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Course 142 · Life course 29

Read Research Papers and Compare Evidence

Learn the structure of a research report, inspect its method, and compare findings without overstating them.

Before you start

Comfort reading short paragraphs and calculating simple percentages. All condensed fictional study reports and data are included; optional readings extend the method to full papers.

See everything you’ll need

Practice materials and a worked example · Free download. Download the starter pack

What you’ll leave with

An evidence folder containing a paper-type note, design map, checked results, corrected claim, two-paper comparison, and a 150–250-word evidence brief.

Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.

Your project

Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.

Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.

  1. Get your materialsDownload practice filesStart with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.
  2. Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
  3. Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.
Optional course overview

Watch an introduction.

This overview from libncsu introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.

Watch directly on YouTube
libncsuHow to Read a Scholarly ArticleYouTube
Course handbook

Know the route before you begin.

Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.

Who this is for

For learners 14+ exploring practical skills for school, work, and everyday life.

Prepare before lesson one
  • Comfort reading short paragraphs and calculating simple percentages. All condensed fictional study reports and data are included; optional readings extend the method to full papers.
  • Use the time shown for each lesson; it includes the supplied practice, changed-input work, and applied questions. Keep the six lesson outputs for the final project. Optional videos, setup, and any optional real-world extension take extra time.
Your final project

Finish with proof you can use.

An evidence folder containing a paper-type note, design map, checked results, corrected claim, two-paper comparison, and a 150–250-word evidence brief.

Save a project record in My Proof
See project checklist and review criteria

Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.

What to include

  • Identify publication type, specific question, and scope for P1.
  • Map the design and check all rates with their denominators.
  • Correct the overclaim and compare P1 with P2.
  • Write the final brief with evidence IDs, limitations, and a useful next test.

Review and revise

Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.

  • Calculations and units match the supplied counts.
  • Design descriptions separate assignment, recruitment, and measurement.
  • Claims stay within tested populations and outcomes.
  • The synthesis preserves disagreement and labels all practice data fictional.
Three ideas to help you along the way
Three useful ideas

The rules behind the steps.

01

Read the method

A headline cannot tell you how a result was produced.

02

Separate result and meaning

Record measurements before interpreting their implications.

03

Compare like with like

Population, assignment, and outcome differences matter when combining studies.

What do these words mean?
Key words

Key terms worth knowing.

Empirical report
A report presenting observations or data from a study.
Review article
An article that synthesizes earlier research.
Preprint
A research manuscript shared before formal peer review.
Method
The procedure that produced a study’s evidence.
Replication
A new study designed to test whether a finding occurs again.
Your route

6 lessons.
One useful project.

Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.

  1. 1
    Up next

    Identify the paper and question

    Identify the research question and publication type before detailed reading.

  2. 2
    24 min

    Map the study design

    Extract assignment, groups, measurement, and timing from methods.

  3. 3
    26 min

    Extract results before interpretation

    Record numerical results with denominators and separate them from explanation.

  4. 4
    26 min

    Test the conclusion against the method

    Identify overreach and write a narrower evidence-supported conclusion.

  5. 5
    28 min

    Compare two papers fairly

    Compare study features before interpreting apparently different results.

  6. 6
    34 min

    Write an evidence brief

    Produce a concise comparison with traceable findings and explicit uncertainty.

Use the tools

Tools to help you practice.

See all tools
ZIP · practice files

Read Research Papers and Compare Evidence practice files

Start with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.

Text worksheet

Your course project worksheet

A downloadable text worksheet with each lesson’s working output, space for your answers, and the shared final-project checklist. Save your own copy.

Source transparency

Sources and further study.

Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.

Caltech: Learn to Read Scientific Journal Articles Like a Pro
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected article types, preprints, methods/results emphasis, and active reading guidance.

Access: Public page or PDF inspected without payment or institutional sign-in on September 12, 2026. Optional external accounts are unnecessary for this course.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

Rice University: How to Read a Scientific Article
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected IMRD structure, figures, active questions, and evidence appraisal.

Access: Public page or PDF inspected without payment or institutional sign-in on September 12, 2026. Optional external accounts are unnecessary for this course.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

Duke Academic Resource Center: How to Read and Understand a Scientific Article
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected primary-versus-review distinction, methods mapping, results-versus-interpretation, and reading limits.

Access: Public page or PDF inspected without payment or institutional sign-in on September 12, 2026. Optional external accounts are unnecessary for this course.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

How to Read a Scholarly Article
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Watch URL discovered through web search or an inspected official page; YouTube oEmbed returned this exact title and channel. Metadata verified; full playback and captions were not tested.

Access: Public YouTube metadata returned without sign-in on September 12, 2026. The video is optional; playback and caption availability were not tested.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

Ready when you are

Start with the first useful move.

You’ll always know what to do, what to make, and where to go next.

Start lesson one