How can I tell if the sources relied upon in the Reference list of my research article for Nursing 39000 are primary or secondary?
Answer
In some cases, the title of an article will indicate whether or not it is a primary study. For example, does the title state that the article is a systematic review, meta-analysis, or literature review? If so, these are secondary research, where the authors are summarizing the work of other researchers. Does the title state that the article is a randomized controlled trial or a qualitative study? If so, it is a primary study.
You may need to search for the full text of an article to determine its status. When you find the full text, look for headings that match the familiar components of a research study – terms like objectives, method, data analysis, results, etc. This usually indicates a primary study. Look in the methods section to see how the researchers describe their study. Randomized controlled trials, case controlled studies, and cohort studies are all examples of primary research studies.
Government or industry reports, informational articles, editorials, and newspaper articles are all examples of secondary sources.
Many primary research studies will use both primary and secondary studies as references to their research.