Sociology Peer Reviewed Social Science Journal You are to review a published article from a peer-reviewed social science journal. Also, you must pay specific attention to two components of the study you choose to review: The Methodology and Results! Talk clearly about the methodology in relation to the chapters in your textbook.
The expectation is a 3 – 6-page Article Critique, double-spaced, in 10 or 12 font
You are to review a published article from a peer-reviewed social science journal. This may take time to find the right article. Make sure that the article was published in a reputable professional journal that has a review panel for evaluating content and substance. Make sure that the article you choose was published in the last ten years (2001 – present) and that it has a clear research methodology (either subjective or objective measures). Usually, the best way to tell if the article meets the criteria for having a clear research design is by examining the ‘headings’ of the publication. If it has an Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results, and Implications/Conclusions, then you can be fairly certain that it meets the criteria. Also, a clear research hypothesis is usually present with research questions. If you are uncertain, attach an article to an e-mail and I will review it to see if it meets the criteria as well. The goal of this assignment is for you to gain a better understanding of how research is conducted and published for scholarly review. Make sure that you pay specific attention to the paragraph by paragraph expectation I have outlined in the syllabus. Also, you must pay specific attention to two components of the study you choose to review: The Methodology and Results! Talk clearly about the methodology in relation to the chapters in your textbook. The expectation is a 3 – 6-page Article Critique, double-spaced, in 10 or 12 font. It will be graded on components outlined in the Syllabus as well as clarity of understanding and communicating the processes of the research design and outcomes. Be sure to focus on the methodology and results with a clear understanding of the information as it relates to your textbook.
Peer-Reviewed Article Critiques Expectations of the 2 (two) Article Critiques (3 to 8 pages each is typical):
The articles that you choose must come from a professional peer-reviewed journal, published after 2005, with a clear research methodology. The flow of your critiques should be as follows:
Paragraph 1 should contain the author(s) names, the date, volume, and a number of the publication, the title of the article, and the title of the journal.
Paragraph 2 and/or 3 should be specifically geared to the goal, purpose, or research question(s), hypothesis, null hypothesis, etc., the author(s) intended to examine. These should be clearly stated.
Paragraph 2, 3, or 4 should be a brief historical Review of the Literature. Please highlight the critical junctions in the historical considerations that led to this current research examination.
Paragraph 5, 6 and 7 should deal specifically with the Research Design and the Methodology used to gather this data. Pay specific attention to research techniques, instruments, or methodology expected to accept or reject the research question(s) or null hypothesis. This is probably the most critical paragraphs as it deals specifically with the techniques to gather data.
Paragraph 7, 8 and 9 should focus on the Results of the current study. What statistics were used, what measurement techniques were utilized, and what analysis yielded the current finding.
Paragraph 10 and 11 should examine the author(s) Recommendation, Implications, Summary, and/or Discussion of the research findings.
Paragraph 12 and /or 13 should be your Critical Analysis of the overall body of work. Examine such issues as the research methodology, the statistics used, the research environment, the sample size, the population for the study, the assumptions made by the author(s), the limitations of the study, the potential for further research in this area, the argument for this data to be replicated, any ethical concerns, and the risk associated with this study.
**In this assignment, the focus is on what the social scientist does with the information that they gather. Is it practical or applicable? Does it fall under the conceptual idea of ‘pure’ science or ‘applied’ science? What research methodology was used and could it have been improved on? The best way to find peer-reviewed professional journal articles is to use “Google Scholar” (simply type that into the Google ‘search” space. It will take you to options where you can select “peer-reviewed.” You simply type in your search terms. Many articles are free to view and download. Typically, those ‘free’ links are to the right side as a hyperlink. Simply go through them and find one that meets the criteria. You may also use databases such as “First Search” accessing the “Wilson Select Plus” database, entering in keyword associations in areas that you may be interested in (i.e., domestic violence, elder abuse, demography, psychological profiles, divorce, etc). Be sure to obtain full-text copies that emphasize a clear methodology (a study that includes a sample size and a manipulation of variables). A librarian will best know how to assist you in finding a peer-reviewed professional social science journal.
