In a broad sense, research is the gathering of facts and information on a particular topic. The goal of research is to further the body of knowledge.
In the fields of medicine and science, research refers to a methodical study undertaken to answer a question, or test a hypothesis, and includes an interpretation of the findings.
Research studies are (hopefully) shared as published articles in scientific journals. Articles can be accessed via individual journals (in print or online), or in databases, which contain mass collections of articles from many different journals.
Epidemiological research tracks the population-level study of diseases and/or disorders.
Looking for more definitions of research terms? Check out the handy dandy guide below!
One of the most basic ways to categorize research is by classifying it as either primary or secondary; when you're looking for studies, you may need either type or both:
Primary research: Original information like studies, clinical trials, reports, dissertations, technical reports and data that hasn't been interpreted. You may need to look for primary studies when there isn't much research on a particular topic.
Secondary research: Research studies that have been evaluated, summarized and/or synthesized; examples are literature, systematic or other types of review articles, textbooks and some clinical databases.
Where can I find primary and secondary research?
Many databases, like PubMed, contain both primary and secondary research. Google Scholar also has primary and secondary studies but it's important to note that it is a search engine, not a database; it can be very useful but it's impossible to know precisely what it's searching. Cochrane Library offers secondary research in the form of high quality systematic reviews, but also includes abstracts of randomized controlled trials. In most databases, there are ways to limit to primary or secondary research by using limits or filters, such as type of study.
If your topic is well-researched, then secondary resources, especially review articles, are likely to be most useful to you, but for midwifery-specific topics, where there isn't necessarily a large body of research, primary studies may be your best option.
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