This document provides guidance on how to effectively read and understand a scientific paper. It recommends a 4-step process: 1) Skim the entire paper to understand its structure and conclusions. 2) Identify and look up any unfamiliar vocabulary. 3) Read each section in detail, taking notes to comprehend the introduction, methods, results and discussion. 4) Critically reflect on the paper's rationale, experiments, conclusions and implications for future research. Reading strategically and looking up details helps maximize learning and ability to evaluate the paper.