Critique Article

SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH

• PROBLEM STATEMENT (what is the primary research question):
• HYPOTHESIS (what does the author predict):
• BACKGROUND
  • Do the authors provide a good rationale for the question
  • Do the authors provide adequate support for the study’s utility
• MEASUREMENT OF VARIABLES
  • Dependent variable:
  • Independent variable(s):
• RESEARCH DESIGN:
  • SAMPLING (random assignment/random selection):
  • INSTRUMENTATION (how do they measure; is it operationally defined):
  • DATA COLLECTION/ETHICS:
  • DATA ANALYSIS (statistical validity):
• Authors’ CONCLUSIONS (do the authors’ conclusions coincide with the results, Construct Validity?):

CRITIQUE

• Possible Threats to Internal Validity
  • History, Maturation, Instrumentation, Testing or Practice Effect, Statistical regression (regression toward the mean), Selection, Mortality, Sequencing, Participant Effects, or Experimenter Effects
• Possible Threats to External Validity
  • Unique program features, experimental arrangements, other threats

CONCLUSIONS:

• Does the article make sense?
• Is the article useful?
• Do you have confidence in the findings? Why or why not?
• What might you change if you were to redo this study?
• What significance do you see from this study for society in general?
• What significance do you see from this study for public administrators?