Anatomy of an article
This section provides a brief overview of the entire study, answering why it was done and what was found.
What is the Abstract?
You should avoid reading a research paper like this type of book, which people usually read from start to finish.
What is a textbook?
You are not expected to know this "expert" language before you start reading.
What is scientific/technical vocabulary (or jargon)?
True or False: If you struggle to understand a research article, you are doing it wrong.
What is False? (Struggling means you are learning!)
If you want to know exactly how the researchers conducted their experiment or collected data, you look here.
What is the Methods section?
Doing this for just a few minutes helps you decide if an article is worth your time before reading deeply.
What is skimming?
If context clues don't help, the guide suggests using this specific type of resource to find definitions.
What is a subject-specific or scientific dictionary?
This "C-word" describes the type of reading where you ask questions about the research’s validity.
What is critical reading?
This section is where the data lives, and it is often best understood by looking at figures, tables, and graphs.
What is the Results section?
This specific part of the article should be read during your skim to see if the findings are relevant to your research.
What is the Discussion (or Conclusion)?
This location provides access to trusted databases and subject-specific dictionaries for students.
What is the Library?
The Discussion section represents these, rather than absolute, unchangeable facts.
What are the authors' interpretations?
In this section, authors interpret their findings and suggest what they might mean; it’s also a great place for new research ideas.
What is the Discussion section?
This is the recommended number of times to read an article to truly deepen your understanding and make connections.
What is twice (Read it again)?
This part of the article can help you identify key researchers in a specific field.
What is the References (or Works Cited) section?
You should ask yourself if you have reasons to question this specific quality of the research.
What is credibility?
This acronym represents the standard four-part structure of most scientific articles.
What is IMRD (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion)?
These three active-reading actions help you stay focused and improve your understanding while you read.
What are pause, reflect, and question? (Also accept: highlight/take notes).
Doing this to words you don't recognize helps you keep track of what to look up later.
What is highlighting?
This mindset is described as an essential part of the critical reading process.
What is curiosity?