Sample 1

Source

Jackson, FM 2002, ‘Considerations for community-based research with African American women’, American Journal of
Public Health, April, vol. 92, no. 4, pp.561-5, viewed 12 February
2007, http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/92/4/561

Introduction

This review critically reviews the article ‘Considerations for community-based research with African American women’ in
the journal American Journal of Public Health.The review will first summarise the article. Secondly, it will briefly analyse
the effectiveness of the article’s structure, investigating how the information is set out and whether the reader can
access it efficiently. Thirdly, the review will critique the article, evaluating its authority, currency, accuracy, objectivity
and coverage. The review will also analyse the graph before finally judging the article’s accessibility and credibility.
Overall the article was well written, clear and relevant.

Article summary

The purpose of the article is to explore the need and advantages of conducting community based research with women
of colour in the United States. The authoritative knowledge that these women can provide about their lives and their
health could form the basis of collaboration between researchers and participants and lead to successful strategies to
improve the health of African American women. The article provides the goals for improving African American women’s
health before investigating the issues related to cultural sensitivity, reciprocity, accountability and authoritative voices in
order to argue that the research on these women and their health must be attuned to the multiple identities the women
possess that are associated with race, gender and class.

Article structure

The article was introduced with an abstract, which provided the stance or thesis developed by the article as well as a
brief overview of main points. The rationales for the article and for the research it describes were also included. The
paragraphs in the body were short and therefore the information in each paragraph was easy to access, however there
were only 3 body headings, which meant that there was a lot of quite detailed information contained under each
heading. As the article described a research study that was conducted by the author, the article contained the
conventional information normally provided in such a study. For example there are sections related to the background
and significance of the research, a review of the literature and the methodology as well as the data collection and
analysis techniques used. The findings and conclusions were developed towards the end of the article however the
conclusion was very short, lacking a comprehensive summary of the main points covered by the article. However the
short conclusion did develop future policy and research directions. References were cited in-text and set out clearly in
the literature cited section. The article’s structure was logically developed overall, with the use of short paragraphs
helping the reader access the main points more easily. The article was HMLT rather than a scanned PDF document and
included many links, which helped to make the information accessible. There were links to author, journal, subjects,
citations and references which allow the reader to evaluate the article’s worth more effectively, however linked
headings and subheadings may have allowed the reader to move through the paper more quickly.

Article critique

Authority:
The journal, the American Journal of Public Health, is a publication of the American Public Health Association, which is an
objective unbiased public organisation. It was found on the scholarly Academic Search Premier through EBSCOhost,
which is a highly credible research database.

The author’s credibility was established in a number of ways. These included her PhD; the fact that the article was a peer
reviewed article; the fact that the author is an academic working at the School of Public Health, Emory University in
Atlanta; the fact that the research described in the article was supported by an ASPH/CDC/ATSDR Cooperative
agreement and a grant from the Ford Foundation; and the links to the author’s other articles in the Reference section.

Accuracy:

The source of the information in the article was a current research project. It was also backed up and supported by a
comprehensive, recent reference list with these sources cited in-text to support both the literature review and the
research itself. The strict editorial and refereeing processes also contributed to the article’s accuracy as did the links to
other expert sources (the journal for example).

Currency:

The journal was published in April 2002, while the article was accepted for publication in December 2001. The research
it describes was current and the article cites up-to-date references in the body of the text (ranging from 1990-2001).
Therefore the article is current.

Relevance:

This was an academic journal on an academic database, which has high credibility in an academic context. It was written
to inform researchers and students rather than to entertain or advertise. It would be relevant to both these groups but
particularly any academic interested in nursing innovations and in health generally. It could be a difficult article to read
and understand and therefore would be less relevant to first year nursing students.

Objectivity:

The information was objectively developed, well supported with a current research base and with all evidence
acknowledged and referenced. There was no evidence of bias, a fact that was reinforced by the recognition that the
article documents research, which followed the rigorous research processes, and the necessary ethical considerations
demanded of such community-funded research. The article acknowledged the complexity of the issues discussed in a
number of ways. For example, the literature review provided explanations of the key terms discussed (for
example ‘gender’ and ‘identity’) and supported their research decisions with references to the appropriate and relevant
literature. The participants were clearly defined – a sample of 545 African American women living in Atlanta - with the
findings relevant to other African American women and would also be able to inform research conducted in other
countries, for example indigenous women in Australia.

Stability:

The article, with its source an academic journal on an academic data base is stable as a resource.

Analysis of graph

(MAT1008 will help you to write this section)

Conclusion
This review has both summarised and critically reviewed Jackson’s article ‘Considerations for community-based research
with African American women’. The content, structure, strengths and limitations of the article were analysed and
critiqued. The article has contributed to the literature in terms of its valuable critique of current research study on
African American women and their health issues and the implications provided for both health interventions and future
research collaborative possibilities.

Sample 2

Source

Bell, RL & Lederman, NG 2003, ‘Understandings of the nature of science and decision making on science and technology
based issues’, Science Education, vol.87, no.3, p.352-77, viewed 15 March 2005, EBSCOhost database Academic Search
Premier, item: AN9578033

Introduction

This review critically reviews the article ‘Understandings of the nature of science and decision making on science and
technology based issues’ by Randy L. Bell and Norman G. Lederman which appeared in the journal Science
Education. The review will firstly summarise the article. Secondly, it will briefly analyse the effectiveness of the article’s
structure, investigating how the information is set out and whether the reader can access it efficiently. Thirdly, the
review will critique the article, evaluating its authority, accuracy, currency, relevance, objectivity and stability. The
review will also analyse the graph before finally judging the article’s accessibility and credibility. Overall the article was
well written, clear and relevant.

Article Summary

The purpose of the article was to investigate whether knowledge of the nature of science impacted on decision-making
regarding science and technology based issues. The article also determined the factors and reasoning used to reach
decisions. The study involved 21 adult volunteers, selected from university professors and research scientists from
across the United States. The participants completed two open-ended questionnaires and subsequent interviews. The
first questionnaire and follow up interview were designed to assess participant’s decision making. Participants were
then grouped according to their views on the nature of science as gauged by the second questionnaire and follow up
interview. The group’s overall decision making were then profiled using the responses to the Decision Making
Questionnaires and follow up interviews. After comparison of both group profiles, it was found that there was little
difference in the groups overall decisions, factors influencing decisions or processes used to reach
decisions. Participants in both groups based their decisions mainly on ethics, personal values or social/political
concerns. All considered scientific evidence but more as a part of a multifaceted issue. The nature of science did not
significantly impact on either group’s decision making. These results contrast with basic assumptions of current science
education reform efforts and call for a re-examination of the goals of nature of science instruction. Future research
directions include the relationship between general epistemologies and decision-making, and the relationship between
decision making and moral development.

Article Structure

The article under review was accessed via EBSCOhost in a clear and well set out form. It was retrieved as a PDF
document. The article was introduced with an abstract that briefly outlined the purpose of the article, its main points,
findings, conclusions, implications and future research directions. The article is broken into headings and subheadings
with relatively short paragraphs making the information readily accessible. The Introduction provided background
information and the rationale behind the article. This allowed clear understanding of the context and importance of the
study. The body was logically organised into scientific headings Method, Results, Discussion and Implications,
Appendices and References. This allowed the reader to read the entire article or just the part of interest. The article
had both qualitative and quantitative aspects with excerpts from interviews and surveys combined with statistical data
from the study. The article was summarised but this occurred in the Discussion and Implications section in a long and
jumbled form making a clear and concise understanding of the main points difficult. There were extensive references
cited in-text and set out clearly in the References section. The article was a PDF document which meant it could easily
be printed and read. It did not have links throughout the text but did have links in the citation. The sentences were
structured so that an average person could read most of the article however in some sections the level of literature was
advanced. The overall accessibility of the information was quite good.

Article Critique

Authority

The authors’ credibility was established in a number of ways. Both authors are associated with education institutions
with Randy L. Bell being an academic at the Curry School of Education at University of Virginia and Norman G. Lederman
is an academic in the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at Illinois Institute of Technology. The authors
are also recognised in their field with an early version of the article being presented to the annual meeting of the
National Association for Research in Science Teaching in 2000. The authors have also written a number of other articles,
some of which are included in the References section. The article was from the journal Science Education, which is a
reliable and peer reviewed journal. The article was found through EBSCOhost on the Academic Search Premier
database. This is a highly credible research database. It can be seen that the article has authority.

Accuracy

The information included in the article was from a study conducted in 1998. The information is verified and supported
with in-text referencing and an extensive list of references. The editorial and reviewing processes that the article was
subject to both contribute to the accuracy and reliability of the article. The information in the article is therefore
accurate and reliable.

Currency

The study the article is written about was conducted in 1998. The article was written in 2001, revised in early 2002 and
accepted for publication 19 April 2002. It was published in May 2003. The references included in the list of references
range from 1963 to 2001. The article is therefore current and supported by a range of studies over an extensive time
frame.

Relevance

The article is from an academic journal and is therefore intended for the scientific community. It was written to inform
and detail specific research conducted by the authors, not to entertain. The subject is covered well but because it was
conducted in the United States on a limited amount of high level academics, it is not generalisable. The article is very
detailed with the topics being explored in great depth. The material is presented in a logical and organised way. The
article is accordingly relevant to the academic community.

Objectivity

The information presented in the article is from a research study. The results are presented in an objective way with all
evidence and supporting documentation acknowledged. The authors clearly outline some of the limitations of the
research and make reference to alternative points of view, enhancing the objectivity of the article. The article is based
on fact with all stringent research processes and decisions clearly explained. As a result, the information presented in
the article is objective.

Stability

The article is from an academic journal that is available in both print and electronic forms. It can also be found on an
established and highly credible academic database: EBSCOhost’s Academic Search Premier. For these reasons, the
article is stable as a resource.

Analysis of graph

(MAT1008 will help you to write this section)

Conclusion

This review has summarised and critically reviewed Bell and Lederman’s article ‘Understandings of the nature of science
and decision making on science and technology based issues’. The structure, accessibility, content, strengths and
limitations of the article were analysed and critiqued along with the graph which was included. The authors and journal
are credible, accurate and current. The article’s information is accessible, well structured, relevant and presented in an
objective way. The article is also stable as a resource. The article has therefore contributed valuable information and
understanding about how knowledge of the nature of science influences decision-making on science and technology
based issues.

Sample 3

Source

Cregan, K 2005, ‘Ethical and social issues of embryonic stem cell technology’, Internal Medicine Journal, vol.35, no.2,
viewed 15 March 2007, Ethical and social issues of embryonic stem cell technology

Introduction

This review critiques the article ‘Ethical and social issues of embryonic stem cell technology’ by Kate Cregan in
the Internal Medicine Journal. The article will be summarized and its purpose defined. The review will then examine the
structure of the article in terms of how the information is displayed and the ease with which the reader can access the
information. The article will be critiqued based upon its authority, accuracy, currency, relevance, objectivity and
stability. The review will also analyse the graph before finally judging the article’s accessibility and credibility. Overall the
article was well written, clear and relevant.

Article summary

The purpose of this article is to consider the negative implications of embryonic stem cell technology on an ethical and
social level. According to the article, the issues relating to this controversial topic transcend the religious arguments
commonly brought to the fore in such debates. The use of stem cell technology will lead to the transformation of
society’s view of life, causing it to be commercialized and simultaneously devalued. The article does acknowledge the
possible benefits of the technology. However it questions whether such benefits for a privileged few are worth the
commercialization of women living in poverty - those most likely to become a source of embryos for such technology.
The use of stem cell technology will have harmful consequences affecting not only these women, but also society as a
whole as the concept of life is reduced to a scientific process.

Article structure

The article was introduced with an abstract that provided an effective overview of the article by establishing the
background to the issue as well as the theme and main points of the piece. The article itself is qualitative in nature and is
two pages long. It is accessible online as a PDF document. As such, links are not included in the article, but contact
details for the author are provided. In addition, the citation of the article, available through EBSCOhost MegaFILE
Premier does contain links to articles related to key words and subject terms. These links provided useful background to
the topic. Despite the shortness of the article, information is not easily accessible. There is a logical ordering of points,
but the piece lacks headings and both the paragraphs and the sentences are long, so accessing the information, reading
and understanding the article is not easy. Furthermore, the conclusion is not a summary of the points made but a
question defining the overall theme of the article. There is no in-text referencing, but three references are provided in a
reference section. Additionally, there is a section acknowledging the piece upon which the article was based. The
original piece, co-authored by Kate Cregan and Paul James, ‘Stem-cell alchemy: techno-science and the new
philosopher’s stone’ in the Arena Journalincludes several in-text references and twenty-one references in total. Overall
therefore, while the abstract is effective and the links provided via the citation are useful, the structure of the article
makes it difficult to read and understand.

Article critique

Authority

The official journal of the Adult Medicine Division of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Internal Medicine
Journal in which the article was featured is an extremely reputable source. This journal aims to inform and educate, its
target audience being the medical community. In addition the fact that the article was found via EBSCOhost’s Academic
Search Premier, which is known to be a reliable database, adds to its credibility, as does that fact that it is peer
reviewed. Furthermore, the author is a research fellow for the Australian Research Council, as well as an academic at
Melbourne’s RMIT University and has written numerous other books and articles. The various positions and the contact
details of the author are displayed on the article. All of this information indicates that the article is highly credible.

Accuracy

The source of much of the information in the article was the original piece upon which the article was based. While the
article itself has only three references and no in-text referencing, the original, co-authored by Kate Cregan and Paul
James contains several in-text references and a total of twenty-one references, implying great accuracy. The article’s
accuracy is also confirmed by the careful scrutiny that it was subjected to by Internal Medicine Journal – it was accepted
for publishing nine days after being received. The fact that the article is peer reviewed also verifies its precision.

Currency

The journal issue containing the article was published in February 2005, while the article was accepted for publishing in
October 2004. Its references date from 2001. The original piece upon which the article is based was published in 2002,
with references dating from 1998. The recent publication of the article and the recent references indicate that the
article is very current, as does the content of the article which deals with the latest developments in stem cell
technology.

Relevance
The article was published in a medical journal intended to inform the medical community. As it was written to provide
information for an educated sector and published in a reputable journal, it is relevant to the intended audience. The
topic covered is also a significant one in today’s society. The article covers several aspects of the issue, and although the
information originates in Australia, it relates to the global community.

Objectivity:

The information in the article was derived from Doctor Cregan’s extensive experience in the area of stem cell
technology, associated with the Australian Research Council. The article shows research decisions, and contains both
facts and opinions. However, where opinions are presented, both sides of the argument are illustrated. The fact that the
article considers the negative implications of embryonic stem cell technology on an ethical and social level does not lead
to bias because the positive possibilities of the technology are also acknowledged. Limitations of stem cell technology
and conversely, the restrictions of not utilizing such technology are discussed. The majority of the claims and arguments
made are supported, if not in the article, then in the original piece, by references to prior research or literature, and
frequent mention is made of alternative points of view. However, in several instances, strongly worded assertions are
made, and are not supported by documented evidence. The article serves its purpose as an objective presentation of the
negative social and ethical aspects of stem cell technology to the medical community. However it could have been
written more objectively if emotive and strongly worded statements had not been used or had been better supported.

Stability

Having been published in a medical journal, and being accessible through a credible and reliable academic database, the
article is a stable resource.

Analysis of graph

(MAT1008 will help you to write this section)

Conclusion

This review summarised and critically reviewed Cregan’s article, ‘Ethical and social issues of embryonic stem cell
technology’. The content, structure, strengths and limitations of the article were analysed and critiqued. The article has
contributed to a better understanding amongst the medical community of the disadvantages, both social and ethical of
stem cell technology. Although it lacks an accessible structure and is therefore difficult to read, it is well researched and
highly credible.