Research Article: Primary literature article where the main focus is research, experiments or theory similar to a lab report. The article is narrow in scope and often cited within reviews. It is less connected with the literature discussion. The authors describe experiments that they did. A methodology/ experimental section is included.
Review Article: Secondary literature where the main focus is the literature and what is being discussed on a topic. They are often cited within background or introductions of research articles to help others come up to date. They are a good entry point into the literature on a topic and are broad in scope similar to an encyclopedia article. The authors summarize and evaluate other research. Methodology could include what searches were used and what documents were included or excluded and why.
Use currency, relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose to decide whether to use or cite a source.
Is the article popular or scholarly?
For internet sources, learn ways to spot bad science. Stop, investigate the source, find additional coverage and trace to the original. The context matters. Learn more about how Wikipedia has value, especially in the references.