How to Read Articles: Scientific Articles

Scientific articles are complete descriptions of new scientific research written by experts in the field. These are the final step in the scientific process as they disseminate results. Dissemination is important because it keeps scientists in check and allows for a replication of scientific work. These articles are published in journals and are the way scholars communicate their findings with each other and the public.

You probably have assigned readings for your course. Which might make you ask: "Why do I have to read complicated scientific articles on top of this?" Well, scientific articles are...

Before you delve into reading scientific articles its best if you understand the different sections and how to pull information from them. 

Part A - Journal Title: The title of the journal can help you determine if this source is peer-reviewed. Note: The journal title might be at the bottom  of the page in some journals. 

Part B - Article Title: The article title is a brief summary of the article's content and from it you can decide how relevant to your topic it is.

Part C - Authors: Tip: Google search the authors to check their  credentials. Sometimes their credentials will be listed below their names (seen above). 

Part D - Abstract: This brief overview of the paper details the study and  its results. This is helpful in determining relevance.

Part E - Introduction: This section explains the foundation - or the why -   of the study. What prompted the study? What prior research has been conducted? 

Part F - Methods: The methodology section is a detailed explanation of how the experiment was conducted. You should be able to replicate the study exactly based on their description. Tip: Skim this section to get a  basic understanding of the methods used.

Part G - Charts & Figures: Scientific articles often summarize results and methodologies using charts and figures which are great for a quick and easy glimpse into the study.  

Part H - Results: This section shares the results from the study. It is particularly helpful if you need specific data. This section also includes the researcher's analyses, which help determine the significance of the   study's findings.

Part I - Discussion: This section summarizes important findings (based  on the results) and the author's discussion of its implications for the field. Do the conclusions match the results? How are the results useful to you? 

Part J - Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the findings and often mentions next steps and what further research is needed. The conclusion is brief but it summarizes the entire article not just the findings. 

Part K - References: A list of all sources cited in the article. Tip: You can use this list to find publications on similar topics.

Watch the video below for more guidance on how to read a scientific article!