{% for result in results %}
 <li >
{{ result.title}},
<a href="#" class="like_button" data-pid="{{ result.pk }}"> <span class="like_span fa fa-thumbs-up"></span> </a>

 <strong id="like_count_{{ result.pk }}">{{result.likes}} </strong>
</li>
{% endfor %}

<script>
        $(document).ready(function(){
          $(".like_button").click(function(){
                $.ajax({
                    type: "GET",
                    data: {'pk': $(this).data('pid'),
                           'liked': $("span").hasClass('fa fa-thumbs-up') },
                    url: "{% url 'search:paperpreference' %}",
                    success: function(response) {
                        var pk  = $(this).data('pid');
                        $(?????).html(response.likes )
                    },
                    error: function(response, error) {
                        alert(error);
                    }
                });
            });
          });
    </script>

def paperpreference(request):
   # if request.method == "GET":
    pid = request.GET['pk']
    paper = Paper.objects.get(pk=pid)
    likes = paper.likes + 1
    paper.likes = likes
    paper.save()
    data = {'likes': paper.likes}

    return JsonResponse(data)

<script>
        $(document).ready(function(){
          $(".like_button").click(function(){
                var pk = $(this).data('pid')
                $.ajax({
                    type: "GET",
                    data: {'pk': pk,
                           'liked': $("span").hasClass('fa fa-thumbs-up') },
                    url: "{% url 'search:paperpreference' %}",
                    success: function(response) {
                        $("#like_count_"+ pk).html(response.likes )
                    },
                    error: function(response, error) {
                        alert(error);
                    }
                });
            });
          });
    </script>