Literature Review / In-Text Citations

This section usually comes directly after the introduction to the research. The authors go over previous research they have looked at that relates to the study they will present, and mention any connected conclusions or questions that were raised by this past research others have conducted. This section will contain frequent in-text citations so that readers can track down the related research studies if they wish.

Methodology: How the research study was constructed, what data was meant to be gathered

Data: Tables, Charts, Figures

This section may show up either before or after the "Results" section of the research article, and will include the actual figures or values collected during the research study.

Results and Discussion - What the research study found and what the researchers think it might mean

After the methodology and data sections, the research article will discuss what was discovered (or confirmed) and what it seems to mean. The "Discussion" section is sometimes called "Conclusions." Note that the results of a research study might not be conclusive-- in other words, the data will suggest something, but not prove it completely.

References

This is the full list of the sources mentioned and used in the research article. It comes at the end of the article.

A literature review (or sometimes: "meta review" or "review") article should include:

• Some initial research question  or practical application / "best practice"  it identifies as the focus of the review;
• A summary of the relevant research connected to the question, either - 
  • Chronologically (by date - common when looking at "advances" or "developments" in a field of study)
  • By theme / treatment / application (may not be in date order - a common approach when looking at "best practice" or a practical application)
• A comprehensive References list of cited studies

A government, county, city, or other agency report will often include:

• Content written for lay-readers (non-experts, such as politicians, policy makers, public, etc)
• Information on the status of tracked initiatives (may be data-related; or may not include exact field observation)
• Mention of previous studies or initiatives outlining the problem or issue.
• List of intended best-practices and/or future initiatives
• A References list (may not include in-text citations) citing relevant studies, reports, and websites (often a mix of peer-reviewed research and government / trade publications). Some reports may not be formally published (internal agency data, etc.)

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General newspaper / news wire / feature /  articles will usually...

• Be written for a general audience (non-specialists, not familiar with the field).
• Include general statements, summaries of the issue at hand and/or research findings
• Not include a References section or other list of citations (may include a link to a report or study)

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