Primary Research
A primary research article in the sciences is an article that describes an original experiment that leads to the
creation of new knowledge in a specific field. A primary research article should contain the following key elements.:
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Background research that lead to this experiment- Sometimes this is called literature review
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Methodology or Methods section- an explanation for the experiment conducted (what was done)
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Results section- the results of the experiment (fancy diagrams, graphs, charts, etc.)
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Conclusions section- the conclusions reached as a result of this experiment
Secondary Research
Secondary Sources build on the primary sources with more extensive and in-depth analysis. They summarize, evaluate, and analytically interpret primary material, often by offering a personal perspective. While these are useful to check what other experts in the field have to say, they are not evidence. It is one step removed from the original source.
Plastic ingestion by seabirds in the circumpolar Arctic: A review
Examples
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