Strategic Reading Strategy: Finding the Article’s Claim/Main Purpose

In this strategy, you first look for the main purpose and claim of a scholarly article, enabling you to more clearly understand the content of all the supporting writing, and if the article will ultimately be useful for your research purposes. 

• First, find the main argument, thesis, or purpose of the writing. In academic and research-based articles, this will come early on, perhaps even in the abstract. 
• Put the main argument, position or claim into your own words (write it down or audio record yourself). 
• Articulate why you think this claim is significant. Does the author cite or indicate other research, arguments, or opposing positions? 
• What evidence does the author(s) offer to support the claim? How was this evidence collected, and does the research design or method address the main purpose of the writing? 
• Finally, write down (or record) your own assessment of the overall effectiveness of the writing. What were the strengths, what do you still have questions about? 

Adapted from Becky Rosenberg Links to an external site. and David Goldstein, PhD