Library Databases

• Empirical Research Articles: usually around 5-20 pages and are complete descriptions of original research findings. 
• Literary Analysis Articles: provide analysis of a particular work from a specific critical or theoretical point of view. 
• Literature Review Articles: do not cover original research but instead look at results of multiple articles on a particular topic. These articles are valuable as overviews of the research on a particular topic.
• Letters/Communications: Short descriptions of the latest study or research findings which are usually considered urgent for immediate publication.
• Book Reviews: review recently published books in a particular field. Often contain critique or praise for newly published books.

Most scientific articles are structured in a similar way.

1. Title: tells you what the article is about in the most general sense.
2. Abstract: describes the article in approximately 250 words. Look for keywords and terms to help determine if the article is relevant to your research.
3. Introduction:  will include general background, problem, hypotheses or research questions, expected outcome, significance of the study, and definition of terms.
4. Literature review: examines the current research that informs the design of a study, or the approach toward a problem.
5. Methodology: includes a description of the participants, research instrument, process of data collection and analyses
6. Results: a comprehensive description of the outcome of the study. Often will include tables or specific numbers.
7. Discussion and/or Conclusion: attempts to place the results in a larger context within the field. Sometimes includes flaws or problems with the design or implementation of the study, and suggests further avenues of research.
8. References or Works Cited: Citations for every article referred to in the article. A Bibliography, by contrast, includes complete citations for every resource consulted.
9. Endnotes or Footnotes: provides supplemental information or citations.

Humanities articles vary for field to field in structure and format. However, most articles will have these parts.

1. Title: tells you what the article is about in the most general sense. Titles in the humanities often consist of a catchy phrase, followed by a colon (:), and a Subtitle, which tells you in more detail what the paper will be about.
2. Abstract: describes the article in approximately 250 words. Look for keywords and terms to help determine if the article is relevant to your research.
3. Introduction:  sets out the basics of the article, including what it will be discussing, and what is is attempting to prove.
4. Body: contains support for the Argument or Interpretation set forth in the introduction.
5. Conclusion: states the final conclusion of the scholar. Sometimes will include information on further avenues of thought or research.
6. References or Works Cited: Citations for every article referred to in the article. A Bibliography, by contrast, includes complete citations for every resource consulted.
7. Endnotes or Footnotes: provides supplemental information or citations.