BIOL 313 - Principles of Ecology

Peer-reviewed scientific journals contain two main types of research articles: primary studies, and literature reviews. Both types of research are usually peer reviewed, meaning that the articles have been reviewed by other experts in the field before being published.

Primary studies are reports on the results of an original experiment or study, usually undertaken to test a hypothesis or answer a specific question. Usually, researchers gather the data themselves, interpret them, and write up the results. In this course, you are engaging in a sort of primary study, as you will be required to formulate a hypothesis, collect data, analyze it, and write up your results. 

Review articles summarize the existing literature on a topic or question. The authors do not collect any new data. Literature reviews provide useful summaries of what is known about a topic, what is still unknown, areas of disagreement among experts, and directions for future research. They are also a great overview for students and researchers who may be new to a topic. When you're beginning your search for background literature on a project, try to find a recent review paper to give you the lay of the land before you start looking at primary studies.

When to use/cite primary vs. review articles

Review articles are excellent backgrounders. The reference list of the review should direct you to the studies mentioned in the review. In general, your own paper should cite the original study, not the review, if you are stating something that was actually found in that study. It's acceptable to cite the review if the information/statement you're citing is unique to the review itself, based on the reviewer's synthesis of a number of primary studies.