WHEN READING A PAPER, ARTICLE, or BOOK

PAY ATTENTION TO:

1) The name of the author and title of the article.

2) The goals of the article stated in the introduction (noting as you read whether or not and how well these goals are actually fulfilled).

3) The main idea or argument of the article.

4) Three or more important points / observations / facts that the author uses to support the main argument. You may find it helpful to

construct a brief outline of the article. An outline should reveal the logic of the argument.

5) What do you like best about the article? How did it contribute to your understanding of a particular topic or approach to this course?

6) Making a critical appraisal. List any examples of bias or faulty reasoning that you found in the article, or state why you disagree with

the author's argument or analytical approach.

7) Theoretical model, methodology, tool(s), or notions generated or applied in the article.

8) Conclusions of the article - are they the same as the main idea or argument, are they summarized accurately in the abstract if any,

do they include implications for further research.

9) What is the relevance of the conclusions (or other aspects of the article) to the course you are reading it for.

10) What are the implications for further work (i.e. the utility of the model, methods, notions, conceptual clarifications, etc.)

and their applicability to your own or the course's interests.