They may even spend a lot of time explaining their methodology. Scholars love theories and frameworks that help them make sense of information. Check out the author’s credentials and background, and try to understand what motivated him or her to write on this topic. In addition, ask yourself why the author is interested in this issue. You do not have to quote from every source you find! It’s easy to get sucked into reading articles just because they’re on your topic, but if the argument is weak or uninteresting, don’t waste your time. You can always read the other people later. Get a sense of the key issues and move on to the author’s own argument. Just like you, critics fill up space by quoting each other. Watch out especially for paragraphs that summarize the current critical debate on the topic (the state of the field). Don’t worry-you can always come back to it once you’ve mastered the more essential parts of the argument. Determine quickly what the main point of the paragraph is, and then decide whether it’s immediately relevant. A lot of critical work will be irrelevant to your research, and you don’t want to get bogged down in material that may be interesting, but slows you down. Does the author make a convincing case? Read Selectively Then make sure you read everything else in relation to the central claim. Skim through the abstract and opening paragraphs and underline the main point(s). What’s the Main Argument?įind the thesis quickly.

Google it, use a reference work-do whatever it takes to get to the same level as the author. Look it Upĭon’t know a difficult word or concept? Look it up. In addition, the original author’s general argument is ignored in favour of a selective engagement with a specific point.ĭo your best, then, to understand and discuss the author’s main thesis. That’s why so many quotations come from the opening one or two pages of an article (or worse, from the abstract!).Ĭherry picking quotations leads to confirmation bias: the ideas of others are referenced only if they conform to one’s own perspective. Don’t Cherry PickĪ lot of students skim through articles (books are too long), hoping to find just one or two quotations that prove that they’ve done research. If you manage to do so, you’ll learn a few tips about how to read articles and books critically and effectively. When the going gets tough, our eyes simply glaze over.ĭon’t believe me? See if you can read this entire page carefully, without once opening a new tab or visiting Facebook. That’s why we often have a hard time mastering new information. We avoid reading things that clash with our own beliefs, and we skip material that seems difficult.

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