Reading academic articles is akin to walking into the middle of a conversation.

Reading academic articles is akin to walking into the middle of a conversation. When reading most articles you’re entering the middle of a conversation between academics. If you’re unfamiliar with a body of research it’s hard to decipher what’s been said, who’s saying what, key terms to unlock the conversation, and where this reading fits into the larger conversation. You will complete two reading guide responses to help you understand the conversation, remember what you’ve read, and enhance your ability to contribute to the conversation.
You will submit two reading responses this week: one for each of the journal articles assigned.
· Butkowski, Chelsea P., Travis L. Dixon, Kristopher R. Weeks, and Marisa A. Smith. 2020. Quantifying the Feminine Self(ie): Gender Display and Social Media Feedback in Young Women’s Instagram Selfies. New Media & Society 22(5):817-837. (on Canvas)
· Boisvert, St´efany. 2020. ‘Queering’ TV, One Character at a Time: How Audiences Respond to Gender-Diverse TV Series on Social Media Platforms. Critical Studies in Television: The International Journal of Television Studies 15(2):183-201. (on Canvas)
What is the POA? POA stands for “Point Of Article.” This is the first thing I do when I read something. Reading the abstract, introduction, and conclusion/discussion sections of academic articles are useful places to identify the point of the article. You should mention key concepts, theories, or questions discussed in the article because they’re vital towards understanding the article and to what conversation it contributes.
How did they do it? This is the easiest part. There’s typically a “Methods” section which discusses how the researchers carried out their research project. It is important to write this down so you can follow up on what it is, why it was used, and if other people in the conversation used this method. If this is a theoretical article, briefly discuss what theoretical argument is being made and why.
What did they find? Figuring out the actual findings is trickier than it seems. Researchers tend to repeat the major findings throughout the article. If you see the same results presented and discussed in numerous places write them down, but write them in your own words.
So what? This is my favorite part to address. Once I finish reading an article, I freewrite. This is a stream-of-consciousness writing on what I think the importance of the article is, how I can use it for my research, and how it relates to what else I know about the topic. It’s also a time for me to think about how section three relates to section one.
What questions do I have about this article? When reading academic work it’s important to ask questions about the material. For example, what data the author(s) use, what the work reminds you of (broader connections), why this particular research method was preferred, and what would happen if they measured something a different way are great ways to expand your knowledge and understanding about a reading.

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