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Questions to Ask While Reading
- What is the thesis? What is being argued?
- Is the author:
- Breaking new ground with a unique take on an old subject or looking at a new subject?
- Arguing against past interpretations?
- Building on past research?
- What evidence does the author use to make their argument?
- Close reading of literature or documents
- Study results (surveys, data)
- Analysis of other scholars' work
- What sources does the author cite?
- Whose work is the author building upon?
Techniques for Reading a Scholarly Article
- Read the abstract or summary carefully, if one exists.
- Look at any author-provided keywords.
- Look at OneSearch or database record for the article for summary or keywords.
- Skim the first few paragraphs of the article to find the thesis.
- Thesis signal verbs: argue, contend, study, aim, posit, present evidence that, examine
- Look at the conclusion for a summary of the arguments.
- Finally, read the article carefully, summarizing paragraphs as you go.
