PS 200: Methods 1: Research In Psychology

An empirical research article reports the results of a study that uses data derived from actual observation or experimentation rather than from theory or belief. 

Research articles that consist of empirical research are found primarily in scholarly or "peer reviewed" journals and are written in a formal manner free of jargon. 

Empirical research articles typically include the following sections:

•  Title
• Abstract - A paragraph length description of what the study includes
  
• Introduction - Statement of the hypotheses for the research and a review of other research on the topic.
• Methods - A description of how the research was conducted, such as:
           ◊ Who are participants
           ◊  Design of the study 
           ◊  What the participants did 
           ◊  What measures were used
• Results - The results section describes the outcomes of the measures of the study.
• Discussion - The discussion section contains the interpretations and implications of the study.
• References - A references, or bibliography, will contain citation information on the material cited in the report.

If you want to narrow your search and focus on articles from a particular subject area, try using one of these subject specific databases.