Students in degree programmes are required to read primary research literature and analyse information provided in those articles. However, reading a scientific paper can be a challenging task associated with difficulties which affect students’ ability to read academic articles effectively and decrease their motivation. Consequently, students find it difficult to make sense of scientific literature and experience frustration when reading research articles. This article proposes a typology of difficulties associated with reading academic articles based on the analysis of previous research studies in the field. It describes a training workshop designed for second-year undergraduate students in a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management. The workshop is aimed at teaching students to use a number of strategies for increasing reading speed, learning to navigate the text and improving reading comprehension. The workshop outcomes suggest that the students have acquired new reading techniques, developed a deeper approach to reading, learned to search for specific information and become more confident readers.