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PSYC 733 - Drugs and Behavior (UNH - Manchester): Description of Original Research

A guide to help you prepare for your research assignment in PSYC 733.

Description of a Peer-Reviewed Original Research Article

Original research is considered a primary source.

An article is considered original research if...

  • it is the report of a study written by the researchers who actually did the study.
  • the researchers describe their hypothesis or research question and the purpose of the study.
  • the researchers detail their research methods.
  • the results of the research are reported.
  • the researchers interpret their results and discuss possible implications.

How can I Tell if the Article is Original Research?

Read the article to verify that it is written by the researchers and that they have explained all of their findings, in addition to listing their methodologies, results, and any conclusions based on the evidence collected. 

There are a few key indicators that will help you to quickly decide whether or not your article is based on original research. 

  • Review the article to see the major subdivisions that should be present in a research article:
    • Literature Review or Background
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Conclusions
    • Discussion
  • Read through the abstract (summary) before you attempt to find the full-text. The abstract of the article usually contains those subdivision headings where each of the key sections are summarized individually. 
  • Use the filter within databases to limit your search results to original or empirical research articles.   

Acknowledgement

Newton, L. (n.d.). LibGuides: Refereed/Peer Reviewed Articles: Description of Original Research. Retrieved June 1, 2020, from https://libguides.unf.edu/c.php?g=177009&p=1164349

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