General Biology I - BIOL 101 - Lenahan

Primary Literature

Primary Literature Defined

Primary literature refers to original studies based on direct observation, use of statistical records, interviews, or experimental methods. They are authored by researchers, contain original research data, and are usually published in a peer-reviewed journal. Primary literature may also include conference papers, pre-prints of articles, or preliminary reports of original research that has been conducted. The term empirical research may also be used. 

IMRaD - common formatting for scientific research articles

Introduction 

Explains the scope and objective of the study and places it in the context of previously published studies on the subject (a literature review)

Materials and Methods

The what and how for conducting the study: what was used and how it was done

Results

Reports what was found in the study, often using a lot of statistics, charts, and graphs

Discussion 

Explains the significance of the results and the meaning the researchers interpret from the results; often includes suggestions for further research and/or describes limitations of the study

A References list will be included at the end of the article.

Secondary Literature

Secondary literature, or secondary sources, summarize and synthesize the primary literature. It is usually broader and less current than primary literature. Secondary literature may also be written in a less formal, more accessible manner for non-experts to understand the findings of primary literature.

Science Magazines, News, and Websites

• Popular sources include science magazines and news websites
• These are written for the general public with an interest in the topic 
• Professionals may read these to stay current with new developments and news in the field
• The style is less formal, more conversational, and usually more visually appealing
• Journal publishers and professional organizations often publish magazines or websites to get information out quickly and to a wider audience 

Reference Sources

• Reference books and websites provide broad, overview information to educate people who are new to a topic. 
• Specialized encyclopedias may include overviews of common research areas and well-known findings. 
• Lists of "additional reading" are often included to point researchers to important studies or other secondary sources for more information

Key takeaways

Primary literature refers to publications of research results written by the scientists or researchers who conducted the study. Primary literature has been reviewed by other experts in the field prior to publication (peer review).

Secondary literature refers to other communications about the research and is typically written by someone other than the researcher. Blog posts, brief news articles or social media announcements written by the researcher to tell others about their published study are also considered secondary literature.  

These features are typically found in primary literature only:

• Original research results
• Author affiliations
• Methods description
• Statistics, graphs, and tables
• References list or Works Cited