Journal reviews

• Experimental vs. Nonexperimental:

  • Experimental research involves cause-and-effect relationships, active independent variables (IVs), and controls for extraneous variables
  • Nonexperimental research includes causal-comparative, descriptive, correlational, and historical studies
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative:

  • Quantitative research deals with numerical, measurable data, traditional or positivist approaches, rational hypotheses, and large samples
  • Qualitative research focuses on non-numerical data, typically in anthropological and sociological research, with in-depth descriptions and interpretive approaches
• Research Questions:

  • Characteristics of a good research question include feasibility, subject availability, resource management, data availability, interest, novelty, ethical considerations, social or scientific value, relevance, advancement of knowledge, influence on practice, impact on policy, and guidance for future research
• Reviewing a Journal Article:

  • Anatomy of a scientific article includes abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, and conclusion
  • Six key questions to ask during article review: the research question, purpose, methods validity, bias assessment, results interpretation, and implications for practice
• Anatomy of a Scientific Article:

  • Abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusion
• Always Ask Six Things:

  1. What is the Question?

  2. Why was the question asked?

  3. What did they do? (Methods)

  4. What was the answer? (Results)

  5. What did they say about the answer? (Conclusion)

  6. What do I do with this information?
• A Dozen Questions to Consider as you Read the Article:

  1. Who is the audience?

  2. What is the purpose of the article?

  3. What research questions or hypotheses are being addressed?

  4. Is there a literature review?

  5. What conclusions does the author draw?

  6. What evidence was collected?

  7. Are the experimental methods described adequately?

  8. Are the study design and methods appropriate?

  9. Have the procedures been presented in enough detail?

  10. Are there important assumptions underlying the article?

  11. Are the charts, tables, and figures clear?

  12. Does the research make an original contribution?