How to Read Journal Articles in the Social Sciences
A Very Practical Guide for Students
- Phillip C. Shon - Professor of Criminology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Student Success
Study Skills
Refreshingly free of jargon and written with you in mind, it’s packed full of interdisciplinary advice that helps you to decode and critique academic writing. The author’s fuss free approach will improve your performance, boost your confidence and help you to:
- Read and better understand content
- Take relevant effective notes
- Manage large amounts of information in an easily identifiable and retrievable format
- Write persuasively using formal academic language and style.
New to this edition:
- Additional examples across a range of subjects, including education, health and sociology as well as criminology
- Refined terminology for students in the UK, as well as around the world
- More examples dealing specifically with journal articles.
Clear, focused and practical this handy guide is a great resource for helping you sharpen your use of journal articles and improve your academic writing skills.
‘I have used the book over the last five years with my students with great success. The book has helped students to develop their critical thinking, reading and writing skills and when it comes to writing a dissertation they have used the code sheet in their own writing.’ - Pete Allison, Head of the Graduate School of Education, University of Edinburgh
Student Success is a series of essential guides for students of all levels. From how to think critically and write great essays to boosting your employability and managing your wellbeing, the Student Success series helps you study smarter and get the best from your time at university.
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This is a very practical guide, indeed. The author tackles the directive issued by many professors to students—to read critically or synthesize literature. Most books in this field do not delve into these mysterious statements. Song does, and in a very helpful way. He departs from the idea that a book which teaches students how to read must be succinct, concise, and operational. He also takes into account that international students are at a disadvantage regarding English writing and a command of disciplinary jargon. To overcome these setbacks, Son developed reading codes used to navigate the reader toward a scholarly paper. In subsequent chapters, he demonstrates how to apply these codes to different sections of a journal paper, notably the introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion sections. This is an incredibly useful source for students at all levels of the academy, especially those from outside the western world. Although Son focuses on the reading of journal articles, his suggestions apply to other academic works as well.
Too light on detail and substance. Too general.
This book is very detailed and useful for tutors/ lecturers who are helping students to read and write journal arcticles/ essays etc. However, we cover most of its content in a few small interactive lectures on academic writing; the students would not read the whole book.
A simple, easy to use guide for students and staff alike.
The book offers support strategies in an easy to access format.
The reading code is straightforward to follow and of value to students.
An easy to read text that makes the complex understandable.
A very clear and concise approach the reading journal articles.
Why haven't I orderd myself this book before? Students struggle with journal articles and this book should help. I have put it on the list for my evidence based practice 1, 2 and 3 modules.
This is an important text for our professional doctorate candidates who are, on average, between the ages of 40-60 and have been out of HE for some time. It is of invaluable use also at masters level.
Great description of a very usefull method to read articles.
It is a good guide for student teachers from different disciplines to get easily grip on social science articles
