What is the article about?
Look at the first couple of paragraphs. If the paper has been well crafted, they will establish what the paper is about. The title of the article should also suggest the main point of concern of the article, the direction of the interpretation, and sometimes the time frame or period of concern. In some disciplines, an abstract will precede the text of the paper. This will(if it's been properly written) give an uncritical summary of the paper's contents. Another good place to look for a quick summary of the article or chapter is the .