Academic Research Home: What is Academic Research? Why is it Important?
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What is Academic Research
Professors and others in academic fields often conduct research related to their studies. These researchers may be scientists, sociologists, educators, historians, English professors, etc. When conduct experiments or conduct a systemic analysis they then write an article with their findings.
This article is then submitted to a journal for review. This is called the peer review process (see below). Once approved, the article is published in the journal.
These articles are sometimes referred to as scholarly research, journal article, or peer reviewed article.
To be considered academic research, the article should include a discussion of the research methods, a detailed summary of the data, and an analysis of the data. Look for the following sections: (the section names may differ) Abstract, Methods, Data, Conclusion. More information about what these sections mean can be found on the " How to Read " page.
This type of research is important because it provides new information for those in the field. These articles are often the primary source of information in the sciences. It also helps inform best practices or analyzes current systems.
Peer Review Process
The peer review process.
The peer review process describes the process in which academic research is approved for publication.
After conducting research, the researcher (or more often than not, researchers) write an article which discusses their guiding question or hypothesis, their methods to conduct the research, their findings, and their analysis of the findings.
The research then submits the article to a journal for publication. Before the article is published, a panel of peers in with that specific academic expertise critically reviews the article. They ensure that the research methods are based on sound methods, that the results match the method of research, and that the conclusions drawn by the research are valid. They then either approve the article for publication, request revisions, or deny the article for publication.
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Is it credible?
Peer reviewed academic research is often considered one of the most credible reference source. The peer review process is rigorous, and misleading or false information or conclusions is often caught before publication.
HOWEVER, nothing is perfect. Mistakes are sometimes missed, and fraudulent data is occasionally published. Additionally, bias exists in any academic field, and that bias can affect all levels of the peer review process (the question being researched, their research methods, the conclusions, and the peer review response). So, as with any source, it is still important to read with a critical eye.
Other Types of Articles
Other articles in academic journals.
Academic journals typically publish this kind of peer-reviewed research, but they might also publish any of the following types of articles as well.
- Literature review - a review of previously published research on a subject
- Meta-analysis - an analysis of previously published research
- Book review
- Editorial or commentary
- Conference reports
These articles are often great as a source for your school research, but if your teacher requests an academic research article, it is important to make sure includes sections that discuss methods, data, and analysis.
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