Reading Strategies for Scholarly Articles

Read: Why: Do: ____________________________________

The title The title tells Rewrite the ____________________________________
you what the title in your ____________________________________
paper is “about” own words ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

Read: Why: Do: ________________________

The abstract The abstract contains the Write the ________________________
paper’s main points as well thesis in your ________________________
as its thesis (largest claim) own words ________________________
________________________
________________________
Do:
________________________
1. ___________________________________________________________________ List the main
points. Look for
________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________ ________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________ problem
statements, ________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________ ________________________
objectives,
5. ___________________________________________________________________ ________________________
method,
6. ___________________________________________________________________ conclusions,
etc.

Read: Why: Do:

Section Section headings correspond Put a checkmark next to every section
headings to the paper’s main points heading that corresponds to the points
and will tell you how the you listed above
argument progresses

Read: Why: Do: Do:

Introduction The introduction will Check that you Note any unfamiliar
reiterate the paper’s have the thesis words or terms. Look
thesis or main point and correct. Revise as them up and write
provide background/ needed. out definitions for
context them.

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Keuka College Writing Center June 2019

 Read: Why: Do:
Conclusion The conclusion Note how the authors conclude. Do
discusses the major they indicate more research is
findings of the required? Do they suggest another
research. direction for research? Do they
believe their results are important
or valuable?

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Does this article still look useful for your purposes? If so, then …

Read: Why: Do:

the entire paper At this point you Next to each paragraph, write a few
have gotten the words saying what the paragraph’s
gist of the paper. main point is. The paragraph topic
You will now be sentences should help guide you.
looking for Doing this will enable you to find
specific details. information quickly down the road
without having to re-read the whole
article.

Do:
Highlight sentences you think you will want to quote later. Do not cut and paste from an online
article, as it can be hard to remember which words are quotations when you do that. You will need to
carefully give credit for your source’s words as well as their thoughts.

Last …

Skim: Why: Do:

The references References point you to what Circle or highlight any of the
others in the field have references you think might be
written, and how recently. valuable for your own
research.

Keuka College Writing Center June 2019