Research Article Reading Guide

Research Article Reading Guide

There are four steps to this process:

1) Learn the difference between paraphrasing, summarizing and using quotations to avoid plagiarism.

2) Learn the general structure of a research article to help you read more effectively.

3) Answer the questions in the reading guide to help you think about your article.

4) Use the general writing tips to help you be successful in this assignment.

Learn Paraphrasing & Summarizing

Visit the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) Website. After you gain a clear understanding about the differences, click on their link on how to effectively paraphrase (at the left menu, under “paraphrase exercises”). Once you are clear how to paraphrase, try the exercises on paraphrasing and compare your answers with sample answers.

Practice your skills again by visiting the Indiana University School of Education Web site at On the page entitled “How to Recognize Plagiarism”, you should read the 5 examples, paying attention to the ones that are plagiarized and the ones that are correct. Carefully read the explanations and determine the difference between each one. When you have finished reading the 5 examples, click on the link (on the left) for Practice. After you read each sample paragraph, read the two alternative re-writes and click on the letter “A” or the letter “B” to choose what you think is the correct version. Read the feedback that you receive for each of your choices.

Once you have confidence in your ability to paraphrase and summarize, you’re ready to select an article.

Evaluating scholarly articles

Often scholarly articles can’t be fully understood by nonspecialists because we aren’t its intended audience. Authors may be writing for economists or experimental psychologists who do their research on specialized areas. As nonexpert readers, we may not understand the complex methods or statistical analysis. However, we can understand the main gist of their research. This reading guide will help you understand the article’s big picture and offer strategies for reading any complex scholarly article. Scholarly articles are often divided into four sections, though they may not be explicitly labeled:

1) Introduction

This section describes what is currently known and unknown about the topic. Authors will cite research articles that they read closely that represent the current state of knowledge regarding a specific topic. A list of these articles is provided at the end of the document so you can find these sources if they interest you. If you are reading an empirical research article, where there is a specific research question that can be answered with data, this is also where the authors explain their hypotheses and expected results.

A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for something that can be tested. For example, one hypothesis for student success is that students who read carefully perform better on exams. One way to test this hypothesis by asking students how carefully they read (e.g., look up terms they don’t know, re-read difficult sections, take notes on the margins of texts, etc.) and collect their test scores. If our hypothesis is correct, students who report that they use strong reading strategies earn higher grades on exams.

2) Method

This is where authors describe how they conducted the study. They define the variables they are interested in, what measures they used to capture the variables, and, if applicable who participated in the study. Sometimes research is conducted with data from public records, the U.S. Census, or other sources where people are not involved in a specific study.

3) Results

This is where authors describe the statistical analyses they used to test their hypothesis. Sometimes, information is better presented in tables and/or figures than described in the text; be sure you look at tables and figures so you don’t miss important findings.

Focus on what you can understand; don’t worry about what you don’t understand. This section is aimed at insiders with expert knowledge of research design and statistical methods. Note: I probably can’t understand any more than you can.

4) Discussion

This is where authors interpret their findings. They may note whether or not there were limitations to their study and what the take-home message is.

Authors are trying to convince you whether or not their hypothesis was supported. Remember, this is only one study, and one study does not prove anything. However, several studies that find similar results provide enough evidence to convince you of their message. For example, if new research found that students who skipped class had higher IQs, would you start skipping class to increase your IQ? Or would you want to read more about the article to see exactly how they conducted the study and whether other research supports this claim?

Reading Guide

Answer these questions before you begin writing. You do not need to turn this in.

1.Introduction

1. What is the general topic under investigation?
2. Restate the authors’ research question in ordinary rather than scientific language. Make this understandable to your grandma.

2.Method

1. Look at their definitions of key variables. What does this mean in your own words?

3.Results

1. Tables: Describe what information the table provides
2. Figures: Look at the title of the figure, X axis, Y axis, and legend. How would you describe these findings to your grandma?

4.Discussion

1. What did the authors conclude from their data? Are you convinced?
2. How does their study add to our understanding of the research question and topic under investigation?
3. Do they point out any limitations of their study? If so, what are they?

Writing Tips

• Be sure to paraphrase the information, which means NO DIRECT QUOTES.
• Recall from the websites on summarizing that it is impossible to include all details from the article. You will need to decide what to omit and what to elaborate on.
• Typical summaries highlight things such as: why the article was written (Is there a controversy or something being compared? Is there something unknown? Has something new been discovered? Is there a general fear or concern?), what was studied and how, main findings or conclusions of the article, and/or what new directions researchers should pursue.
• However, each article is different (i.e., some articles may not address each of the points listed) so you must use good judgment in what to summarize. Remember, you cannot cover it all!