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READING A SCIENTIFIC OR JOURNAL ARTICLE


Faye Ross, Learning & Advising Center, Philadelphia University

Sections of the following are adapted from (1) "NHS Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, making sense of evidence, 10 questions to help you make sense of a review," < http://www.public-health.org.uk/casp/review.html> and (2)  "How to Read Scientific Literature," Daniel Morgan, Rutgers University, presented at the 2001 NJ/PA CRLA Conference, University of Pennsylvania.

WHAT MAKES READING SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING?

There are a number of reasons scientific and technical articles can be challenging for a reader.

  • The article is written in a scholarly, scientific style which allows other professionals to assess the accuracy of the material and repeat the experiment.  There is no attempt to make the material "interesting" to a less experienced reader.
  • The information is dense - that is, a great deal of information is covered in each paragraph.
  • The vocabulary is very specialized and abbreviations are used frequently.
  • Authors assume a strong working knowledge of scientific method.
  • Articles often use statistical analysis which may be unfamiliar to a reader.
  • Authors are usually very careful about what they say, often hedging their bets:
  • Authors may make a statement and then qualify or contrast it using "reversal words" [however, but, on the other hand].
  • Authors often make use of qualifying words and phrases rather than more direct statements [suggests, perhaps, probability, only one of several factors, merit consideration, possible explanation].
  • Authors may seem to engage in convoluted explanations.
  • Authors may refer to other studies which are unfamiliar to a reader.

    • HOW CAN A READER DEAL WITH THESE CHALLENGES?

    1.  Know what your professor wants you to learn.  Having a goal will help you cut through the details to the essence of the article.

    Before you begin to read, be sure you know what your focus should be:

    1. Do you need to know whether or not the methods seem appropriate?  Are you supposed to question the methods? 
    2. Does your professor want you to focus primarily on the results?
    3. Are you supposed to assume that the author's conclusions make sense or should you check the findings against the statistical results?
    4. How should you deal with seemingly contradictory or conflicting information?
    5. Do you need to think about ways the results would apply to the "real world" in which you will work? [Even if this is not required, thinking about the practical implications of an article can make it a great deal more interesting.  Applying the article can also reinforce your understanding.]

    2. Be familiar with the overall format of an article. 

    This will help you cut through the details to the major points of each section.  The typical format of journal articles is discussed below. 

    3. Do an overview to familiarize yourself with the topic and terminology of the article.

    Most articles explain the subject matter and technical terms in the context of the article.  However, it is helpful to have as much familiarity as possible before you begin so you will spend less time stopping, backtracking, and rereading.  Therefore, begin by skimming over the title, subtitle, headings, and boldface words and phrases.  This serves three purposes:

    1. You can review any relevant course materials before you begin reading.
    2. You have identified key terms you will need to know when you are done. 
    3. Be sure to look up any words used in headings ahead of time, especially if they do not seem to be technical terms being defined in the article itself.
    4. You can see the overall framework of the article.

    Then, as you read the article, you should plan to circle key terms and concepts so that you are more likely to understand abbreviations used later in the article.  If an abbreviation is

    used and you do not see what it stands for, you must take the time to backtrack.

                                                                                   Reading a Scientific Article, p.2

    4. As you read, look for helpful writing cues:

    For example:

  • Mini-summaries, often introduced by phrases such as "in summary."
  • Lists introduced by numbering [e.g."three key points..first..second...last..."]
  • Tables, graphs, or charts that visually depict the information.

    • 5. Stop periodically and try to summarize what you have just read. 

  • On the one hand, don't agonize over every sentence.  Sometimes it is best to forge ahead and see whether you can understand the gist of the author's point.
  • On the other hand, don't read more than a long paragraph or a column without stopping and trying to summarize the key points of what you have just read. 
  • Be aware that authors of journal articles often circle back on what they have just written, but they may approach the information in a different way - with statistical evidence or charts instead of discussion, for example.  You may find one approach more understandable to you than another. 

    • 6. Be prepared to read articles more than once. 

    It may make sense to read through the entire article once even if you find it difficult, but you will need to make sure you can answer the questions below before you put the article down.  See what you can learn in one read-through, then return and work through the article more slowly.  Even professionals plan to reread this kind of material.

    WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF A TYPICAL ARTICLE?

    Scientific and technical articles tend to follow the same general format.  For each section, there are questions you should be ready to answer.

    1.  Title and author(s)

  • What is the topic?  Are your familiar with this area?  If not, do you have a section in a textbook that you should review?
  • Who are the authors?  What are their credentials?
  • Be aware that online articles may be "sponsored" by groups whose perspective may have an impact on the content. 

    • 2.  Abstract

  • The abstract provides a mini-summary of the entire article.  It provides you with a helpful outline for reading. 
  • An abstract can also alert you to the overall topic and help you figure out whether you need to do additional reading before tackling the article.  Are you familiar with the terminology being used?  If not, do you need to review class material?  Can you get by with carefully reading explanatory sections of the article?

    • *3. Introduction

    The introduction helps you answer the following questions:

  • Why has the study been done?  What is the background? What led to this study?
  • What is the author's hypothesis?  This should be stated as a clearly defined
  • question.
  • What is the reasoning behind the author's hypothesis?
  • What does the author propose to do in this study?  Refute? Confirm? Embellish?
  • What is being studied?
  • Who are the "subjects"?  Are there different groups?
  • What is being done?
  • What are the proposed outcomes?
  • What other studies are out there?  Does the author refer to other studies?

    • If so, what databases were used?  What experts are cited?

    Are unpublished studies included?

    Reading a Scientific Article, p.3

    *4. Methods

    This an easy place to get lost.  You are taking a look at the study itself. 

    Ask the following questions:

  • What techniques were used?
  • How many subjects took part?
  • Do the methods seem appropriate to you -- number of subjects? number of variables?

    • While you are most concerned about understanding the results, a review of the method is important in order for you to assess the results.  However, be sure you have asked: How important to your professor is your understanding of the methods as well as the results? 

    Tips for understanding methods:

  • Be patient.  Take enough time to read this section thoroughly.
  • Refer to your course materials for a better understanding of the topic and the method.
  • Discuss questions of methodology with your professor.
  • Ask yourself why each step was taken.

    • *5. Results

  • The results constitute the most important part of the article.
  • What are the main results?
  • How are the results expressed - in discussion, in numbers or charts or graphs?
  • Could the results be due to chance?  Are they statistically significant?

    • Also consider where you should look for supporting data: the raw data itself or the author's textual explanation.  Be aware that figures contain the data in the most unaltered form while explanations are subject to interpretation.

    6. Discussion

    In this section the author stands aside and talks about the study.

  • What are the author's claims?

    Is the hypothesis supported by the conclusion and the results?

    Does the author seem to be making realistic claims and arguments given the relative strength of the data?

  • How does the author assess the results?

    Is there some kind of "scoring system"?

    Are there outside assessors?

  • Does the author seem to weigh the strengths and limitations of the study?
  • Does the author explain any variations or unexpected findings?
  • Does the author recommend further study or research?
  • Does the author discuss how the findings relate to other data in the field?

    • Do the data support the findings of previously published studies?  If not, how does the author explain this?

  • Does the author consider how the results might relate to various groups: individuals, policy makers and professionals, family and caregivers, the wider community?
  • How do the results apply to client groups with whom you might work?
  • Should policy or practice change because of these findings?
  • Do the benefits outweigh any costs or disadvantages?   

    • 7. Acknowledgments and References

  • Does your professor want you to be familiar with other articles on the same topic?
  • Does the author seem to have drawn from a body of materials or is this a stand-alone study?
  • Does the article analyze and summarize other studies [i.e. metanalysis]?