What is an Empirical Study?
One containing data based on actual observation or experimentation.
How Can I Tell if an Article is Empirical?
Check for these components:
- Peer-reviewed
- Charts, graphs, and/or statistical analyses
- More than 5 pages
- Sections: Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, References
Empirical or Theoretical?
Empirical: Based on data gathered by original experiments or observations.
Theoretical: Analyzes and makes connections between empirical studies to define or advance a theoretical position.
Empirical Research Cycle
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A visual representation of A.D. de Groot's empirical cycle. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Page content courtesy of M. Denise Dimsdale, Georgia State University Libraries. See their guide.
Where Can I Find Empirically-Based Education Articles?
The most direct route is to search PsycINFO . Select Advanced Search, enter your topic, and then select Empirical Study in the Methodology field.
