Examples of Research Studies


Student in stacks looking for a book

What type of Source is it?

  1. "4 Physical Activity Tips for Older Adults Links to an external site." from MedlinePlus Magazine Links to an external site.
  2. "Boost Vitality by Engaging your Brain Links to an external site." from Harvard Men's Health Watch Links to an external site.
  3. "'The Ultimate Guide to training and Staying Fit at 50+ Links to an external site." from Men's Health Links to an external site.
  4. "Effect of a Home-Based Exercise Program on Subsequent Falls Among Community-Dwelling High-Risk Older Adults After a Fall Links to an external site." from the Journal of the American Medical Association Links to an external site. (JAMA)
  5. "Exercise interventions for older adults: A systematic review of meta-analyses Links to an external site." from the Journal of Sport and Health Science Links to an external site.

Questions

  • Is it a short report or an in-depth study?  Is it a popular report for a general audience, or scholarly study for researchers? 
  • Can you identify the authors or publisher? What does that tell you about this source?
  • Does it include references?  Does it describe the study design or methods? Does it talk about how they collected evidence to support their claims?
  • For short reports with no references, does it include links to more in-depth studies?  How might you trace these claims back to the original scholarly studies and evidence?

Reminder:  Types of Research Studies

Case Series and Case Reports 

❒ Case Control Studies

❒ Cohort Studies

❒ Randomized Controlled Studies

❒ Double-Blind Studies

❒ Meta-Analysis

❒ Systematic Review