critique 1

ABSTRACT OR SUMMARY

· Is the problem restated?

· Are the number of study participant’s and instruments described?

· Is the study design used described?

· Are the procedures of the study described?

· Are the main results and conclusions restated?

INTRODUCTION

Problem

· Is there a statement of the problem of study?

· Does the problem has a focus of study?

· Is the background information on the problem described?

· Is the educational significance of the problem described?

· Does the problem statement describe the variables of interest and the relationship between those variables?

· Does the qualitative problem statement provide a general indication of the research topic/problem?

· Are variables of study defined?

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

· Is the review comprehensive?

· Are all references cited relevant to the problem under investigation?

· Have the references been analyzed/critiqued, and the results of various studies compared and contrasted?

· Does the study inform the reader about the problem or topic?

· Does the review conclude with a summary and interpretation of the literature and its implications for the problem investigated?

· Do the implications discuss form an empirical or theoretical rationale for the hypotheses (if there are hypotheses)?

HYPOTHESIS

· Are the research question (s) listed and the specific hypotheses to be tested stated?

· Does each hypothesis state an expected relationship or difference?

· If necessary, are variables directly or operationally defined?

METHODS

Participants

· Are the size and major characteristics of the population studied described?

· Are the accessible and target populations described?

· If a sample was selected, is the method of selecting the sample clearly described?

· Does the method of sample selection suggest any limitations or biases in the sample?

· Are the size and major characteristics of the sample described?

· Does the sample size is appropriate for quantitative/qualitative analyses?

Instruments

· Do instruments and their administration meet guidelines for protecting human subjects? (This may not apply in some studies using secondary data)

· Is the rationale given for the selection of the instruments (or measurements) explained?

· Is each instrument described in terms of purpose, content, validity, and reliability?

· Are the instruments appropriate for measuring the research question variables?

· Is evidence presented to indicate that the instruments are appropriate for the intended sample? (E.g. is the reading level of an instrument appropriate for the participants?)

· If an instrument was developed specifically for the study, are the procedures involved in its development and validation described?

Design and Procedures

· Are the design and procedures appropriate for examining the research question or testing the hypotheses of the study?

· Are the procedures described in sufficient detail to permit them to be replicated by another researcher?

· Do procedures logically relate to each other?

· Are instruments and procedures applied correctly?

· If a pilot study was conducted, are its execution and results described as well as its impact on the subsequent study?

· Are control procedures described (if applicable)?

· Did the researcher discuss or account for any potentially confounding variables that he or she was unable to control?

· Is the application of the qualitative method chosen described in detail?

· Is the context of the qualitative study described in detail?

RESULTS

· Are appropriate descriptive statistics presented?

· Was the probability level at which the results of the tests of significance were evaluated specified in advance of the data analysis?

· Was every hypothesis tested and the decision of accepting or rejecting the nule explained?

· Are the tests of significance described given the hypotheses and design of the study?

· Are the results explained according to the data/information from the study and were these clearly explained?

· Are the tables and figures (if any) well organized and easy to understand?

· Are the data in each table and figure described in the text?

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, OR RECOMMENDATIONS

· Is each result discussed in terms of the original hypothesis or topic to which it relates?

· Is each result discussed in terms of its agreement or disagreement with previous results obtained by other researchers in other studies?

· Are generalizations consistent with the results?

· Are the possible effects of uncontrolled variables on the results discussed?

· Are theoretical and practical implications of the findings discussed?

· Are recommendations for future action made?

· Are the suggestions for future action based on practical significance or on statistical significance only; i.e., has the author avoided confusing practical and statistical significance?

2