Section outline

  • Course Overview

    This course provides a comprehensive guide to reading journal articles as part of the research process. It explains how to identify markers of credibility, how to use techniques such as scanning and skimming to improve comprehension, how to paraphrase effectively, and how to improve the clarity of notes. 

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Identify markers of credibility in an article and reference list 
    2. Utilize tools, such as scanning and skimming, to foster comprehension 
    3. Paraphrase appropriately to avoid plagiarism 
    4. Summarize notes to meet research goals 

    • Course Instructor: Dr. Alex Poole

      • Dr. Alex Poole

        Dr. Alex Poole (PhD, Oklahoma State University, 2003) is an applied linguist whose interests include focus on form instruction, Spanish-English bilingualism, and reading strategies. He regularly publishes articles on these topics and presents at national and international conferences. He also teaches courses in composition, TESOL methodology, and pedagogical grammar, among others. When not teaching, advising students, or researching, Alex lectures on issues related to English language learners and reviews scholarly submissions to peer-reviewed journals.

        View Bio for Dr. Alex Poole

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence. 

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills. 

        • Module One: What Is a Journal Article?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Identify the purpose of journal articles, who writes them, and who publishes them  
          2. Classify different types of journal articles
          3. Explore the challenges of reading journal articles  
          4. Recognize why it’s necessary to read journal articles as part of research 

        • Module Two: Should I Read the Whole Article?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Determine the usefulness of an article 
          2. Identify markers of credibility in an article and reference list  
          3. Evaluate reference lists  
          4. Recognize the stages of comprehension  
          5. Utilize tools, such as scanning and skimming, to foster comprehension 

        • Module Three: How Do I Read With Purpose?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Take a structured approach to reading articles   
          2. Make effective notes using highlighting and annotation  
          3. Paraphrase appropriately to avoid plagiarism   
          4. Identify the main arguments of a journal article

        • Module Four: How Do I Summarize What I’ve Read?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Improve the clarity of notes  
          2. Summarize notes to meet research goals  
          3. Organize notes for easy comprehension and retrieval 

        • References and Glossary of Key Terms

          In addition to the glossary you’ll find woven throughout the course, you can find the full glossary collated in one place here.

        • Post-Course Self Assessment

          Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills levels are at now. 

          Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

          You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

          • Completion: Certificate

            Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

            If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

            • Give Feedback About This Course

              Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

            • Accessibility

              We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

              For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

              • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
              • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus.