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AG 150: Be a Master Student!

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All terms must appear

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Use to include multiple concepts

farming

AND

food labeling

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Either term may appear

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Use for related concepts

milk substitute

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non-dairy substitute

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animal diseases

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dogs

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"genetically modified organisms"

Primary Research Articles vs. Review Articles - How can I tell the difference?

Differentiating between original research articles and review articles can be a bit tricky.  Both types of articles are considered "scholarly" and appear in peer reviewed journals.  However, it is an essential skill in the sciences to be able to differentiate between the two types of articles.  In this class, you will need to find review articles.  Below is information to assist you in determining what type of resource you are viewing. 

 

Characteristics

Examples

Research Article

Author(s) present new set of findings from original research after conducting an original experiment.

Typically contains the following distinct sections: 

  • Methods (possibly the variation Methods & Materials) 
  • Results (including charts, graphs, and statistical tables)
  • Discussion
Colgrave, M., Byrne, K., Blundell, M., & Howitt, C. (2016). Identification of barley-specific peptide markers that persist in processed foods and are capable of detecting barley contamination by LC-MS/MS. Journal of Proteomics, 147, 169-176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2016.03.045

Review Article

Author(s) analyze and summarize existing research.

Often focus on a general topic and bring together all relevant, useful articles on that topic in one article.

Do not contain sections such as Methods or Results because they did not conduct original research.

References within a review article can help you locate primary research articles on a topic!

Ortea, I., O'Connor, G., & Maquet, A. (2016). Review on proteomics for food authentication.  Journal of Proteomics, 147, 212-225. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2016.06.033

 

How to Read & Use Scholarly Scientific Articles

Intimidated and frustrated by that 15 page scientific article?  Use the links below to learn how to navigate scientific journal articles.