Scholarly or professional literature is a world that consists of many types of publications. They are commonly found in an index and database search, and used as references cited in a research publication. See below for examples and explanations.
Professional literature falls under 3 categories:
| Definitions | Attributes | Types of Publications | Examples | |
| Primary Literature | Direct documentation or interaction with an event or occurrence. |
Results of original research; Peer reviewed |
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Beer, K., Kolbe, E., Kahana, N.B., Yayon, N., Weiss, R., Menegazzi, P., Bloch, G., & Helfrich-Forster (2018). Pigment-Dispersing Factor-expressing neurons convey circadian information in the honey bee brain. Open Biology, 8(1). DOI: 10.1098/rsob.170224 |
| Secondary Literature | Based on an indirect interaction with an event or information. | Summarizes, uses, discusses, or comments on information from primary sources. |
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Lane, D. M., Scott, D., Hebl, M., Guerra, R., Osherson, & Zimmer, H. (n. d.). Introduction to statistics [eBook edition]. Rice University. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/introduction-to-statistics |
| Tertiary Literature | Also indirect interaction with an event or information. | Utilizes and distills information from both primary and secondary sources. |
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National Institute of Standards and Technology (2018). NIST chemistry webbook. https://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/ |
Original Article: Provides new information based on original research, and presents a research topic, its background, methodology used, results, conclusion and discussion of results. These usually appear in scholarly journals.
Garb, J.E., Ayoub, N.A., & Hayashi, C.Y. (2010). Untangling spider silk evolution with spidroin terminal domains. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 10(243). DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-243
Dissertation: a document on a scholarly or research topic done by a student to fulfill the requirements of attaining an advanced degree (usually masters or doctoral-level). Scholars often use these to examine their works cited. See Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global for examples (FAU log-in required).
Pursell, G.R. (2009). Adolescent conflict with parents and friends: The role of negative affect and resolution strategy in predicting relationship impact [Doctoral dissertation, Florida Atlantic University]. Florida Atlantic University Libraries Institutional Repository, https://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A4238
Case report: a description of a single case or situation with unique features.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1981, June 5). Pneumocystis pneumonia --- Los Angeles. MMWR: Morbility and Mortality Weekly Report. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/june_5.htm
Review: a detailed study or overview of developments within a specific topic. Many articles and studies may be referred to in a review.
Li, Y, Lawley, M.A., Siscovick, D.S., Donglan, Z., & Pagan, J.A. (2016). Agent-based modeling of chronic diseases: A narrative review and future research directions. Preventing Chronic Disease, 13(E69). DOI: 10.5888/pcd13.150561
Book: an authoritative work on a topic within a field; often presents basic information and theories which are the results of previous research.
Langlois, A. (2013). Negotiating bioethics: The governance of UNESCO's Bioethics Programme [eBook edition]. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781136237010
Goverment document: a publication or report of a government agency of any level. These publications may include research, committee or agency reports, regulations, and data.
United States Senate (2010). The shark conservation act of 2009. Senate Report 111-124. U.S. Government Printing Office. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-111srpt124/html/CRPT-111srpt124.htm
Conference paper or proceeding: a paper presented at a conference, meeting, or symposium of a professional, scholarly organization. Many researchers use conferences to solicit feedback on their work from others within their field, and then use the feedback for updates, refinements, or considerations for their research topic.
Harshman, N.L. (2016). Five is more: Comments on symmetry, integrability, and solvability for a few particles in a one-dimensional trap. Paper presented at the 21st International Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics, Chicago, IL. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201611302007
Trade journal article: practical information, news, or summaries of developments within a field. Trade journals generally do not focus on publishing original research.
See an example below.
Kupferschmidt, K. (2016, May 26). Genome editor CRISPR helps trace growth of embryos - and maybe cancer next. Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.aag0572
Pre-print: an article that has undergone the peer-review process and been accepted to a journal but not yet published.
Another type of pre-print is a manuscript of an article that has not yet been accepted to a publication but made available for comment and feedback. While this type of pre-print has not yet undergone peer review, it provides an opportunity for feedback and information exchange.
Kumar, S., Rosnes, E., & Graell i Amat, A. (2016, May 26). Secure repairable fountain codes. IEEE Communications Letters. Advance online publication. https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.08300
A reference work is a collection of general facts within a field. These can be used to find standards, measurements, or the general background of a theory. Many types of reference works exist, but these are ones more commonly used in the sciences.
International Standard Organization (n.d). Standards. https://www.iso.org/standards.html
Certain scientific fields communicate their findings using other types of publications:
Gray (or grey) literature generally consists of publications that are not distributed through scholarly or commercial channels such as professional journals. Types of gray literature may include:
Some definitions of gray literature include publications such as blogs, statistical reports, and working papers.
The purpose of gray literature varies and depends on the setting in which it is published and distributed. In corporations or organizations, gray literature may be used to distribute new information, communicate for internal purposes, or to document activities. One example is State Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Programs in Philadelphia, a report of The Pew Charitable Trust's study on medical-assisted treatment (MAT) and opioid-related deaths. For academic contexts, gray literature may be a forum for presenting ideas that may be emerging or do not yet have wide interest.
Gray literature should be considered in any literature review in order have a broader view of what is discussed and researched on a particular topic.
The following document types are often retrieved in a database search. These are generally known as "front material." Although they do not communicate original research or generate new knowledge, their role is to provide an arena for commentary and discussion within a field:
Other types of these documents include opinion pieces, news, and obituaries.
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