How to read research papers

Most engineers read research papers like blog posts, expecting instant clarity. That’s why so many give up halfway through. The trick isn’t to read harder but to read differently. This https://blog.codingconfessions.com/p/a-software-engineers-guide-to-reading-papers reframes paper reading as a process you can iterate on, not a one-shot test of intelligence.

The author suggests a multi-pass approach. First, skim the abstract, intro, results and conclusion to see if the paper is even relevant. Next, read the body while flagging any gaps in your understanding. Finally, revisit it with fresh context and ask why each step exists. The shift is subtle but powerful: instead of fighting the paper, you collaborate with it.

What I’m taking away is this. Reading research is a skill, not a talent. If I approach papers as layered workflows rather than puzzles to solve in one go, I’ll extract more ideas I can actually build on.

Original article: https://blog.codingconfessions.com/p/a-software-engineers-guide-to-reading-papers