How You Read Research Papers

How You Read Research PapersI'm not sure about you, but I don't like reading research papers. I know that in the world of 'write what you know' that a lot of my colleagues and I are very competitive, so the best way to show off our knowledge is to write about the research we have done. My personal 'kick me' button is to look up any paper by them on Google Scholar, which is the website for researchers.My major problem with reading research papers has always been that they seem so dry and boring. It's really hard to remember what the point of the paper is without having actually read it. If you've ever tried to read one on reddit or anywhere else, then you know how quickly you get bored.There are two kinds of people when it comes to reading papers, and that's people who try to read too much, and people who try to read very little. The first type will usually find they are reading the same boring article over again, and the second kind tries to read all the way through the paper but mis ses something important. Neither of these groups I'd recommend.If you really want to learn how to read research papers, then you need to make the effort to read the paper to its end. Once you've read the conclusion and there might be one in your paper, then the main body of the paper should be taken up by your reading. You don't need to read everything at this point, but you definitely do need to skim some of the text, and if you still don't understand then go back to the end. Otherwise, try to skim only the parts you still need to understand.What you're looking for is a little depth. Many times people have really learned too much at the beginning, but then only half of it comes through in the last chapter or so. When you read the last section of the paper, you may find yourself missing out on something completely. That's where the strength of the end comes from, it tells you that the authors haven't completely exhausted their knowledge.As well as looking at the end of the paper to see if you have understood the actual conclusions, also look at how well you've read the introduction and table of contents. Many times I've seen people read the table of contents and really take it as it stands without understanding the ideas presented. The introduction must be read to understand the ideas contained within it, otherwise the paper is just going to be a boring mess.Then of course, if you find yourself confused by the end of the paper, go back and start at the beginning. Even the best students make mistakes at the end of the day, and you can use this to motivate yourself to finish your studies. After all, you only get to study for a limited time, so don't throw away your chances of learning just because you finished a paper.Reading research papers is an art form, and some people might be better at it than others. If you're reading a paper for the first time, or you've read it before, the best thing to do is skim the whole thing. Your goal is to learn, not simply to re ad, and your experience can be improved by simply learning how to read better.