Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles | Process of Science

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head>  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="ie=edge"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <base href="https://www.visionlearning.com"> <title>Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles | Process of Science | Visionlearning</title> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158"> <meta name="description" content="Learn about the structure and content of scientific research articles. Includes a brief history on scientific writing and explains how journals differ from other forms of media."> <meta name="keywords" content="How scientists share information, how is a scientific journal different, journals vs popular media, how to read journal article, parts of scientific paper"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, shrink-to-fit=no"> <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="D8E20F39AD48052260032E56DE409970"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "@type": "Article", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://visionlearning.com/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158" }, "name": "Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles", "headline": "Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles: How to approach reading journal articles", "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony Carpi, Ph.D." } , { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne E. Egger, Ph.D." } , { "@type": "Person", "name": "Natalie H. Kuldell" }], "datePublished": "2008-12-23 08:15:24", "dateModified": "2017-02-12T08:30:00+05:00", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/img/library/moduleImages/featured_image_158-23061210061849.jpg", "width": 696, "height": 464 }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Visionlearning, Inc.", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "http://visionlearning.com/images/logo.png", "width": 278, "height": 60 } }, "description": "Using a brief history of scientific writing, this module provides an introduction to the structure and content of scientific journal articles. Key differences between scientific journals and popular media are explained, and basic parts of a scientific article are described through a specific example. The module offers advice on how to approach the reading of a scientific article.", "keywords": "How scientists share information, how is a scientific journal different, journals vs popular media, how to read journal article, parts of scientific paper", "inLanguage": { "@type": "Language", "name": "English", "alternateName": "en" }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Visionlearning, Inc." }, "copyrightYear": "2008"} </script> <meta property="og:url" content="https://visionlearning.com/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158"> <meta property="og:title" content="Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles | Process of Science | Visionlearning" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Visionlearning"> <meta property="og:description" content="Learn about the structure and content of scientific research articles. 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aria-controls="acc-panel-hazards" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Hazards </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-hazards" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-hazards" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/earth-science/6/natural-hazards-and-risk/288">Natural Hazards and Risk</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-earth-history" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-earth-history" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Earth History </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-earth-history" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-earth-history" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/earth-science/6/extinction/295">Extinction</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/earth-science/6/mass-extinctions/294">Mass Extinctions</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <button 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<li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/ecosystem-services/279">Ecosystem Services</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/population-biology/287">Population Biology</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-earth-cycles" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-earth-cycles" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Earth Cycles </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-earth-cycles" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-earth-cycles" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/the-nitrogen-cycle/98">The Nitrogen Cycle</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/the-carbon-cycle/95">The Carbon Cycle</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/the-phosphorus-cycle/197">The Phosphorus Cycle</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-scientific-research" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-scientific-research" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Scientific Research </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-scientific-research" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-scientific-research" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/collaborative-research-in-the-arctic-towards-understanding-climate-change/183">Collaborative Research in the Arctic Towards Understanding Climate Change</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/environmental-science/61/atmospheric-chemistry-research-that-changed-global-policy/211">Atmospheric Chemistry Research that Changed Global Policy</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-general-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-general-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> General Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-general-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-general-science" role="region"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary"> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-methods" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-methods" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Methods </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-methods" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-methods" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/general-science/3/the-scientific-method/45">The Scientific Method</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-measurement" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-measurement" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Measurement </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-measurement" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-measurement" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/general-science/3/the-metric-system/47">The Metric System</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-physical-properties" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-physical-properties" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Physical Properties </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-physical-properties" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-physical-properties" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/general-science/3/temperature/48">Temperature</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/general-science/3/density-and-buoyancy/37">Density and Buoyancy</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-math-in-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-math-in-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Math in Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-math-in-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-math-in-science" role="region"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary"> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-equations" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-equations" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Equations </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-equations" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-equations" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/unit-conversion/144">Unit Conversion</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/linear-equations/194">Linear Equations</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/exponential-equations-i/206">Exponential Equations I</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/exponential-equations-ii/210">Exponential Equations II</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/scientific-notation/250">Scientific Notation</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/measurement/257">Measurement</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-statistics" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-statistics" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Statistics </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-statistics" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-statistics" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/introduction-to-descriptive-statistics/218">Introduction to Descriptive Statistics</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/introduction-to-inferential-statistics/224">Introduction to Inferential Statistics</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/statistical-techniques/239">Statistical Techniques</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-trigonometric-functions" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-trigonometric-functions" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Trigonometric Functions </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-trigonometric-functions" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-trigonometric-functions" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/math-in-science/62/wave-mathematics/131">Wave Mathematics</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-physics" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-physics" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Physics </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-physics" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-physics" role="region"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary"> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-light-and-optics" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-light-and-optics" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Light and Optics </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-light-and-optics" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-light-and-optics" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/physics/24/the-nature-of-light/132">The Nature of Light</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/physics/24/electromagnetism-and-light/138">Electromagnetism and Light</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-mechanics" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-mechanics" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Mechanics </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-mechanics" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-mechanics" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/physics/24/defining-energy/199">Defining Energy</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/physics/24/waves-and-wave-motion/102">Waves and Wave Motion</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/physics/24/gravity/118">Gravity</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/physics/24/thermodynamics-i/200">Thermodynamics I</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-process-of-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-process-of-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Process of Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-process-of-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-process-of-science" role="region"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary"> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-introduction" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-introduction" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Introduction </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-introduction" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-introduction" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-process-of-science/176">The Process of Science</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-the-culture-of-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-the-culture-of-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> The Culture of Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-the-culture-of-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-the-culture-of-science" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-nature-of-scientific-knowledge/185">The Nature of Scientific Knowledge</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientists-and-the-scientific-community/172">Scientists and the Scientific Community</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientific-ethics/161">Scientific Ethics</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientific-institutions-and-societies/162">Scientific Institutions and Societies</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-ideas-in-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-ideas-in-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Ideas in Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-ideas-in-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-ideas-in-science" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/theories-hypotheses-and-laws/177">Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientific-controversy/181">Scientific Controversy</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/creativity-in-science/182">Creativity in Science</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-research-methods" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-research-methods" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Research Methods </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-research-methods" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-research-methods" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-practice-of-science/148">The Practice of Science</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/experimentation-in-scientific-research/150">Experimentation in Scientific Research</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/description-in-scientific-research/151">Description in Scientific Research</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/comparison-in-scientific-research/152">Comparison in Scientific Research</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/modeling-in-scientific-research/153">Modeling in Scientific Research</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-data" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-data" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Data </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-data" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-data" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/data-analysis-and-interpretation/154">Data Analysis and Interpretation</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/uncertainty-error-and-confidence/157">Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/statistics-in-science/155">Statistics in Science</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/using-graphs-and-visual-data-in-science/156">Using Graphs and Visual Data in Science</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-scientific-communication" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-scientific-communication" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Scientific Communication </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-scientific-communication" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-scientific-communication" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li class="current">Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles</li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/utilizing-the-scientific-literature/173">Utilizing the Scientific Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/peer-review-in-scientific-publishing/159">Peer Review in Scientific Publishing</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-how-and-why-of-scientific-meetings/186">The How and Why of Scientific Meetings</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-scientists-and-research" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-scientists-and-research" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Scientists and Research </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-scientists-and-research" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-scientists-and-research" role="region"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary"> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-scientific-research" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-scientific-research" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Scientific Research </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-scientific-research" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-scientific-research" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/collaborative-research-in-the-arctic-towards-understanding-climate-change/183">Collaborative Research in the Arctic Towards Understanding Climate Change</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/from-stable-chromosomes-to-jumping-genes/184">From Stable Chromosomes to Jumping Genes</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/an-elegant-experiment-to-test-the-process-of-dna-replication/187">An Elegant Experiment to Test the Process of DNA Replication</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/the-founding-of-neuroscience/233">The Founding of Neuroscience</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/tracking-endangered-jaguars-across-the-border/189">Tracking Endangered Jaguars across the Border</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/atmospheric-chemistry-research-that-changed-global-policy/211">Atmospheric Chemistry Research that Changed Global Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/revolutionizing-medicine-with-monoclonal-antibodies/220">Revolutionizing Medicine with Monoclonal Antibodies</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/uncovering-the-mysteries-of-chronic-mountain-sickness/238">Uncovering the Mysteries of Chronic Mountain Sickness</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-profiles-in-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-profiles-in-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Profiles in Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-profiles-in-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-profiles-in-science" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/luis-e.-miramontes/232">Luis E. Miramontes</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/bernardo-houssay/237">Bernardo Houssay</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/craig-lee/256">Craig Lee</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/david-ho/241">David Ho</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/louis-tompkins-wright/244">Louis Tompkins Wright</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/carlos-j.-finlay/217">Carlos J. Finlay</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/cecilia-payne/290">Cecilia Payne</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/jazmin-scarlett/291">Jazmin Scarlett</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/ramari-stewart/292">Ramari Stewart</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/johnson-cerda/300">Johnson Cerda</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/ellen-ochoa/201">Ellen Ochoa</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/ruth-benerito/205">Ruth Benerito</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/franklin-chang-díaz/219">Franklin Chang Díaz</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/percy-lavon-julian/221">Percy Lavon Julian</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/luis-walter-alvarez/229">Luis Walter Alvarez</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/scientists-and-research/58/france-anne-dominic-córdova/230">France Anne-Dominic Córdova</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> <li>  <button class="button" data-toggle="dropdown">Process of Science </button> <div class="nav__dropdown box-shadow-1 padding-1"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary font-size-sm"> <div class="accordion accordion--secondary"> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-sub-button-introduction" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-sub-panel-introduction" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Introduction </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-sub-panel-introduction" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-sub-button-introduction" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-process-of-science/176">The Process of Science</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-sub-button-the-culture-of-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-sub-panel-the-culture-of-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> The Culture of Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-sub-panel-the-culture-of-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-sub-button-the-culture-of-science" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-nature-of-scientific-knowledge/185">The Nature of Scientific Knowledge</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientists-and-the-scientific-community/172">Scientists and the Scientific Community</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientific-ethics/161">Scientific Ethics</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientific-institutions-and-societies/162">Scientific Institutions and Societies</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-sub-button-ideas-in-science" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-sub-panel-ideas-in-science" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Ideas in Science </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-sub-panel-ideas-in-science" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-sub-button-ideas-in-science" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/theories-hypotheses-and-laws/177">Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/scientific-controversy/181">Scientific Controversy</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/creativity-in-science/182">Creativity in Science</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-sub-button-research-methods" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-sub-panel-research-methods" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Research Methods </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-sub-panel-research-methods" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-sub-button-research-methods" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-practice-of-science/148">The Practice of Science</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/experimentation-in-scientific-research/150">Experimentation in Scientific Research</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/description-in-scientific-research/151">Description in Scientific Research</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/comparison-in-scientific-research/152">Comparison in Scientific Research</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/modeling-in-scientific-research/153">Modeling in Scientific Research</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-sub-button-data" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-sub-panel-data" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Data </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-sub-panel-data" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-sub-button-data" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/data-analysis-and-interpretation/154">Data Analysis and Interpretation</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/uncertainty-error-and-confidence/157">Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/statistics-in-science/155">Statistics in Science</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/using-graphs-and-visual-data-in-science/156">Using Graphs and Visual Data in Science</a></li> </ul> </div> <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-sub-button-scientific-communication" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-sub-panel-scientific-communication" aria-expanded="false"> <span class="accordion__button__label"> Scientific Communication </span> </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-sub-panel-scientific-communication" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-sub-button-scientific-communication" role="region"> <ul class="nav text-color-link"> <li class="current">Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles</li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/utilizing-the-scientific-literature/173">Utilizing the Scientific Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/peer-review-in-scientific-publishing/159">Peer Review in Scientific Publishing</a></li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/the-how-and-why-of-scientific-meetings/186">The How and Why of Scientific Meetings</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </nav>  <div id="theTop"></div> <main id="skip-header-content"> <div class="margin-bottom-5"> <article class="container wide module"> <header class="grid grid--sidebar-right module__header"> <div class="module__header__title"> <span class="subcategory"> <strong><em>Scientific Communication</em></strong> </span> <h1>Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles: <sub><em>How to approach reading journal articles</em></sub></h1> <p class="byline">by Anthony Carpi, Ph.D., Anne E. Egger, Ph.D., Natalie H. Kuldell</p> <nav class="module__header__tabs"> <ul class="tabs-nav tabs-nav--horizontal library"> <li> <a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158/reading" aria-current="page" >Reading</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158/quiz">Quiz</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158/resources">Teach with this</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "AudioObject", "contentUrl": "https://www.visionlearning.com/img/library/moduleAudio/module_158.mp3", "description": "Recording of Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles : Using a brief history of scientific writing, this module provides an introduction to the structure and content of scientific journal articles. Key differences between scientific journals and popular media are explained, and basic parts of a scientific article are described through a specific example. The module offers advice on how to approach the reading of a scientific article.", "encodingFormat": "mp3", "name": "module_158.mp3" } </script> <div class="module_header_audio"> <div class="audio-player border border-radius"> <audio id="audio"> <source src="https://www.visionlearning.com/img/library/moduleAudio/module_158.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"> Your browser does not support the audio element. </audio> <div class="audio-player__title"> <p>Listen to this reading</p> <span class="audio-player__timestamp" id="timestamp"> 00:00 </span> </div> <div class="audio-player__controls" id="controls"> <button class="button button--icon-only" id="play-pause-button"> <span class="icon icon-play" aria-hidden="true"></span> </button> <div class="audio-player__progress" id="progress-bar" tabindex="0" aria-valuemin="0" aria-valuemax="100" aria-valuenow="0" aria-label="Use arrow keys to forward or rewind the audio" role="slider"> <div class="audio-player__progress__fill"> <span class="audio-player__thumb"></span> </div> </div> <div class="audio-player__volume-container"> <button id="mute-button"> <span class="icon icon-volume"></span> </button> <div class="audio-player__volume" tabindex="0" aria-valuemin="0" aria-valuemax="100" aria-valuenow="100" aria-label="Use arrow keys to adjust volume" role="slider"> <div class="audio-player__volume__fill"> <span class="audio-player__thumb"></span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <hr class="divider"/>   <div class="grid grid--sidebar-right grid--divider"> <div class="order-2 order-1--lg module__main"> <div class="narrow margin-x-auto margin-y-5"> <div class="accordion margin-bottom-5">  <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-key-concepts" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-key-concepts" aria-expanded="true" tabindex="0"> Did you know? </button> <div class="accordion__panel shown show" id="acc-panel-key-concepts" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-key-concepts" role="region"> <div class="accordion__panel__content"> <p>Did you know that scientific literature goes all the way back to 600 BCE? Although scientific articles have changed some – for example, Isaac Newton wrote about the fun he had with prisms in a 1672 scientific article – the basics remain the same. This ensures that published research becomes part of the archive of scientific knowledge upon which other scientists can build.</p> </div> </div>  <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-table-of-contents" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-table-of-contents" aria-expanded="false" tabindex="0"> Key concepts </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-table-of-contents" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-table-of-contents" role="region" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="accordion__panel__content"> <ul class="bulleted"> <li><p>Scientists make their research available to the community by publishing it in scientific journals.</p></li> <li><p>In scientific papers, scientists explain the research that they are building on, their research methods, data and data analysis techniques, and their interpretation of the data. </p></li> <li><p>Understanding how to read scientific papers is a critical skill for scientists and students of science.</p></li> </ul> </div> </div>  <button class="accordion__button" id="acc-button-terms-you-should-know" data-accordion="button" aria-controls="acc-panel-terms-you-should-know" aria-expanded="false" tabindex="0"> Terms you should know </button> <div class="accordion__panel" id="acc-panel-terms-you-should-know" data-accordion="panel" aria-labelledby="acc-button-terms-you-should-know" role="region" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="accordion__panel__content"> <dl> <dt>article </dt> <dd> a nonfiction piece of writing that is published in a journal </dd> <dt>findings (plural noun) </dt> <dd> research results </dd> <dt>present (verb) </dt> <dd> to describe, show, or introduce new information, such as research results </dd> <dt>publish </dt> <dd> to produce a work in printed form, such as in a journal, book, or newspaper</dd> </dl> </div> </div> </div> <hr class="border-color-dark" /> <section> <div class="container narrow"> <p>We've all read the headlines at the supermarket checkout line: "Aliens Abduct New Jersey School Teacher" or "Quadruplets Born to 99-Year-Old Woman: Exclusive Photos Inside." Journals like the <em>National Enquirer</em> sell copies by publishing sensational headlines, and most readers believe only a fraction of what is printed. A person more interested in news than gossip could buy a publication like <em>Time, Newsweek</em> or <em>Discover</em>. These magazines publish information on current news and events, including recent scientific advances. These are not original reports of scientific <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark>, however. In fact, most of these stories include phrases like, "A group of scientists recently published their findings on..." So where do scientists publish their findings?</p> <p>Scientists publish their original <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> in scientific journals, which are fundamentally different from news magazines. The articles in scientific journals are not written by journalists – they are written by scientists. Scientific articles are not sensational stories intended to entertain the reader with an amazing discovery, nor are they news stories intended to summarize recent scientific events, nor even <mark class="term" data-term="record" data-term-def="A written account or description. <br> <b>[verb]</b> To write an account or description." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/record/8239">records</mark> of every successful and unsuccessful research venture. Instead, scientists write articles to describe their findings to the community in a transparent manner. </p> <p><section id="toc_1" class=""> <h2>Scientific journals vs. popular media</h2></p> <p>Within a scientific article, scientists present their <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> questions, the <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark> by which the question was approached, and the results they achieved using those methods. In addition, they present their <mark class="term" data-term="analysis" data-term-def="The careful study of data to look for patterns." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/analysis/8553">analysis</mark> of the <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> and describe some of the <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretations</mark> and implications of their work. Because these articles report new work for the first time, they are called <em>primary literature</em>. In contrast, articles or news stories that review or report on scientific research already published elsewhere are referred to as <em>secondary</em>.</p><p>The articles in scientific journals are different from news articles in another way – they must undergo a <mark class="term" data-term="process" data-term-def="Method, procedure; series of actions or steps." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/process/8256">process</mark> called <mark class="term" data-term="peer review" data-term-def="The process of subjecting scholarly work, research or ideas to the scrutiny of others who are experts in the same field&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/peer+review/4761">peer review</mark>, in which other scientists (the professional peers of the authors) evaluate the quality and merit of <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> before recommending whether or not it should be published (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=159">Peer Review</a> module). This is a much lengthier and more rigorous process than the editing and fact-checking that goes on at news organizations. The reason for this thorough evaluation by peers is that a scientific article is more than a snapshot of what is going on at a certain time in a scientist's research. Instead, it is a part of what is collectively called the scientific literature, a global archive of scientific knowledge. When published, each article expands the library of scientific literature available to all scientists and contributes to the overall knowledge base of the discipline of science.</p> <div class="comprehension-checkpoint margin-y-4"> <h6 class="comprehension-checkpoint__header"> <span> <span class="icon icon-question"></span> </span> Comprehension Checkpoint </h6> <form class="" name="cc6038"> <div class="form-entry"> <div class="form-entry__field"> <span class="form-entry__field__label">Articles published in scientific literature are considered <em>primary</em> literature when</span> <div class="form-entry__option"> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="correct"> <label> <input id="q1-6038-0-option-a" name="quiz-option-6038" type="radio" value="they report new research for the first time." > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">a.</span> they report new research for the first time. </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6038-0"> <strong>Correct!</strong> </span> </div> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="incorrect"> <label> <input id="q1-6038-1-option-b" name="quiz-option-6038" type="radio" value="they are more important than articles published in newspapers." > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">b.</span> they are more important than articles published in newspapers. </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6038-1"> <strong>Incorrect.</strong> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </form> </div> </section> <section id="toc_2"> <h2>Scientific journals: Degrees of specialization</h2> <div class="figure"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-button lightbox-button--icon" data-lightbox="" data-lightbox-src="/img/library/large_images/image_13826.jpg"> <img src="/img/library/modules/mid158/Image/VLObject13826-24103004100753.jpg" alt="Figure 1: Nature: An example of a scientific journal." /> </button> <figcaption> <p><strong>Figure 1:</strong> Nature: An example of a scientific journal.</p> <span class="credit">image ©<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nature_volume_536_number_7617_cover_displaying_an_artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_Proxima_Centauri_b.jpg"> CC BY 4.0 ESO/M. Kornmesser</a> </span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>There are thousands of scientific journals that publish <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> articles. These journals are diverse and can be distinguished according to their field of specialization. Among the most broadly targeted and competitive are journals like <em>Cell</em>, the <em>New England Journal of Medicine</em> (NEJM), <em>Nature</em>, and <em>Science</em> that all publish a wide variety of research articles (see Figure 1 for an example). <em>Cell</em> focuses on all areas of biology, NEJM on medicine, and both <em>Science</em> and <em>Nature</em> publish articles in all areas of science. Scientists submit <mark class="term" data-term="manuscript" data-term-def="An article or other document submitted or considered for publication." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/manuscript/8245">manuscripts</mark> for publication in these journals when they feel their work deserves the broadest possible audience.</p><p>Just below these journals in terms of their reach are the top-tier disciplinary journals like <em>Analytical Chemistry, Applied Geochemistry, Neuron, Journal of Geophysical Research</em>, and many others. These journals tend to publish broad-based <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> focused on specific disciplines, such as chemistry, geology, neurology, nuclear physics, etc. </p><p>Next in line are highly specialized journals, such as the <em>American Journal of Potato Research, Grass and Forage Science, the Journal of Shellfish Research, Neuropeptides, Paleolimnology</em>, and many more. While the <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> published in various journals does not differ in terms of the quality or the rigor of the science described, it does differ in its degree of specialization: These journals tend to be more specialized, and thus appeal to a more limited audience.</p><p>All of these journals play a critical role in the advancement of science and dissemination of information (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=173">Utilizing the Scientific Literature</a> module for more information). However, to understand how science is disseminated through these journals, you must first understand how the articles themselves are formatted and what information they contain. While some details about format vary between journals and even between articles in the same journal, there are broad characteristics that all scientific journal articles share.</p> <div class="comprehension-checkpoint margin-y-4"> <h6 class="comprehension-checkpoint__header"> <span> <span class="icon icon-question"></span> </span> Comprehension Checkpoint </h6> <form class="" name="cc6040"> <div class="form-entry"> <div class="form-entry__field"> <span class="form-entry__field__label">Journals that are narrow in focus, such as the <em>American Journal of Potato Research</em>, do not advance science.</span> <div class="form-entry__option"> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="incorrect"> <label> <input id="q1-6040-0-option-a" name="quiz-option-6040" type="radio" value="True." > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">a.</span> True. </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6040-0"> <strong>Incorrect.</strong> </span> </div> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="correct"> <label> <input id="q1-6040-1-option-b" name="quiz-option-6040" type="radio" value="False." > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">b.</span> False. </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6040-1"> <strong>Correct!</strong> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </form> </div> </section> <section id="toc_3"> <h2>The standard format of journal articles</h2><p>In June of 2005, the journal <em>Science</em> published a <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> report on a sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird long considered <mark class="term" data-term="extinction" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/extinction" data-term-def="The complete and permanent loss of all individuals of a species of organism.">extinct</mark> in North America (Fitzpatrick et al., 2005). The work was of such significance and broad interest that it was displayed prominently on the cover (Figure 2) and highlighted by an editorial at the front of the journal (Kennedy, 2005). The authors were aware that their findings were likely to be controversial, and they worked especially hard to make their writing clear. Although the article has no headings within the text, it can easily be divided into sections:</p> <div class="figure"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-button lightbox-button--icon" data-lightbox="" data-lightbox-src="/img/library/large_images/image_4172.gif"> <img src="/img/library/modules/mid158/Image/VLObject-4172-081107031115.jpg" alt="Figure 2: A picture of the cover of Science from June 3, 2005." /> </button> <figcaption> <p><strong>Figure 2:</strong> A picture of the cover of <i>Science</i> from June 3, 2005.</p> <span class="credit">image ©American Association for the Advancement of Science/Cornell Lab of Ornithology</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p><strong>Title and authors:</strong> The title of a scientific article should concisely and accurately summarize the <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark>. Here, the title used is "Ivory-billed Woodpecker (<em>Campephilus principalis</em>) Persists in North America." While it is meant to capture attention, journals avoid using misleading or overly sensational titles (you can imagine that a tabloid might use the headline "Long-dead Giant Bird Attacks Canoeists!"). The names of all scientific contributors are listed as authors immediately after the title. You may be used to seeing one or maybe two authors for a book or newspaper article, but this article has seventeen authors! It's unlikely that all seventeen of those authors sat down in a room and wrote the <mark class="term" data-term="manuscript" data-term-def="An article or other document submitted or considered for publication." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/manuscript/8245">manuscript</mark> together. Instead, the authorship reflects the distribution of the workload and responsibility for the research, in addition to the writing. By convention, the scientist who performed most of the work described in the article is listed first, and it is likely that the first author did most of the writing. Other authors had different contributions; for example, Gene Sparling is the person who originally spotted the bird in Arkansas and was subsequently contacted by the scientists at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. In some cases, but not in the woodpecker article, the last author listed is the senior researcher on the project, or the scientist from whose lab the project originated. Increasingly, journals are requesting that authors detail their exact contributions to the research and writing associated with a particular study. </p><p> <b>Abstract:</b> The <mark class="term" data-term="abstract" data-term-def="In science, an abstract is a brief statement of essential information contained within a document or presentation. An abstract is not&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/abstract/5214">abstract</mark> is the first part of the article that appears right after the listing of authors in an article. In it, the authors briefly describe the <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> question, the general <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark>, and the major findings and implications of the work. Providing a summary like this at the beginning of an article serves two purposes: First, it gives readers a way to decide whether the article in question discusses research that interests them, and second, it is entered into literature databases as a means of providing more information to people doing scientific literature searches. For both purposes, it is important to have a short version of the full story. In this case, all of the critical information about the timing of the study, the type of <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> collected, and the potential <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretations</mark> of the findings is captured in four straightforward sentences as seen below: </p><blockquote class="blockquote"> <p> The ivory-billed woodpecker (<em>Campephilus principalis</em>), long suspected to be extinct, has been rediscovered in the Big Woods region of eastern Arkansas. Visual encounters during 2004 and 2005, and analysis of a video clip from April 2004, confirm the existence of at least one male. Acoustic signatures consistent with <em>Campephilus</em> display drums also have been heard from the region. Extensive efforts to find birds away from the primary encounter site remain unsuccessful, but potential habitat for a thinly distributed source population is vast (over 220,000 hectares).</p> </p></blockquote><p> <b>Introduction:</b> The central <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> question and important background information are presented in the introduction. Because science is a <mark class="term" data-term="process" data-term-def="Method, procedure; series of actions or steps." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/process/8256">process</mark> that builds on previous findings, relevant and established scientific knowledge is cited in this section and then listed in the <em>References</em> section at the end of the article. In many articles, a heading is used to set this and subsequent sections apart, but in the woodpecker article the introduction consists of the first three paragraphs, in which the history of the decline of the woodpecker and previous studies are cited. The introduction is intended to lead the reader to understand the authors' <mark class="term" data-term="hypothesis" data-term-def="From the Greek word <em>hypothesis</em> meaning assumption or the basis of an argument, a hypothesis is a proposal intended to explain&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/hypothesis/3727">hypothesis</mark> and means of testing it. In addition, the introduction provides an opportunity for the authors to show that they are aware of the work that scientists have done before them and how their results fit in, explicitly building on existing knowledge.</p><p> <b>Materials and methods:</b> In this section, the authors describe the <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark> they used (see <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=148">The Practice of Science</a> module for more information on these methods). All procedures, equipment, measurement <mark class="term" data-term="parameter" data-term-def="In statistics, a parameter is a numerical value that represents a characteristic of a statistical population. Contrast with statistic." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/parameter/9481">parameters</mark>, etc. are described in detail sufficient for another researcher to evaluate and/or reproduce the research. In addition, authors explain the sources of error and procedures employed to reduce and measure the <mark class="term" data-term="uncertainty" data-term-def="The quantitative estimation of error, which indicates the precision of a measurement or value. All measurements include some amount of uncertainty&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/uncertainty/5219">uncertainty</mark> in their <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=157">Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence</a> module). The detail given here allows other scientists to evaluate the quality of the data collected. This section varies dramatically depending on the type of research done. In an experimental study, the experimental set-up and procedure would be described in detail, including the <mark class="term" data-term="variable" data-term-def="In math, an expression that can be assigned any set of values. Variables are written as symbols, such as x, y&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/variable/3797">variables</mark>, <mark class="term" data-term="control" data-term-def="In science, a control is a system for which the expected change or outcome is well known and is measured or&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/control/3801">controls</mark>, and <mark class="term" data-term="treatment" data-term-def="In science, a treatment refers to a method for fixing or manipulating an independent variable in the course of scientific research.&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/treatment/3799">treatment</mark>. The woodpecker study used a descriptive research approach, and the materials and methods section is quite short, including the means by which the bird was initially spotted (on a kayaking trip) and later photographed and videotaped. </p><p> <b>Results:</b> The <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> collected during the <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> are presented in this section, both in written form and using tables, graphs, and figures (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=156">Using Graphs and Visual Data</a> module). In addition, all statistical and data <mark class="term" data-term="analysis" data-term-def="The careful study of data to look for patterns." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/analysis/8553">analysis</mark> techniques used are presented (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=155">Statistics in Science</a> module). Importantly, the data should be presented separately from any <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretation</mark> by the authors. This separation of data from interpretation serves two purposes: First, it gives other scientists the opportunity to evaluate the quality of the actual data, and second, it allows others to develop their own interpretations of the findings based on their background knowledge and experience. In the woodpecker article, the data consist largely of photographs and videos (see Figure 3 for an example). The authors include both the raw data (the photograph) and their analysis (the measurement of the tree trunk and inferred length of the bird perched on the trunk). The sketch of the bird on the right-hand side of the photograph is also a form of analysis, in which the authors have simplified the photograph to highlight the features of interest. Keeping the raw data (in the form of a photograph) facilitated reanalysis by other scientists: In early 2006, a team of researchers led by the American ornithologist David Sibley reanalyzed the photograph in Figure 3 and came to the conclusion that the bird was not an ivory-billed woodpecker after all (Sibley et al, 2006). </p> <div class="figure"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-button lightbox-button--icon" data-lightbox="" data-lightbox-src="/img/library/large_images/image_4335.jpg"> <img src="/img/library/modules/mid158/Image/VLObject-4335-090422040421.jpg" alt="Figure 3: An example of the data presented in the Ivory-billed woodpecker article (Fitzpatrick et al., 2005, Figure 1)." /> </button> <figcaption> <p><strong>Figure 3:</strong> An example of the data presented in the Ivory-billed woodpecker article (Fitzpatrick <em>et al</em>., 2005, Figure 1).</p> <span class="credit">image ©Science</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p> <b>Discussion and conclusions:</b> In this section, authors present their <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretation</mark> of the <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark>, often including a <mark class="term" data-term="model" data-term-def="A representation, pattern, or mathematical description that can help scientists replicate a system." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/model/8236">model</mark> or idea they feel best explains their results. They also present the strengths and significance of their work. Naturally, this is the most subjective section of a scientific <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> article as it presents interpretation as opposed to strictly <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark> and data, but it is not speculation by the authors. Instead, this is where the authors combine their experience, background knowledge, and creativity to explain the data and use the data as <mark class="term" data-term="evidence" data-term-def="Support for an idea, opinion, or hypothesis." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/evidence/8243">evidence</mark> in their interpretation (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=154">Data Analysis and Interpretation</a> module). Often, the discussion section includes several possible explanations or interpretations of the data; the authors may then describe why they support one particular interpretation over the others. This is not just a <mark class="term" data-term="process" data-term-def="Method, procedure; series of actions or steps." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/process/8256">process</mark> of hedging their bets – this how scientists say to their peers that they have done their homework and that there is more than one possible explanation. In the woodpecker article, for example, the authors go to great lengths to describe why they believe the bird they saw is an ivory-billed woodpecker rather than a variant of the more common pileated woodpecker, knowing that this is a likely potential rebuttal to their initial findings. A final component of the conclusions involves placing the current work back into a larger context by discussing the implications of the work. The authors of the woodpecker article do so by discussing the nature of the woodpecker <mark class="term" data-term="habitat" data-term-def="The place or type of environment where a wild plant, animal, or other organism naturally lives or grows." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/habitat/5593">habitat</mark> and how it might be better preserved. </p><p>In many articles, the results and discussion sections are combined, but regardless, the <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> are initially presented without <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretation</mark>.</p><p> <b>References:</b> Scientific progress requires building on existing knowledge, and previous findings are recognized by directly citing them in any new work. The citations are collected in one list, commonly called "References," although the precise format for each journal varies considerably. The reference list may seem like something you don't actually read, but in fact it can provide a wealth of information about whether the authors are citing the most recent work in their field or whether they are biased in their citations towards certain institutions or authors. In addition, the reference section provides readers of the article with more information about the particular <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> topic discussed. The reference list for the woodpecker article includes a wide variety of sources that includes books, other journal articles, and personal accounts of bird sightings. </p><p> <b>Supporting material:</b> Increasingly, journals make supporting material that does not fit into the article itself – like extensive <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> tables, detailed descriptions of <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark>, figures, and animations – available online. In this case, the video footage shot by the authors is available online, along with several other resources. </p> <div class="comprehension-checkpoint margin-y-4"> <h6 class="comprehension-checkpoint__header"> <span> <span class="icon icon-question"></span> </span> Comprehension Checkpoint </h6> <form class="" name="cc6041"> <div class="form-entry"> <div class="form-entry__field"> <span class="form-entry__field__label">Scientists who wish to replicate the research described in a journal article may pay particular attention to the __________ section.</span> <div class="form-entry__option"> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="correct"> <label> <input id="q1-6041-0-option-a" name="quiz-option-6041" type="radio" value="materials and methods" > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">a.</span> materials and methods </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6041-0"> <strong>Correct!</strong> </span> </div> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="incorrect"> <label> <input id="q1-6041-1-option-b" name="quiz-option-6041" type="radio" value="discussion" > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">b.</span> discussion </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6041-1"> <strong>Incorrect.</strong> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </form> </div> </section> <section id="toc_4"> <h2>Reading the primary literature</h2><p>The format of a scientific article may seem overly structured compared to many other things you read, but it serves a purpose by providing an archive of scientific <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> in the primary literature that we can build on. Though isolated examples of that archive go as far back as 600 <mark class="term" data-term="BCE" data-term-def="An abbreviation for Before the Common Era, which is a designation for the years prior to year 1 of the Gregorian&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/BCE/3720">BCE</mark> (see the Babylonian tablets in our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=151">Description in Scientific Research</a> module), the first consistently published scientific journal was the <em>Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London</em>, edited by <mark class="term" data-term="Henry Oldenburg" data-term-def="German natural philosopher and diplomat, born in Bremen (1619-1677). Oldenburg was an original fellow of the Royal Society, served as its&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/Oldenburg%2C+Henry/4502">Henry Oldenburg</mark> for the Royal Society beginning in 1666 (see our <a href="/library/module_viewer.php?mid=162">Scientific Institutions and Societies</a> module). These early scientific writings include all of the components listed above, but the writing style is surprisingly different than a modern journal article. For example, <mark class="term" data-term="Isaac Newton" data-term-def="English alchemist, physicist, astronomer and mathematician born in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Lincolnshire (1643-1727). In 1672, Newton offered an experimental proof that light is&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/Isaac+Newton/3725">Isaac Newton</mark> opened his 1672 article "New <mark class="term" data-term="theory" data-term-def="A scientific theory is an explanation inferred from multiple lines of evidence for some broad aspect of the natural world and&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/theory/4854">Theory</mark> About <mark class="term" data-term="light" data-term-def="A form of electromagnetic radiation. Visible light is that associated with stimulating the organs of sight, which for normal human&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/light/1498">Light</mark> and Colours" with the following:</p><blockquote class="blockquote"> <p>I shall without further ceremony acquaint you, that in the beginning of the Year 1666...I procured me a Triangular glass-Prisme, to try therewith the celebrated <em>Phenomena of Colours</em>. And in order thereto having darkened my chamber, and made a small hole in my window-shuts, to let in a convenient quantity of the Suns light, I placed my Prisme at his entrance, that it might be thereby refracted to the opposite wall. It was at first a very pleasing divertissement, to view the vivid and intense colours produced thereby; but after a while applying my self to consider them more circumspectly, I became surprised to see them in an <em>oblong</em> form; which, according to the received laws of Refraction, I expected should have been <em>circular</em>. (Newton, 1672)</p> </p></blockquote> <div class="figure"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-button lightbox-button--icon" data-lightbox="" data-lightbox-src="/img/library/large_images/image_4173.jpg"> <img src="/img/library/modules/mid158/Image/VLObject-4173-081107031119.jpg" alt="Figure 4: Isaac Newton described the rainbow produced by a prism as a "pleasing divertissement."" /> </button> <figcaption> <p><strong>Figure 4:</strong> Isaac Newton described the rainbow produced by a prism as a "pleasing divertissement."</p> <span class="credit">image ©NASA</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Newton describes his materials and <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark> in the first few sentences ("... a small hole in my window-shuts"), describes his results ("an oblong form"), refers to the work that has come before him ("the received <mark class="term" data-term="law" data-term-def="In science, a principle that describes a phenomenon, often mathematically." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/law/8686">laws</mark> of Refraction"), and highlights how his results differ from his expectations. Today, however, <mark class="term" data-term="Isaac Newton" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/Isaac+Newton" data-term-def="English alchemist, physicist, astronomer and mathematician born in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Lincolnshire (1643-1727). In 1672, Newton offered an experimental proof that light is&hellip;">Newton</mark>'s statement that the "colours" produced were a "very pleasing divertissement" would be out of place in a scientific article (Figure 4). Much more typically, modern scientific articles are written in an objective tone, typically without statements of personal opinion to avoid any appearance of bias in the <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretation</mark> of their results. Unfortunately, this tone often results in overuse of the passive voice, with statements like "a Triangular glass-Prisme was procured" instead of the wording <mark class="term" data-term="newton" data-term-def="A metric (or SI) unit measuring force and named for English physicist Isaac Newton. One newton (N) represents the force needed&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/newton/5596">Newton</mark> chose: "I procured me a Triangular glass-Prisme." The removal of the first person entirely from the articles reinforces the misconception that science is impersonal, boring, and void of creativity, lacking the enjoyment and surprise described by Newton. The tone can sometimes be misleading if the study involves many authors, making it unclear who did what work. The best scientific writers are able to both present their work in an objective tone and make their own contributions clear.</p><p>The scholarly vocabulary in scientific articles can be another obstacle to reading the primary literature. <em>Materials and Methods</em> sections often are highly technical in nature and can be confusing if you are not intimately familiar with the type of <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> being conducted. There is a reason for all of this vocabulary, however: An explicit, technical description of materials and <mark class="term" data-term="method" data-term-def="A procedure or process; a systematic way of performing a task or conducting research." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/method/8238">methods</mark> provides a means for other scientists to evaluate the quality of the <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> presented and can often provide insight to scientists on how to replicate or extend the research described.</p><p>The tone and specialized vocabulary of the modern scientific article can make it hard to read, but understanding the purpose and requirements for each section can help you decipher the primary literature. <mark class="term" data-term="learning" data-term-def="The influence of action based off individual experience over time." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/learning/13154">Learning</mark> to read scientific articles is a skill, and like any other skill, it requires practice and experience to master. It is not, however, an impossible task. </p><p>Strange as it seems, the most efficient way to tackle a new article may be through a piecemeal approach, reading some but not all the sections and not necessarily in their order of appearance. For example, the <mark class="term" data-term="abstract" data-term-def="In science, an abstract is a brief statement of essential information contained within a document or presentation. An abstract is not&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/abstract/5214">abstract</mark> of an article will summarize its key points, but this section can often be dense and difficult to understand. Sometimes the end of the article may be a better place to start reading. In many cases, authors present a <mark class="term" data-term="model" data-term-def="A representation, pattern, or mathematical description that can help scientists replicate a system." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/model/8236">model</mark> that fits their <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> in this last section of the article. The discussion section may emphasize some themes or ideas that tie the story together, giving the reader some foundation for reading the article from the beginning. Even experienced scientists read articles this way – skimming the figures first, perhaps, or reading the discussion and then going back to the results. Often, it takes a scientist multiple readings to truly understand the authors' work and incorporate it into their personal knowledge base in order to build on that knowledge.</p> <div class="comprehension-checkpoint margin-y-4"> <h6 class="comprehension-checkpoint__header"> <span> <span class="icon icon-question"></span> </span> Comprehension Checkpoint </h6> <form class="" name="cc6043"> <div class="form-entry"> <div class="form-entry__field"> <span class="form-entry__field__label">In 1672, Isaac Newton published his research on light and colors. He included a statement about how entertaining prisms were. Newton's work</span> <div class="form-entry__option"> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="incorrect"> <label> <input id="q1-6043-0-option-a" name="quiz-option-6043" type="radio" value="can be dismissed as unscientific." > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">a.</span> can be dismissed as unscientific. </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6043-0"> <strong>Incorrect.</strong> </span> </div> <div class="form-entry__option__radio" data-answer="correct"> <label> <input id="q1-6043-1-option-b" name="quiz-option-6043" type="radio" value="contained the basic components of scientific writing." > <span class="option__label"> <span class="screen-reader-only">b.</span> contained the basic components of scientific writing. </span> </label> <span class="quiz__response" id="response-6043-1"> <strong>Correct!</strong> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </form> </div> </section> <section id="toc_5"> <h2>Building knowledge and facilitating discussion</h2><p>The <mark class="term" data-term="process" data-term-def="Method, procedure; series of actions or steps." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/process/8256">process</mark> of science does not stop with the publication of the results of <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> in a scientific article. In fact, in some ways, publication is just the beginning. Scientific journals also provide a means for other scientists to respond to the work they publish; like many newspapers and magazines, most scientific journals publish letters from their readers. </p><p>Unlike the common "Letters to the Editor" of a newspaper, however, the letters in scientific journals are usually critical responses to the authors of a <mark class="term" data-term="research" data-term-def="A study or an investigation." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/research/8257">research</mark> study in which alternative <mark class="term" data-term="interpretation" data-term-def="An explanation of patterns observed in the data." data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/interpretation/8235">interpretations</mark> are outlined. When such a letter is received by a journal editor, it is typically given to the original authors so that they can respond, and both the letter and response are published together. Nine months after the original publication of the woodpecker article, <em>Science</em> published a letter (called a "Comment") from David Sibley and three of his colleagues, who reinterpreted the Fitzpatrick team's <mark class="term" data-term="data" data-term-def="(plural form of <b>datum</b>) A collection of pieces of information, generally taking the form of numbers, text, bits, or facts, that&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/data/3729">data</mark> and concluded that the bird in question was a more common pileated woodpecker, not an ivory-billed woodpecker (Sibley et al., 2006). The team from the Cornell lab wrote a response supporting their initial conclusions, and Sibley's team followed that up with a response of their own in 2007 (Fitzpatrick et al., 2006; Sibley at al., 2007). As expected, the research has generated significant scientific <mark class="term" data-term="controversy" data-term-def="An argument, disagreement, or difference of opinion that involves many people. A true scientific controversy involves a sustained debate within the&hellip;" data-term-url="/en/glossary/view/controversy/8241">controversy</mark> and, in addition, has captured the attention of the public, spreading the story of the controversy into the popular media.</p><p>For more information about this story see <a href="http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=174">The Case of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker</a> module.</p> </div> </section> <hr class="border-color-dark" /> <footer class="module__footer"> <p class="citation"> <em> Anthony Carpi, Ph.D., Anne E. Egger, Ph.D., Natalie H. Kuldell “Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles” Visionlearning Vol. POS-1 (9), 2008. </em> </p>  <div class="title-list" id="refs" name="refs"> <p class="h6 title-list__title"> References </p> <ul class="title-list__list"> <li><p>Fitzpatrick, J. W., Lammertink, M., Luneau, M. D., Jr., Gallagher, T. W., Harrison, B. R., Sparling, G. M., . . . Zollner, D. (2005). Ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) persists in continental North America. <em>Science, 308</em>(5727), 1460-1462.</li> <li>Fitzpatrick, J. W., Lammertink, M., Luneau, M. D., Jr., Gallagher, T. W., & Rosenberg, K. V. (2006). Response to comment on "Ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) persists in continental North America." <em>Science, 311</em>(5767), 1555b-.</li> <li>Kennedy, D. (2005). The ivory-bill returns. <em>Science, 308</em>(5727), 1377.</li> <li>Newton, I. (1672). New theory about light and colors. <em>Philosophical Transactions, 6,</em> 3075-3087.</li> <li>Sibley, D. A., Bevier, L. R., & Patten, M. A. (2007). Ivory-billed or pileated woodpecker? <em>Science, 315</em>(5818), 1495.</li> <li>Sibley, D. A., Bevier, L. R., Patten, M. A., & Elphick, C. S. (2006). Comment on "Ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) persists in continental North America." <em>Science, 311</em>(5767), 1555a-.</p></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="title-list" name="further"> <p class="h6 title-list__title"> Further Reading </p> <ul class="grid grid--column-2--md grid--column-3--md gap-1"> <li> <a class="no-hover-focus height-100" href="/en/library/Process-of-Science/49/Peer-Review-in-Scientific-Publishing/159"> <article class="flex-row align-items-center flex-column--md align-items-start--md height-100 theme-light padding-2 gap-2"> <div class="width-30 width-auto--md"> <img class="border-radius box-shadow-1" src="/img/library/moduleImages/featured_image_159-23061210061914.jpeg" alt="Peer Review in Scientific Publishing"> </div> <div class="flex-grow-shrink"> <h2 class="h6 font-weight-normal"> Peer Review in Scientific Publishing: <em>What it is and how it works</em> </h2> </div> </article> </a> </li> <li> <a class="no-hover-focus height-100" href="/en/library/Process-of-Science/49/Utilizing-the-Scientific-Literature/173"> <article class="flex-row align-items-center flex-column--md align-items-start--md height-100 theme-light padding-2 gap-2"> <div class="width-30 width-auto--md"> <img class="border-radius box-shadow-1" src="/img/library/moduleImages/featured_image_173-23061210061902.jpeg" alt="Utilizing the Scientific Literature"> </div> <div class="flex-grow-shrink"> <h2 class="h6 font-weight-normal"> Utilizing the Scientific Literature: <em>The record of scientific progress</em> </h2> </div> </article> </a> </li> <li> <a class="no-hover-focus height-100" href="/en/library/Process-of-Science/49/Scientific-Institutions-and-Societies/162"> <article class="flex-row align-items-center flex-column--md align-items-start--md height-100 theme-light padding-2 gap-2"> <div class="width-30 width-auto--md"> <img class="border-radius box-shadow-1" src="/img/library/moduleImages/featured_image_162-23061210061220.jpeg" alt="Scientific Institutions and Societies"> </div> <div class="flex-grow-shrink"> <h2 class="h6 font-weight-normal"> Scientific Institutions and Societies: <em>Types of institutions and their influence</em> </h2> </div> </article> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </footer> </div>   </div>  <div class="order-1 order-2--lg module__tools"> <div class="narrow margin-x-auto position-sticky-top font-size-md"> <div class="padding-2 border-radius box-shadow-1--lg"> <div class="tabs" role="tablist"> <nav> <button class="button button--icon-label" id="tab-button-in-this-module" aria-label="Table of Contents" aria-controls="tab-panel-module__tools" aria-selected="true" role="tab"> <span class="icon icon-list" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="button__text">Contents</span> </button> <button class="button button--icon-label" id="tab-button-toggle-terms" aria-controls="tab-panel-toggle-terms" aria-selected="false" role="tab"> <span class="icon icon-glossary-highlight"></span> <span class="button__text">Glossary Terms</span> </button> </nav> <hr class="divider" /> <div class="tabs__panel shown" id="tab-panel-module__tools" aria-labelledby="tab-button-module__tools" role="tabpanel"> <p class="font-weight-bold margin-bottom-1"> Table of Contents </p> <div class="table-of-contents" id="module-toc"> <ul> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158#toc_1">Scientific journals vs. popular media</a> </li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158#toc_2">Scientific journals: Degrees of specialization</a> </li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158#toc_3">The standard format of journal articles</a> </li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158#toc_4">Reading the primary literature</a> </li> <li><a href="/en/library/process-of-science/49/understanding-scientific-journals-and-articles/158#toc_5">Building knowledge and facilitating discussion</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div>   <div class="tabs__panel" id="tab-panel-toggle-terms" aria-labelledby="tab-button-toggle-terms" role="tabpanel"> <div class="reading-toggle"> <div class="reading-toggle__switch"> <div class="form-entry__option__switch"> <label> <input type="checkbox" name="termsToggleSwitch" id="terms-toggle-switch" /> <span class="switch__slider"></span> <span class="option__label text-decoration-none font-size-md"> Highlight Glossary Terms </span> </label> </div> </div> <div class="reading-toggle__help"> <p> <em> Activate glossary term highlighting to easily identify key terms within the module. 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Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles | Process of Science | Visionlearning