How To Write A Psychology Critique Paper

Here's How:

1. Read the introduction section of the article. Is the hypothesis clearly stated? Is necessary background information and previous research described in the introduction? In addition to answering these basic questions, you should take note of information provided in the introduction and any questions that you may have.
2. Read the methods section of the article. Is the study procedure clearly outlined? Can you determine which variables the researchers are measuring? Remember to jot down questions and thoughts that come to mind as you are reading. Once you have finished reading the paper, you can then refer back to your initial questions and see which once remain unanswered.
3. Read the results section of the article. Are all tables and graphs clearly labeled? Do researchers provide enough statistical information? Did the researchers collect all of the data needed to measure the variables in question? Again, make note of any questions you have or any information that does not seem to make sense. You can refer back to these questions later as you are writing your final critique.
4. Read the discussion section of the article. How do the researchers interpret the results of the study? Did the results support their hypothesis? Do the conclusions drawn by the researchers seem reasonable? The discussion section offers students a good opportunity to take a position. If you agree with the researchers conclusions, explain why. If you feel that the researchers are incorrect or off-base, point out problems with the conclusions and suggest alternative explanations. Another alternative is to point out questions that the researchers failed to answer in the discussion section.
5. Once you have read the article thoroughly, prepare an outline of your thoughts on the article. Use the following guide to help structure your critique paper:
6. Introduction - Begin your paper by describing the journal article and authors you are critiquing. Provide the main hypothesis or thesis of the paper and explain why you think the information is relevant.
7. Thesis Statement - The final part of your introduction should include your thesis statement. Your thesis statement is the main idea of your critique. Your thesis should briefly sum up the main points of your critique.
8. Article Summary - Provide a brief summary of the article, outlining the main points, results and discussion. Be careful not to get too bogged down by your summary. Remember, this section of your paper should highlight the main points of the article you are critiquing. Don't feel obligated to summarize each little detail of the main paper. Focus instead on giving the reader an overall idea of the content of the article.
9. Your Analysis - In this section, you should provide your critique of the article. Describe any problems you had with the authors premise, methods, or conclusions. Your critique might focus on problems with the authors argument, presentation or on information, and alternatives that have been overlooked. Organize your paper carefully and be careful not to jump around from one argument to the next. Argue one point at a time. Doing this will ensure that your paper flow's well and is easy to read.
10. Conclusion - Your critique paper should end with an overview of the articles argument, your conclusions and your reactions.

Tips:

1. As you are editing your paper, utilize a style guide published by the American Psychological Association, such as the Concise Rules Of APA Style or the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
2. Reading scientific articles can be difficult. Learn more about how to read (and understand) psychology journal articles.
3. Take a rough draft of your paper to your school's writing lab for additional assistance.

What You Need

• The article you plan to critique
• A copy of the APA publication manual
• Plenty of time to read, take notes, and compose your critique