In the fields of health and exercise sciences, primary sources are almost exclusively original research articles. This means that the authors are reporting on research studies that they have actually completed. To identify these types of articles you can look for the following:
- Most primary research articles contain distinct headings like "Methods" or "Results," among others. These are signs that the authors did the research themselves and are presenting to their audience the exact nature of how they came to their conclusions.
- Look for wording like "We hoped to find" or "Our results indicated." This means that the authors were immediately connected to the research - so it is a primary source. You'll usually find these in the abstract or introduction.
