Identify Empirical Research Articles

According to the APA, empirical research is defined as the following: "Study based on facts, systematic observation, or experiment, rather than theory or general philosophical principle."

Empirical research articles are generally located in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and often follow a specific layout known as IMRaD:

1) Introduction - This provides a theoretical framework and might discuss previous studies related to the topic at hand.
2) Methodology - This describes the analytical tools used, research process, and the populations included.
3) Results - Sometimes this is referred to as findings, and it typically includes statistical data. 
4) Discussion - This can also be known as the conclusion to the study, this usually describes what was learned and how the results can impact future practices.

In addition to IMRaD, it's important to see a conclusion and references that can back up the author's claims.

In addition to the IMRaD format mentioned above, empirical research articles contain several key characteristics for identification purposes:

• The length of empirical research is often substantial, usually eight to thirty pages long.
• You should see data of some kind, this includes graphs, charts, or some kind of statistical analysis.
• There is always a bibliography found at the end of the article.

Empirical research articles can be found in scholarly or academic journals. These types of journals are often referred to as "peer-reviewed" publications; this means qualified members of an academic discipline review and evaluate an academic paper's suitability in order to be published. 

The CRAAP Checklist should be utilized to help you examine the currency, relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose of an information resource. This checklist was developed by California State University's Meriam Library. 

This page has been adapted from the Sociology Research Guide: Identify Empirical Articles at Cal State Fullerton Pollak Library.