Guidelines for Graduate Study

Reading Literature

1. Visit and read the literature in our field.

1.1. Focus on or Identify

1.1.1. Science questions addressed,

1.1.2. Research methods used

1.1.3. Applications or Conclusions stemming from the results.

1.2. Suggested journals include:

1.2.1. Journal of American Water Resources Association

1.2.2. Journal of Environmental Quality

1.2.3. Journal of Hydrology

1.2.4. Hydrological Processes

1.2.5. Water Resources Research,

1.2.6. Many others

1.3. Uncover and trace the references cited

1.3.1. Find good articles in the citations of a good article

2. Guidelines for reading scientific papers:

2.1. Title - Papers in a particular field are found by scanning titles of published papers.

2.2. Abstract - After finding an interesting title, the abstract is read next. For most instances, the information in the abstract is enough to keep current on research in the field.

2.3. Conclusion - If more information is needed after reading the abstract, the conclusion of the paper is read to find applications and reasons for the author's position on the topic.

2.4. Body - If something in the conclusion of a paper is questionable, the body of the paper is scanned to find more information about the author's research.

2.5. Appendix - If some statements in the body seems questionable, the appendix is checked to find the raw data supporting the statements.

2.6. Bibliography - The bibliography is referred to if more background information about a paper is needed