Biomedical Engineering

There are many methods for reading research articles. The main things to know are:

• Research articles have a typical format, with standardized sections.
• Unlike textbooks or novels, you don't need to (and probably shouldn't) read research articles in beginning-to-end order.

Here's a graphic showing one common method for reading research articles.

For further guidance on reading research articles...

• Infographic: How to read a scientific paper
• How to Read a Scientific Paper 
• How to Read and Comprehend Scientific Research Articles, video (05:03)
• Mary Purugganan, PhD, and Jan Hewitt, PhD. “How to Read a Scientific Article,” Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication, Rice University

And just for fun... Types of Scientific Paper, from XKCD