Primary sources in the sciences and social sciences are sources where the authors of the article did research themselves and collected data. The articles are written by researchers on an experiment they conducted. These are often seen in peer-reviewed journals and contain very specific information about the method of the research. Look for how the researchers collected data, the steps they took in their research method, and how they analyzed the data.
Learn more about primary and secondary sources in this video:
The easiest option is first to try searching in OneSearch, the library's main search tool.
Example
Citation:
Bradshaw, C. P., Koth, C. W., Bevans, K. B., Ialongo, N., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). The impact of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) on the organizational health of elementary schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 462–473.
Search:
You can also search within a journal if you don't find the article in OneSearch.
Use Journal Search to see which databases have a specific journal title. Once you are on the journal page in a database, you can search for the article.
Example
Citation:
Garcia, O., & Sylvan, C. E. (2011). Pedagogies and Practices in Multilingual Classrooms: Singularities in Pluralities. The Modern Language Journal (Boulder, Colo.), 95(3), 385–400. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2011.01208.x
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