CMN 457, Spring 2003

Reading Academic Articles

Prof John Shotter & Prof Sally Jacoby

Often, the texts you have to read are only ‘one-side’, so to speak, of ongoing “conversations” between those already expert in a particular field. It is thus easy to feel drowned in an overwhelming sea of incomprehensible intellectual discourse.

This handout may be of some help in orienting you toward “entering into” these ongoing conversations in a step-by-step way, so as not be too disoriented, or bored, by them.

Initial orientation: some questions to ask yourself

1: What kind of article is it? Possible answers:

‒            a critique of previous work

‒            arguing for a new approach

‒            arguing for a position within an agreed approach

‒            reporting research findings

‒            a combination of some of these

2. What is the ongoing academic “conversation” of which this text is a part?

3. What does the researcher/theorist claim is their contribution to this conversation?

4. What is the overall organization of the text? Possible answers:

‒            setting out the current state and showing where it is inadequate

‒            establishing a ‘framework’ and then making observations within it

‒            assuming an already established ‘framework’ and then adding to it or criticizing it

‒            are conclusions drawn or does it just call for further work?

5. What important themes or sub-points support or help structure the writer’s case?

6. What important examples/metaphors/images does the writer use to help structure his/her case?

7. What important concepts and distinctions are developed from these examples/metaphors/images?

8. What kind of research - experiments, observations, participant research - was undertaken to support the writer’s claims?

9. What are the persuasive strengths and weaknesses of the text?

A strategic reading plan for answering some of these questions

Prior to what we might call the Deep Reading of an article, i.e, our usual, thoughtful, noting-taking form of reading, it might be useful to do what might be called some Strategic Overview Reading..

In this initial, overview phase, we can get a visual sense of the article by looking both at its context and at its ‘shape’, so to speak - pay attention to where it first appeared, to the author’s institution, the publisher, and so on. But also look at its ‘shape’ on the page, its format: how much space is spent on the introduction; look at the ‘geography’ of the sections, and so on. For all these things serve to give you some (perhaps vague, but nonetheless useful) idea of where the article is ‘coming from’ and its ‘point’, i.e., where it is ‘going to’.

Here are seven steps for Strategic Overview Reading:

1: Read everything outside the actual body of the text

Read the title (carefully! - it can tell you a lot); read the abstract (if there is one); the biostatement (about the author - if there is such a statement); publishing information.

Why? These things will help you get some sense of the “conversation” of which the article is a part.

2: Look at (but don’t read in detail) what appears after the body of the text

Look at the bibliography, notes, appendices, etc.

Why? To see if you can see any familiar names, any classic texts, references to things you already know of

3: Read everything that is visually prominent

Read the section headings, and sub-headings (perhaps even write them down in a list); look at graphs and figures, diagrams and photos.

Why? All this will give you a good sense of the hierarchical organization of the text - where the main issues are located, what is emphasized (main points) and what is just elaboration (sub-points).

4: Read and highlight the first sentence of each paragraph

If the writer knows how to write (not all do), each paragraph contains a point, and the first sentence always orients you toward that point.

Why? The highlighted sentences will provide a sense of the general outline article, and how they are sequentially connected.

Make notes of new and difficult words (look them up in a dictionary - ask about them in class).

5: Make visual notations in other important sentences in the paragraph

Why? To help make a visual map and points of reference in the article. The will be of great help when you come to write something making use of material in the article.

6: Decide where the text’s opening ends; read the entire opening from beginning to end

Find the boundary between the introductory ‘frame’ and the start of detailed discussion that is going to go on within it. Highlight the component parts of the opening frame - the examples/metaphors/images in terms of which it is constructed.

Why? Well this is all a part of getting a sense of the academic conversation within which the text has its influence.

7: Decide where the text’s closing begins; read the entire closing from beginning to end

Find the boundary between the detailed discussion and the beginning of the closing ‘frame’ (the new way of seeing things that the article wants to bring about).

Why? This is to do with the main point of why you are reading the article: you want to discover what the article does, what changes in your view of things it brings about. Compare the opening frame with the closing frame - look for the differences, for what further research the writer suggests is necessary.

Extra Notes:

1: Use a dictionary - specialized vocabularies are often used and a dictionary often can help, especially if you look at the etymologies of a word (its derivation from basic root meanings).

2: You will have to budget time wisely: you can’t do everything, read very detail. People like professors have to work hard at the details, but then they get practiced at it.

As you come to read more strategically, you will come to internalize some of the strategies above and get quicker and more expert at it.