How do I find primary or empirical studies?
You may be asked to find primary or empirical studies in assignments. In the sciences, primary sources mean something different than in the humanities (eg. literature, history, etc.) Be sure to clarify which type you are looking for.
Answer
A primary or empirical study in the sciences is original research where the authors collected data through methods like experiments, surveys, observations, or interviews. These studies provide first-hand information, and typically include sections like:
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
How to find them?
Look in articles' Methods sections for language indicating direct data collection, such as "we conducted," "our study shows," or "we collected data from..." Empirical studies include clinical trials, fieldwork, surveys, or case studies, and it may be helpful to include these as keywords when searching in Librarysearch. Learn more about keyword searching.
Some databases, like PsycInfo and CINAHL, offer filters to narrow the methodology type.
