Your summary & critique should be typed (in APA format). The advantage of typing out critiques, lies in data storage (won’t get lost, if you keep your data backed up) and also, you can cut and paste from your critique to include in your paper.
A note of Caution: Be very careful about using quotes in your summary and critique. Clearly label any quotes you use (including the page number). Otherwise, when you are writing up your literature review you may inadvertently include a quote without citing it (unintentional plagiarism is still plagiarism).
When answering the questions below, yes and no answers will not help you latter. Write in complete sentences and use APA format (this will help later). It may take 2-3 + sentences to answer a question. You should try to write the answers to the questions after reading the relevant part of the article, but before you read the next part (e.g., answer the questions about the introduction before you read the methods section of the paper).
For this assignment, each Summary & Critique needs to be a minimum of 2 pages each.
Title
1. Give the full reference for the article (see # 37 of APA Style Guide).
Introduction
2. What is the goal of the study?
3. What are the Independent and Dependent Variables?
4. What theory/theoretical construct/intervening variable is proposed as the link between the variables of
interest? That is, why are they expected to be related?
5. How are the Independent and Dependent Variables being Operationalized? Are there other ways of
operationalizing the variables?
6. What Hypotheses are being tested? Are the hypotheses logically related to the theory/intervening
variable(s).
7. What is the design of the study (e.g., experiment, correlation/quasi-experiment, descriptive study,
Longitudinal, Cross-Sectional, etc.).
Methods
8. Are there any special characteristics of the sample (convenience sample, random sample, or clinical
sample; is adequate demographic info provided: age, sex, ethnicity, SES, etc)
9. How are the variables of interest measured? (If it was an experiment, how was the IV manipulated)
10. Does the method actually test the hypothesis?
11. If the study involves an experimental manipulation, is there a manipulation check
Results
12. What were the results? Do the results support the hypotheses? (if multiple hypotheses, which results
were and were not supported)
13. Were there any unexpected results?
Discussion
14. What was the author’s Interpretation of the Results? Does the author’s interpretation of the results fit
with your interpretation?
15. Was there anything left out of the discussion that you expected to see?
16. What applications and implications of the results does the author offer? Do you agree or disagree? Do
you see any other applications or implications the author could have noted?
17. What are the strengths and limitations of the present study?
Article Summary Critique Guide Reading articles should not be a passive process.. You should try to write the answers to the questions after reading the relevant part of the article, but before you read the next part (e.g., answer the questions about the introduction before you read the methods section of the paper)..
Feel free to download this intuitive template that is available in several kinds of formats, or try any other of our basic or advanced templates, forms or documents.