieces of writing which show your understanding of a given topic during a research paper. The above difference will help you in your academic writing journey.

Life is full of demands, and you will juggle work, home duties, family responsibilities, and social life. When you add studies and writing papers to the packed schedule, you might break down mentally.

Do you need help with a research paper or an essay ? GradeCrest is the most preferred place for students and professionals who want their research papers done. We have expert paper writers who can handle papers on various topics and almost all subjects; no subject lacks an expert or is too hard to crack for us. You can order your essay or research paper by filling out the order form on our home page.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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11: The Research Essay

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• Page ID 6537

• Steven D. Krause
• Eastern Michigan University

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• 11.1: A “Research Essay” or a “Research Project” instead of a “Research Paper”
• 11.2: Getting Ready- Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Research Essay
• 11.3: Creating and Revising a Formal Outline
• 11.4: The Introduction
• 11.5: Background Information (or Helping Your Reader Find a Context)
• 11.6: Weaving in Evidence to Support Your Point
• 11.7: Antithetical Arguments and Answers
• 11.8: The Conclusion As research essays have a beginning, so do they have an ending, generally called a conclusion. While the main purpose of an introduction is to get the reader’s attention and to explain what the essay will be about, the goal of a conclusion is to bring the reader to a satisfying point of closure. In other words, a good conclusion does not merely “end” an essay; it wraps things up.
• 11.9: “Works Cited” or “Reference” Information
• 11.10: A Student Example- “The Corruption Surrounding University Athletics” by Casey K. Copeman

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Genre and the Research Paper

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Research: What it is.

A research paper is the culmination and final product of an involved process of research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and composition. It is, perhaps, helpful to think of the research paper as a living thing, which grows and changes as the student explores, interprets, and evaluates sources related to a specific topic. Primary and secondary sources are the heart of a research paper, and provide its nourishment; without the support of and interaction with these sources, the research paper would morph into a different genre of writing (e.g., an encyclopedic article). The research paper serves not only to further the field in which it is written, but also to provide the student with an exceptional opportunity to increase her knowledge in that field. It is also possible to identify a research paper by what it is not.

Research: What it is not.

A research paper is not simply an informed summary of a topic by means of primary and secondary sources. It is neither a book report nor an opinion piece nor an expository essay consisting solely of one's interpretation of a text nor an overview of a particular topic. Instead, it is a genre that requires one to spend time investigating and evaluating sources with the intent to offer interpretations of the texts, and not unconscious regurgitations of those sources. The goal of a research paper is not to inform the reader what others have to say about a topic, but to draw on what others have to say about a topic and engage the sources in order to thoughtfully offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand. This is accomplished through two major types of research papers.

Two major types of research papers.

Argumentative research paper:

The argumentative research paper consists of an introduction in which the writer clearly introduces the topic and informs his audience exactly which stance he intends to take; this stance is often identified as the thesis statement . An important goal of the argumentative research paper is persuasion, which means the topic chosen should be debatable or controversial. For example, it would be difficult for a student to successfully argue in favor of the following stance.

Perhaps 25 years ago this topic would have been debatable; however, today, it is assumed that smoking cigarettes is, indeed, harmful to one's health. A better thesis would be the following.

In this sentence, the writer is not challenging the current accepted stance that both firsthand and secondhand cigarette smoke is dangerous; rather, she is positing that the social acceptance of the latter over the former is indicative of a cultural double-standard of sorts. The student would support this thesis throughout her paper by means of both primary and secondary sources, with the intent to persuade her audience that her particular interpretation of the situation is viable.

Analytical research paper:

The analytical research paper often begins with the student asking a question (a.k.a. a research question) on which he has taken no stance. Such a paper is often an exercise in exploration and evaluation. For example, perhaps one is interested in the Old English poem Beowulf . He has read the poem intently and desires to offer a fresh reading of the poem to the academic community. His question may be as follows.

His research may lead him to the following conclusion.

Though his topic may be debatable and controversial, it is not the student's intent to persuade the audience that his ideas are right while those of others are wrong. Instead, his goal is to offer a critical interpretation of primary and secondary sources throughout the paper--sources that should, ultimately, buttress his particular analysis of the topic. The following is an example of what his thesis statement may look like once he has completed his research.

This statement does not negate the traditional readings of Beowulf ; instead, it offers a fresh and detailed reading of the poem that will be supported by the student's research.

It is typically not until the student has begun the writing process that his thesis statement begins to take solid form. In fact, the thesis statement in an analytical paper is often more fluid than the thesis in an argumentative paper. Such is one of the benefits of approaching the topic without a predetermined stance.

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Essay vs. Research Paper: Unpacking the Differences

The essay and research paper are two closely related genres of academic writing. While both may require extensive effort to be put in by students, they differ in structure, purpose, and approach. This article seeks to unpack the differences between these two forms of writing so as to provide readers with a clearer understanding of which type is more appropriate for their particular project or assignment. By exploring each form separately while also offering comparative insights into how they differ from one another, we hope that readers will leave this discussion better informed about the nature of essays and research papers.

I. Introduction: Unpacking the Differences Between Essays and Research Papers

Ii. academic writing styles in higher education, iii. core characteristics of an essay, iv. distinguishing elements of a research paper, v. thesis statement as a foundation for argumentation in both forms of writing, vi. structural components and organization strategies for each form of writing, vii. conclusion: reconciling the challenges involved with analyzing essays vs research papers.

Research papers and essays: Not as similar as you may think At first glance, the two assignments of research paper and essay might seem quite similar. In both cases there is a need to formulate an argument based on evidence that supports it, with the objective of convincing your reader or audience. However, when taking a closer look at these writing styles one can spot some fundamental differences.

For instance, a research paper requires more complex exploration into different aspects related to its subject matter than what would be necessary for an essay assignment. While conducting research for such projects students have the opportunity to explore deeper themes in their field while also allowing them to further hone their analytical skills by interpreting data and coming up with logical conclusions about it. Moreover, this type of assignment forces students not only rely on information from books but from current sources like newspapers or scholarly journals. Furthermore they must take into account multiple perspectives related to their topic in order achieve accuracy within their work.

An essay ,on the other hand , has different objectives which include developing critical thinking abilities through succinctly explaining how certain facts relate among themselves and how those relationships help support any claims made by author . Additionally , another aim of essays is providing insight about specific topics while using examples taken either from personal experiences or texts read before making any conclusions regarding its content .

Higher education demands a variety of writing styles from its students, each with their own purpose. These types of assignments require specific approaches to be taken in order for them to effectively serve their intended purpose and audience. Academic Writing Styles are the various techniques used when crafting an assignment.

• Research Papers: Research papers focus on one particular topic or question; these pieces need extensive research and analysis from multiple sources. The goal is to provide insight into this one main idea or argument by thoroughly exploring it. This type of academic paper must have citations throughout, as well as a bibliography at the end that lists all works cited.
• Essays: Essay-style assignments require more than just summarizing information found during research but less than what’s expected out of full-length research papers. The student should present his/her opinion about said topics based off evidence collected during investigation phase rather than providing new insights through experiments or theories.

The Essay: An Organized Entity

Essays are composed of many different components that together create a cohesive and organized entity. Generally speaking, essays have three main parts—an introduction, the body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Within these sections there are specific characteristics that define an essay as such; namely its length and structure.

For instance, most standard academic essays consist of around 500 to 1000 words or more depending on the topic at hand. In comparison to research papers which can be much longer in length – anywhere from 10-20 pages or so – essays tend to remain concise with fewer resources used for their production. Furthermore, while both forms follow basic writing conventions like logical flow of ideas and maintaining focus throughout each section, they differ in terms of how one goes about producing them. For example when creating an essay you typically need few outside sources other than your own thoughts whereas research papers require extensive referencing within the text alongside direct quotes taken from external material whenever possible.

Research papers and essays are two common forms of written academic works. Though they have many similarities, there are several distinct elements that distinguish them from one another.

Essays typically serve to express opinions or ideas on a given topic whereas research papers offer more comprehensive perspectives. Research papers often involve exploring an idea in-depth while attempting to prove the validity of its premises with evidence gathered through various means such as surveys, experiments, and interviews among others.

• Organization

An essay can be structured loosely since it usually focuses on a single point which is presented at the beginning followed by supporting arguments throughout each body paragraph before arriving at the conclusion; however, this isn’t necessarily true for all types of essays. Conversely, research paper organization should be tightly organized with clear sections divided according to specific topics addressed within each section including introduction, literature review & methodology prior to results/discussion leading up to conclusions and implications related back into broader context if necessary.

Thesis Statement and Argumentation: A thesis statement is an essential foundation for a successful argument, regardless of the type of writing. In a research paper, it lays out the specific claims that will be discussed in detail while maintaining focus on the main idea or point; in an essay, it outlines why readers should accept your claim and what evidence you are going to present to back up this assertion. In both cases, having a well-defined thesis statement provides direction for how best to approach the body paragraphs by ensuring all content relates directly back to its core message. Additionally, crafting strong arguments requires understanding not just one’s own view but also any counterarguments – making it critical that both forms of written work have clear thesis statements as starting points from which authors can explore each side’s perspectives with detailed facts and examples before arriving at their conclusion.

Organizing Content for Writing Creating content is only half of the battle when it comes to writing. As authors, we must also be aware of how our words are structured and organized in order to effectively convey our message. Depending on the form of writing one chooses, there will be different structural components and organization strategies that should be taken into consideration.

• For example, research papers often involve an introduction-body-conclusion structure with complex subheadings.
• Essays tend to have a more informal approach by including narrative elements alongside their argumentative points.

When drafting any type of written work, it is important to establish not just what you want your audience take away from reading your piece but also how best you can present this information so they can easily follow along. It may require some trial and error before discovering which organizational style works best for you or meets the requirements set forth by academic institutions or other organizations.

In conclusion, it is evident that analyzing essays and research papers presents its own unique set of challenges. While both forms require the same degree of critical thought and attention to detail, they present different requirements in terms of structure, length and content. Essays , for instance, are far more concise pieces which allow students to express their thoughts with less emphasis on formality; whereas research papers , demand a greater level of exploration involving extensive background information as well as accurate documentation.

• The differences between essay analysis versus research paper evaluation must be reconciled by recognizing the important distinctions between them.
• More rigorous standards are necessary when scrutinizing academic works such as scholarly articles or long-form dissertations; while lighter criteria can be applied towards shorter compositions like opinion editorials or short stories.

Ultimately then, what needs to be emphasized here is an understanding among readers about how best approach each kind of written work. Acknowledging these contrasts should enable individuals evaluate writing samples according to its particular demands — thus providing a sound foundation from which informed judgement may follow.

'Fear-mongering' political rhetoric is driving up hate crimes against Arizona Asians, reports say

As the influx of Chinese migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border rose last year, disinformation depicting them as drug smugglers or spies for the Chinese government circulated among politicians.

Such inflammatory rhetoric has caused harm in Asian communities across the U.S. and locally.

In Arizona, Asian residents experienced more than 100 instances of racial violence during the pandemic, according to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization launched in 2020 to document anti-Asian activity and incidents of hate in the U.S. during the pandemic.

Research indicates that one-third of Asian Americans are still facing anti-Asian problems after the pandemic.

A Democracy Watch poll conducted in March by Asian and Pacific Islander Vote, a nonpartisan organization representing that demographic, studied the problem. The group found that misleading narratives about the huge number of Chinese migrants entering the Southwest border were gaining traction online.

This research argues this increases the perceived threat against many Chinese and Asians in America. The way stories about Chinese migrants are told only intensifies the years of tension.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection data from April indicates that 27,700 migrants with People's Republic of China citizenship were encountered at the Southwest border in the fiscal year that began seven months earlier.

That figure already surpassed the total number of 24,314 Chinese migrants in the entire previous fiscal year, 2023, on the border. Fiscal year 2023 had already seen 10 times the number as the prior 12 months.

In Arizona specifically, 4,155 Chinese encounters were recorded in the fiscal year of 2023, a more than 28-fold increase from 2022, when there were only 147.

Two unproven claims about these immigrants rapidly spread on social media: They are either spies of the Chinese Communist Party or the part of Chinese drug cartels smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. The Democracy Watch report defines this information as “fear-mongering narratives,” used by “prominent right-wing actors.”

The report cited Congresswoman Elise Stefanik posting one such statement on her X account.

“Over 20,000 Communist Chinese nationals have illegally crossed the Southern Border since October, and we know the #CCP has set up sleeper cells in our communities,” she wrote. Her post, updated on March 17, recorded 34,700 views and was reposted 256 times.

U.S. officials repeatedly told U.S. news outlets no link existed between Chinese migrants and criminal activities, the study noted.

The study also recommended how Asians and Pacific Islanders should talk about this issue: "If asked, explain that the increase in Chinese migrants is a result of increasing political crackdowns in the country and economic uncertainty.”

Kyle Van Fleet, the anti-disinformation project manager at APIAVote, emphasized that the majority of the mis- or disinformation detected by APIAVote follows the same structure, which foments distrust in democracy and widens the gap among various communities. This has been particularly intensified in AAPI communities since the pandemic began in 2020.

“Since 2016, we’ve seen increasing anti-China rhetoric, only exacerbated by the pandemic, with the same goal: to fear-monger that the CCP, and by extension Chinese people (as well as Asians and immigrants at large), are somehow behind various societal woes and are threats,” Van Fleet said.

“We aren't aware of any official investigation or confirmation about allegations of Chinese migrants being spies or involved in drug trafficking. However, we are aware that this type of rhetoric and narrative-pushing is an often-used tactic from the playbook to demonize immigrants and communities of color,” he added.

Anti-Asian hate didn't stop with the pandemic

The well-documented inflow of fentanyl from China into the United States is a highly controversial issue between the two countries. On Oct. 3, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security led to charges against three chemical companies in China and their workers. They were accused of illegal fentanyl sales.

Starting in 2022, Homeland Security Investigations agents infiltrated Chinese chemical companies that sold narcotics and their precursors online internationally. They discovered that one company shipped over 500 kilos of fentanyl precursors to Tucson via UPS. The fentanyl precursors were not transported by Chinese migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

The fentanyl scare added ongoing fears and ignorance that cropped up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Americans are still feeling ethnic discrimination from it.

Lawsuit: Black men sue American Airlines, alleging racial discrimination on Phoenix flight

3 in 10 Asian Americans were harassed in past year, study says

The STAATUS Index Report 2024, a study on attitudes toward Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, published by the Asian American Foundation, documented it. A total of 6,272 Americans across the country participated in this research.

It highlighted that “Nearly 3 in 10 Asian Americans were verbally harassed or abused in the last 12 months because of their race, ethnicity, or religion.” 

Another finding of the survey was that “41% of Asian Americans think they are likely to be the victim of a physical attack and 59% of Asian Americans think it is at least somewhat likely that they will be a victim of discrimination in the next five years because of their race, ethnicity, or religion.”

Aggie Yellow Horse, an associate professor of Asian Pacific American Studies in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University, analyzed data at Stop AAPI Hate.

Moved by the news of an Asian child's attack in a Sam’s Club in Texas in 2020, and having a child of similar age herself, Yellow Horse decided to do something for Asian communities. She was also curious about the developments in Arizona, which was among the states with the fastest-growing Asian populations in the U.S.

From 2020 to 2022, Stop AAPI Hate reported 112 incidents of anti-Asian hate in Arizona.

Most incidents involved verbal harassment, but there were also cases of behavioral harassment, humiliation through written or visual materials, and threats of physical harm.

Yellow Horse pointed out that this data might be the tip of the iceberg due to lack of information among AAPI people about where or how to report these disturbing experiences.

“Stop AAPI Hate is based in California and people might not even be aware of this group in other states. It was hard for some Asian citizens to get help in the situation of discrimination,” she said.

“Fortunately, it seems that there are now fewer people who harshly tell some Asian students at ASU to ‘go back to your country,’ compared to when the coronavirus first became widespread. However, it is difficult to declare that discrimination has vanished simply because it is not visible.”

'Anti-Asian sentiment is deeply rooted in the country'

Educating students about the history and culture of AAPI communities in K-12 schools has been suggested as one solution to prevent ethnic conflicts in the U.S.

California has already taken steps toward this goal. In October 2021, it became the first state to mandate ethnic studies as a high school graduation requirement.

Yellow Horse also believes in collecting and building accurate data on the AAPI community in the U.S. for an extended period. It is systematically gathering detailed reports of hate incidents, demographic statistics, and media coverage related to the AAPI community, so policymakers and community leaders can devise targeted interventions.

“Because the number of Asian people in the United States is still relatively small, their circumstances and solutions to their issues are often overlooked when discussing national policies. Particularly when trying to identify what the problems are, data is frequently requested, but due to the lack of data, these issues are often left out of the conversation,” Yellow Horse said.

The STAATUS Index Report 2024 concluded: “There is no easy solution to addressing these challenges. Anti-Asian sentiment is deeply rooted in the country, spanning beyond today’s political rhetoric and the cloud of COVID-19.”

Seoka Hwang is a reporter for the Busan Daily News in South Korea. He's working with The Arizona Republic while on a  Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship  at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

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Guest Essay

Jamie Raskin: How to Force Justices Alito and Thomas to Recuse Themselves in the Jan. 6 Cases

By Jamie Raskin

Mr. Raskin represents Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He taught constitutional law for more than 25 years and was the lead prosecutor in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

Many people have gloomily accepted the conventional wisdom that because there is no binding Supreme Court ethics code, there is no way to force Associate Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas to recuse themselves from the Jan. 6 cases that are before the court.

Justices Alito and Thomas are probably making the same assumption.

But all of them are wrong.

It seems unfathomable that the two justices could get away with deciding for themselves whether they can be impartial in ruling on cases affecting Donald Trump’s liability for crimes he is accused of committing on Jan. 6. Justice Thomas’s wife, Ginni Thomas, was deeply involved in the Jan. 6 “stop the steal” movement. Above the Virginia home of Justice Alito and his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, flew an upside-down American flag — a strong political statement among the people who stormed the Capitol. Above the Alitos’ beach home in New Jersey flew another flag that has been adopted by groups opposed to President Biden.

Justices Alito and Thomas face a groundswell of appeals beseeching them not to participate in Trump v. United States , the case that will decide whether Mr. Trump enjoys absolute immunity from criminal prosecution, and Fischer v. United States , which will decide whether Jan. 6 insurrectionists — and Mr. Trump — can be charged under a statute that criminalizes “corruptly” obstructing an official proceeding. (Justice Alito said on Wednesday that he would not recuse himself from Jan. 6-related cases.)

Everyone assumes that nothing can be done about the recusal situation because the highest court in the land has the lowest ethical standards — no binding ethics code or process outside of personal reflection. Each justice decides for him- or herself whether he or she can be impartial.

Of course, Justices Alito and Thomas could choose to recuse themselves — wouldn’t that be nice? But begging them to do the right thing misses a far more effective course of action.

The U.S. Department of Justice — including the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, an appointed U.S. special counsel and the solicitor general, all of whom were involved in different ways in the criminal prosecutions underlying these cases and are opposing Mr. Trump’s constitutional and statutory claims — can petition the other seven justices to require Justices Alito and Thomas to recuse themselves not as a matter of grace but as a matter of law.

The Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland can invoke two powerful textual authorities for this motion: the Constitution of the United States, specifically the due process clause, and the federal statute mandating judicial disqualification for questionable impartiality, 28 U.S.C. Section 455. The Constitution has come into play in several recent Supreme Court decisions striking down rulings by stubborn judges in lower courts whose political impartiality has been reasonably questioned but who threw caution to the wind to hear a case anyway. This statute requires potentially biased judges throughout the federal system to recuse themselves at the start of the process to avoid judicial unfairness and embarrassing controversies and reversals.

The constitutional and statutory standards apply to Supreme Court justices. The Constitution, and the federal laws under it, is the “ supreme law of the land ,” and the recusal statute explicitly treats Supreme Court justices as it does other judges: “Any justice, judge or magistrate judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The only justices in the federal judiciary are the ones on the Supreme Court.

This recusal statute, if triggered, is not a friendly suggestion. It is Congress’s command, binding on the justices, just as the due process clause is. The Supreme Court cannot disregard this law just because it directly affects one or two of its justices. Ignoring it would trespass on the constitutional separation of powers because the justices would essentially be saying that they have the power to override a congressional command.

When the arguments are properly before the court, Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Sonia Sotomayor will have both a constitutional obligation and a statutory obligation to enforce recusal standards.

Indeed, there is even a compelling argument based on case law that Chief Justice Roberts and the other unaffected justices should raise the matter of recusal on their own, or sua sponte. Numerous circuit courts have agreed with the Eighth Circuit that this is the right course of action when members of an appellate court are aware of “ overt acts ” of a judge reflecting personal bias. Cases like this stand for the idea that appellate jurists who see something should say something instead of placing all the burden on parties in a case who would have to risk angering a judge by bringing up the awkward matter of potential bias and favoritism on the bench.

But even if no member of the court raises the issue of recusal, the urgent need to deal with it persists. Once it is raised, the court would almost surely have to find that the due process clause and Section 455 compel Justices Alito and Thomas to recuse themselves. To arrive at that substantive conclusion, the justices need only read their court’s own recusal decisions.

In one key 5-to-3 Supreme Court case from 2016, Williams v. Pennsylvania, Justice Anthony Kennedy explained why judicial bias is a defect of constitutional magnitude and offered specific objective standards for identifying it. Significantly, Justices Alito and Thomas dissented from the majority’s ruling.

The case concerned the bias of the chief justice of Pennsylvania, who had been involved as a prosecutor on the state’s side in an appellate death penalty case that was before him. Justice Kennedy found that the judge’s refusal to recuse himself when asked to do so violated due process. Justice Kennedy’s authoritative opinion on recusal illuminates three critical aspects of the current controversy.

First, Justice Kennedy found that the standard for recusal must be objective because it is impossible to rely on the affected judge’s introspection and subjective interpretations. The court’s objective standard requires recusal when the likelihood of bias on the part of the judge “is too high to be constitutionally tolerable,” citing an earlier case. “This objective risk of bias,” according to Justice Kennedy, “is reflected in the due process maxim that ‘no man can be a judge in his own case.’” A judge or justice can be convinced of his or her own impartiality but also completely missing what other people are seeing.

Second, the Williams majority endorsed the American Bar Association’s Model Code of Judicial Conduct as an appropriate articulation of the Madisonian standard that “no man can be a judge in his own cause.” Model Code Rule 2.11 on judicial disqualification says that a judge “shall disqualify himself or herself in any proceeding in which the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” This includes, illustratively, cases in which the judge “has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party,” a married judge knows that “the judge’s spouse” is “a person who has more than a de minimis interest that could be substantially affected by the proceeding” or the judge “has made a public statement, other than in a court proceeding, judicial decision or opinion, that commits or appears to commit the judge to reach a particular result.” These model code illustrations ring a lot of bells at this moment.

Third and most important, Justice Kennedy found for the court that the failure of an objectively biased judge to recuse him- or herself is not “harmless error” just because the biased judge’s vote is not apparently determinative in the vote of a panel of judges. A biased judge contaminates the proceeding not just by the casting and tabulation of his or her own vote but by participating in the body’s collective deliberations and affecting, even subtly, other judges’ perceptions of the case.

Justice Kennedy was emphatic on this point : “It does not matter whether the disqualified judge’s vote was necessary to the disposition of the case. The fact that the interested judge’s vote was not dispositive may mean only that the judge was successful in persuading most members of the court to accept his or her position — an outcome that does not lessen the unfairness to the affected party.”

Courts generally have found that any reasonable doubts about a judge’s partiality must be resolved in favor of recusal. A judge “shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” While recognizing that the “challenged judge enjoys a margin of discretion,” the courts have repeatedly held that “doubts ordinarily ought to be resolved in favor of recusal.” After all, the reputation of the whole tribunal and public confidence in the judiciary are both on the line.

Judge David Tatel of the D.C. Circuit emphasized this fundamental principle in 2019 when his court issued a writ of mandamus to force recusal of a military judge who blithely ignored at least the appearance of a glaring conflict of interest. He stated : “Impartial adjudicators are the cornerstone of any system of justice worthy of the label. And because ‘deference to the judgments and rulings of courts depends upon public confidence in the integrity and independence of judges,’ jurists must avoid even the appearance of partiality.” He reminded us that to perform its high function in the best way, as Justice Felix Frankfurter stated, “justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.”

The Supreme Court has been especially disposed to favor recusal when partisan politics appear to be a prejudicial factor even when the judge’s impartiality has not been questioned. In Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co. , from 2009, the court held that a state supreme court justice was constitutionally disqualified from a case in which the president of a corporation appearing before him had helped to get him elected by spending $3 million promoting his campaign. The court, through Justice Kennedy, asked whether, quoting a 1975 decision, “under a realistic appraisal of psychological tendencies and human weakness,” the judge’s obvious political alignment with a party in a case “poses such a risk of actual bias or prejudgment that the practice must be forbidden if the guarantee of due process is to be adequately implemented.”

The federal statute on disqualification, Section 455(b) , also makes recusal analysis directly applicable to bias imputed to a spouse’s interest in the case. Ms. Thomas and Mrs. Alito (who, according to Justice Alito, is the one who put up the inverted flag outside their home) meet this standard. A judge must recuse him- or herself when a spouse “is known by the judge to have an interest in a case that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding.”

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Chief Justice Roberts assured America that “judges are like umpires.”

But professional baseball would never allow an umpire to continue to officiate the World Series after learning that the pennant of one of the two teams competing was flying in the front yard of the umpire’s home. Nor would an umpire be allowed to call balls and strikes in a World Series game after the umpire’s wife tried to get the official score of a prior game in the series overthrown and canceled out to benefit the losing team. If judges are like umpires, then they should be treated like umpires, not team owners, fans or players.

Justice Barrett has said she wants to convince people “that this court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks.” Justice Alito himself declared the importance of judicial objectivity in his opinion for the majority in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overruling Roe v. Wade — a bit of self-praise that now rings especially hollow.

But the Constitution and Congress’s recusal statute provide the objective framework of analysis and remedy for cases of judicial bias that are apparent to the world, even if they may be invisible to the judges involved. This is not really optional for the justices.

I look forward to seeing seven members of the court act to defend the reputation and integrity of the institution.

Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, represents Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He taught constitutional law for more than 25 years and was the lead prosecutor in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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CNP vs. SO: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Investors interested in stocks from the Utility - Electric Power sector have probably already heard of CenterPoint Energy ( CNP Quick Quote CNP - Free Report ) and Southern Co. ( SO Quick Quote SO - Free Report ) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

CenterPoint Energy has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Southern Co. has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that CNP is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.

CNP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 18.95, while SO has a forward P/E of 20.13. We also note that CNP has a PEG ratio of 2.71. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. SO currently has a PEG ratio of 2.90.

Another notable valuation metric for CNP is its P/B ratio of 1.97. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, SO has a P/B of 2.47.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to CNP's Value grade of B and SO's Value grade of D.

CNP sticks out from SO in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that CNP is the better option right now.

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How Americans and Israelis view one another and the U.S. role in the Israel-Hamas war

The United States continues to support Israel in its war against Hamas, but relations appear increasingly strained between the two countries and their leaders . The war also seems to have affected public opinion in both countries: Americans and Israelis now see one another’s leaders more negatively than in the recent past, and other key views have shifted as well.

Below, we explore American and Israeli public opinion in detail. This analysis is based on two Pew Research Center surveys of U.S. adults – one conducted in February and one in early April – as well as a survey of Israeli adults conducted in March and early April.

Pew Research Center analyzed Americans’ and Israelis’ attitudes on a variety of questions related to the Israel-Hamas war. The recent U.S. data is from two polls: a survey of 12,693 U.S. adults conducted Feb. 13-25, 2024, and a survey of 3,600 U.S. adults conducted April 1-7, 2024. The data for Israel is from a survey of 1,001 Israeli adults conducted March 3-April 4, 2024. 

Most of the respondents in the February survey of U.S. adults (10,642) are members of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP). The ATP is an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses, which gives nearly all U.S. adults a chance of selection. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

The remaining 2,051 respondents are members of three other survey panels – Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel, SSRS’s Opinion Panel, and NORC at the University of Chicago’s AmeriSpeak Panel – who were interviewed because they identify as Jewish or Muslim.

The February survey “oversampled” (i.e., interviewed a disproportionately large number of) Jews and Muslims to provide more reliable estimates of their views. But these groups are not overrepresented in the national figures reported, because we adjusted for the oversampling in the weighting of the data.

Although the February survey included questions about where U.S. adults were born and whether they identify as Arab or of Arab origin, there was insufficient sample size to analyze Arab Americans or people of Palestinian descent separately. In that survey , only about a quarter of U.S. Muslims identified as Arab or of Arab ancestry. As a result, in our U.S. analysis, we describe differences between religious groups, rather than differences in opinion between Arab Americans and Jewish Americans. In contrast, our surveys in Israel have sufficient samples to allow comparisons between Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews.

Both U.S. surveys are weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education, religious affiliation and other categories.

The survey of Israeli adults was conducted face-to-face. Interviews were conducted in Hebrew and Arabic, and the survey is representative of the adult population ages 18 and older, excluding those in East Jerusalem and non-sanctioned outposts. (The survey also does not include the West Bank or Gaza.) The survey included an oversample of Arabs in Israel. It was subsequently weighted to be representative of the Israeli adult population with the following variables: gender by ethnicity, age by ethnicity, education, region, urbanicity and probability of selection of respondent.

Here are the February and April questions and responses for the United States used for this analysis, and the questions and responses for Israel . Here are the February and April survey  methodologies for the U.S. , and the survey methodology for Israel .

Americans have less confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than Israelis have in U.S. President Joe Biden. Only 30% of U.S. adults express some or a lot of confidence in Netanyahu, while around half (53%) have not too much or no confidence in him. An additional 15% say they have not heard of him.

By contrast, more than half of Israeli adults (57%) have some or a great deal of confidence in Biden to do the right thing regarding world affairs, whereas 42% have little or no confidence in him.

Americans’ views of Netanyahu have turned more negative over the past year. The share of Americans with little or no confidence in Netanyahu to do the right thing regarding world affairs is up 11 percentage points since March 2023 (42% then, 53% today).

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to have a negative view of Netanyahu. Approximately seven-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (71%) have little or no confidence in him, up from 56% in 2023. Around a third of Republicans and GOP leaners (34%) now take this view – up from 29% in 2023.

Related: A growing share of Americans have little or no confidence in Netanyahu

Israelis’ opinions of Biden have also turned more negative. While 57% of Israelis express a lot or some confidence in Biden, that’s down from 68% last year . The share of Israelis who have no confidence at all in Biden has doubled, from 9% to 18%.

Israeli Jews and Arabs differ widely in their views of the U.S. president: 66% of Jews have confidence in Biden, but only 21% of Arabs agree. Among both groups, overall confidence in Biden has decreased by 10 points since last year.

Older Israelis, as well as those in the ideological center or on the right, have more confidence in Biden than younger and left-leaning Israelis do.

The share of Israelis with a favorable opinion of the U.S. has declined. While a broad majority of Israelis (77%) continue to see the U.S. favorably, this is down 10 points since last year. This marks the lowest overall rating of the U.S. in Israeli public opinion since 2011, based on our nearly two-decade trend .

Views of the U.S. are significantly more positive among Jewish Israelis (90%) than Arab Israelis (29%). They are also much more positive among Israelis who place themselves on the ideological right (85%) or in the center (84%) than on the left (55%).

Since last year, views of the U.S. have soured among most demographic groups in Israel, but particularly among Arab Israelis and people on the ideological left.

Americans’ views of the Israeli people are broadly positive, but far fewer express favorable views of the Israeli government . In our recent U.S. polling, we have asked separately about views of the Israeli government and the Israeli people , rather than ask a single question about views of Israel. ( Past research suggests that views of the country tend to fall somewhere between views of its people and its government.)

In our survey this past February, 64% of Americans had a favorable view of the Israeli people, while 41% voiced a favorable view of the Israeli government. Both of these figures were down modestly from 2022. Views of the Israeli people have ticked downward more among younger Americans than among older ones.

Americans and Israelis alike are divided over whether Biden is favoring one side too much in the Israel-Hamas war. In our February survey, Americans were about evenly split as to whether Biden was favoring the Israelis too much (22%), favoring the Palestinians too much (16%) or striking the right balance (21%). However, the largest share of all – 40% – was not sure.

In Israel, 41% of adults say Biden is striking the right balance, but nearly equal shares say the U.S. president favors the Israelis too much (27%) or favors Palestinians too much (25%). Just 7% of Israelis aren’t sure or did not answer the question. (It’s important to note that U.S. respondents took the survey online and were given an explicit “Don’t know” option. Israeli respondents, interviewed in person, were not. Previous research shows that offering an explicit “Don’t know” option in online surveys is a better comparison with face-to-face survey data.)

In both the U.S. and Israel , people on the ideological left are more likely than those on the right to say Biden is favoring Israelis too much (in the U.S., ideology was measured as liberal, moderate and conservative).

In the U.S., Muslim Americans are far more likely than Jewish Americans to say Biden favors the Israelis too much (60% vs. 13%). In Israel, Arabs (86%) are much more likely than Jews to say the same (86% vs. 11%). (In the U.S., we “oversampled” Muslim and Jewish Americans but did not have sufficient sample size to analyze Arab Americans. For more details on the sampling, read the “How we did this” box.)

Around seven-in-ten Israelis (72%) want to see the U.S. play a major diplomatic role in resolving the Israel-Hamas war, but Americans are more divided. In the U.S., a majority of Americans (55%) also say the U.S. should play a role in ending the war, but more favor a minor role than a major one (35% vs. 20%). Another 27% want the U.S. to play no role at all – a view shared by only 10% of Israelis.

Americans on the ideological left are more supportive of the U.S. playing a major role than are those in the center or on the right. In Israel, U.S. involvement is broadly popular across the ideological spectrum.

In the U.S., 45% of Jews think the U.S. should play a major role in resolving the war, compared with 27% of Muslims. In Israel, Jews and Arabs are both generally supportive of the U.S. playing a major role (74% and 62%, respectively).

Note: Here are the February and April questions and responses for the United States used for this analysis, and the questions and responses for Israel . Here are the February and April survey  methodologies for the U.S. , and the survey methodology for Israel .

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• U.S. Global Image
• War & International Conflict
• World Leaders

Laura Silver is an associate director focusing on global attitudes at Pew Research Center .

In East Asia, many people see China’s power and influence as a major threat

How views of the u.s., china and their leaders have changed over time, comparing views of the u.s. and china in 24 countries, poles and hungarians differ over views of russia and the u.s., 6 facts about how mexicans view the u.s. and their own country, most popular.

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Microsoft Research Forum

Quarterly Brief | June 2024

The Next Era of AI Research

Research advances are driving real-world impact faster than ever, with the latest advances in AI transforming the way we all live, work, and think.

In this episode, researchers dive into the importance of globally inclusive and equitable AI, share updates on AutoGen and MatterGen, explore novel use cases for AI, and more. Read more about this episode below, and register (opens in new tab) for the series.

“Today we are seeing so much AI research happening at the speed of conversation, to the point where even our top researchers feel that their heads are spinning, but working together, providing openness, providing greater access, we can see that we’ve made tremendous progress.” – Peter Lee, CVP, Microsoft Research & Incubations

@ the Forum

DIVE INTO OUR COLLECTION OF RESEARCH TALKS AND UPDATES

Keynote: Building Globally Equitable AI

Jacki O’Neill discusses the importance of creating globally equitable generative AI and will address the technical and socio-technical challenges that must be tackled to positively transform work futures worldwide.

Panel Discussion: Generative AI for Global Impact

Microsoft researchers discuss the challenges and opportunities of making AI more inclusive and impactful for everyone – from data that represents a broader range of communities and cultures, to novel use cases for AI that are globally relevant.

Lightning talks & essays

Informative talks and thought-provoking essays from researchers across Microsoft about fundamental AI advances, the impact of AI on health and natural sciences, the intersection of AI and society, and more.

Insights into the Challenges and Opportunities of Large Multi-Modal Models for Blind and Low Vision Users: A Case Study on CLIP

Presented by Daniela Massiceti

Driving Industry Evolution: Exploring the Impact of Generative AI on Sector Transformation

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June 4, 2024

Winning papers announced for 2024 Population Health Library Research Awards

This award was created in 2017 in partnership with the University of Washington Libraries and is open to undergraduates from all three UW campuses. The projects submitted were completed for either UW course credit or for the Undergraduate Research Program.

The key factors for choosing awardees included the innovativeness of their research hypothesis, the quality of their writing and how well they connected their work to the theme of population health. The following section describes the four awardees, their majors, the titles of their projects and summaries of their projects.

Lindsay Lucenko (Law, Societies, and Justice), "Gender Dynamics in King County Drug Diversion Court: Exploring Experiences and Perspectives"

This research explores the experiences of men and women in the King County Drug Diversion Court, a rehabilitative program for drug-related offenses. Participants undergo a five-phase program with the potential for charge dismissal, but concerns about coercion persist. Participants must maintain sobriety, undergo frequent tests, attend support meetings, communicate with case managers, find employment, and fulfill familial duties.

The study investigates how gender influences these obligations’ fulfillment, especially considering the court’s predominantly male population. Through nine semi-structured interviews, I examined participants’ experiences with the criminal justice system, focusing on gender impacts. Findings reveal nuanced gendered experiences, informing justice system reform. By combining qualitative interviews and existing research, this study sheds light on gender dynamics within the court, contributing to policy and practice for a fairer criminal justice system.

Evelyn Erickson (Chemical Engineering), "Tandem dechlorination and hydrogenolysis of waste PVC plastic into value added chemicals "

Plastic waste is a serious problem with detrimental environmental impacts, within this mixed plastics pose a significant challenge in depolymerization. My project focuses on polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particularly difficult plastic to break down due to the chlorine atom. Chlorine can poison catalysts and release harmful by products like hydrochloric acid or chlorine gas.

I have been working to dechlorinate PVC and then further break down this waste plastic to form value added products. Once dechlorinated PVC becomes a hydrocarbon and can be treated similar to other waste plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene. This tandem dechlorination and depolymerization occur in a single step through a strong amine base and ruthenium catalyst helping to activate the reaction.

Nede Ovbiebo (Pre-science - Biochemistry), "What are the health outcomes of phytochemical supplements versus fruits and vegetables?"

This research stems from concerns about the efficiency of modern diets, which increasingly rely on supplements rather than natural food sources. I analyzed data and reviewed information to compare the effectiveness of phytochemical supplements and whole fruits and vegetables. The study emphasized that while phytochemicals are used in various therapies, their individual effects cannot be compared to the combined benefits of whole foods based on current scientific developments. I have placed the results in a booklet to be printed and disseminated in the future to enable more people to plan their diets wisely and incorporate phytochemicals flexibly into their daily routines.

Hayden Goldberg (Public Health-Global Health, Biochemistry), "An Evaluation of Agricultural Safety and Health in Pesticide Application Technology"

The use of pesticides in the Pacific Northwest is essential in the process of safeguarding public health, most notably by mitigating pests, protecting our food supply, and aiding in produce distribution. However, long-term exposure to pesticides can result in illness for those handling the substances as well as their families. Newer methods, such as aerial drone spraying involve the use of emerging technologies that are poised to change the landscape of the agricultural industry and health outcomes of farmworkers.

This project will be assessing thoughts regarding adoption of these technologies. Through the creation of an electronic survey, I will be obtaining a variety of responses from individuals involved in the application of pesticides on farms. I will then analyze responses both quantitatively and qualitatively. The main objective of my research project is to capture the attitudes of the pesticide application technologies to inform policy, regulations, and decision-making regarding their uses.

Please visit our funding page to learn more about these awards.

What is population health?

Population health is a broad concept encompassing not only the elimination of diseases and injuries, but also the intersecting and overlapping factors that influence health.

Delivering hydrogen to EU’s industry: which are the greenest options?

Using hydrogen produced from abundantly available renewables on-site is the most sustainable option. Delivering compressed renewable hydrogen via pipelines or shipping liquid renewable hydrogen could still be environmentally friendly, research says.

Renewable hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions in Europe. Previous JRC  research revealed that sourcing it from regions with cheaper renewable energy can prove to be more cost-effective than local production. 

However, environmental concerns arise from transporting large quantities of hydrogen over long distances, as the environmental impact varies significantly according to the production technology and the method of delivery. 

To address these concerns, a  new study compares the life cycle environmental impacts of on-site production through steam methane reforming (SMR) or electrolysis with three different delivery methods, including compression, liquefaction, and chemical bonding to other molecules.  Transportation by both ship and pipeline was considered.

The distance used to compare the different methods of delivery is 2,500 km, compatible with the extent of EU territory and equivalent to the distance between Portugal and the Netherlands. The two countries were considered based on a proposal in an EU funded project which examined the feasibility of sustainable hydrogen transportation.

The results show that the environmental performance of hydrogen supplied to large industries can vary significantly based on the production technology and delivery pathway. 

The study was carried out by the JRC for the  Clean Hydrogen Partnership , a public-private partnership supporting research and innovation (R&I) activities in hydrogen technologies in Europe. The findings result in key recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to help countries and industries to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable hydrogen economy.

On-site production versus long-distance delivery

The most environmentally sustainable approach is on-site production using efficient renewable sources, such as wind power in the Netherlands. If on-site production is not viable using local abundant renewable sources, importing renewable hydrogen can still lead to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to on-site production with fossil fuels. However, focusing solely on GHG emissions may lead to other, unintended environmental impacts. 

Shipping liquid hydrogen and transporting compressed hydrogen through pipelines appear to have the least environmental impact when delivering hydrogen over long distances. 

Meanwhile, the process of packing and unpacking hydrogen into chemical carriers such as ammonia, liquid organic compounds, methanol, and synthetic natural gas demands larger amounts of energy and resources. It makes these options less desirable to minimise environmental impact. But no significant difference was noticed in comparative environmental impact of delivery methods when comparing chemical carriers one with another. 

Role of renewable energy infrastructure 

The report emphasises the close relationship between the environmental impact of delivered hydrogen and renewable energy infrastructure. 

For imported solar-generated hydrogen to have an environmental advantage over conventional hydrogen production from fossil fuels, the environmental impact of generating electricity through photovoltaic panels must be significantly reduced. 

This can be achieved by improving the efficiency of photovoltaic panels in terms of materials use and utilising renewable energy for their production.

Impact of water use

Water use is another crucial factor to consider. The availability of freshwater affects the impact of hydrogen production. On-site hydrogen generation in water-rich countries proves to be a more sustainable option in terms of water use compared to importing hydrogen from water-scarce nations. 

Hydrogen loss

Hydrogen losses during the delivery chain can significantly increase the environmental impact of delivered hydrogen. However, options that are more susceptible to losses, such as liquid and compressed hydrogen, still have lower environmental impacts than using hydrogen carriers.

When on-site production of hydrogen using local renewable sources is not feasible, importing renewable hydrogen from closer regions becomes the more environmentally sustainable choice. When transporting hydrogen over long distances within Europe, delivering compressed hydrogen through pipelines or liquid hydrogen via ships stands out as the preferred option in terms of environmental impact.

Related links

Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) comparison of hydrogen delivery options within Europe

Clean Hydrogen Partnership

EU Hydrogen strategy

More news on a similar topic

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• 11 September 2023
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FinancialResearch.gov

Conferences, 2024 financial stability conference – call for papers.

Published: June 4, 2024

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The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Office of Financial Research invite the submission of research and policy-oriented papers for the 2024 Financial Stability Conference on November 21–22, 2024. The conference will be held in person in Cleveland, Ohio, and virtually.

Markets and institutions, increasingly interconnected, are being challenged by the dizzying pace of changes in the financial system, accelerating the buildup of risk and threats to solvency. Regulatory adaptations add another layer of complexity to the issue. Increasingly sophisticated algorithms and the rise of generative artificial intelligence may create new vulnerabilities across the system as banks, nonbank financial institutions, and financial markets exploit nascent opportunities. The twelfth annual conference will explore how firms and markets can become resilient or even antifragile and how regulators can encourage and accommodate needed changes.

Conference Format

The conference will bring together policymakers, market participants, and researchers in two types of sessions:

• Policy Discussions These sessions include keynote addresses and panel discussions in which participants from industry, regulatory agencies, and academia share their insights.
• Research Forums These forums follow the format of an academic workshop and comprise sessions to discuss submitted papers.

We welcome submissions of research on topics related to potential financial stability risks faced by financial markets and institutions, sources of financial system resilience, and related public policy. Conference topics include but are not limited to the following:

Emerging Risks

As the financial system continues to evolve, new risks emerge along with new businesses, new strategies, and new technologies. Old problems take on new dimensions as fiscal and monetary policies adapt to new economic and political realities, thereby adding new stresses to regulatory frameworks that themselves struggle to adapt. As information technology moves risk out of closely regulated sectors, it also creates new vulnerabilities from cyber-attacks. A rapidly changing physical environment and the prospect of nonhuman intelligences add even more uncertainty.

• Financial stability concerns related to faster payments and equity transactions such as the implementation of t+1 settlement
• The financial stability implications of generative AI and deep learning
• Cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, and blockchain
• Cyber-attacks
• Climate risk
• Interaction of monetary policy with macroprudential supervision
• Sources of resilience in the financial sector

Financial Institutions

A riskier macroeconomic environment poses challenges for financial institutions and their supervisors. Risk management tools and strategies will be tested by fluctuations in inflation and output and by new regulations designed to mitigate vulnerabilities. Network effects, including interactions with a rapidly evolving fintech and crypto sector, may lead to further risks at a systemic level. How are institutions adapting to these risks and associated regulatory changes? How prepared are regulators and policymakers? Are existing microprudential and macroprudential toolkits sufficient?

• Bank lending to nonbank financial institutions (NBFI)
• Insurance markets
• Banking as a service (BaaS)
• Regional banks
• Interest rate risk
• Risks of rapid growth
• Unrealized losses on balance sheets and mark-to-market accounting
• Impact of reforms to lenders of last resort, deposit Insurance, capital rules, and the FHLB system

Financial Markets

Inflation and the associated responses of central banks around the world have contributed to stress to financial markets that has not been seen in the recent past. Financial stability threats may arise from resulting reallocations through volatility spikes, fire sales, and financial contagion. The continued development of algorithms, decentralized finance (DeFi), and complex artificial intelligence has the potential to add novel risks to financial markets. To what extent do investors recognize these risks, and how does recognition affect investors’ allocations? How does opacity resulting from deficiencies in reporting, risk management, and operation standards for these risks affect investor behavior?

• Risks associated with high levels and issuance of public debt (for example, recent volatility around Treasury funding announcements, concerns about primary dealers and principal trading firms, the SEC’s recent rule about what defines a dealer and what that might mean for Treasury markets)
• Short-term funding
• Implications of deficits, central bank balance sheet policies, and financial stability
• The impact of technological innovation on financial markets

Real Estate Markets

Real estate is often one of the sectors most affected by and can be a cause of financial instability. Construction and housing play a major role in the transmission of monetary policy, and real estate-based lending remains a major activity of banks, insurance companies, and mortgage companies. A complex and active securities market ties together financial institutions and markets in both residential and commercial real estate.

• Commercial real estate (CRE)
• Nonbank originators and servicers
• International contagion
• Implications of remote work and the impact of COVID-19
• Effects of monetary policy on real estate markets

Scientific Committee

• Vikas Agarwal, Georgia State University
• Marco Di Maggio, Harvard University
• Michael Fleming, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Rod Garratt, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Mariassunta Giannetti, Stockholm School of Economics
• Arpit Gupta, New York University, Stern School of Business
• Zhiguo He, Stanford University
• Zhaogang Song, Johns Hopkins University
• Russell R. Wermers, Robert H. Smith School of Business, The University of Maryland at College Park

Paper Submission Procedure

The deadline for submissions is Friday, July 5, 2024. Please submit completed papers through Conference Maker . Notification of acceptance will be provided by Friday, September 6, 2024. Final conference papers are due on Friday, November 1, 2024. In-person paper presentations are preferred. Questions should be directed to [email protected] .

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