Below are links to video tutorials
A peer-reviewed article (aka scholarly article) is written by an expert(s) and then the articles are reviewed or fact-checked by several other experts before the article is published in a scholarly journal. The peer-review process ensures the article’s overall quality.
Peer Review can also refer to articles that have undergone a rigorous review, or fact-checking, process, often including revisions to the original manuscript, by peers in their discipline, before publication in a scholarly journal. This can include empirical studies, review articles, meta-analyses among others.
There are three different types of scholarly articles. Researchers use each article for different research purposes. The most commonly used scholarly article for college assignments is the Research Article.
Research Article - An article reporting on the results of one or more studies or experiments, written by the person(s) who conducted the research. This is considered one type of primary source. Look in the title or abstract for words like study, research, measure, subjects, data, effects, survey, or statistical which might indicate empirical research.
Example: Zehnder, C., & Hunter, M. (2008, February). Effects of nitrogen deposition on the interaction between an aphid and its host plant. Ecological Entomology, 33(1), 24-30.
Literature Review Article - An article summarizing the results of significant studies or experiments, often attempting to identify trends or draw broader conclusions. Although scholarly, it is not considered a primary source or research article, but its references to other articles will include primary sources or research articles.
Example: Parker, M., & Thorslund, M. (2007, April). Health trends in the elderly population: Getting better and getting worse. Gerontologist, 47(2), 150-158.
Theoretical Article - An article containing or referring to a set of new or established abstract principles related to a specific field of knowledge; characteristically it does not contain original empirical research or present experimental data, although it is scholarly.
Example: Gestrich, A. (2006, August). The public sphere and the Habermas debate. German History, 24(3), 413-430.
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Discipline |
Primary Source |
Secondary Source |
|
History |
Slave diary |
Book about the underground railroad |
|
Art |
Original artwork created by an artist |
Article critiquing the piece of art |
|
Literature |
Original poem written by a poet |
Essay on a particular genre of poetry |
|
Political Science |
Treaty between two governments |
Essay on Native American land rights in the US |
|
Science or Social Sciences |
Report of an original experiment |
Review of several studies on the same topic |
|
Theatre |
Videotape of a performance |
Biography of a playwright |
From Bowling Green State University.