- Identify and describe the key components of research methodology.
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of hypothesis formulation, data collection, analysis, and interpretation in research articles.
- Recognize potential biases and their impact on research outcomes.
- Analyze how cultural and minority factors influence research design and findings.
- Apply APA guidelines for referencing and formatting in the critique. (APA formatting is a valuable skill. It’s commonly used in psychology, social sciences, education, and other disciplines.)
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397116630950
Background of the Study
- Title and Author(s) of the Article
- Include the Title of the Journal (including the year of publication of the article).
- Do the researcher(s) qualifications/position indicate a degree of knowledge in the field?
- Does the title accurately describe the article?
- Purpose/Research Problem
- What is the topic or research question/hypothesis of this study?
- Is it clearly defined?
- Theoretical framework & type of study
- Identify the primary perspective/theoretical framework of the journal article.
- Is it demographic in its perspective on diversity? Is the perspective ideological? Is the perspective political in nature, or oriented toward social justice? In other words, how, overall, do the authors of the paper define and conceive of the topic of diversity?
- Is it Indigenous, Cross-Cultural validation, or Cross-Cultural comparison?
- Sample of the study and selection procedure
- How were the sample collected?
- Is it of adequate size?
- Ethical Considerations
- Were the participants fully informed about the nature of the research?
- Were the four fundamental moral principles: autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice supported?
- Is there evidence of bias or a conflict of interest?
- Method used in the present study
- Has the data gathering instrument been described? Is it appropriate?
- Were reliability and validity testing undertaken and the results discussed?
- How was the questionnaire distributed, how was the interview conducted, how was the experiment conducted, etc.)?
- Data analysis/Results
- What type of data and statistical analysis was undertaken?
- How many of the sample participated?
Article Critique Summary
- Confidence in Results
- Do you have confidence in the research findings?
- Were there critical flaws in the study’s design? (Discuss Reliability and Validity)
- Important to support your answer with facts from the research study.
- Generalizability
- Does the study generalize to other people that were not the subject of the research? (For example, elementary school study results being generalized to all human population.)
- Were the strengths and limitations of the study including generalizability discussed?
- Implications
- What does the study mean in the big picture and how does it apply to society in “general”? (How does this study and its results impact society in general?)
- Was the significance of the findings discussed?
- Suggested Improvements
- Was a recommendation for future research made?
- How might you redo the study if you were to conduct it?
- Overall Summary-Conclusion Paragraph
Important Tip for Success:
- The Reading & Writing CenterLinks to an external site. is available to support you with reviewing your paper.
Rubric
Research Methods Critique
Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
---|---|---|
1. Title and Author(s) of the Article
Include Title of the Journal (including year of publication of the article).
• Do the researcher(s) qualifications/position indicate a degree of knowledge in the field? • Does the title accurately describe the article? |
3 pts
|
|
Purpose/Research Problem
• What is the topic or research question/hypothesis of this study?
• Is it clearly defined? |
4 pts
|
|
Theoretical framework & type of study
• Identify the primary perspective/theoretical framework of the journal article.
• Is it demographic in its perspective on diversity? Is the perspective ideological? Is the perspective political in nature, or oriented toward social justice? In other words, how, overall, do the authors of the paper define and conceive of the topic of diversity? • Is it Indigenous, Cross-Cultural validation, or Cross-Cultural comparison? |
9 pts
|
|
Sample of the study and selection procedure
• How were the sample collected?
• Is it of adequate size? |
4 pts
|
|
Ethical Considerations
• Were the participants fully informed about the nature of the research?
• Were the four fundamental moral principles: autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice supported? • Is there evidence of bias or a conflict of interest? |
9 pts
|
|
Method used in the present study
• Has the data gathering instrument been described? Is it appropriate?
• Were reliability and validity testing undertaken and the results discussed? • How was the questionnaire distributed, how was the interview conducted, how was the experiment conducted, etc.)? |
6 pts
|
|
Data analysis/Results
• What type of data and statistical analysis was undertaken?
• How many of the sample participated? |
4 pts
|
|
Confidence in Results
• Do you have confidence in the research findings?
Were there critical flaws in the study’s design? (Discuss reliability & validity) Support your answer with facts from the study |
5 pts
|
|
Generalization
• Does the study generalize to other people that were not the subject of the research? (For example, elementary school study results being generalized to all human population.)
• Were the strengths and limitations of the study including generalizability discussed? |
6 pts
|
|
Implications
• What does the study mean in the big picture and how does it apply to society in “general”? (How does this study and its results impact society in general?)
• Was the significance of the findings discussed? |
3 pts
|
|
Suggested Improvements
• Was a recommendation for future research made?
• How might you redo the study if you were to conduct it? |
5 pts
|
|
Overall Summary
|
2 pts
|
|
APA & Reference Sheet
Double spaced with 1” margins
12 points Font, New Times Roman Running Head and Page numbers Title Page to include: Title, Name, School Name, Course # & Title, Date (All Double Spaced) Length is Sufficient (Minimum 6 pages) Reference Citation is Centered on separate page and cited correctly |
10 pts
|
|
Total Points: 70
|