Empirical studies are studies that rely on direct observation or experimentation to collect data.These studies often considered primary sources that are described in this guide.

Key characteristics: 

Many empirical studies are published in peer-reviewed journals and follow a specific format:

• Introduction: presents the research question or hypothesis
• Methods: details how the study was conducted, including population or sample size, tools, procedures
• Results: reports on findings, usually with graphs or tables
• Discussion: interpretation of results in reflecting on research question and hypothesis 

Examples of empirical studies: 

• clinical trial testing a new drug for treating diabetes
• fieldwork observing behaviour of animals in their habitat
• survey on impact of social media use on teens
• case study studying effects of sleep on memory

How do I find them?

1. Some databases allow you to filter results to find empirical research. For example: 

PsycINFO: Use the methodology filter to limit results to empirical studies

CINAHL: Limit your search to evidence-based practice

2. When searching in databases without filters, try using keywords that describe describe empirical research methods: empirical research, survey, ethnography, fieldwork or another empirical research method

In any article you find, you'll want to carefully read through the Methods and Results sections of any article. Similar to primary sources, look for articles that report on one specific research project and use terms like "we conducted," "our study shows," or "we collected data from..."