homework

Critical Review Assignment

Read through this outline carefully. When your instructor grades your submission, they will be looking to see if you followed the provided format: you can lose points if you do not Mastery of statistics involves not only the ability to generate sound statistical data, but also the ability to critically evaluate the statistical analysis of others. The latter is the focus of the Critical Review assignment in this course. A review, or critique, is not a summary or a simple retelling of the major findings in a research article. It is much more. It assesses how well the researcher carries out the required steps in the research process. Elements of the critique:

Summary of the article (Discuss what the article is about) This part SHOULD NOT include any of your personal input but rather just summarize what the author did in his/her research. Research Topic oWhat question is the researcher trying to answer? Research Methodology oHow did the researcher study the topic? Survey? Experiment? Statistical Analysis? oBriefly answer who, what, where, and when, and how. Major Conclusions oWhat does the author conclude? oWhat recommendations does he make? This section should be about 1.5 pages in general.

The next part is the key of the critique. This next sections of your paper gives an assessment of how well the research was conducted based on what you learned. Remember you can use your own personal experience and outside articles to help you support your point of view in this section of the assignment. In-depth critique of the article (Discuss how well the research is conducted in your own words) Write a brief paragraph for each of the following listed elements in your own words: Purpose oIs the research problem clearly stated? Is it easy to determine what the researcher intends to research? Literature Review oIs the review logically organized? oDoes it offer a balanced critical analysis of the literature? oIs the majority of the literature of recent origin? oIs it empirical in nature?

Objectives/hypotheses oHas a research question or hypothesis been identified? oIs it clearly stated? oIs it consistent with discussion in the literature review? Ethical Standards Applied oWere the participants fully informed about the nature of the research? oWas confidentiality guaranteed? oWere participants protected from harm? Operational Definitions oAre all terms, theories, and concepts used in the study clearly defined? Methodology oIs the research design clearly identified? oHas the data gathering instrument been described? oIs the instrument appropriate? How was it developed? oWere reliability and validity testing undertaken and the results discussed? oWas a pilot study undertaken? Data Analysis/Results oWhat type of data and statistical analysis was undertaken? Was it appropriate? oHow many of the sample participated? Significance of the findings? Discussion oAre the findings linked back to the literature review? oIf a hypothesis was identified was it supported? oWere the strengths and limitations of the study including generalizability discussed? oWas a recommendation for further research made? References oWere all the books, journals and other media alluded to in the study accurately referenced? Conclusion oConsidering all of the evaluation categories, is the article well or poorly researched? The following online article may be helpful to you. Step-by-step guide to critiquing research. Part 1: Quantitative research https://www.unm.edu/~unmvclib/cascade/handouts/critiquingresearchpart1.pdf Layout of your paper and other writing requirements Your final report should be organized in the following format: Title page oInclude name and author of article you critique Brief summary of article In-depth critique of article Bibliography Additional writing requirements: Submit your paper as a Word document. No PDF files. Double-space Use 12 point Times New Roman font and 1 inch margins Use section headings to identify the different components of your discussion Number all pages after the title page Use APA format for citations and bibliography Do not use quotes from the article, paraphrase Keep the tone formal. Write like a researcher. Avoid the use of first person pronouns such as I, we, me, us, etc. Check for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors Keep your paper to 5pages, not including the title page