The ability to understand the latest research on practices and innovations in the wine industry is a valuable skill for wine professionals. Academic journals are credible and detailed sources for the wine industry as discussed in a previous post, “Three Reasons the Wine Industry Should Read Academic Journal Articles.”
Journal articles are where wine researchers and academics first communicate their findings. Academic journals use a peer review process to determine the validity of the scientific studies and their results. It is for that reason that the writing tends to be detailed and technical. That said, here are five strategies for reading scholarly articles:
1. Read the Abstract First
An abstract is a concise overview or summary of the article. This condensed version of the paper is found on the first page, before the introduction and often indented. The abstract, similar to a trailer of a movie, gives you a sense if the article is relevant to your interests and if you should read further. Always make a point to highlight or underline the one sentence in the abstract that describes the purpose of the study and the primary findings.
2. Scan the Article Next
To get the big picture, analyze the article’s structure. Read the title, headings and subheadings. Review the graphs, charts, tables and other visuals. Journal articles are written in a standard format, often prescribed by professional organizations. This defined structure includes an abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion and conclusion. Note the publication date; current research is often more relevant.
3. Use the Literature Review as a Source
The literature review is a valuable source of information as it summarizes what is already known about the topic, both in general terms and on the specific issue. This section has the most references or citations, which are of great value for gathering additional information on the topic. The literature review often includes a summary of previous and current research, as well as similar or different viewpoints from other wine researchers.
4. Don’t Bother to Read the Methodology
The methodology section of a professional article explains in great detail how the study was conducted. The reviewers of the study (peer reviewers) need this information to confirm the validity of the results. The details of the study process also allow other researchers to recreate or replicate the study. The methodology section can therefore be quite technical, and often sprinkled with sophisticated and unfamiliar statistics.
5. Always Read the Conclusion
The conclusion often starts with the study findings and whether they support current practices. Similar to the abstract, the conclusion will summarize the study, including its limitations and industry implications. After you have finished reading an article, it can also be helpful to reread the first few paragraphs of the conclusion and the abstract. These two sections of an article present distilled summaries of the study.
