EVR 1001 (Webb): Databases

Your assignment requires you to find an empirical article, an article based on original scientific research. An empirical article is an article from the library databases that presents research that is based on actual observations or experiments conducted by the author. 

How can I tell if an article is an empirical study?

• Check the source: Empirical articles are usually found in scholarly journals, not magazines or newspapers. Journals like Genetics and Animal Biology both publish studies that are empirical. 
• Read the abstract (summary): If it mentions any study, questionnaires, participants, or measurements that the author conducted, it is empirical.
• Format: Many empirical articles are broken down into sections, such as "Methodology", "Results", and "Conclusion." Finding these or similar headings in an article is a good indication that it involves a study or experiment.
• Length: Empirical articles are usually very lengthy, at least 5 pages.
• References: Does the article have references listed at the end? Scholarly researchers have to cite their sources, just like you!

If in doubt, always ask your instructor or a librarian!

Search Tip:

• When searching the databases, try searching your term as well as the words "experiment," "empirical," or "study" to ensure that your results are empirical in nature.