BQ 2011

Name: _________________________

Natural Science 306
Recognizing Empirical Research

Your professor has asked you to cite 10 empirical articles in your literature review. This
exercise will remind you how to evaluate an article to decide if it is empirical.

For this assignment, search any library database to find one empirical research article.
Choose your own topic. Decide on keywords that convey the main ideas of your topic.
Create a search by connecting the keywords with 'and.

For example, if I wanted to look at research about music therapy for cancer patients, my
search would be music and cancer.

Type your search in the database search box.

1. Record the name of your database:

2. Record your search:
___________________________________

___________________________________

3. Record the number of results your search
retrieved:


___________________________________

4. From the results list, record the title of
an article that interests you:


___________________________________

5. Click on the title and record the author of
the article (if there are many authors,
record only the first):



___________________________________

6. Record the source of the article:


Journal name:

___________________________________

Volume:

___________________________________

Issue (if available):

___________________________________

Year:

___________________________________

Page numbers:

___________________________________


BQ 2011
Skim the abstract. Pay close attention to the fi rst and last sentences.


In a few words, what is the objective of this
study?



Very brieIly, what is the author`s
conclusion?





Open the full text and scroll through the article. Does the article have the following
elements?

Abstract: YES NO

Introduction:

YES NO

Methods:

YES NO

Results:

YES NO

Discussion:

YES NO

References:

YES NO


Based on your findings (above), would you say this is an empi rical article?

YES NO