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Graduate Research guide: Reading and Understanding Research

This guide provides information for the IPC511 course.

Research Concepts

Primary vs Secondary Sources

Primary sources are original materials or evidence. In your field, you may be looking for "primary research articles," or articles that describe a study and provide the study results. An example of a primary source is a randomized controlled trial.

Secondary sources analyze, interpret or synthesize the primary materials. An example of a secondary source is a systematic review. These reviews compile randomized controlled trials and other studies to provide the reader with a picture of the research on a specific topic. 

Study Guide for Critically Reading a Research Article

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

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