‘I’m probably just gonna skim’: an assessment of undergraduate students’ primary scientific literature reading approaches

We investigated undergraduate students’ approaches to reading primary scientific literature (PSL). Self-report surveys and think-aloud reading interviews were used to uncover students’ approaches to PSL with respect to evidence finding, prioritisation of paper sections, and reading skill in relation to task context. Self-report and observational interview data were also analysed to investigate the relationship between students’ self-reported and actual reading approaches. Our findings indicate that undergraduate students exhibit a spectrum of approaches to evidence finding, that many use pre-interpreted text to make meaning of PSL, and that student reading approaches are enhanced by task context. Data also indicate a misalignment between students’ self-reported and actual reading approaches, with students generally over-confident in their abilities. We interpret these findings using deep vs. surface learning criteria and the Structure Building Model (SBM) of reading comprehension. Our exploratory research extends the small body of literature on student PSL reading and indicates that more in-depth work needs to be done to support the development of educational interventions aimed at enhancing student reading approaches.