what is an empirical article

An empirical article is a research article that reports research based on actual observation or experiment. Empirical research is defined as research based on observed and measured phenomena. Empirical articles contain research based on observation and experience as opposed to belief or theory. To identify whether an article is empirical, look for any mention of a study or an observation, if a survey or questionnaire was administered, data collected, measurement or assessment used, or an interview conducted. Empirical articles will often contain the following sections: Introduction, Literature review, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and References. Empirical articles are usually substantial, at least 5 pages long, and may include headings or subheadings for sections such as Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology or Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and References. Empirical research articles often include some sort of (quantitative and/or qualitative) data, which may be included in the article as charts, tables, graphs, or appendices. Empirical articles are usually found in academic, scholarly, peer-reviewed, or professional journals. To locate empirical articles, one may use databases such as APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, SAGE Journals Online, ProQuest Psychology Journals, and Academic Search Complete.