UMMARY OF THE RESEARCH
- PROBLEM STATEMENT (what is the primary research question):
- HYPOTHESIS (what does the author predict):
- BACKGROUND
- Do the authors provide a good rationale for the question
- Do the authors provide adequate support for the study’s utility
- MEASUREMENT OF VARIABLES
- Dependent variable:
- Independent variable(s):
- RESEARCH DESIGN:
- SAMPLING (random assignment/random selection):
- INSTRUMENTATION (how do they measure; is it operationally defined):
- DATA COLLECTION/ETHICS:
- DATA ANALYSIS (statistical validity):
- Authors’ CONCLUSIONS (do the authors’ conclusions coincide with the results, Construct Validity?):
CRITIQUE
- Possible Threats to Internal Validity
- History, Maturation, Instrumentation, Testing or Practice Effect, Statistical regression (regression toward the mean), Selection, Mortality, Sequencing, Participant Effects, or Experimenter Effects
- Possible Threats to External Validity
- Unique program features, experimental arrangements, other threats
CONCLUSIONS:
- Does the article make sense?
- Is the article useful?
- Do you have confidence in the findings? Why or why not?
- What might you change if you were to redo this study?
- What significance do you see from this study for society in general?
- What significance do you see from this study for public administrators?
