How well does the objective of the experiment or of the observation fill a need for the field?.How well does the abstract represent and summarize the article’s major points and argument?.How well is the purpose made clear in the introduction through background/context and thesis?.With each category, we recommend identifying the strengths and weaknesses in each since that is a critical part of evaluation. They are broken down into different categories, but answering these questions will help you consider what areas to examine.

To evaluate a source, consider some of the following questions. Depending on your writing context, some of these items may not be applicable. As you read, be sure to note important items like the thesis, purpose, research questions, hypotheses, methods, evidence, key findings, major conclusions, tone, and publication information. To do this, we recommend take notes, annotating, and reading the article several times before critiquing. If your assignment is to summarize the article only, please see our literature review handout.īefore getting started on the critique, it is important to review the article thoroughly and critically. Some disciplines, like Criminal Justice, may only want you to summarize the article without including your opinion or evaluation. However, as you engage with the research process, you are becoming immersed in a particular topic, and your insights about the way that topic is presented are valuable and can contribute to the overall conversation surrounding your topic. As a college student, this might sound intimidating. That means you will be expected to go beyond a simple summary of the article and evaluate it on a deeper level. This is an opportunity for you as a scholar to offer your qualified opinion and evaluation of how another scholar has composed their article, argument, and research. For many kinds of assignments, like a literature review, you may be asked to offer a critique or review of a journal article.

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