Data availability or access statements are included to indicate where the reader can access the research data and under which circumstances. It may include a link to the data. These are particularly relevant when using data that was not gathered by the researchers writing the paper, like, for example, data available through an open source repository.
Often, authors will include their ethics statement at the end of the article (although sometimes these may appear at the beginning). These are most commonly included where studies include live subjects, whether they are human or animal. Different journals have different publication requirements when it comes to ethics statements.
Again, different journals have different requirements regarding funding statements, but these will generally appear under a clear heading at the end of the article. The purpose of this is so that readers can determine if the authors may have been influenced to gather or interpret data in a specific way based on the source of their funding.
Please note that there will be deviation from this "article scaffolding" - this is a list meant to support students in understanding the most common elements of academic articles in the social sciences. These components may also appear under different headings.
Title: The title of the article is a brief description of the contents of the article. Often it will include information on the demographics of the study as well as the methods used to gather data.
Authors: The authors of the article will generally appear directly beneath the title, and will include all of the scholars involved in the operation of the study and the writing of the article.
Abstract: An abstract is, essentially, a synopsis of the article. It is generally no longer than about 250 words, and will describe the demographics of the study, the methods used to gather data, and generally a brief overview of the results or findings. It may also include information on further research needed.
Introduction: The introduction of an article will usually include the problem or topic the authors are engaging with, as well as their thesis statement in terms of how their research will address this problem or topic. Often, the introduction will include a literature review, which will provide the reader with an overview of the state of the field in relation to this problem or topic. The literature review may appear in its own section, especially if it is particularly lengthy.
Methodology/Methods: The methodology or methods section will explain to the reader how the authors constructed their study and gathered their data. Sometimes the information is presented in one undivided section; other times, the authors will break this section down in sub-sections similar to those listed below.
Results: The results section of a scholarly article is usually where you will find charts, tables, and graphs that show the data gathered by the study. There is generally speaking very little interpretation of the data in this section.
Discussion: The discussion is often one of the most useful parts to the reader, as it is here that the authors will discuss what the data gathered means in relation to their thesis and how it may be applied to solve the problem. This section will also review for the reader any problems encountered during the study or reveal elements that surprised the researchers.
Conclusion: The conclusion of a scholarly article is often very brief. It will provide an overview of the results, generally, and may discuss how this study relates to other scholarship in the field. This is often where the researchers will discuss how this research may be expanded on or followed up on by themselves or others.
References: The references will list all of the other scholarship used by the researchers to support their study and their understanding of its location within that field of research.
There are a number of ways to read an academic or scholarly article, but the most common way is to use a "Sandwich" method.
Unlike how you may have learned to read in other settings, academic articles are best read in a non-linear method if you're assessing whether or not they may be useful to you for an assignment!
If after reading the abstract you're still interested in the article, you would then read the introduction and conclusion. This is where you will receive more context on the research problem and study design, without receiving in-depth methodology or results.
In a few cases, you may want to read the methodology earlier if you are looking for an article that adheres to a specific research design. Otherwise, reading the methodology and results last gives you the granular details on how the study was conducted and the resulting data.
This is a reference list citation example for a journal article written by multiple authors, showing each element of the citation. For more examples of article citations, you can review our APA Support Centre's entry on journal articles, here.
For more information on how to cite journal articles, please consult the APA Support Centre, or the APA Style Blog, here.