▫ Often resemble literature

reviews, but with a more focused

purpose.
▫ Writers argue their viewpoints on
an issue.
▫ Researchers cannot use them as
a direct evidence to support the
answers of the research
questions.
Position papers usually draw the
proposed answer out of the
research studies they cite—while
the research studies themselves
cannot be turned around to
support their position.
▫ Typically used to provide
foundations for the issues being
considered in a given area.
▫ Can help researchers become
aware of existing research.
▫ Cannot be relied on as unbiased.
Researchers cite and
summarize large quantities of
primary research – in doing so,
the discussion of such research
has been run through the
cognitive filter of the author(s).
▫ We can find research studies in
the references of research
articles we already have found.
▫ We can also find benchmark
studies this way.
Two criteria relevant to the
weight:

a) whether the submissions for

publication are refereed
b) whether the referee is blind
toward who wrote the study
 Venues for Primary
Research

Published
research
Conference
Presentation Blind refereed
journals
Paper
presentation Nonblind refereed
journals
Round table
Doctoral dissertation
Poster
presentation Nonrefereed journal
Database
The third criterion you want to
keep in mind:
Recency.

▫ 10 year-old studies < more

recent studies (unless they are
seminal studies)
Conference Presentations

Research Journals

Secondary Sources
▫ A Longitudinal Study of the Relation
between Language and Theory-of-Mind
Development, Astington, Janet Wilde;
Jenkins, Jennifer M., 1999, EJ595688

= Primary Research √

▫ An Oral Interview Procedure for Assessing

Second Language Abilities in Children,
Carpenter, Kathie; And Others, 1995, EJ511944
◦ = Collecting data or presenting a case?
= Primary Research √
• A simple Google search will do.
• For subscribed content: go to your
university library
http://e.library.uny.ac.id/