How to read a journal article in social psychology

Jordan, C. H., & Zanna, M. P. (1999). How to read a journal article in social psychology. The self in social psychology, 461-470.

Summary

This article provides a practical approach to reading journal articles, particularly social psychology articles.  To get an idea of whether or not to more deeply dive into an article, the first step is to read the title and abstract.  A high-level summary of the study and its outcomes can be found in the abstract and can help the reader determine if they want to read more.  The discussion section is also a good place to look at study because the first few paragraphs will contain all of the main ideas of the report. This article also provides several questions for the reader to ask after reading each section of a report (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) to help them determine if they have filly understood what the author has written.

Experience

As I read more and more scholarly journals as part of the MSC experience, having a guide like this is extremely valuable.  This gives some structure to follow when reading an article, ideas of where to get high-level information, and questions to ask myself after reading each section of a research report.  The questions will be most valuable and help me to make sure I’ve understood the materials before I move on or have to use them as part of an assignment. 

KEYWORDS: Research report, review article, theoretical article, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, hypotheses, practical implications, theoretical implications