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Biology Research

A guide designed to help students in Biology classes find quality research.

Steps to Reading a Scientific Article

Do not read scientific articles like a book (first word to last word).

The worst way to read a scholarly articles is front to back. Scholarly article reading is very different from leisure reading. Follow these steps to take the mystery out of article reading.

Types of Journal Articles

In general, scientific literature can be primary or secondary. Reports of original research form the “primary literature”, the “core” of scientific publications. These are the articles written to present findings on new scientific discoveries or describe earlier work to acknowledge it and place new findings in the proper perspective. “Secondary literature” includes review articles, books, editorials, practice guidelines, and other forms of publication in which original research information is reviewed.

A box listing examples of primary literature (original research articles, surveys, case report/case series, conference proceedings and abstracts, editorial, correspondence/letters to the editor) and secondary literature (narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, book reviews, guidelines, commentary).

 

Adapted from: Drs Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha. "Art of Reading a Journal Article." (2013).

Scientific Article Structure

Most scientific articles are organized as follows:

  1. Title: Topic and information about the authors.

  2. Abstract: Brief overview of the article.

  3. Introduction: Background information and statement of the research hypothesis.

  4. Methods: Details of how the study was conducted, procedures followed, instruments used and variables measured.

  5. Results: All the data of the study along with figures, tables and/or graphs.

  6. Discussion: The interpretation of the results and implications of the study.

  7. References/Bibliography: Citations of sources from where the information was obtained.

Adapted from: Drs Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha. "Art of Reading a Journal Article." (2013).

How to Start Reading an Article

It is better to begin by identifying the conclusions of the study by reading the title and the abstract.  If the article does not have an abstract, read the conclusions or the summary at the end of the article first. After reading the abstract or conclusions, if the reader deems it is interesting or useful, then the entire article can be read.

A flow chart. The first box reads, "Is the Title related to the topic that I am looking for? Does it have the Keywords which I have in mind?" If NO, "Skip the article and go to the next." If YES, "Read the Abstract/Summary/Conclusion." Are there clear-cut Aims and Objectives? Is there a Well-defined Research hypothesis? Are the Conclusions precise? "Is the above useful or relevant to what I am looking for?" If YES, "Read the entire article." If NO, "Skip the article and go to the next."

 

Adapted from: Drs Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha. "Art of Reading a Journal Article." (2013).

Questionnaire for Scientific Articles

Overall

  1. What was the article type?
  2. What was the title?
  3. Who were the authors?

Introduction

  1. What was the research problem?
  2. Was there any mention of previous studies on this topic?
  3. Why was this study performed (the rationale)?
  4. What were the aims and objectives of the study?
  5. What was the study (research) hypothesis?

Materials and methods

  1. How did the researcher attempt to answer the research question?
  2. How was the sampling done?
  3. How were they grouped (categorized)?
  4. What were the inclusion criteria?
  5. What were the exclusion criteria?
  6. What procedures were followed?
  7. Which variables were measured?
  8. What equipment/instruments were used for data collection? Were they appropriate? 
  9. What statistical methods/tests were employed? Were they apt for evaluation?

Results

  1. What were the key findings?
  2. Were all the subjects present in the beginning of the study accounted for at the end of the study?
  3. Were the results reliable?
  4. Were the results valid?
  5. Which results were statistically significant?
  6. Which results were statistically non-significant?
  7. Were the tables/graphs easy to comprehend?

Discussion

  1. Did the results answer the research question?
  2. what were the authors' interpretations of the data?
  3. Was the analysis of the data relevant to the research question?
  4. How were these results different/similar when compared to other studies?
  5. What were the strengths of the study?
  6. What were the limitations of the study?
  7. Were there any extrapolations of findings beyond the range of data?

Conclusions

  1. What were the conclusions?
  2. Were the authors' conclusions based upon reported data and analysis?
  3. Were the conclusions reasonable and logical?
  4. Will the results be useful in clinical practice or for further research?
  5. Was the study worth doing?
  6. Does the reader have any questions unanswered by the article?

References

  1. Were the references cited according to journal's requirement?
  2. Were all the citations correct?
  3. Were all the references cited in the text?

Adapted from: Drs Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha. "Art of Reading a Journal Article." (2013).

Ask for assistance, if needed.

If you are having trouble understanding an article, ask for help from your instructor, your classmate, a tutor or a librarian.

Tags: biology