A review of two research articles

Assignment #2

A review of two research articles

Assignment Description

In a paper of approximately 750 words, you will be required to write a review of two primary research peer reviewed articles of two separate studies (one quantitative and one qualitative). The area of research should relate to an educational context/topic of your developing professional interest.

This is an open book assignment which means that you may use all course-related materials, the two articles, and an outline during your writing time. The goal of your review is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the research; , the quality of the ideas and its potential impact on your own understanding of educational practices.

In this review you will include:

a general introduction;

a summary and analysis of article one;

a summary and analysis of article two;

a comparative review and conclusion of the two articles.

More specific guidelines are included in the attached template. Your essay will need APA style citations for the two supporting quotes that you use from each of the articles. Please submit your completed work via our Course Spaces site by the end of class today (or by exam booklet, attached word file through email if agreed upon earlier).

Value: 25%

Template:

Review of two research articles

General Introduction:

· Introduce your educational topic of interest and why it is important to you.

· List both articles including title, author, date of publication and research method (qualitative or quantitative or mixed methods)

Article One

Summary:

· State the article’s title and authorship (may be more than one person…)

· Summarize the article including:

· Research question or focus, methodology, funding body, population, and timeline (when was study conducted and how long did it take?), key finding(s), conclusion and impact of study

Analysis:

· Is the information in the article fact or opinion? (Facts can be verified, while opinions arise from interpretations of facts.) Does the information seem well-researched or is it unsupported?

· What are the author’s central arguments or conclusions? Are they clearly stated? Are they supported by evidence and analysis?

· Is the article lacking information or argumentation that you expected to find?

· Is the article organized logically and easy to follow?

· Does the writer’s style suit the intended audience? Is the style stilted or unnecessarily complicated?

· Is the author’s language objective or charged with emotion and bias?

· If illustrations or charts are used, are they effective in presenting information?

Article Two

Summary:

· State the article’s title and authorship (may be more than one person…)

· Summarize the article including:750

· Research question or focus, methodology, funding body, population, and timeline (when was study conducted and how long did it take?), key finding(s), conclusion and impact of study

Analysis:

· Is the information in the article fact or opinion? (Facts can be verified, while opinions arise from interpretations of facts.) Does the information seem well-researched or is it unsupported?

· What are the author’s central arguments or conclusions? Are they clearly stated? Are they supported by evidence and analysis?

· Is the article lacking information or argumentation that you expected to find?

· Is the article organized logically and easy to follow?

· Does the writer’s style suit the intended audience? Is the style stilted or unnecessarily complicated?

· Is the author’s language objective or charged with emotion and bias?

· If illustrations or charts are used, are they effective in presenting information?

Review and Conclusion

“I found the ______ article most helpful in my understanding of ____________ for the following three reasons:

“In conclusion, I have found these readings to be helpful to me because…”.

References (use APA style)

Assignment #2 Marking Criteria

The holistic criterion adapted from the ‘Six traits of writing’ (Spandel, 2005), will be used to evaluate how your work addresses each particular assignment’s stated learning goal(s) and objective(s) in relation to your demonstrated:

1. Ideas: do your ideas clearly address the stated topic/goal of the assignment; are they coherent and sound in relation to our course concepts and knowledge; do they show growth in understanding, self-awareness, and critical thinking? 25%

2. Content: do your references draw directly from course readings, discussion, activities and relevant academic journal articles; does your content effectively illustrate and support your main thoughts and ideas; does your chosen content support and enhance the reader’s understanding of the concepts/knowledge that you are presenting? 25%

3. Structure: does your work make sense in that it presents your ideas and content in a logical and coherent manner; is your work’s writing (presentation) structure – from sentences, to paragraphs to body – clearly and logically organized; does your work’s structure effectively support your purpose? 25%

4. Style: does your writing/presentation meet the stylistic standards expected for its intended purpose and audience; is the tone and word choice within your work (professional, academic, creative, rhetorical …) appropriate to the purpose of your assignment? 25%

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