Sports management articles

9 Steps to Understanding a Research Journal Article

1. What was the purpose of the study?

2. What did the author(s) study? (participants, number, characteristics, etc.)

3. What were the major steps (sequential) in performing the study? (flow-chart or diagram if appropriate to use a visual if necessary for a clearer explanation)

4. How did the study produce data? (questionnaires, tests, ratings, interviews)

5. What were the results? (what do the data from #5 say about the questions in #1 & 2?)

6. What does the author conclude? (in light of #5, what is said about #1?)

7. What cautions does the researcher(s) raise about interpreting the study?

8. What cautions do you raise about the limits of this study?

9. What particularly interesting/valuable things could a reader learn from this study?