NATRS 270 - Stream/Wetland Ecology

Types of Research Articles & Reports (Peer-Reviewed and Not Peer-Reviewed)

An experimental research article ('peer-reviewed') should include:

  • An abstract that outlines what is being studied, and (briefly) how the experiment was set up (method). The abstract may also include a summary of the major Results / Discussion.
  • Methods / Data; Results; Discussion / Conclusion sections that outline how the experiment was set up and what the findings from the study were.
  • A list of related References

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screenshot of journal article abstract from "Waterbirds" (2016) - full citation below

Knight, E. C., Vennesland, R. G., & Winchester, N. N. (2016). Importance of proximity to foraging areas for the Pacific Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias fannini) nesting in a developed landscape. Waterbirds: The International Journal of Waterbird Biology, 39(2), 165+.

A literature review (or sometimes: "meta review" or "review") article that is 'peer-reviewed' 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

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screenshot of journal abstract on ecological monitoring (meta-review), citation below​​​​​​​

Sheppard, J. C., Ryan, C. M., & Blahna, D. J. (2017). Evaluating ecological monitoring of civic environmental stewardship in the Green-Duwamish watershed, Washington. Landscape and Urban Planning, 158, 87-95.

A government, county, city, or other agency report (not 'peer-reviewed') 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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WA State 2020 Report on the Status of Salmon in State Watersheds

State of Salmon in Washington Watersheds - https://stateofsalmon.wa.gov/

General newspaper / news wire / feature articles (not 'peer-reviewed') 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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news headline screenshot: "Northwest's Salmon Population May Be Running Out of Time" from The New York Times

Anatomy of a Research Article

Click on the tabs in this box to learn more about the various sections of a research article. Use the link below to access the entire article that is shown in the images here. 

Consider: Theoretical Essay or Primary Research?
  • Peer-reviewed articles have different organizations depending on their purpose. Scholarly articles in the Humanities are often organized as essays that look deeper into a work or idea. This article will generally not be broken into sections, but just like the essays you would write for a class, the beginning will have some introduction to the content, and the end will include some conclusions
  • Peer-reviewed articles that cover experimental research findings or analyze results may be organized differently-- having "Introduction," "Methods / Experimental," "Conclusion / Discussion" and "Reference" sections

Citation Information

Authors, Article title, Journal, Date & Issues & the Abstract

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  • The article title, author info, journal title, data info. 
  • The abstract summarizes the reason for the study, hypothesis or question, methodology, findings, and conclusion. 

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Elements of research article 1 - image text is also on page.

Author Information & Peer-Review Process

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  • Author affiliations indicate their authority on the subject & provide contact info for other researchers
  • The peer-review process can take a year or more, though in this instance the article was received, accepted, and published within four months.

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Image of author affiliation & peer review timeline info

The Introduction

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  • The introduction states why the research was conducted, what they researched, and what we know and don't know from existing research.
  • In-text citations point to and credit the many research studies this current study is building on.
  • For your own research, you can track down those studies listed in the references section

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The article introduction

The Methodology

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  • The methodology section lays out the processes by which the study was conducted. 
  • This section is detailed and enables the study to be replicated and validated by others.

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The methodology

The Results

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  • The results section presents an organized summary of the raw data gathered in the study. 
  • Charts, tables, equations, and narratives are typical.

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The Results

The Discussion

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  • The discussion interprets the raw data and makes sense of it within the context of existing research and the context of the researchers' questions. 

(click on image to enlarge)The discussion

The Conclusion

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  • The conclusion tends to be brief. Authors restate what they studied, and state what they learned and what they didn't learn, the significance of their findings, and steps for future research. 
  • Authors shared their datasets so other researchers could build on their work.
  • Funding is mentioned as thanks and to be transparent about any potential conflicts of interest.

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The Conclusion

The References

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  • Scholarship is thoroughly and extensively cited! This article has 3.5 densely packed pages of sources. 
  • Reference credit all whose ideas are referenced or quoted.
  • It is a good practice to "mine" the reference list of articles you find helpful when you do research.

(click on image to enlarge)references

Understanding Scholarly Articles

Understanding Scholarly Articles

When reading scholarly articles, you may want to pay special attention to certain sections, such as the Introduction or Conclusion. Below you'll find a description of how peer-reviewed articles are organized and what you'll find in each section.

Don't be afraid to "skip" sections of a peer-reviewed article-- for example, you can start out by reading the Introduction and the Conclusion, and then decide the article is a good fit for what you need. (You can always come back to the other sections later.)

The Peer Review Process

Source: "Peer Review in 3 Minutes" by libncsu, is licensed under a Standard YouTube License.

Learn how the peer review process works and why it is so rigorous.
Subjects: Natural Resources