Empirical articles are scholarly articles (or peer-reviewed) that contain statistical analysis as part of experimental or observational research results.
Empirical articles often contain the following sections:
Fun fact: your Culminating Project paper will be an empirical article if you choose to do a clinical project.
The information below describes how to find empirical articles using the EBSCO databases in this library.
You will have the best results if you select a specific database and search that database individually. For example, this library subscribes to PsycInfo and PsycArticles. These databases offer the option to limit search results to a specific methodology, including empirical studies.
[1] Once logged in to the library, from any search results page, look for the "Search by Database" link at the top of the page.
Select the database you wish to search from the list. that appears. Note: You may have to sign in for access. In the example below, PsycArticles has been chosen.
Make sure you are on the advanced search page. You will be presented with a page of limiters. The methodology search limiter is at the bottom of the page; you can select a specific methodology from that list.
Some keywords for research studies are as follows:
This chart of search terms by type of foreground question from the Dahlgren Memorial Library may also be useful.
Another strategy for finding different kinds of research or empirical articles is to add different combinations of the following search terms:
Some keywords for research studies are as follows:
This chart of search terms by type of foreground question from the Dahlgren Memorial Library may also be useful.
Be advised that you have to be a fearless experimenter; you may have to try many combinations to get useful results. One recommendation is to combine a keyword search on your topic with a subject search on statistical method or research type. This can be useful when you don't know what database you wish to search, and want to do a search of all databases available.
From the Advanced Search area of any search results screen:
[1] Type in the keyword of your subject
[2] Type in a search term for the type of research you are seeking and turn the field to SU Subject [3]
