How To Read a Scholarly Journal Article

Summary

This script offers a guide to efficiently reading scholarly articles. It emphasizes starting with a clear research question, using keywords to find relevant articles, and beginning with the abstract to gauge relevance. The script advises skimming the introduction for key ideas, noting references for context, and focusing on sections like results and discussion for findings. It also highlights the importance of understanding methods and using the references section for further reading, ultimately saving time while enhancing comprehension.

Takeaways

• 📚 Start with a clear topic statement or research question to guide your reading.
• 🔍 Identify search keywords to find relevant scholarly articles in databases like EBSCOhost.
• 📖 Read the Abstract first to determine the article's relevance to your topic.
• 👀 Skim the Introduction for key ideas and references to other studies.
• 🔍 Look for main points and potential flaws in the study to understand the author's perspective.
• 🔎 Trust the findings as the article has undergone peer review.
• 📊 Skip to the Conclusion or Discussion section for the researcher's key findings.
• 📈 Read the Results section for detailed findings, including statistics and narrative discussions.
• 🔬 Check the Methods section to understand the type of research conducted and its details.
• 📝 Consider the author's recommendations for further research in the field.
• 🔗 Utilize the References section to explore the topic in more depth.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of reading the abstract of a scholarly article?

The main purpose of reading the abstract is to get a summary of the article, which helps to decide if it's relevant to the topic of interest.

Why is it beneficial to note key terms used by professionals in scholarly articles?

Noting key terms like 'cyberbullying' is beneficial as they could be useful for future searches and understanding the specific language of the field.

What does the author suggest doing before reading a scholarly article?

The author suggests having a clear topic statement or research question in mind before reading a scholarly article.

What is the significance of the term 'parental mediation' in the context of the article?

In the context of the article, 'parental mediation' refers to the role parents play in regulating their children's online activities, which is identified as an important factor in cyberbullying.

Why does the author recommend looking at the conclusion or discussion section before reading the entire article?

The author recommends looking at the conclusion or discussion section first because it tells what the researcher discovered, which can pique the reader's interest and guide further reading.

What is the typical structure of a research article according to the script?

The typical structure of a research article includes an Abstract, Introduction, Results, Discussion (or Conclusion), and a References section.

Why might the author of the article mention potential flaws in their study?

Mentioning potential flaws in a study demonstrates the author's honesty and transparency, and it also provides context for the reader to understand the limitations of the research findings.

What does the author suggest doing if you find statistics in a research article?

The author suggests reading the narrative discussion of the results or glancing first at a stats table to get a quick visual overview of the findings.

What information can be found in the Methods section of a research article?

The Methods section provides information about the type of research conducted, how it was conducted, and details about the participants.

Why is the References section important at the end of a scholarly article?

The References section is important because it allows readers to explore the topic in more detail and understand the breadth of research that the author has drawn upon.

What advice does the author give for efficiently reading a scholarly article?

The author advises to focus on specific sections relevant to the research question, such as the abstract, introduction, results, and discussion, rather than reading the entire article word-for-word.