Dear Muhammad Wajid Raza,

The most important thing to write a research paper is interest in any particular area. If you are interested to conduct research in any area, start by reviewing the existing body of knowledge/literature on that area and try to do exhaustive critical synthesis of that literature. Search gaps and try to fill the gaps. The literature will answer all questions related to methodology, structure, contextualization of results, policy recommendations etc.

Well, to choose among the two, the better way is to start with option 1 you provided. However, sometimes results are not encouraging, therefore, academicians go from results. After getting good results they go back and write the introduction and all.

Best wishes,

Atif

Here is my recommendation for how to structure your research paper.  It does not accress the planning steps you ask about, but it may be helpful.

Conference Paper Research Study Manuscript Outline

I have already sought in this subject, my conclusion is that the introduction should not contain results and must contain the following 3 things:

First: The context of your work

Second:  Literature review

Third: The purpose and contribution of your article

Hi

The main beginning of research paper is with extensive  reading to the subject under investigation . After that all other things being clear.

Liqaa 

 Dear Michael W. Marek, 

Thank you so much for the document. It's helpful. Can you please share your thoughts which method you prefer in writing a research paper... Like the first or second method as I mentioned in my question. 

Dear Muhammad, I don't think there is a correct method as it depends on individual differences. I can also see limitations with your two suggested methods. What I would say is this:

1. For the best results, work with one co-author.

2. You need to have carried out some research but not necessarily have written it up.

3. The next thing to do is choose an appropriate journal.

4. This will help you narrow down your subject. You should also do a literature search of that journal for similar studies, e.g. In the last 10 years.

5. You will then be in a suitable position to with write your introduction, carry out and write up your literature review or write up your results in whatever order you like. This will be your first draft anyway so it doesn't really matter which order it is done in.

Dear Wajid Raza,

The following links can hopefully provide you with kind of start up you are looking for. A word of caution , however, deems necessary here. Always check the requirements of the journal to which you want to submit your manuscript (i.e., the abstract, introduction, literature review, etc.). This provides you with the main signposts you have to follow.

Best of luck,

R. Biria

https://www.american.edu/ocl/asac/upload/ten-steps-for-writing-research-papers.pdf

https://www-mech.eng.cam.ac.uk/mmd/ashby-paper-V6.pdf

https://depts.washington.edu/.../How%20to%20Structure%20and%20Organize%20Yo..

https://www.nd.edu/~pkamat/pdf/researchpaper.pdf

https://www.uni-marburg.de/fb10/iaa/institut/personal/birkle/MLA.pdf

Some very good answers which highlights the context.

Thanks for providing some very good resources. These can be very helpful to all of us. However, the question i ask is in different context. To some extent it is mutually agreed that every scientific paper (empirical papers specifically) must have the introduction section, literature review, methodology and data analysis section. I am interested to know the first step to start. Like if a person has conducted literature review is it good to just start writing the introduction straight away. In my opinion I think this is not a good way. If you are trying to test some concepts empirically then first you should perform your data analysis. That is how you will have a better idea what is happening. If you do not know what specific trends, causal relationship exist in your data how can you write your introduction. It would be great if you can provide your insight in this particular context. If you share your way of doing things it would be better for me to generalize the overall phenomena.

I would agree with you wajid. For me, Obviously literature review is the first thing to do and then start analyzing your data. come up with some results, conclusions, trends, relationships and so on. once you see your analysed results, you will be able to write the introduction in a better way. 

at least, whenever I am writing a paper, the results and discussion part is the first that I write. Then comes the methodology (If needed by the journal), then introduction and abstract in the very last. I find this very much helpful for my writing.

Dear Muhammad Wajid Raza,

The most important thing to write a research paper is interest in any particular area. If you are interested to conduct research in any area, start by reviewing the existing body of knowledge/literature on that area and try to do exhaustive critical synthesis of that literature. Search gaps and try to fill the gaps. The literature will answer all questions related to methodology, structure, contextualization of results, policy recommendations etc.

Well, to choose among the two, the better way is to start with option 1 you provided. However, sometimes results are not encouraging, therefore, academicians go from results. After getting good results they go back and write the introduction and all.

Best wishes,

Atif

Option 1 is better in my view point. However, I do agree with Muhammad Atif Nawaz that at times results are not encouraging, so in that case, option 2 should be use instead.