The distinction between "primary" and "secondary" sources is very important in all academic fields. Primary sources may look quite different in the arts and humanities vs. the sciences and social sciences, however, in all, primary sources are considered the basis for knowledge in the field.
Examples by discipline:
In the social sciences (such as psychology), primary articles tend to be very specific and may use a lot of jargon and/or statistics. It is okay if you do not understand everything as long as you can understand enough. If not, go find another article... really, it's not you, it's just not a good match.
Secondary articles are literature reviews throughout the whole article and never get to a methods section that describes and original study. They tend to be written in a language that is easier for non-experts to understand and they look at a broader view of the topic.
1. Five unsolved issues concerning burnout in athletes: An expert perspective
Concern about mental health is an increasingly relevant topic in high-performance sport. In this regard, because burnout can be harmful to both the health and performance of athletes, it is of particular importance. Although a great deal of time and effort has been dedicated to the study of athlete burnout, there are still issues that require further work. Therefore, in the present paper, we aim to highlight what, in our perspective, are the most important unsolved issues regarding burnout in athletes. We brought together expert athlete burnout scholars to offer their perspectives on five unresolved issues in this research area. We describe the following five issues that require further research attention: (i) burnout as a syndrome, (ii) the negative consequences of burnout, (iii) the role of recovery in burnout, (iv) the importance of the social environment, and (v) developing effective interventions to reduce/prevent burnout. Our commentary provides suggestions for future research to help solve these problems, advance our understanding of athlete burnout, and ultimately safeguard the mental health of athletes.
2. Determinants of burnout in Canadian health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are among the most vulnerable groups to experience burnout during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding the risk and protective factors of burnout is crucial in guiding the development of interventions; however, the understanding of burnout determinants in the Canadian HCW population remains limited. The objective of this study was to identify risk and protective factors associated with burnout in Canadian HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate organizational factors as moderators in the relationship between COVID-19 contact and burnout. Data were drawn from an online longitudinal survey of Canadian HCWs collected between 26 June 2020 and 31 December 2020. Participants completed questions pertaining to their well-being, burnout, workplace support and concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings suggest that HCWs who worked directly with COVID-19 patients, had fewer years of work experience, and perceived poor workplace support, organizational leadership, supervisory leadership and ethical climate were at higher risk of burnout. Ensuring reasonable work hours, adequate support from management, and fostering an ethical work environment are potential organizational-level strategies to maintain HCWs’ well-being.