How to Read a Scientific Article in the Social Sciences: A Guide for those New to Reading Peer-Reviewed Articles

Jerry L. Mize, MA, MEd, NCC

Rev. 7.8.25

I remember going through undergrad and being assigned multiple peer-reviewed journal articles across various fields. Even in the general public, we should be able to take in information, know how to ask questions, and feel informed. It can be hard to navigate what the different sections are and their importance when you are new to it. I thought this guide would be a helpful tool for those unsure how to take in a research article and who feel overwhelmed when reading one. This guide explains the sections and their importance, while giving a sentence or two on how to read each section (“How do I read it?”). The main piece of advice I want to stress, however, is to read with a critical eye.

Most journal articles are consistent with an Abstract, introduction, method, results, and discussion layout, with the inclusion of subsections. This is the layout that I am going to talk about. I’ll give the section in BOLD with a definition immediately after. There will be bullets with elaboration under the definition.  I will conclude each section with a “How do I read it?” This will serve as a take-home point. 

Abstract: A very brief overview of the research paper. 

• The abstract is the first place to look when deciding whether or not you are going to read an article. Articles can be long and sometimes daunting to read. The abstract is a good place to decide if the article is going to be useful or relevant to the reason you are reading a scientific article in the first place. 

How do I read it? You should read the abstract in full to decide if the article is something you want/need to read. 

Introduction: A review of the literature that is relevant to the research question and the specific aim of the paper. 

• The introduction can have a lot of subsections, very few, and on occasion, none at all! It just depends on the amount of background that needs to be explained to justify the research conducted in the paper – yes, I said justify. Part of the research process is to answer questions that make sense, rather than just through things into a statistical software and see if they are significantly correlated (this is called fishing!). 

• Usually, at the end of this section, you will have a “Current Study” or “Present Research,” or some variation of that, which can put a nice little bow around a well-written introduction. This reminds the reader of why they read that long (or short). 

How do I read it? I actually recommend looking at the specific aim first (see the abstract or the current study section). After you have identified the goal of the paper, read the pieces of the intro and think about how they support and set up the research question.

Method: A detailed explanation of how the research was conducted. This section will almost always have subsections including, but not limited to, the following: participants or subjects, procedure, measures, and analytical approach. 

• Participants. The information here tells you about the participants, or subjects if non-human, that were studied. Here you will have important information, such as age, region, or sex, which is helpful in understanding the sample that is being studied. You will also find information on the number of participants included in the study. This is especially important for reading the results and thinking about the implications and generalizability of the research. 

• Procedure. The procedure tells you how the data were collected, the process.

• Measures. Science is about replication. The measures section, sometimes called the materials section, is where you see an explanation of what exactly happened with the study sample. In psychology literature, you will often read about a questionnaire, but this information provides more than just details on that questionnaire. You are reading about the questionnaire in reference to the study sample.

• Analytical Approach. The authors explain and add rationale for their statistical tests. In psychology, statistics are crucial in answering research questions. When there are complicated statistics, this section will typically be there to add some additional justification. 

How do I read it? Take each section one by one in the method. Imagine yourself as the researcher and think about how the method works toward answering the research question(s). 

Results: A direct and to-the-point interpretation of the statistical analyses and tests that were conducted for the study. 

• This section can be a little daunting if you don’t have the training in the statistical tests that were used. Some people will skip the results when they have trouble getting through them and just read the discussion. I advise against this. As a consumer of knowledge, you should know what is being done. Have a critical eye. The results section is how you know you can trust the discussion. Granted, if the article is in a solid, peer-reviewed journal, the information presented is likely to be trustworthy. However, no research is without limitations, and science is dynamic. 

How do I read it? It’s important to read this section carefully and slowly. Try to figure out the main point of each paragraph here. If you have been trained in the statistical procedure that was used, try reading with a critical eye. Do you think the test adequately answers the question? Think about the results and how they answered the question. 

Discussion: A summary of the findings and a dialogue of the implications, limitations, suggestions in moving forward, and a conclusion. 

• The discussion section typically begins with reviewing or summarizing the statistical findings. The section then dives deeper into what it all means, including a commentary on the implications of and theories impacted by the research. The discussion is especially important for those trying to get the take-home message of research. The authors will also use this opportunity to explain what contribution they are making to the field. So, you will see some reference back to what was mentioned in the intro. They are trying to explain how they built off of past research and what new information they are providing – they are explaining the importance of the paper. 

• The article will also discuss the limitations of the research. Remember this: no science is without limitation. There is always room for improvement. A good scientific article will own its limitations and explain what they were unable to do or what it wished it had done that would have made the paper better. Typically, they will urge future researchers to improve upon these limitations. Taken together, the implications and limitations, in a way, serve as the formula for the suggestions for future research. 

• Finally, there is usually a conclusion statement at or near the end of the text. Sometimes they will be vague (you should really read the whole discussion section to understand the conclusion), but sometimes they will be to the point and specific. In either case, the entire discussion section is complementary to a conclusion. 

How do I read it? Similar to the intro, you are looking at this in terms of the specific aim of the study. Ask yourself while reading, did the authors answer the question they asked? Try and figure out in this section why the findings of this study matter and how they can be improved. 

References: A list of resources used by the author(s) who wrote the paper and conducted the research. 

• Very often I find myself pulling citations from papers and other reliable sources that I read to get a better understanding of what they were using that citation to support. Getting a broader understanding of a topic is often instrumental in obtaining mastery of a subject. 

How do I read it? You don’t really read this section. Rather, you “refer” to it as needed. 

Closing Statement: Reading a scientific article can be daunting, as they are typically written for an audience of scientists. Do not be discouraged if it’s hard to get through an article. As you read more articles, they will get a little easier. Just remember to read with a critical eye. Authors are all human. Also, feel free to do additional research on your own (just like authors do in their own papers) when trying to understand the message of a scientific article.