ScholarMethod guides

Build a research practice that holds up.

Practical frameworks for reading research critically, evaluating methods, and turning a growing library into clear evidence.

Research reading

How to Read a Research Paper Critically

A practical, repeatable method for graduate students and researchers who want to understand—not just finish—academic papers.

Read the guide

Research methods

How to Analyze a Research Paper’s Methodology

Use this methodology checklist to assess whether a research study’s design, sample, measures, and analysis support its conclusions.

Read the guide

Literature reviews

A Literature Review Workflow for Graduate Students

Move from a growing pile of papers to a clear, evidence-based literature review with a repeatable reading, note-taking, and synthesis workflow.

Read the guide

Research reading

Research Paper Analysis Template

Use this practical research paper analysis template to record a study’s question, methods, findings, limitations, and relevance to your work.

Read the guide

Research synthesis

How to Compare Research Papers

Compare research papers systematically by aligning their questions, samples, methods, findings, and limitations instead of reading summaries side by side.

Read the guide

Research communication

How to Write an Advisor-Ready Research Summary

Write a concise research summary that helps an advisor see a paper’s purpose, methods, evidence, limitations, and the question you want to discuss.

Read the guide

Research methods

How to Read the Methods Section of a Research Paper

Read a methods section with purpose: identify the design, sample, measures, procedures, and analysis choices that determine what a study can conclude.

Read the guide

Research workflow

How to Take Notes on Research Articles

Take research notes that are easy to retrieve and synthesize by separating source facts, your interpretation, and the next question each article raises.

Read the guide

Literature reviews

How to Find a Research Gap for a Thesis or Dissertation

Find a defensible research gap by mapping what the literature establishes, where evidence is limited or contradictory, and why resolving that uncertainty matters.

Read the guide