Skim the article. Read the article in its entirety before committing to any further action. Get an idea of the general methods and information presented.
Review complex concepts and look up vocabulary you don't understand. Use a dictionary to review the meanings of difficult words. Often specific words or phrases can shed additional light on the subject presented.
Highlight or circle main points. To get a thorough understanding of the article, identify the main purpose of each paragraph and the conclusion they bring.
Ask yourself questions about the article. Clarify concepts by asking yourself questions and make notes to make sure you thoroughly grasp the ideas in the article. Have a friend ask you questions about the information and explain the details in plain language.
Write a rough draft of a synopsis. After carefully reading and understanding the passages, use the notes made to create a summary of what you have read. Examine the methods or the experiments made in the article and the conclusion offered by the author. Offer your own conclusions and criticism only after completing a full summary of the information the science article contains.