The phrase "primary sources" can have a couple of different meanings when it comes to research. For example, in history, it means documents that can provide insight into the lived experience and thoughts of people at various points in time. In the physical, social, and health sciences, however, the phrase "primary sources" generally refers to scholarly (peer-reviewed) articles that document original research. This type of research is also called empirical research.
Unlike historical primary sources, primary sources in the sciences can include articles about:
Some of the Fulton Library's databases include tools and filters that can help you locate primary sources on your topic. This guide will show you how to use those. This guide also includes advice on identifying primary/empirical research.
Because methodologies are not always readily apparent in the title or abstract, you may need to skim through the methodology section of an article to make sure it's relevant. In these examples, we highlighted some key terminology to look for as you search for primary or empirical articles.
Sari Ozturk, C., & Kilicarslan Toruner, E. (2022). The effect of mindfulness‐based mandala activity on anxiety and spiritual well‐being levels of senior nursing students: A randomized controlled study. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58(4), 2897-2909. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.13138
Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness‐based mandala activity on the anxiety levels and spiritual well‐being of nursing students who started clinical practice after distance education during COVID‐19 period. Design and Methods: This study is a randomized controlled study employing a pre‐/posttest design with a single‐blind, parallel group. The study was completed with a total of 170 participants (n = 84, intervention group; n = 86, control group). Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, State‐trait Anxiety Inventory, Spirituality Well‐Being Scale, and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience. The intervention group participated in three mindfulness‐based mandala sessions. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT05053178. Findings: In three sessions, there was a significant decrease in the intervention group compared with the control group regarding the mean values of pretest and posttest anxiety levels. Evaluation of the mean scores Spiritual Well‐Being Scale before and after the intervention showed a significant decrease in the scores between groups (p < 0.05). Practice Implications: With mindfulness‐based mandala activity, the well‐being of nursing students can be increased.
Wu, W., Ke, T., Zhou, X., Li, Q., Tao, Y., Zhang, Y., Zeng, Y., Cao, J., & Chen, L. (2022). Synergistic remediation of copper mine tailing sand by microalgae and fungi. Applied Soil Ecology, 175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104453
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) could strengthen soil particles, increase soil nutrients, and reduce soil erosion. However, available information on stabilizing mine tailing sand by induced BSCs is lacking. In this study, a native microalgae (i.e., Coelastrella sp.) and two fungi (i.e., Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp.) isolated from Cu mine tailing sand were inoculated onto the tailing sand in different manners. After being inoculated for 90 days, microorganisms could effectively colonize and form BSCs on the surface of the tailing sand, as proven by scanning electron microscopy images and growth parameters, and the dual inoculation of microalgae and fungi showed synergistic effects on the improved soil properties. Compared with the control treatment, the microorganism co-inoculation group had increased organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, soil moisture, sucrase activity, and microbial biomass carbon by 55.41%, 27.18%, 6.29%, 471%, and 216%, respectively; decreased pH from 9.09 to 8.95; and decreased bioavailable Cu content and bulk density by 15.43% and 6.30%, respectively. This finding indicated that the formation of BSCs could effectively improve the soil properties of mine tailing sand. The composition of dissolved organic matters analyzed by excitation–emission matrix showed that the increase in carbon content in tailing sand was predominantly caused by microalgae and fungi. These results indicated that the use of native microorganisms to construct biological crusts could effectively improve the properties of tailing sand and increase the nutrient content, and it could be used as a new method for tailing restoration.
Librarians are here to help you in a variety of ways! We are experts in doing research and can help with all steps in the research process.
• In Person: The Research Help Desk is located on the first floor of the library. Librarians at this desk can help with research questions or provide assistance using library resources. No appointment is needed for help at the Research Help Desk.
• Call: 801.863.8840
• Text: 801.290.8123