ARTICLE CRITIQUE INSTRUCTIONS
Choosing an Article:
For this assignment, you will choose a research article relevant to an area related to child development and write a paper analyzing the article. The article you choose must be original research, meaning it must have:
• An abstract
• An introduction (with review of pertinent literature)
• A methods section
• A results section
• A discussion section
After selecting an article, you must critically read the entire article (possibly more than once). In this context, “critical” does not mean to criticize in a negative manner; instead, it means to evaluate or judge the ideas, information, and opinions of a text based on academic standards. Attempt to understand the topic you choose in relation to the theories, approaches, and frameworks established in this course, which may require you to read other related texts.

Writing a Critique:
The body of your paper (3–4 pages) must contain a critical summary and a personal reflection. In the critical summary, you must include the purpose of the study, the study’s hypothesis, the type of research performed, a description of the participants, an explanation of how the research was performed, and the results of the research. As you write your critique, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the article’s content and structure. Remember, analysis requires you to separate the content and concepts of a text into the main components, and then examine how these components interrelate, connect, and influence each other. For the critique component, you may change your writing style to first-person voice. Find and cite 3 additional outside sources to support your evaluation of the article.
In your personal reflection, address the following questions: Is the article beneficial to the discipline? Would you recommend it to others? Did the authors achieve their purpose? Was it well written and understandable (structure)? Additionally, your paper must have a title page (1 page) and a reference page (1 page) that cites the article you critiqued in addition to the 3 other sources. All sections of this paper must adhere to proper and current APA format.
Technical writing tips:
• Keep direct quotations to a minimum (this keeps the format simple and forces you to think and analyze).
• Use formal language—no contractions or informal terms (“a lot,” “thing,” “hyper,” etc.).
• Use past tense to describe all research findings—the events have already happened.
• Match verbs with nouns and pronouns.
• Edit carefully for punctuation and grammatical constructions. You must be articulate in order to be influential and persuasive.
The Grading Rubric for this assignment provides the specific requirements and expectations for the assignment. Review it before submitting your paper.