Orient before interpreting
Begin with the research question and the type of study. Note the population, setting and time period, then read the conclusion as a claim to examine. An abstract is a compressed account, not the whole argument. Keep a short note of what the paper appears to establish and the evidence you expect to find in support.
Follow the route to the result
Read the method before deciding what a result means. Ask how observations were selected, measured and analysed. Examine figures with their captions and definitions rather than treating a striking graphic as self-explanatory. If you do not understand a method, mark that uncertainty instead of filling the gap with confidence. Technical questions may require a specialist explanation.
Write a bounded summary
Finish with four sentences: the question, the approach, the principal finding and a limitation. Distinguish the authors’ observations from their interpretation and your own inference. Check whether the paper has a correction or a later version on the publisher’s page. One study can contribute to a discussion without settling it; a careful summary preserves that distinction.
