How to Read a Scientific Paper

Toby Johnson, a pre-service teacher, developed this step-by-step guide to help students approach and read daunting scientific papers with confidence. This guide breaks down the reading process into eights steps with three appendices that explain the structure of a paper, key terms, and how to be a critical reader.

Posted on Oct 17, 2025

How to Read a Scientific Paper

Overview

Toby Johnson, a pre-service teacher, developed this step-by-step guide to help students approach and read daunting scientific papers with confidence. This guide breaks down the reading process into eights steps with three appendices that explain the structure of a paper, key terms, and how to be a critical reader. 

Toby's overview of this activity is linked HERE. Scroll down to the Resources & Links section of this page to check out his specific materials.

Goals

  • Improve student scientific literacy by building building confidence in reading and interpreting scientific papers
  • Support critical thinking and analysis
  • Provide a step-by-step guide that can be integrated into existing science lessons
  • Help students understand the structure of a scientific paper and terminology used with real examples

Implementation & Outcomes

  • Designed for 9th-12th grade science classrooms, post-secondary education, or anyone wanting to improve their scientific literacy
  • Can be used with existing lessons and paired with any research paper
  • Includes a step-by-step guide, an introduction with tips, and three appendices: the anatomy of a paper, scientific terms with multiple meanings, and a guide to critical evaluation

Resources & Links

Contact for More Information

For more details about this program or to learn how to incorporate similar activities in your school, please reach out to the TRKE program coordinators at smtcpd@uwyo.edu.