1. University of Manchester
1/14/201907/16/96
Reading a
Scientific Paper
Prof. David Schultz
University of Manchester

2. How do YOU read the literature?

3. How do YOU read the literature?

5. How do YOU read the literature?
(b)

6. Not everyone is a good writer!

7. Nonlinear reading Abstract avoid! Conclusions
1/14/201907/16/96
Nonlinear reading
Abstract
avoid!
Avoid reading the paper straight through from abstract to conclusions.
Conclusions

8. Skip around

9. Nonlinear reading read title and abstract
scan through the paper at the section headings and figures
read introduction and conclusions

10. Do you want to
invest more time?

11. Organization of a Generic Paper
Introduction
Literature Synthesis
Data and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References
Tables and Figures
Title
Abstract

12. Most people read journal article nonlinearly
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Conclusions
Figures
Body of paper
Tables
(Schultz 2010, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.)

13. Reading More Efficiently

14. Not all papers are equally valuable!

15. Read papers
by authors that write good papers

16. Before sitting down to read the paper, skim the paper for words you don’t know
(look them up in dictionary)

17. Read to
better learn
the material

18. Take notes

19. Write a list of
specific questions
you have

20. Some papers
may require
multiple readings

21. The more you read, the better you get!

22. Critical reading is more than just reading to gain information

23. Evaluate the paper by asking yourself questions
What new contributions does it make to science?
What are its potential flaws?
What aspects of this paper can I use in my own work?