Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services

INSTRUCTIONS

? Articles must present original research (quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, or
meta-analysis are acceptable). Do not choose articles that argue a position but don’t
present new research. These are important articles but don’t help you build the skills you
will need to successfully complete a dissertation
? When composing your reviews, practice using graduate professional writing. Do not
begin with “This article is about…” and don’t relate your personal stories.
? Current APA format must be used, including:
o A title page,
o A reference page, and
o Writing in third-person. Avoid “I” statements or personal stories. The reader
knows something is your opinion because you are the one writing it. You don’t
need to statements like “I think that …”, or “I believe …”
? Critiques must be 2–5 pages in length, not including the title page or reference page.
The following general format should be followed:
? Statement of the problem: What is the issue this research is trying to address? You need
to make a case for why the research is important based upon the background information
provided in the article. For example, when reviewing an article about a new reading
methods instruction you could report poor student reading outcomes.
? Statement of a research question: The research question is almost always found in the
paragraph directly before the methods section. The research question is a clear, one-
sentence explanation of what the researchers wanted to find out in their research. How
will this research expand what we know about SPED?
? Methods: In this section, you need to explain how the researchers conducted their study
to answer the research question. Who participated in the study? What did they do? How
was the data collected?