All about Empirical Research ArticlesWhat’s in them and how to read them…

Developed by Debbie Lahav and Elana Spector-Cohen

Before You Begin:There are three major types of academic articles that appear in

academic journals:• Reports of empirical studies: articles that summarize original

research• Review articles: articles that further examine other research that

has already been published.• Theoretical articles: articles that are written to present a theory.

They may include both empirical research and reviews of research in order to support the theoretical position.

In order to learn how to review the literature and follow theory, it is important to be able to read and understand reports of empirical studies.

Before You Begin:The empirical research article

has a fixed model of organization:▫ Abstract▫ Introduction▫ Methods▫ Results▫ Discussion

If you learn the model, you will know how to read all empirical research articles.

Empirical research articles have clearly labeled sections:

1) Discussion of the problem, the existing literature and purpose of the research

2) The experiment and its design

3) The results of the experiment

4) Discussion of the results and their implications

Abstract: a short but comprehensive summary of the empirical research report

What’s usually in it… How to read…•Hypothesis / purpose / research

question(s) •Methods: a short description of

the subjects and the general procedure

•Results•Conclusion: the ‘bottom line’ of

empirical research!•Recommendations

• CAREFULLY! Read every word.

• The abstract is a summary of the whole article.

• Return often to the abstract as you read the text – it will keep you on track.

Look for some or all of the elements in the sample abstract that follows:

•Purpose•Hypothesis •Research question •Methods▫Sample (participants)▫Measure▫Procedure

•Conclusion•Recommendations

Eating When There is Not Enough to Eat: Eating Behaviorsand Perceptions of Food Among Food-Insecure Youths

We explored differences in adolescents' eating habits, perceptions, and dietary intakes by food security status. As part of Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), we surveyed 4746 multiethnic middle and high school students in 31 primarily urban schools in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, area. Participants completed in-class surveys. We analyzed associations between behaviors, perceptions, nutritional intake, and food security status. Compared with food-secure youths, food-insecure youths were more likely to perceive that eating healthfully was inconvenient and that healthy food did not taste good. Additionally, food-insecure youths reported eating more fast food but fewer family meals and breakfasts per week than did youths who were food secure. Food-insecure and food-secure youths perceived similar benefits from eating healthfully. Compared with those who were food secure, food-insecure youths had higher fat intakes. Food-insecure youths were more likely to have a body mass index above the 95th percentile. The eating patterns of food-insecure' adolescents differ in important ways from the eating patterns of those who are food secure. Policies and interventions focusing on improving the foods that these youths eat deserve further examination.

Eating When There is Not Enough to Eat: Eating Behaviorsand Perceptions of Food Among Food-Insecure Youths

We explored differences in adolescents' eating habits, perceptions, and dietary intakes by food security status. As part of Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), we surveyed 4746 multiethnic middle and high school students in 31 primarily urban schools in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, area. Participants completed in-class surveys. We analyzed associations between behaviors, perceptions, nutritional intake, and food security status. Compared with food-secure youths, food-insecure youths were more likely to perceive that eating healthfully was inconvenient and that healthy food did not taste good. Additionally, food-insecure youths reported eating more fast food but fewer family meals and breakfasts per week than did youths who were food secure. Food-insecure and food-secure youths perceived similar benefits from eating healthfully. Compared with those who were food secure, food-insecure youths had higher fat intakes. Food-insecure youths were more likely to have a body mass index above the 95th percentile. The eating patterns of food-insecure' adolescents differ in important ways from the eating patterns of those who are food secure. Policies and interventions focusing on improving the foods that these youths eat deserve further examination.

purpose

methods

results

conclusion

recommendation

Introduction: gives background/contextWhat’s in it…

How to read…• The problem or need in the real world or theoretical problem

• The original contribution: author's justification for the present study

• Review of the literature and or background information

• Hypothesis and/or purpose and/or research question

• Find the problem – highlight it and make sure you understand it

• Get the background information and theory

• Understand why the author did the study

• What does the author want to prove?

Method: ‘recipe’ of the researchWhat’s in it…

How to read…‘Ingredients’:• Setting: where and when• Sample: participants • Measures: general method

of collecting data (experiment, survey, questionnaire, observation, etc.) and materials, equipment and/or measurement instrument (names of scales, tests, etc.) used in the study

‘Directions’:• Steps of the procedure

• Use the sub-headings to guide you

• Find the information that you need

• Understand how the author did the research

ResultsWhat’s in it…

How to read…

•Numerical and statistical data

•Tables, graphs, pictures •Description of the

results (evaluative language)

•Confirmation or rejection of the hypothesis

• Use the graphs and tables that summarize statistical information

• Find the significant (מובהק) results – look for words such as ‘As predicted..’, ‘Contrary to our hypothesis…’, ‘A surprising result…’, ‘A significant finding was…’

• Find out if the hypothesis was confirmed or the answers to the research question

DiscussionWhat’s in it…

How to read… • Restatement of the

hypothesis/purpose/research questions and main findings

• Comparison of the results of the present study with previous studies

• Explanation of the findings • Limitations of the study • Implications and

recommendations for the real world

• Suggestions for future research

• Find the main findings and conclusions of the research – highlight

• Find how this study connects to previous studies – does it support previous research?

• Find explanations, limitations and recommendations

References

What’s in it…How to read…• The sources that the author

referred to in the body of the text

Scan• Do you recognize any

names?• Look for articles that are

relevant to your research

Higgs, M., & Aitken, P. (2003). An exploration of the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership potential. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 18(8), 814-823.

Now that you’ve finished reading…• First, consider your personal reaction to it. ▫ “I liked it?,” “▫ “It was hard to read.” ▫ “It was boring.”

• Second, think somewhat deeper. ▫What did I learn? ▫What is author trying to say?▫Did he/she prove the point ? ▫How can I use this article for my research?

Be Critical!• Even if you didn’t know anything about the topic before

you read the article, you can make some judgments about it and how well the author made her or his case.

Do you remember the characteristics of each?

• Abstract

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion

• Gives a short summary of the research and appears after the title and authors.

• Gives the “big picture” of the research by presenting the context of the research, reviewing related research and developing the hypothesis.

• Describes how the research was conducted. Includes information about who the participants were, the design of the study, what the participants did and what measures were used.

• Describes the statistical data and results of the study.

• Presents interpretations and implications of the study.