1. Know Why You’re Reading the Article
- Your time & energy are precious resources. Decide why you’re reading this article:
- Looking for an overview of the field?
- Seeking specific data or methods?
- Evaluating the article’s argument or theoretical framework?
2. Preview Scan Without Deep Reading
- Spend no more than 2-3 minutes scanning through to the article’s conclusion.
- Skim abstract, section headings, subheadings, figures, and concluding remarks and find:
- The paper’s main argument & research question
- The methodological rationale + the specific methods used
- Key findings
- Conclusions
- Now decide whether the article is worth moving deeper into (Step 3) or just braindumping into your annotated bibliography.
3. Deep Read: Break Down the Article’s Structure
Research articles pretty much universally follow standard structure:
- Abstract – A concise summary of the entire work.
- Introduction – Presents the background, research question(s), and significance.
- Literature Review/Theoretical Background – Situates the study in existing research.
- Methods – Lists data collection, analyses, etc.
- Results/Findings – Presents data, stat output, key outcomes.
- Discussion – Interprets the findings, links back to research question & literature.
- Conclusion – Summarizes contributions, implications, limitations, and sometimes directions for future research.
4. Read Actively and Critically, Interrogate the Article
- Introduction & Literature Review:
- What knowledge gap in the literature is this article trying to fill?
- Is the research question and/or hypothesis clearly stated?
- Methods:
- Are the methods appropriate to answer the research question?
- What are the assumptions or limitations of these methods?
- Results:
- How are the results presented?
- Do they align with the stated hypothesis or research question?
- Discussion/Conclusion:
- Do the authors adequately explain why the results matter?
- Are there alternative interpretations of the data?
- What are the next steps or open questions?
- Aggressively annotate the text (e.g., highlighting, commenting in margins). It’s yours to dissect and devour however your brain works best. This gives your active mind more high-quality contact time with the key / useful ideas in the article.
5. Take Organized Notes in Your Annotated Bibliography
- Use very short consistent template, e.g.:
Summary: A short paragraph capturing the main value. One sentence is usually plenty.
Key Points: Main argument, key finding, useful quote, anything that surprised you or that you disagree with. Not every detail needs your time—grasp the overall argument and how it might apply to or inform your own work.
Methods: Briefly outline the study design, data sources, or theoretical approach.
Critical Reflections: Strengths, weaknesses, biases, or questions.
Connections: How it relates to other readings or ongoing research interests.
- Collect these notes in your annotated bibliography. Don’t waste your time or energy on formatting etc. Just braindump it and move on. Don’t trust your brain to remember anything. Ever.
6. Compare Other Sources
- Decide how this article relates to previous articles or common themes in your field:
This article [ extends | refutes | seems to contradict / disagree with | confirms | nuances / explains | modifies ] this other journal article.
- Don’t be afraid to sketch “concept maps,” diagram out your thoughts, or comparison charts for similar articles w/ similar research questions or comparable methodologies.
- Should I hunt one key citation down for a deeper dive on this research topic?
7. Discuss Within Your Community of Practice
Journal Club: Research group discussions & reading groups help catch blind spots.
- Form a group to read the same article and compare notes. Everyone involved will get a lot more out of working together than alone.
- Encourage debate re: the article’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Identify areas of confusion: usually your colleague will process and/or understand the article differently than you. Their understanding may help clarify yours.
8. Evaluate Credibility
- Consider the journal’s reputation, the citation count, authors’ conflicts of interest, sample sizes, and methodological rigor. Not all journal articles are equal.
- Discuss the impact factor or other metrics with caution—while these may signal reputation, they don’t guarantee quality.
- Do you trust this source? Even reputable journals screw up occasionally, publishing flawed papers. Sometimes less-known journals can contain groundbreaking research—because they’re often much cheaper to publish in.
9. Hone Your Incremental Reading Skills
- Identify discipline-specific terminology. Transfer them to your personal glossary.
- Focus on the research design and argument structure, even if the content is unfamiliar or not directly useful to your current project.