NUTR 510 Capstone Research

Scholarly articles are typically found in scholarly journals, which are held in specialized databases. They often present original research on a specific topic within a particular field. 

Characteristics of a scholarly article include: 

• Written by experts
• Peer-reviewed
• Target audience - researchers and other professionals in the field 
• Original research or analysis
• Specialized language
• Citations and References 

The majority of articles in the discipline will have the sections listed below.

• Abstract - Summary of the article, including research question, methodology, and results.
• Introduction - Background information about the topic, leading up to why this study is being done.
• Methods - A description of the study procedures, set-up, and how data was collected.
• Results/ Findings - Presentation of the data from the study. This section often includes tables, charts, or other data visualizations.
• Discussion - Data analysis and how the study relates to existing knowledge of the topic. The authors evaluate whether their results answer their research question. 
• Conclusion - The authors wrap up the article by discussing how their study contributes to the research on this topic and outline future potential research questions or studies.
• References - A List of resources the authors consulted when developing their research and subsequently cited in the article.

In the Sciences, primary sources are equivalent to original research. 

• Original research, ideas, or scientific discoveries for the first time
• Report results/findings/data from experiments or research studies
• Frequently include methods, results, and discussion sections
• May also be referred to as primary articles, research articles, clinical trials, or randomized control trials
• Are frequently found in peer-reviewed or scholarly journals
• Should explain the research methodology used (randomized controlled trial, etc.)
• Are factual, not interpretive

In the Sciences, secondary sources are equal to review articles.

• Literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses
• Publications about the significance of research or experiments
• Review of the results of several experiments or trials i.e. review articles 
• Analysis of a clinical trial
• Letters to the editor, editorials, perspectives, etc.