How to Read a Research Study Article

Know the structure of a research study article.

A research study article will consistently contain the following sections
Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References.
Some section names may change slightly, e.g. Methods might be Research
Methods or Methodology. If you dont find these sections in a journal
article, then you dont have a research study article.
Know what each section contains.
ABSTRACT
Summary of the key oints of the article! the urose of the study and a
hyothesis, the methodology used, who was studied, and the findings. Read
this first, but dont rely on it solely to draw conclusions about the study.
ITR!D"CTI!
"ontains a survey of the relevant background for a study, a conte#t for the
study, and the hyothesis $i.e. the secific redictions to be tested%. It will
also usually contain a review of rior studies related to the same toic.
M#TH!DS
&escribes the aroach taken in the study. 'his section rovides detailed
information about the research instrument used, $e.g. (uestionnaire%,
subjects $e.g. women between the ages of )* and +*%, rocedures, and the
aroach to data analysis.
R#S"$TS
&ata is summari,ed in this section, and relationshis among variables and-or
differences among grous are reorted. 'hese analyses should directly
reflect the redictions originally described in the Introduction. .urther
comarisons may also be included to clarify findings or to e#lore
unanticiated findings.
DISC"SSI!
Results are summari,ed in narrative form as oosed to statistics or
numbers. 'he ways in which the studys results coincide with the hyothesis
and revious studies will also be discussed, as well as suggestions for the
need for further studies on the toic.
R#%#R#C#S
/isting of the sources cited in the article such as books and articles, as well
as sources not directly used but are relevant to the toic. 01'2! 3se the
Reference list to find still other sources on your toic4
ow you&re ready to read.
0ot first to last age, unless youre really familiar with the toic. Instead,
5. Start with the Abstract for an overview.
6. Read the first aragrah or so of the Introduction to get a sense of
the issue. 7o to the last aragrah to read the hyothesis.
8. Skim the &iscussion to see how the study turned out.
9. 0ow, go back to the middle art for the details. Read the Methods
section carefully and lan to reread it, even a coule of times to
digest it all.
). 'hen, read the Results section. :ou may want to turn to the
&iscussion section for clarification of what the reorted statistics
demonstrate. &ont get bogged down in the details of either the
Methods or the Results section, but try to get a good idea of how the
hyotheses were tested.
;. Read the &iscussion section more closely.
+. .inally, read the whole article, first age to last age. Reread for the
greatest comrehension.
Ada'ted fro() .ran,oi, S./. < Ratlif="rain, >. $6**8%. 7uide to reading research articles. In
Instructor?s manual to accomany social sychology. 8rd ed. $.6@=8*%. Aoston!Mc7raw=
Bill.
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