How can you confirm that the source your found is an empirical article?
Empirical research simply means research based on real interaction with the world, rather than based on theory, review of others' research, or opinion. If the researchers completed a study where they took measurements, interviewed subjects, or administered surveys, these would all be examples of empirical research.
Most academic articles include an abstract, which will be in the detailed record (what you see after you click on the title of an article) and at the beginning of the full text of the article. The abstract summarizes the main goals and findings of the research presented in the article.
You'll need to read the abstract to determine whether empirical research was completed as part of the study or not. Check out the video on the second tab above if you'd like to see an example of an empirical article and its abstract.
Is it empirical?
Take a look at the examples below to get a better feel for what is and is not an empirical research article.
| Source Description | Is it empirical? |
|---|---|
| An article that reports on research the authors conducted where participants recorded their blood sugar levels after vigorous exercise for six weeks. | Yes, quantitative data researchers gathered and analyzed signal that this is an empirical article. |
| An article where the authors summarize the findings of all articles published in the last two years about Covid-19 and its effects on people with Type 2 diabetes. | No, this is a systematic review where the authors summarize others' research. They did not do their own study. |
| An article presents research where the authors interviewed long Covid sufferers and analyzed the symptoms they described. | Yes, interview-based qualitative research is empirical because it is real data the authors gathered. |
| Book review for a soon-to-be published book about early childhood and screen time. | No, book reviews provide insight into the contents or critical reception of a book, but do not report on original research. |
| Magazine article that discusses a research study done by professors at NYU on the effects of diet on children's performance at school. | No, the magazine article is a secondary source reporting on a study. It is not an empirical research article. |