Strategic reading
Strategic reading involves using techniques to quickly understand source content.
Strategic reading of a scholarly journal article involves focusing on key sections.
Title
The title is usually what grabs your attention first. If it looks relevant, move on to the Abstract, located below the title in the article.
The Abstract is a very brief summary of the article. Huge time-saver.
Read it in a few seconds to find:
- The need or problem that warrants examination.
- Who/what was studied and how (method).
- Findings of the study -what the authors learned.
Introduction
The Introduction describes the author's claim. The claim here is that research has been done on other areas of this topic, but this article examines something new.
Literature review
In the Literature Review, the authors describe past work of other researchers on this topic.
Lists lots of author names and years of publications. Usually located after the Introduction.
Method
The method section of a scholarly journal article outlines the research design, procedures, and techniques used to collect and analyze data, ensuring the study can be replicated.
It typically includes details on participants, materials, and the step-by-step process followed during the research.
Results - Reading Diagram says to start here
In the Results (or "Findings") section of a scholarly article, the authors present the core findings of their research without interpretation. This part of the paper tells the story of what the activity in the Method section revealed.
Key patterns, trends, and statistically significant results are highlighted, often supported by tables, figures, or charts.
Discussion
The discussion section serves as the interpretive heart of a scholarly article.
Here, the authors move beyond the raw data to explore what the results mean in the broader context of the field. Authors often compare their results with previous studies, highlighting consistencies or discrepancies and offering possible explanations. They may also discuss the implications of their findings for theory, practice, or future research.
- Interprets the results, explaining their significance of what they found in this study.
- It also often suggests directions for future research.
