How to read a research paper

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Le Luu

Vietnamese German University

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 Scientific papers are the heart of the science
community

It is essential to learn how to read a paper

quickly but insightfully
…… otherwise

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 Research paper is not a novel!

No set right answer, depends on your style

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 Two Types of Scientific Papers Containing
Two Types of Information
✓ Review articles: give an overview of the scientific
field or topic by summarizing the data and
conclusions from many studies.

✓ Primary research articles: contain the original data

and conclusions of the researchers who were
involved in the experiments and how the
experiments were done.
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Few easy ways to distinguish between Review
& Primary research papers
i. Many reviews will be labeled as "review“ on the
first page of the article.
ii. Reviews don't have a "methods" section.
It is also wise to
iii. In a review article, graphs, tables, read several
reviews by
or figures containing actual data will different authors
contain citations in the figure legend
to the primary research papers that
originally reported the findings.
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 Why bother ourselves?
✓ Journal papers are current
Textbooks are often years out of date.
✓ Journals are generally the most accessible means of obtaining
the information that you need.
✓ You can get a good explanation for your data and enough
details to replicate what you read about.
✓ To find out exactly what the latest developments are in a field.
✓ To find out how a certain piece of research was done.
✓ Because one day soon you could be writing papers too!
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 Why?
✓Learn to do research.
✓Learn to think critically about quality of
research papers.
In any discipline, there are fads and there are
lasting ideas… learn to tell the difference!
✓ Gain perspective.
✓ Key issue: what are the questions to ask?

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 The typical ANATOMY of a paper

• In most scientific journals, scientific papers

follow a standard format.
• Most journals use a conventional IMRD
structure.

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 IMRD Structure
✓ Title and Author(s)
✓ Abstract/Summary
✓ Introduction
✓ Materials and Methods
✓ Results
✓ Discussion
✓ Acknowledgement
✓ References
✓ Figures/Tables
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 A general rule of thumb, regarding what goes
where, when reading a scientific paper
Title:
Abstract:
Short, succinct,
Why & Why
eye-catching Note: Some journals will
allow the Results and
Discussion sections to be
combined. In this case, the
Introduction:
Materials & What and the why are
Methods: When, Whom, presented together.
Why, What &
How & Where
Why

Results: Discussion:
What Why & How
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 Reading a Paper Critically

✓ Understand the problem

✓ Understand the proposed solution
✓ Understand competing approach / designs
✓ Evaluate the paper
✓ Peer review is the cornerstone of the scientific
publishing process

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Generally...
You first read the Abstract in order to
understand the major points of the work.
It clarifies whether you in fact know enough
background to appreciate the paper.
It refreshes your memory about the topic.
It helps you as the reader integrate the new
information into your previous knowledge about the
topic.

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 Continue…
Introduction can be skimmed.

The logical flow of papers goes

This is only easy to
straight from the Introduction to do if the paper is
Results. organized properly.

Then to Discussion for interpretation of the findings.

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 How to approach the introduction…
✓ Grab a blank piece of paper:
Take notes.
Draw figures.
Define vocabulary.
✓ Answer these questions:
What is the hypothesis being tested?
What are the basic conclusions?
What data led directly to the work of this paper

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 How to read the results…
✓ Examine the figure.
✓ Take notes.
✓ With each experiment/ figure you should be able to
explain:
The basic procedure.
The question it sought to answer.
The results.
The conclusion.
Criticism.
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 How to read a discussion
Take notes and answer these questions:
✓What conclusions do the authors draw?
Opinion / interpretation?
✓Describe for yourself why these data significant.
Does it contribute to knowledge or correct errors?

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 ✓ By now, you may be
tired of this paper…
But don’t relax yet…

✓ save energy for the

overall reflection and
criticism.

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 Reflection and Criticism
✓ Do you agree with the authors’ rationale for setting up
the experiments as they did?
✓ Did they perform the experiments appropriately?
✓ Were there enough experiments to support the major
finding?
✓ Do you see trends/patterns in their data?
✓ Do you agree with the author’s conclusions?
✓ What further questions do you have?
✓ What might you suggest they do next?

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 Reading a Scientific Paper

Active not passive reading.

Use highlighter, underline text, scribble comments or
questions on it, make notes.
If at first you don’t understand, read and re-read,
spiraling in on central points.
DO NOT
highlight whole
sentences or
paragraphs

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 Continue…

get used to doing peer review

just because it’s published, doesn’t mean it’s right
nit-pick

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 Continue…

talk to other people about it.

read commentaries.
consult, dictionaries, textbooks,
online links to references, figure
legends to clarify things you don’t understand.

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 Continue…
✓ Don't give yourself very much time.
This may seem counter-intuitive, but one of the best
ways to break down barriers to reading a heavy paper
is to sit down twenty minutes before some other
appointment absolutely determined to "figure out what
this paper's about" within the twenty minutes.
Just do it; you
will figure it out.
And after that,
coming back to
the paper later is
easy.

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 Ground Rules
✓Try to understand.
✓ Don’t be afraid to ask.
✓ Be constructive.
✓ Be polite.
✓ Don’t be afraid to criticize (constructively!)

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✓When one looks at
the duck-rabbit and
sees a rabbit, one is
not interpreting the
picture as a rabbit,
but rather reporting
what one sees.
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 References
✓ Spencer Rugaber. How Read a Research Paper.
http://Hampshire.edu~apmNS/design/RESOURCES/HOW_READ.html.
✓ David W. Ramey (1999). How to Read a Scientific Paper. Vol. 45 / AAEP
PROCEEDINGS.

✓ Chris Lee (2006). How to Read Papers Fast.

✓ Mary Purugganan & Jan Hewitt (2004). How to Read a Scientific Article. Rice
University.
✓ Burnett, R. (2001) Technical Communication. 5th ed. San Antonio:
Harcourt College Publishers.

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