How to Read Journal Articles in the Social Sciences: A Very Practical Guide for Students (SAGE Study Skills Series)

'Shon's writing is engaging and entertaining; he opens up the "black box" of academic reading and writing, explaining how to decode and critique formal scientific writing and systematically organize information gained from reading journal articles'
- Dr Lorraine Whitmarsh
School of Psychology, University of Cardiff, UK

'Once the reader has mastered Philip Shon's codes and applied them to texts, it will become increasingly impossible not to write and critique with integrity. I thoroughly recommend this book'
- Professor Helen Cowie
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, UK

Many titles provide tips for successfully writing theses, dissertations, and journal articles; all argue that writing is like any other skill - it has to be developed, taught, and practiced daily. The same is certainly true of academic reading, yet many advanced students have trouble with the essential skill of 'reading critically'. This book teaches students and early career researchers how to read so that they are able to maximize their output in the writing process.

Using the author's unique reading code, this book teaches students how to approach social and behavioural science journal articles as texts that can be deciphered structurally, mechanically and grammatically. The strategies included allow readers to systematize the reading, note-taking and organizing of voluminous amounts of information in an easily identifiable and retrievable format, which will be a huge confidence boost to those who struggle with this first phase in the writing process.

This book is indispensable for social and behavioural science students and researchers worldwide wanting to sharpen their critical evaluative skills for better academic writing.

Phillip C. Shon is an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.