Skip to Main Content

Biology

Anatomy of an Article

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.

Original Research Articles

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

Review Articles

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.