GE409: Environmental Change in the Pacific

School of Geography, Earth Science and Environment
GE409: Environmental Change in the Pacific
Week 3
CRITICAL REVIEW

• Review process is meant to help you improve your research skills
• You are expect to:
S Read the article carefully
S Analyze it
S Evaluate its quality and originality
S Assess the relevance and presentation
S Assess its strength and weakness
S Give the overall value
Evaluation Checklist
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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Introduction
Methods
Results & Discussion
Overview
Introduction
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• Read the statement at the end of the
introduction. What was the objective of the study?
• Focus on the title. Does it reflect the subject of the paper?
• Read the statement of the purpose in the abstract. Does it agree with the introduction?
• Check the flow of the statements in the introduction to see if they lead to the purpose of the study.
Methods
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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
• Are the methods valid for studying the problem?
• Could the study be duplicated from the methods and information given?
• Check the methods for weakness. Is the sample adequate?
• Check the sequence of statements in the methods.
Results
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• Examine carefully the data as presented in the tables and figures.
• Review the results as presented in the text while referring to the data in the tables and diagrams.
• Check all calculations and presentation of data.
• Does the study reveal what the researcher intended?
Discussion
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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
• Check the interpretation against the results
• Is the interpretation supported by other research cited in the study?
Does the study consider key studies in the
field?
• Are there other research possibilities suggested?
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Overview
• Reread abstract. Is it an accurate summary
• Check the structure of the article.
Give the significance of the work
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• Did the research acknowledge the work by other authors?
• Did the work make a significant contribution to human knowledge ?
• Did the research produce any practical application?
Writing a critique
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• Introduction
• Body (Follow the structure of the journal article. Highlight strengths and weaknesses of each section)
• Conclusion (Sum up the strength and weakness as a whole)
References
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• Kuyper BJ (1991) Bringing up scientists in the art of critiquing research. Bioscience 41: 248-250.
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Q&A