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Q. What's the difference between a research article and a review article?

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Answered By: Sarah Naomi Campbell Last Updated: Sep 07, 2018 Views: 213504

Watch this short video to learn about types of scholarly articles, including research articles and literature reviews!

Not in the mood for a video? Read on!

What's the difference between a research article and a review article?

Research articles , sometimes referred to as empirical or primary sources , report on original research. They will typically include sections such as an introduction, methods, results, and discussion.

Here is a more detailed explanation of research articles .

Review articles , sometimes called literature reviews or secondary sources , synthesize or analyze research already conducted in primary sources. They generally summarize the current state of research on a given topic.

Here is a more detailed explanation of review articles .

The video above was created by the Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries .

The defintions, and the linked detailed explanations, are paraphrased from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 6th ed .

The linked explanations are provided by the Mohawk Valley Community College Libraries .

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Research Articles and Review Articles Defined Review

"A research article is a primary source ...that is, it reports the methods and results of an original study performed by the authors . The kind of study may vary (it could have been an experiment, survey, interview, etc.), but in all cases, raw data have been collected and analyzed by the authors, and conclusions drawn from the results of that analysis.

A review article is a secondary source ...it is written about other articles, and does not report original research of its own. Review articles are very important, as they draw upon the articles that they review to suggest new research directions, to strengthen support for existing theories and/or identify patterns among existing research studies. For student researchers, review articles provide a great overview of the existing literature on a topic. If you find a literature review that fits your topic, take a look at its references/works cited list for leads on other relevant articles and books!"

From https://apus.libanswers.com/faq/2324 , "What's the difference between a research and a review article?"

Example of a RESEARCH Article Lin CL, Huang LC, Chang YT, Chen RY, Yang SH. Effectiveness of Health Coaching in Diabetes Control and Lifestyle Improvement: A Randomized-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Oct 29;13(11):3878.
Example of a REVIEW Article Ojo O, Ojo OO, Adebowale F, Wang XH. The Effect of Dietary Glycaemic Index on Glycaemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 19;10(3):373.

Difference between Reviews and Research Articles

Review Article: Identifies previously published research on a topic and summarizes the information (secondary source). Discusses what is already known and can be used to identify gaps in the field. Usually no set layout. No original research is being presented. Written for a more general audience and easier to read. Both Written by a subject expert such as a scientist or researcher. Can be published in a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal. Research Article: Follows the scientific method. Usually provides a brief background on prior research (introduction) Conducts an experiment and reports the findings. Authors have NEW original research data (primary source) and discusses their results. Written at an advanced level; usually contains lots of jargon.

Research Article Break Down Review

Research articles follow a particular format. Look for:

A brief introduction will often include a review of the existing literature on the topic studied, and explain the rationale of the author's study.
A methods section, where authors describe how they collected and analyzed data. Statistical analysis are included.
A results section describes the outcomes of the data analysis. Charts and graphs illustrating the results are typically included.
In the discussion , authors will explain their interpretation of their results and theorize on their importance to existing and future research.
References or works cited are always included. These are the articles and books that the authors drew upon to plan their study and to support their discussion.
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Review vs. Research Articles

How can you tell if you are looking at a research paper, review paper or a systematic review examples and article characteristics are provided below to help you figure it out., research papers.

A research article describes a study that was performed by the article’s author(s). It explains the methodology of the study, such as how data was collected and analyzed, and clarifies what the results mean. Each step of the study is reported in detail so that other researchers can repeat the experiment.

To determine if a paper is a research article, examine its wording. Research articles describe actions taken by the researcher(s) during the experimental process. Look for statements like “we tested,” “I measured,” or “we investigated.” Research articles also describe the outcomes of studies. Check for phrases like “the study found” or “the results indicate.” Next, look closely at the formatting of the article. Research papers are divided into sections that occur in a particular order: abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and references.

Let's take a closer look at this research paper by Bacon et al. published in the International Journal of Hypertension :

Review Papers

Review articles do not describe original research conducted by the author(s). Instead, they give an overview of a specific subject by examining previously published studies on the topic. The author searches for and selects studies on the subject and then tries to make sense of their findings. In particular, review articles look at whether the outcomes of the chosen studies are similar, and if they are not, attempt to explain the conflicting results. By interpreting the findings of previous studies, review articles are able to present the current knowledge and understanding of a specific topic.

Since review articles summarize the research on a particular topic, students should read them for background information before consulting detailed, technical research articles. Furthermore, review articles are a useful starting point for a research project because their reference lists can be used to find additional articles on the subject.

Let's take a closer look at this review paper by Bacon et al. published in Sports Medicine :

Systematic Review Papers

A systematic review is a type of review article that tries to limit the occurrence of bias. Traditional, non-systematic reviews can be biased because they do not include all of the available papers on the review’s topic; only certain studies are discussed by the author. No formal process is used to decide which articles to include in the review. Consequently, unpublished articles, older papers, works in foreign languages, manuscripts published in small journals, and studies that conflict with the author’s beliefs can be overlooked or excluded. Since traditional reviews do not have to explain the techniques used to select the studies, it can be difficult to determine if the author’s bias affected the review’s findings.

Systematic reviews were developed to address the problem of bias. Unlike traditional reviews, which cover a broad topic, systematic reviews focus on a single question, such as if a particular intervention successfully treats a medical condition. Systematic reviews then track down all of the available studies that address the question, choose some to include in the review, and critique them using predetermined criteria. The studies are found, selected, and evaluated using a formal, scientific methodology in order to minimize the effect of the author’s bias. The methodology is clearly explained in the systematic review so that readers can form opinions about the quality of the review.

Let's take a closer look this systematic review paper by Vigano et al. published in Lancet Oncology :

Finding Review and Research Papers in PubMed

Many databases have special features that allow the searcher to restrict results to articles that match specific criteria. In other words, only articles of a certain type will be displayed in the search results. These “limiters” can be useful when searching for research or review articles. PubMed has a limiter for article type, which is located on the left sidebar of the search results page. This limiter can filter the search results to show only review articles.

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Types of journal articles

It is helpful to familiarise yourself with the different types of articles published by journals. Although it may appear there are a large number of types of articles published due to the wide variety of names they are published under, most articles published are one of the following types; Original Research, Review Articles, Short reports or Letters, Case Studies, Methodologies.

Original Research:

This is the most common type of journal manuscript used to publish full reports of data from research. It may be called an Original Article, Research Article, Research, or just Article, depending on the journal. The Original Research format is suitable for many different fields and different types of studies. It includes full Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections.

Short reports or Letters:

These papers communicate brief reports of data from original research that editors believe will be interesting to many researchers, and that will likely stimulate further research in the field. As they are relatively short the format is useful for scientists with results that are time sensitive (for example, those in highly competitive or quickly-changing disciplines). This format often has strict length limits, so some experimental details may not be published until the authors write a full Original Research manuscript. These papers are also sometimes called Brief communications .

Review Articles:

Review Articles provide a comprehensive summary of research on a certain topic, and a perspective on the state of the field and where it is heading. They are often written by leaders in a particular discipline after invitation from the editors of a journal. Reviews are often widely read (for example, by researchers looking for a full introduction to a field) and highly cited. Reviews commonly cite approximately 100 primary research articles.

TIP: If you would like to write a Review but have not been invited by a journal, be sure to check the journal website as some journals to not consider unsolicited Reviews. If the website does not mention whether Reviews are commissioned it is wise to send a pre-submission enquiry letter to the journal editor to propose your Review manuscript before you spend time writing it.

Case Studies:

These articles report specific instances of interesting phenomena. A goal of Case Studies is to make other researchers aware of the possibility that a specific phenomenon might occur. This type of study is often used in medicine to report the occurrence of previously unknown or emerging pathologies.

Methodologies or Methods

These articles present a new experimental method, test or procedure. The method described may either be completely new, or may offer a better version of an existing method. The article should describe a demonstrable advance on what is currently available.

Back │ Next

What Is The Difference Between A Scholarly Research Article And A Review Article?

If you are new in the academic world, you may find the types of academic articles dizziying. The more common ones include research articles, and also review articles. How are they similar and different from each other? Distinguishing between research and review articles is crucial.

In this post, let’s explore what research and review articles are, and how are they different.

Research Article vs. Review Article

What is a research article .

A research article serves as the cornerstone of the academic and scientific community, standing as a detailed report on original findings.

Unlike review articles which synthesise existing literature to provide an overview, research articles present primary research with fresh data, exploring uncharted territories within a specific field.

The devil is in the details when it comes to these scholarly works. Original studies not only pose a research question but delve into methodologies that range from complex experimental designs to detailed observations.

Scholarly articles are often peer-reviewed, meaning that other experts in the field scrutinise the work before publication to ensure its validity and contribution to the field.

The empirical nature of research articles means that the raw data and analysis methods are laid bare for replication—a fundamental tenet of scientific inquiry. These papers typically include:

Introduction: Introduces the problem
Methodology: T he means by which the study was conducted
Results: F indings from the study
Discussion: Connects the findings to the bigger picture, highlighting implications and potential for future research.

While some journals accept such articles readily, the journey of a paper from research question to published research is fraught with meticulous data collection and rigorous peer evaluation.

For the keen observer, it’s the systematic reviews and meta-analyses that truly offer a glimpse into the current state of understanding, weaving through the tapestry of existing knowledge to pinpoint gaps and suggest paths forward.

It’s this level of detail—often hidden in plain sight in methods and results—that serves as a rich vein of information for those looking to conduct systematic reviews or embark on a similar empirical journey.

Whether it’s a clinical case study or a large-scale trial, the research article is an essential treasure in the scholarly literature, serving as a building block for academic writing and future exploration.

What Is A Review Article?

A review article stands out in the scholarly world as a synthesis of existing research, providing a critical and comprehensive analysis of a particular topic.

Unlike original research articles that report new empirical findings, review articles serve as a bridge connecting a myriad of studies, offering an overview that discerns patterns, strengths, and gaps within published work.

Peer-reviewed and systematically organised, these articles are essential for scholars who wish to familiarise themselves with the current state of knowledge on a given subject without having to delve into each individual research paper.

Insiders know that the crafting of a review article is an art in itself. Authors meticulously collect and analyse data from various sources, often employing methods like meta-analysis or systematic review searches to compare and combine findings.

They don’t just summarise existing literature; they synthesise it, providing new insights or revealing unexplored areas that could benefit from future research. It’s a rigorous process, often involving the intricate task of:

Comparing clinical trials,
Conducting extensive literature reviews, or even
Generating new frameworks for understanding complex academic concepts.

The value of a well-conducted review is immense. Journals publishing these articles often see them as keystones, providing a foundation upon which other researchers can build.

Such reviews can point to the need for new primary research, challenge existing paradigms, or even sometimes shift the direction of scholarly inquiry.

For the discerning academic, a review article is not just a summary—it’s a roadmap for what comes next in the quest for knowledge.

How Are Review And Research Articles Different?

In the scholarly cosmos, the distinction between a research article and a review article is fundamental, yet it’s a source of perplexity for budding academics. Diving into the anatomy of these articles reveals their distinct roles in academia.

Original Research vs Synthesised Knowledge

A research article is an original study, presenting novel findings. It follows a stringent structure: an abstract to summarize the study, an introduction to set the stage, followed by methods, results, and a discussion that connects the findings to broader implications.

A review article instead synthesises the information from one or many of these original studies, into an article to allow easier reading. Some also offer additional insights for the readers.

Anatomy & Structure

An original research article is usually brimming with original data, charts, and perhaps phrases like “we investigated” or “the study found,” signifying fresh empirical insights. At the most basic, a research article usually contains sections such as:

Introduction
Methodology
Future research ideas

A review article usually begins with an abstract summarising the scope and findings of the review. The main body is divided into sections that often include:

An introduction to the topic
A discussion segment that synthesises and analyses the compiled research
Subtopics that further categorise the research by themes or methodologies.

Finally, it concludes with a summary or conclusion that reflects on the current state of research, identifies gaps, and may suggest directions for future studies, accompanied by a thorough list of references.

A research article is written to share new findings and original data on a particular research. This means the information are fresh, and new to the scientific community.

An example title of a research article may be “Investigating Necrotic Enteritis in 15 Californian Broiler Chicken Farms.”

A review article is more akin to an academic digest, offering a synthesis of existing research on a topic. It typically lacks the methodology and results sections found in research papers.

The main goal is to give a panoramic view of the existing literature, gaps, and sometimes, a meta-analysis combining findings from various studies to distill a more substantial conclusion.

An example of a review article about Necrotic Enteritis may be something like this: “Necrotic Enteritis in Broiler Chickens – What We Know So Far.”

Impact and Use in Academia

Research articles are the primary sources, documenting original work from scientists, as they conduct researches in their fields.

Original research articles are crucial in academia as they contribute new knowledge, support evidence-based advancements, and form the foundation for subsequent scholarly inquiry.

Research articles:

Provide detailed methodology and results for peer scrutiny
Foster academic dialogue,
Often the preferred source for cutting-edge information in a given field, and
Directly impacting teaching, policy-making, and further research.

Review articles are summaries that distill wisdom from multiple sources to shed light on the current state of knowledge, often guiding future research.

They are usually seen as secondary sources, containing insights that research articles might not individually convey.

Journals prize them for their ability to provide a systematic overview, and while they may not require the substantial funding necessary for conducting original research, their scholarly impact is substantial.

Wrapping Up

In the academic landscape, research articles and review articles form the backbone of knowledge dissemination and scholarly progress.

Research articles introduce novel insights, pushing the boundaries of understanding, while review articles offer a synthesis of existing findings, guiding future studies.

Both are essential: one for its fresh empirical contributions, the other for its comprehensive overviews and analytical prowess.

Together, they underpin the scientific method, spur academic debate, and serve as the keystones of educational advancement and informed decision-making in the quest for enlightenment and innovation.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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Primary Sources & Original Research vs. Review Articles
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Primary Vs. Secondary Vs. Tertiary Sources

Primary and Secondary Sources for Science

In the Sciences, primary sources are documents that provide full description of the original research. For example, a primary source would be a journal article where scientists describe their research on the human immune system. A secondary source would be an article commenting or analyzing the scientists' research on the human immune system.

EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES

Source: The Evolution of Scientific Information (from Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, vol. 26).

What is a Primary Source?

"Primary sources are ' fundamental, authoritative documents relating to a subject, ...e.g., original records, contemporary documents, etc.' (Young, Heartsill, ed. The ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science. Chicago: American Library Association, 1983, p.176). Primary source documents are first-hand accounts by a direct participant or observer and may include letters, diaries, interviews, photographs, films, maps, government documents, and more.

For the arts, history, and humanities, original primary source documents usually are housed in museums, archives, restricted library collections, and government offices. Reproductions of primary source documents often can be found in online digital collections, microform collections, books, and other secondary works."

For the sciences, primary sources usually refer to original accounts of a research study. Find a fuller explanation in the SUNY Albany resource below.

(Used with permission of the Alfred R. Neumann Library Staff at th e University of Houst on

Using Primary Sources on the Web

Original Research vs. Review Articles. How Can I Tell the Difference?

Research vs Review Articles

It's often difficult to tell the difference between original research articles and review articles. Here are some explanations and tips that may help:

" Review articles are often as lengthy or even longer that original research articles. What the authors of review articles are doing in analysing and evaluating current research and investigations related to a specific topic, field, or problem. They are not primary sources since they review previously published material. They can be of great value for identifying potentially good primary sources, but they aren't primary themselves. Primary research articles can be identified by a commonly used format. If an article contains the following elements, you can count on it being a primary research article. Look for sections titled:

Methods (sometimes with variations, such as Materials and Methods) Results (usually followed with charts and statistical tables) Discussion

You can also read the abstract to get a good sense of the kind of article that is being presented.

If it is a review article instead of a research article, the abstract should make that pretty clear. If there is no abstract at all, that in itself may be a sign that it is not a primary resource. Short research articles, such as those found in Science and similar scientific publications that mix news, editorials, and forums with research reports, however, may not include any of those elements. In those cases look at the words the authors use, phrases such as "we tested" and "in our study, we measured" will tell you that the article is reporting on original research."*

*Taken from Ithica College Libraries

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Last Updated: May 25, 2023 4:54 PM
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How to Write a Review Article

Types of Review Articles
Before Writing a Review Article
Determining Where to Publish
Searching the Literature
Citation Management
Reading a Review Article

What is a Review Article?

The purpose of writing a review article is for knowledge updating concerning a topic.

A review article aims to highlight:

What has been done?
What has been found?
What issues have not been addressed?
What issues remain to be debated?
What new issues have been raised?
What will be the future direction of research?

Similarities and Differences to Original Research Articles

Differences Between Original Research Articles and Review Articles

Venn Diagram original research vs review article

An original research article aims to: Provides background information (Intro.) on prior research, Reasons for present study, Issues to be investigated by the present study, Written for experts. Authors describe: Research methods & materials, Data acquisition/analysis tools, Results, Discussion of results.
Both are Peer-reviewed for: Accuracy, Quality, Biases, Conflict of interest.
A review article aims to: Extensive survey of published research articles about a specific topic, Critical appraising of research findings, summarize up-to-date research findings, Identify critical issues to be addressed, Written for experts and general audiences, Be a source of original research.

Figure by Zhiyong Han, PhD

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Editorial: Review Articles, Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analysis, and the Updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Guidelines

Subjective narrative review articles have an educational and informative role in medical and scientific journals. Systematic review of the literature requires an objective and complete review of all available publications on an identified topic. Systematic review that undergoes meta-analysis aims to provide a complete and objective evaluation of all the published data. Data from systematic review and meta-analysis publications support evidence-based medical practice and are prepared as original research articles. These studies require a clear aim and detailed planning with registration and approval of the study protocol before the study commences. Systematic review and meta-analysis studies are designed, conducted, and reported according to mandatory guidelines. The number of these publications has continued to rise during the past decade. However, concerns with the quality of the studies have resulted in more stringent study guidelines. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, guidelines, reporting checklist, and study flow diagram from 2009 were updated and published in March 2021 as PRISMA 2020. The Editorial aims to present the roles and requirements of subjective narrative review articles, systematic review of the literature, and systematic review and meta-analysis, and introduces the revisions and aims of the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

In 2006, a former Editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) commented that medical journals represent ‘ a confluence of medicine, science, and journalism ’ [ 1 ]. The narrative review article contains these three elements to provide a balanced view without the conflicting or sensational style of modern journalism, with a subjective approach, but with all statements supported with reference citations [ 1 , 2 ]. Medical and life sciences journals publish review articles that are usually narrative reviews written subjectively by the author to support an area of medical research, a clinical topic, or a hypothesis [ 3 ]. Because of the subjective nature of review articles, there is no expectation that all publications on the topic are cited [ 4 ]. However, there is an expectation that the review’s aims are made clear in the publication title, abstract, and introduction [ 3 , 4 ]. All statements made by the authors are supported by key references and with a clear conclusion [ 3 , 4 ]. Key researchers or senior clinicians write some invited review articles to overview recent developments, research, and clinical guidelines [ 4 ]. For all these reasons, review articles still have an educational and informative role [ 3 , 4 ].

In contrast to a narrative review article, a systematic review of the literature should focus on a specific and clearly defined topic and include all the eligible published studies, without subjective selection by the author [ 5 , 6 ]. Systematic reviews have been increasingly published to provide evidence from all the available published data to improve clinical decisions in medicine [ 5 , 6 ]. However, even large clinical trials may not provide sufficient answers to a clinical question [ 7 ]. The findings from a systematic review of the literature from previously published studies may support or refute the findings or identify deficiencies in the trial design [ 8 ]. Without meta-analysis, a systematic review of the literature is most applicable for questions that require answering without quantitative data, such as how and why a therapeutic intervention may improve an aspect of medicine or health that is not quantifiable [ 6 ]. Also, some studies are too different to combine for quantitative analysis, such as how several varieties of non-standard treatment combinations may improve a subjective clinical outcome [ 6 ].

Evidence-based medicine and clinical practice rely on evidence from the medical literature, clinical training, expertise, and experience to provide high standards of patient care [ 8 ]. Systematic review combined with meta-analysis of the data from all the published evidence is considered the gold standard to support evidence-based clinical decisions [ 8 ]. There is still widespread confusion from authors regarding the difference between systematic reviews and systematic review and meta-analysis, which may be believed to be the same. The word meta-analysis means a ‘study about studies.’ A meta-analysis study is a formal, quantitative method used to assess specific published research findings [ 9 ]. Usually, a meta-analysis study is based on published randomized, controlled clinical trials but may include cohort studies, case-control studies, or preclinical studies [ 9 ]. Meta-analysis that combines and analyses the numerical data from multiple separate studies should only be used with systematic literature review and represent original research articles [ 9 ]. Systematic review and meta-analysis are methods that combine to synthesize all the available evidence, including the strengths and weaknesses of the identified studies, the study populations, the interventions used, and the specific study outcomes assessed in each study [ 9 ].

Clinicians may make decisions from the findings of systematic review and meta-analysis. Because these studies should be conducted objectively as original research studies, guidelines for the conduct and reporting of these studies have been published [ 9 ]. In 2009, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and guidelines were published for study conduct and reporting, including a reporting checklist [ 9 ]. These PRISMA guidelines helped to establish eight main considerations for authors before undertaking a systematic review and meta-analysis, which included: define the question of the review; write and publish or register the study protocol; undertake an objective and complete systematic review of the literature; identify the included studies by screening the results against the study selection criteria; undertake an appraisal of the quality of the studies; synthesize the evidence of the study using meta-analysis; prepare a manuscript for publication according to the reporting guidelines; update the systematic review and meta-analysis as new data is published [ 9 , 10 ].

A common reason for the rejection of submitted manuscripts that present systematic review and meta-analysis studies is the lack of suitability of the review topic. This problem highlights the importance of approving study protocols before conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis [ 9 ]. Therefore, study protocols for systematic review and meta-analysis should be prepared in advance and registered and approved by either PROSPERO or Cochrane [ 9 ]. The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) ( www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ ) has been available since 2011 with the aim of increasing the transparency of systematic reviews [ 11 ]. The Cochrane Review is a systematic review of research in health care and health policy published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) [ 12 , 13 ].

Increasing numbers of systematic reviews compare multiple treatments, often with indirect comparisons, resulting in new challenges for conducting and reporting systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses [ 14 ]. In 2015, the PRISMA extension statement was published with guidelines for conducting and reporting network meta-analysis (NMA) studies [ 15 ]. The modified 32-item PRISMA extension checklist, or PRISMA-NMA checklist, was also developed to include the main requirements for reporting network meta-analyses and modifications of previously existing items from the PRISMA statement [ 16 ].

The number of published systematic review and meta-analysis studies has increased during the past decade, but the quality has declined [ 17 ]. In 2018, a review of publication trends from PubMed from 1995 to 2015 showed that although the USA leads in all publication citations and specific publication types, meta-analysis studies were mainly published by authors from China [ 17 ]. In the hierarchy of published evidence in medicine and medical research, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis studies are at the top of the evidence standards [ 8 , 17 ]. Increasingly, meta-analysis and review articles have become some of the most highly cited publications [ 18 ]. However, the exponential rise in the number of meta-analysis studies has raised concerns regarding the quality and reproducibility of meta-analysis publications [ 19 ]. Systematic review and meta-analysis publications inform clinical practice, often when there are no available data from controlled clinical trials. For this reason, the quality of published systematic review and meta-analysis studies, rather than the quantity, should be as high as possible [ 8 ].

On March 29, 2021, the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Statement was published [ 20 ]. PRISMA 2020 now replaces PRISMA 2009 for conducting and reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis studies [ 20 ]. The 2020 PRISMA guidelines include a 27-item reporting checklist, a study flow diagram, and an explanation and elaboration document [ 20 ]. The PRISMA 2020 expanded checklist for reporting systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the requirements for the publication title, abstract, introduction, rationale, and objectives [ 21 ]. The PRISMA 2020 expanded checklist includes main subsections required in the main Methods section of the publication, which includes: the eligibility criteria of the selected studies; information sources; search strategy; selection process; data collection process; data items; assessment of the risk of bias; effect measures; synthesis methods; assessment of reporting bias; and certainty assessment [ 21 ]. The PRISMA 2020 expanded checklist includes main subsections required in the main Results section of the publication, which includes: study selection; study characteristics; risk of bias in the selected studies; results of individual studies; results of study synthesis; reporting bias; and certainty of evidence [ 21 ]. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines and reporting checklist make the registration of the study protocol mandatory [ 20 , 21 ]. Modifications included in PRISMA 2020 also require authors to present full search strategies for all databases, registers, and websites searched, how many reviewers screened each record, and how outcomes were defined [ 20 ]. A new item in PRISMA 2020 requires authors to indicate whether the data, analytic codes and other methods and findings used in the systematic review are publicly available and where they can be found [ 20 ]. PRISMA 2020 also includes an expanded checklist and a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram template for systematic reviews [ 22 , 23 ].

Conclusions

Subjective narrative review articles have an educational and informative role in medical and scientific journals. However, systematic review of the literature requires an objective and complete review of all available publications on a clearly defined topic. Systematic review that undergoes meta-analysis aims to provide a complete and objective evaluation of all the published data on a specific topic and the findings are the basis of evidence-based clinical practice. In the past decade, the exponential rise in systematic review and meta-analysis study publications has raised concerns regarding the quality and reproducibility of meta-analysis data and study findings. For this reason, the updated PRISMA 2020 guidelines and checklist, published in March 2021, have been developed to improve the conduct and reporting of systematic review and meta-analysis studies.

Conflict of interest: None declared

Scientific Manuscript Writing: Original Research, Case Reports, Review Articles

First Online: 02 March 2024

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Kimberly M. Rathbun 5

Manuscripts are used to communicate the findings of your work with other researchers. Writing your first manuscript can be a challenge. Journals provide guidelines to authors which should be followed closely. The three major types of articles (original research, case reports, and review articles) all generally follow the IMRAD format with slight variations in content. With planning and thought, manuscript writing does not have to be a daunting task.

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Rathbun, K.M. (2023). Scientific Manuscript Writing: Original Research, Case Reports, Review Articles. In: Olympia, R.P., Werley, E.B., Lubin, J.S., Yoon-Flannery, K. (eds) An Emergency Physician’s Path. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47873-4_80

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Identifying and Locating Empirical Articles

Types of Scholarly Articles

Empirical Articles vs Review Articles

Locating Empirical Articles

Empirical articles are written to share the results of original research. Their authors will share their findings, including results, data, and ideas for future research. This will allow other researchers to learn more and conduct further studies.

Review articles are written to compare and discuss the results of multiple articles. They may be structured similarly to original research articles, but they are synthesizing what others have written about, rather than reporting on their own research.

Watch the video below (~1:30 min) for more information.

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Empirical vs. Review Articles

How to recognize empirical journal articles, scholarly vs. non-scholarly sources.

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Know the difference between empirical and review articles.

Empirical article An empirical (research) article reports methods and findings of an original research study conducted by the authors of the article.

Literature Review article A review article or "literature review" discusses past research studies on a given topic.

Definition of an empirical study: An empirical research article reports the results of a study that uses data derived from actual observation or experimentation. Empirical research articles are examples of primary research.

Parts of a standard empirical research article: (articles will not necessary use the exact terms listed below.)

Abstract ... A paragraph length description of what the study includes.
Introduction ...Includes a statement of the hypotheses for the research and a review of other research on the topic.
Who are participants
Design of the study
What the participants did
What measures were used
Results ...Describes the outcomes of the measures of the study.
Discussion ...Contains the interpretations and implications of the study.
References ...Contains citation information on the material cited in the report. (also called bibliography or works cited)

Characteristics of an Empirical Article:

Empirical articles will include charts, graphs, or statistical analysis.
Empirical research articles are usually substantial, maybe from 8-30 pages long.
There is always a bibliography found at the end of the article.

Type of publications that publish empirical studies:

Empirical research articles are published in scholarly or academic journals
These journals are also called “peer-reviewed,” or “refereed” publications.

Examples of such publications include:

Computers in Human Behavior
Journal of Educational Psychology

Examples of databases that contain empirical research: (selected list only)

Web of Science

This page is adapted from the Sociology Research Guide: Identify Empirical Articles page at Cal State Fullerton Pollak Library.

Know the difference between scholarly and non-scholarly articles.

"Scholarly" journal = "Peer-Reviewed" journal = "Refereed" journal

When researching your topic, you may come across many different types of sources and articles. When evaluating these sources, it is important to think about:

Who is the author?
Who is the audience or why was this written?
Where was this published?
Is this relevant to your research?
When was this written? Has it been updated?
Are there any citations? Who do they cite?

Helpful Links and Guides

Here are helpful links and guides to check out for more information on scholarly sources:

This database contains data on different types of serials and can be used to determine whether a periodical is peer-reviewed or not: Ulrich's Periodicals Directory
The UC Berkeley Library published this useful guide on evaluating resources, including the differences between scholarly and popular sources, as well as how to find primary sources: UC Berkeley's Evaluating Resources LibGuide
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Original Research vs. Review Articles
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Original Research vs. Review Articles. How can I tell the Difference?

Research vs review articles.

It's often difficult to tell the difference between original research articles and review articles. Here are some explanations and tips that may help: "Review articles are often as lengthy or even longer that original research articles. What the authors of review articles are doing in analysing and evaluating current research and investigations related to a specific topic, field, or problem. They are not primary sources since they review previously published material. They can be of great value for identifying potentially good primary sources, but they aren't primary themselves. Primary research articles can be identified by a commonly used format. If an article contains the following elements, you can count on it being a primary research article. Look for sections titled:

Methods (sometimes with variations, such as Materials and Methods) Results (usually followed with charts and statistical tables) Discussion

You can also read the abstract to get a good sense of the kind of article that is being presented.

*Taken from Ithca College Libraries

Primary and Secondary Sources for Science

EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES

Source: The Evolution of Scientific Information (from Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science , vol. 26).

Primary Vs. Secondary Vs. Tertiary Sources

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What's the difference between a research article and a review article-The hidden secrets?

Are you getting more confused on what is review article and research article and what are their major differences? Here we have provided a clear idea to make you feel understand in a better way. Let’s see each one of the them more in detail.

What is a research article?

The research articles, occasionally termed to as primary sources or empirical paper which rely on original research report. They consist of the sections namely abstract, introduction, literature review, research methodology, results & discussion and conclusion. Primary or Empirical research studies report original research, highlighting the diverse steps involved in the research process.

The structure of an empirical paper is explained in detail as under:

Abstract : The abstract is the first and foremost section of the empirical paper and the content should be well written in a precise manner. The following key points are important for abstract formulation

It delivers a description of the research problem being examined

includes the contributors and relevant characteristics of those contributors

defines the research methodology of the study

précises the basic findings of the research study

contains the implications or applications and conclusions of the research study's findings.

Introduction: Traces the way the research problem that is being studied has developed and provides the determination for the examination.

Research Methodology : Specifies how the examination was conducted; what measures were used.

Results : intelligences the findings and analyses of the research study

Discussion : summarizes, infers and discusses the implications of the examination results

Conclusion : Concludes the research study and its outcomes in a precise manner.

What is a review article ?

The review article is also sometimes called as survey article or literature reviews or secondary sources , synthesize or analyze research previously conducted in primary sources. The review articles usually summarize the current state of research on a given research topic.

The review articles critically evaluate the previously published research articles. The organization, combination of the previously published material, and evaluation of this material provide an understanding of the progress of research in clarifying a research problem. The Literature reviews provides the following key points:

gives a clear definition and explanation of the research problem

provides a summary of earlier research to inform the reader of what the research status is

identifies relationships, contradictions, problem gaps and discrepancies in the material

makes suggestions in the upcoming step to solve the problem.

The structure of a review paper is detailed as under:

Abstract: Notifies about the main objectives and result of each review article taken for development

Introduction: Provides information about the background, specifies the motivation for the review, describes the focus, the research question and describes the text structure.

Detailed literature survey and frame a Comparative table: In this section, we need to summarize each referred article in terms of author(s) name, year of publication, findings of the particular research article, advantages and limitations of the study

Future scope of the work (if applicable)

Below table gives you a clear understanding of the major difference between a review and a research article.

Hope this article is useful for the research aspirants and the scholars who are planning to publish their articles in journal

difference between original research article and review article

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Similarities and Differences to Original Research Articles

Editorial: Review Articles, Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analysis, and the Updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Guidelines

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Scientific Manuscript Writing: Original Research, Case Reports, Review Articles

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Identifying and Locating Empirical Articles

Empirical Articles vs Review Articles

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Empirical vs. Review Articles

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Original Research vs. Review Articles. How can I tell the Difference?

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