Step 1: Preview the source to get a sense of what it will offer.
Step 2: Read for understanding and analysis
Reading Scientific Papers
How many pages?!?
The quantity and complexity of your
readings may be overwhelming at first.
With some practical advice and some practice, it will not be so
difficult to complete your weekly list of readings. In fact, our
strategies for critical and efficient reading will also help you to
better understand and analyse what you read.
Understanding Scientific Papers
Scientists write articles in order to communicate with one another
and the larger public about a particular question or problem. The
format of scientific papers is similar to that of lab reports: both are
based on the scientific method. In the introduction, the authors
present their research question and explain their hypotheses and
predictions. They then provide a methods section, which details
how they conducted their study. In the results section, they provide
the key data gathered during the study. Finally, scientific papers end
with a discussion section that interprets the results and explains
whether they support the authors’ hypothesis. Understanding the
structure of the scientific paper can help you to read more critically
and efficiently.
Reading as a Process
You likely think of reading as a one-step event: you pick up a book
or article and read it. However, experts on reading suggest that a
multi-step process can make you a more efficient and critical
reader.
Step 3: Reflect and takes notes on the reading
Keep in mind that how you actually accomplish each of these steps
will differ depending on what kind of source you are reading.
How to Preview a Scientific Paper
Before you begin to read a scientific article, consider how it
relates to the course, your experiment, or your research
project.
Next, preview the source itself to determine its main goal,
method, and findings. Your first step should be to read the
article abstract. As you read, ask
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•
•
•
•
WHAT did the author(s) want to find out? (research
question)
WHY did they want to know this? (rationale)
HOW did they test the question? (method)
WHAT did they find out? (results)
SO WHAT? Why is this important? (significance)
Keep in mind that reading the abstract alone will not provide you
with an understanding of the source. You must read the article in
full, section by section. You should be reading both to understand
what the author is trying to say and to analyse and evaluate the
source.
Reading the Introduction for Understanding and Analysis
A careful reading of the introduction is essential to understanding
the goals and reasons for a scientific study. In the introduction,
authors provide an overview of their general topic as well as specify
their own specific research question on the topic. They also explain
the importance of studying this question, which is known as their
rationale. Finally, they review what other researchers have found
about the topic, in what is sometimes called a literature review, and
link this to specific hypotheses and predictions for their own
studies.
Questions for Analysis & Evaluation
Questions to Check Your Understanding
Reading the Results Section for Understanding and
Analysis
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the research question?
Why should it be studied?
How has it been studied before?
What hypotheses/predictions are made?
Questions for Analysis & Evaluation
1.
2.
3.
4.
Is the question clear?
How convincing is the rationale?
How does the work compare to other studies in the field?
Is the hypothesis justified?
Reading the Methods Section for Understanding and
Analysis
In the methods section, the authors provide a detailed account of
how they completed their study or experiment, the materials
and/or participants they used, as well as how they measured for
particular variables. As a reader, you will want to pay careful
attention to this section and determine the strengths and
weaknesses of the study’s design.
Questions to Check Your Understanding
1. How did the authors conduct the study or experiment?
2. What materials did they use?
3. Who participated in the study?
1. Are the measures appropriate and clearly related to the
research question?
2. Do participants fairly represent the larger population of the
study?
3. Are there noticeable flaws in the method?
The results section generally presents the data researchers obtained
in both graphs, tables, or pictures as well as in words. As a careful
reader, you should examine both and consider not only what the
authors found, but also how they have chosen to present their
findings.
Questions to Check Your Understanding
1. What were the major findings?
2. How are the findings presented/displayed?
Questions for Analysis & Evaluation
1. Are enough data displayed to demonstrate the results?
2. Are there patterns in the data that the author does not
mention?
Reading the Discussion Section for Understanding and
Analysis
A close reading of the discussion section of an article is also
essential to understand a scientific paper. In this section, the
authors analyse their findings and explain whether their results
support their original hypothesis and predictions. If they do not, the
authors attempt to explain why they do not. They also discuss the
importance and implications of their results and detail possible
future applications, extensions, or revisions of their study.
Questions to Check Your Understanding
1.
2.
3.
4.
Did the data support the hypothesis?
If not, does the author explain why?
How do the results compare to other studies?
Why are the findings significant? Are there applications?
Questions for Analysis & Evaluation
1. Are you persuaded by the findings?
2. How significant are the limitations of the study?
3. What other ways could you conceptualize the findings or
research question?
4. Does the discussion reflect the hypothesis and major points
from the introduction?
Reflection and Notetaking
Read – Think – Write
Taking notes while you read is time consuming and can even
distract you from focusing on the ideas you are reading. Instead,
separate the acts of reading and notetaking by reading a section or
a few pages and then stopping to take notes. Make sure that your
notes provide answers to the questions posed in each of the
sections above. You may also want to use our Template for
Taking Notes on Scientific Papers as a guide.
After you have read and taken notes on the article, make sure
to reflect upon it. How does it compare to other papers you
have read on this topic? How does it relate to your experiment
or research project? How might you use it in your course
work, lab report, or paper?
The Academic Skills Centre
Trent University
www.trentu.ca/academicskills
acdskills@trentu.ca
705-748-1720