BIO 390: Topics in Plant Ecology: Home

Here are some common characteristics of primary research articles:

• Author(s) present data and findings from original research after conducting an original experiment.
• A primary research article typically contains the following sections: Methods/Materials, Results, Discussion.
• Look for information on SI (Supplemental Information).  This may include additional data and/or research information.  Be sure to track down and read the SI for a complete understanding of the research being presented in the article.

Here are some common characteristics of review articles:

• Author(s) analyze and summarize existing research.
• There is often a focus on a broad topic, examining articles that are relevant, useful.
• Review articles do not have sections such as Methods/Materials, Results. 
• Author(s) may conclude a review article with a section outlining areas for future study of the topic.