Conduct a Literature Review

Strategies for Reading Articles

You do not need to read the entire article in order - for each article you found. Watch these two videos to learn a few key strategies for reading articles more efficiently.
 

5 Tips for Reading Journal Articles [3:09]

Source: Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick (CC BY)

Key take-aways

• Read Abstract first to check if the article is relevant to your research topic
• Scan section headings. Think about what information you need and where you might find it
• Check keywords and use them to refine your next search
• Look at the reference list for additional sources
• Read figures or tables to understand the findings in greater detail

How to Read and Comprehend Scientific Research Articles [5:03]

Source: University of Minnesota Libraries

Key take-aways

• Skim key findings, not Read. 
• Most effective order to read: Abstract ⇒ Conclusion / Discussion ⇒ Introduction ⇒ Results ⇒ Methods
• Where to find the main points: Title, Abstract, Keywords, Figure and Table Titles, First and last sentences of the Introduction
  Look for keywords: "We hypothesize..." "We propose..." "We introduce..."