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How to Read and Understand Scientific Research Articles (Hofmann Chapter…
How to Read and Understand Scientific Research Articles
(Hofmann Chapter 12 + Instructional Video)
Why Read Scientific Papers?
Identify research gaps
Inspire new research ideas
Stay current in your field
Build foundational knowledge
Support your own writing and grant proposals
Types of Scientific Articles
Review Articles
Summarize and evaluate other studies
Meta-Analyses
Combine statistics across multiple studies
Primary Research Articles
Original data and methods
Structure of a Scientific Paper
Methods – What was done and how
Results – What they found (data/tables/figures)
Introduction – Background + hypothesis
Discussion – What it means and why it matters
Abstract – Brief summary (don’t rely on it)
Reading Strategy
Then read: Introduction into Discussion
Avoid relying solely on: Abstract
Revisit sections as needed for clarity
Start with: Methods then, Results then, Figures
Figures & Tables
Visually summarize results
Help you evaluate the study quickly
Contain essential data
Should be interpreted before reading Discussion
Effective Note-Taking
Track:
– Methods used
– Key results
– Study goal or research question
– Study implications
Write key points after each section
Highlight unclear areas for follow-up
Evaluating Sources
Funding/conflicts of interest?
Methods sound? Data valid?
Journal reputation (impact factor, editorial standards)
Conclusion reasonable?
Is it peer-reviewed?
Papers Are Like Puzzles
Discussion = Putting it together
Figures = The big picture
Abstract = Just the box cover — not the full story!
Methods & Results = Border pieces