An original account in evidence-based research is defined as which of the following?

• A. Primary sources that present original research findings, not summaries or reviews.
• B. Systematic reviews
• C. Editorials
• D. Meta-analyses

Answer: (A)

In evidence-based research, an original account means a primary source that publishes new, original findings from an investigators’ own study. This type of paper clearly lays out the research question, the methods used, the data collected, the analysis performed, and the results for the first time. It represents the firsthand report of new evidence, such as randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, and case reports. Because these papers present fresh data and observations rather than summarizing or interpreting existing work, they are the foundational sources for drawing conclusions in research.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses, by contrast, synthesize and reanalyze data from multiple existing studies rather than presenting new, single-study results. Editorials offer commentary or opinion rather than original research findings.