1 Psyc 2301 Journal Article Critique Common Assignment Instructions

Objective: Write a 3-4 page college-level paper in APA format, in which you analyze one
scientific, peer-reviewed article in the discipline of psychology and discuss how the
results of the study may benefit the surrounding community and/or society as a whole.
CRITERIA FOR JOURNAL ARTICLE CRITIQUE
TOPIC
Article topics must be selected from topics within the discipline of
psychology.
Anything from Chapters 1-17
Article Title: _____________________________________________________
SOURCE
The journal article
must be current (no earlier than January, 2010)
must come from professional, scientific journals.
must be a research article (MUST HAVE SECTIONS LABELED METHODS,
RESULTS & DISCUSSION)
Print article
GUIDELINES
Specific guidelines are listed on the next page.
Any further details will be provided by your instructor.
FORMAT
You must use APA format. The format directions can be found on the following web
site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
APA format requirements include a cover page, reference page, in-text citations,
etc. (*you do not need an abstract page for this paper.)
PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. All information must be stated in your own
words.
HOW TO TURN THIS IN & DUE DATE
Each student must turn in their critique and a complete copy of the journal article
to receive credit.
All final critiques will be submitted electronically in Blackboard (Turn It In). More
details will be provided by your instructor.
GRADING
Introduction: 15 points
Main Body: 40 points
Summary/Conclusion: 40 points
APA Style: 5 points
*Students will lose one point for EACH grammar/spelling error.
STRUCTURE OF JOURNAL ARTICLE CRITIQUE
Introduction (15 points) (PURPOSE: to educate the reader on the topic/concept)

o will define topic and other key terms
o will include symptoms, statistics of occurrence and current information in the
field
Main body (40 points) (PURPOSE: to explain the research conducted in the article)
o will state what you found in the journal article
HYPOTHESIS or PURPOSE:
What were the researchers trying to discover (i.e. what was the
hypothesis or purpose)?
o This is usually found at the beginning of the article. Usually
the hypothesis or statement of a problem appears at the end
of the review of the literature, most often in the last or next to
last paragraph. The words that indicate that it is a
hypothesis are, "We will examine. . ." or "Our hypothesis
is . . ." In a statement of a problem, the researcher may say,
"We plan to see if a relationship...," "We proposed to
observe...," or "The problem we proposed to study..." (You
must use your own wordsdo NOT use quotes).
METHODOLOGY:
How was the research conducted (research design or type of study)?

o Is the research descriptive (case study, naturalistic
observation, laboratory observations, surveys, tests),
correlation, experimental, or developmental? For more
information on research methods, refer to chapter 1 of your
text.
When and where the research was conducted?
How long did the study take?
Who were the participants? (number [N], age, sex, criteria to be a
part of study)?
RESULTS/DISCUSSION:
What did the researchers actually find in relation to their

hypothesis/purpose?
o ARTICLE MAY STATE: The researchers found that . . .
What limitations did the researchers reveal?
Summary/conclusion (40 points) (PURPOSE: to show critical thinking in regards to
the research)
o How does the information in the article integrate with information from class
discussion, the text, and/or other information in the discipline?
TIP: It is a good idea to use the subject index in your text to look up the
topic in your text.
o What is your opinion of the research findings?
EXAMPLE: was this research well done or not and why?
o Why is this topic/research important? (relevance/benefits to community and/or

society)
EXAMPLE: A conclusion to a study that suggests a new therapy/treatment
for children with ADHD might help the child struggling to perform
successfully in school, which then improves her confidence, her
relationship with her parents, siblings, and classmates. Write about the
implications of this new treatment.
o In what ways does this topic relate to your own personal experience and how is
your experience in agreement or disagreement with the outcome of this study?
o How has your opinion of this topic changed since your review of the study?

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Objective: Write a 3-4 page college-level paper in APA format, in which you analyze one

STRUCTURE OF JOURNAL ARTICLE CRITIQUE

Introduction (15 points) (PURPOSE: to educate the reader on the topic/concept)

How was the research conducted (research design or type of study)?

What did the researchers actually find in relation to their

o Why is this topic/research important? (relevance/benefits to community and/or

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