A scientific paper, journal article, or essay that is often presented at conferences or published in academic journals.
example
Die Professorin hat ein wegweisendes Paper zur Quantenphysik publiziert.
The professor published a groundbreaking paper on quantum physics.
Usage tips
Academic context
The word 'Paper' (paper) is used almost exclusively in scientific and university contexts. It refers to a specialist article or an academic piece of work.
EXAMPLE
Für das Seminar müssen alle Studierenden ein kurzes Paper schreiben.
For the seminar, all students have to write a short paper.
Typical verbs
Common verbs used with 'Paper' (paper) are 'ein Paper schreiben' (to write a paper), 'veröffentlichen' (to publish), 'einreichen' (to submit), and 'präsentieren' (to present).
EXAMPLE
Er wird sein neues Paper auf einer Konferenz in Berlin präsentieren.
He will present his new paper at a conference in Berlin.
Specific meaning
In German, 'das Paper' (the paper) specifically refers to an academic piece of work. It is not used for a newspaper ('die Zeitung') or a simple sheet of paper ('das Blatt Papier').
EXAMPLE
Ihr Paper über künstliche Intelligenz wurde in einer bekannten Fachzeitschrift veröffentlicht.
Her paper on artificial intelligence was published in a well-known academic journal.
Compare with
near_synonym · confusable
Paper vs Artikel
article
'der Artikel' and 'das Paper' can both be texts that provide information about a topic. 'Artikel' is much more general and fits well for a newspaper, magazine, or website. 'Paper' is used mainly in academic contexts. It means a research paper or academic article that is often presented at a conference or published in an academic journal. The words can be confused because a paper can also be a kind of article. In everyday language, however, people are more likely to say 'Artikel'; in research and at university, 'Paper' is more common.
Paper
Die Forscherin stellt am Montag ihr Paper auf einer Konferenz vor.
The researcher is presenting her paper at a conference on Monday.
Artikel
Beim Frühstück liest Tom einen Artikel über neue Regeln im Verkehr.
At breakfast, Tom reads an article about new traffic rules.