As you progress in your field of study you will be asked to
read more research articles from professional journals because these studies
and article are the latest information in your field. All research articles, including a Master’s
Theses and Doctorate Dissertation, have the same six parts:
- Abstract (brief summary of the information in the article)
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Method by which research was conducted
- Findings
- Discussion
You also will be asked to read multiple articles and then
synthesize (put multiple parts together) the information in the articles. This is the highest level of reading and
learning and requires strong skills and critical thinking.
Here are some strategies to help you be successful:
- Read the abstract to narrow down your search – it will tell you if the article pertains to what you are looking for.
- Keep detailed notes. I would print out the articles and take notes directly on that paper as well as create a large review chart listing all of the articles I am using. If you do not want to print the articles, keep copious notes and create a file to save the articles you will be using. You will need to go back to the original articles when you are looking for direct quotes or when you need to document where you found specific information.
- Keep on ongoing reference list. You can use an online program to help you format each reference in the format required by the course or your major.
- Once you have found an article that is useful, look at that author’s reference list to find other articles on the same topic you can use. This will save a lot of time looking for more articles.
The last entry of the summer will look at higher level
thinking skills that are developed and supported through reading.
*****First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com. Click on the upper right link.
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