READING
Most research articles follow the same format. Most journals use an IMRD structure: an Abstract followed by: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. These sections usually contain conventional features. If you learn to look for these features you will read and comprehend articles more quickly. Read the Abstract first to determine the article's relevance to your research. If the article is relevant to your research topic or question, then look for and read the Results, Discussion, and Conclusion sections. Once you've read and taken notes on those sections, you can go back and read the entire article if needed.
While reading, focus most on the information in the article that is most relevant to your research topic.
Look up any words or phrases you don't understand. For some words or phrases, you may understand the context in which it is used, but for others, assistance from a subject-specific dictionary may be needed. (Contact the library if you need help locating one for your discipline.)
NOTETAKING
Write summarizing notes for main points and only highlight very important quotes and terms. Be sure to note page numbers, so if you need to cite information later, you know the correct page to include in your citation. Summarize the text in your own words to test your understanding.
Make connections between the article you're reading and others you've read. How do they agree or disagree with each other?
Good notes should help you organize your ideas and information from the text, keep focused and engaged, keep a record of what you read, think critically about what you're reading, and draw conclusions.