BIOL 313 - Principles of Ecology
Peer-reviewed scientific journals contain two main types of research articles: primary studies, and literature reviews. Both types of research are usually peer reviewed, meaning that the articles have been reviewed by other experts in the field before being published.
Primary studies are reports on the results of an original experiment or study, usually undertaken to test a hypothesis or answer a specific question. Usually, researchers gather the data themselves, interpret them, and write up the results. In this course, you are engaging in a sort of primary study, as you will be required to formulate a hypothesis, collect data, analyze it, and write up your results.
Review articles summarize the existing literature on a topic or question. The authors do not collect any new data. Literature reviews provide useful summaries of what is known about a topic, what is still unknown, areas of disagreement among experts, and directions for future research. They are also a great overview for students and researchers who may be new to a topic. When you're beginning your search for background literature on a project, try to find a recent review paper to give you the lay of the land before you start looking at primary studies.
When to use/cite primary vs. review articles
Review articles are excellent backgrounders. The reference list of the review should direct you to the studies mentioned in the review. In general, your own paper should cite the original study, not the review, if you are stating something that was actually found in that study. It's acceptable to cite the review if the information/statement you're citing is unique to the review itself, based on the reviewer's synthesis of a number of primary studies.
Primary Study Article | Review Article |
---|---|
Author(s) conducted experiment or collected data themselves |
Author(s) summarized/discussed/critiqued studies conducted by other researchers |
Literature review is part of the article. It's brief, and found in the background or introduction section |
Literature review is the entire article, and is more comprehensive and detailed |
Article has sections such as Background or Introduction; Methods; Results; Discussion, Conclusion | Does not have standardized sections. May be organized chronogically, or around different sub-themes of the issue addressed by the review |
- UlrichswebUlrichs is a directory of academic journals. Search your journal title here to confirm that it's peer-reviewed ("refereed") and to find out other information about the journal.
- Last Updated: Oct 25, 2024 10:51 AM
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