What is the importance of this study and how does it apply to the general population? 

Your Article Critique paper should include the following sections and address the following questions as they relate to your chosen popular media/news article and the corresponding peer-reviewed scholarly article:

Format: Double-spaced, 12 point font.

Background information   

Include basic information about the topic. For example, if your article describes a study about tuberculosis, you should include a description of the disease, a description of the bacterial organism that causes the disease, and the organisms’ characteristics. This is to help your readers understand the topics you will be discussing in the paper. Does the article mention previous research that is relevant to this research study? If so, you can briefly describe that in this section as well.

 Description of the Scientific Research Study that includes the following:

  • The goal of the study
  • The hypothesis of the study. This may not be formally stated in the article, but you should be able to provide a hypothesis based on the goals of the study.
  • Summary of the experiment(s) conducted, including supportive detail like sample size, length of experiments, dosages, etc. This should be thorough so that the reader knows exactly what was done without having to read either article.
  • A summary of the results of the study
  • Conclusions
  • Future experiments planned (if mentioned)

Critique of the Article that includes a discussion of the following:

  • Do the experiment(s) have proper control group(s)? What are the control group(s)?
  • Are there factors that may impact the results that are not controlled or accounted for?
  • Comment on the sample size. For example, it is large enough, and are the test subjects relevant? etc.
  • Comment on the presence or absence of potential bias? Explain your decision. Consider funding sources and researcher’s background or connections.
  • Are the conclusions supported by the experimental evidence?

 

Real-World Application 

  • What is the importance of this study and how does it apply to the general population?
  • Include your own thoughts and opinions on the topic of the chosen article and relate it to your everyday life and/or to work you have completed in class. Be sure to make your contributions clear, such as “I believe …, I think …, etc.”

References 

  • Include references to the chosen article and at least two (2) additional reputable secondary/supportive sources (three total minimum, it is okay to have additional secondary references as needed).
    • The secondary/supportive references for the AC paper are designed to support the topic you are covering (your critique of the article). You should use these to help with fact-based info needed for background information on the organism, disease process, disease stats, descriptions of experiments, etc. These should NOT be additional studies that you plan to critique as well. The only study that you should critique is the one in the article you picked for your topic.
    • The supportive refs are designed to provide fact-based info that would need to be researched and cited in your final paper. For example, if your paper was on Ebola, you would use supportive references to help with the background section where you cover the disease specifics, information on the virus, viral type, disease stats, global disease spread, etc.
  • References and in-text citations should be in APA format.