How to Read a Scholarly Article
| Order to read it | Part of the Article | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| #4 | Title & Authors | Be sure to check author & journal credentials. Are the authors reputable? Is the journal peer-reviewed? Use Google to find out. |
| #1 | Abstract |
Read me first. I contain the main points (NOTE RE: Arts & Humanities & Social Sciences - Some articles aren't as nicely divided as science articles. The information is still there - but many not be broken into sections like this. In that case, read the beginning and end of the article to get the main points. |
| #3 | Full Article | If you find anything interesting in the abstract or conclusion, then skim the article for that information. |
| #6 | Introduction | If you need more information, read me. I contain an overview of the paper and will discuss other research on the topic in the literature review. |
| #7 | Methodology | If you need more information, read me. I explain the research process so that you can replicate it. |
| #8 | Results | If you need more information, read me. I have data and numbers on the outcome often with charts, graphs, or formulas. |
| #9 | Discussion | If you need more information, read me. I explain if the thesis was proved or disproved and any unexpected findings. |
| #2 | Conclusion | Read me second. I restate the findings and results, what was discovered, and what still needs to be researched. |
| #5 | References | If this article has a lot of relevant information, check the references to find other articles that may also be relevant. |
