Reading a Scholarly Article

October 15, 2025

Posted by STLCC in Reading Resources 

Scholarly articles, particularly those that report research, are generally structured in a similar format. That format is outlined here to help you create notes as you read that research to determine if the article will be relevant to your project. 

Scholarly articles usually include an abstract; a summary of the research; sections on methodology, results, implications, discussions, and conclusions; as well as a list of references.

When reading scholarly articles, students don’t have to figure everything out on their own. STLCC professional tutors provide reading comprehension support to help students review peer-reviewed sources and determine an article’s main idea and details. Using these services can make reading and understanding scholarly articles much more manageable and less overwhelming.

It's good practice to thoroughly read the article one time and then read it a second time while taking notes on each section of the scholarly article. Print out this page as an aid when you read articles to use in your research papers or set up your notes with each of these sections. STLCC students can stop by their tutoring center on campus to pick up printed copies of any tutoring resource.

Finding Articles

To find a scholarly article to use in a research paper, STLCC Libraries offer access to a variety of databases and other tools essential for conducting research projects. These databases contain scholarly articles, journals, and other resources for effective research. Librarians provide research support to help students locate peer-reviewed sources, understand academic databases, and evaluate whether an article is credible and relevant.