FAQs

Primary research articles (also called original or empirical research articles) are the initial publication of a researcher's work.

The Library's main search (SteenFind Advantage) can help you find them, but the final decision on whether it meets your assignment's requirements will need to be made by you.

In general, a primary research article will 

• almost always be published in a peer reviewed journal, 
• be a journal article,
• include tell-tale scientific sections, such as Methods / Methodology, Analysis, Results / Findings, and Discussion,
• and almost never include the word 'review' in the article title.

Search for your topic in SteenFind, then click on the checkboxes next to 'Scholarly & Peer-Reviewed' and 'Journal Article' on the left side of the search page. The remaining results are likely to be primary research articles, but not all of them will be. While you review them for relevance to your topic, also look for 'review' in the title and the tell-tale section headings.

(NOTA BENE: Most primary research articles will include a section titled 'Literature Review' or 'Review of the Literature.' The word 'review' is only disqualifying in the article title.  For example,

• "Practitioner Review: Maternal mood in pregnancy and child development – implications for child psychology and psychiatry"
• "Understanding the influence of companion animal on child development: A literature review"
• "Self-management in children and young people with epilepsy: A systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis")

Be sure to check with your instructor if you have questions about a particular article.