One of the goals for an undergraduate Communication Research Methods class is that students be able to read quantitative communication research from scholarly journals, identify the variables being studied, and understand the methodology employed. This sounds simple enough, but most students come into the class having never even seen a scholarly journal, much less having read and understood one of the articles. In class, they seem to understand the concepts like independent and dependent variables, but when they start reading journal articles filled with academic voice and methodological jargon, many students become intimidated, confused, or both. This article aims to help students learn to identify dependent and independent research variables. A list of references and suggested readings is included.