A research article is written to give some new conceptual ideas or refine the existing ones with the new evidence. To know how to write a critique of an article one has to read the research article several times and do the critical examination for a proper review. Honestly, you can also buy article critique online, but you still, need to understand the stages of writing this type of assignment. Generally, it is easier to specify the quality of the article via a comparison between several articles. Besides, it is recommendable to consider the research ideas of the article in terms of the studied frameworks and concepts. Do the article ideas correspond to certain study models, concepts, and frameworks? The answer to this question often helps in the identification of the missed aspects and inconsistencies of the article content.
How do you critique an article when you get such a task? It can be a challenge if you do not know how to start effectively, so have a look at the hints below and consider the following.
– Title of the Study
Even before reading the article, you can predict its content with the help of the title which is supposed to attract the readers’ attention and reflect the main ideas.
– Keywords
The article always has from three to six keywords which cover the most essential research topics.
– Introduction
- Concise literature review with the analysis of the relevant works, different from mere description
- Background study information
- Aims and hypothesis of the study
- Study rationale for the justification of the main demands.
– Methods and Materials
This description enables the readers to do the study replication, when needed. Paper critiques should deal with the specification of the sample size, criteria of selection, used statistics, and response rate. Thus, it will be clear whether the study can achieve the set aims. The aspects to be taken into consideration include:
- sampling size and technique
- proportion in the participation of the eligible sample (e.g. “700 medical technologists received the survey, and 560 responded”)
- sampling of the eligible groups (e.g. was English the only language of the survey?)
- study strengths and weaknesses
- potential threats to the study validity and reliability
- obvious biases
- in case of a trial, was it double-blinded, blinded, case controlled, or randomized.
It happens that it is challenging to cross the barrier, and communication issues are serious even with a translator. Some non-verbal messages can be omitted by health care professionals and patients.
– Results
The article critique format requires statistical analysis of the results presented in the understandable format for the readers. The text should be clear, with the included tables and graphs.
Besides, it is important to double check whether:
- there are serious inconsistencies and omissions in the results, indicating bias
- percentages disguise insufficient size of samples
- generated data demonstrate consistency with the collected data
The research can demonstrate either negative or positive results, which are both relevant.
– Discussion
Leaning how to write a critique of an article, it is important to take into account the efficiency of the discussion section. It is supposed to demonstrate the insight into the significance of the findings without introduction of new material. It should show if the study aims are met and apply the theoretical concepts and results of previous research works for the interpretation of a new research. A critique paper outline should always present the study limitations and biases with the evaluation of how effectively the author interprets the study results.
– Conclusion
A good article summary example always shows how effectively the conclusions are presented. It also shows the validity and reliability of the study with a representative size of samples. This section also includes recommendations.
– References
All references should be up-to-date and relevant. Besides, the text should include corresponding citations.
– Final Thoughts
Working on the critique of scholarly reviewed articles is a challenge, but it can be done properly with sufficient knowledge and skills. It enables you to evaluate the relevance of a certain article to your workplace and practice. Reading articles ensures that your nursing practice is up-to-date and supported with the latest research.
General Critique
You already know the answer to the question, “what is a critique?” So, it is time to state your personal opinion regarding the efficiency of the research and results presentation. Note that each critique should be composed of both negative and positive comments. Your task is to provide explanations and justifications of each of the critique points with four-five sentences.
Have a look at the following suggestions regarding the literature review article:
- Does the article have a proper foundation and prior research?
- Is the approach of the author correct?
- Is it executed properly?
- Do the results look convincing?
- Does the author use new ideas?
- Are the goals presented in the outline and introduction achieved?
- What are the limitations and shortcomings of the article?
- What is the contribution of the article?
- Are there any impressive comparisons to other cases, events, or occurrences?
- Is the job of the author complete?
- Is the peer reviewed articles search done adequately?
- Are the discussion and analysis adequate?
- Do the conclusions justify the other parts?
- Is the background information sufficient?
- Is the article easy to understand?
- Are the illustrations and examples adequate?
– Annotated Bibliography
Learning how to write a critique of an article, you should know that the cited items should be accompanies with full reference and an explanatory annotation.
- List all cited bibliographic references with the name of the author, title of the article, name of the journal, its volume, issue, year of publication, and page number.
- Mind the difference with the bibliography. You have to include bibliographic references for those readings that you used in your review.
- Each article should have two-four sentences of description.
- Each article should have two-three sentences of explanation why it has been chosen.
Your review should also include a bibliographic marker to every article, for example (Brown & Smith, 2009).