If you want to post a review on an academic article or need to do one for a course, your critique should be fair, thorough, and constructive. Scroll through the article to see how it is organized, read it multiple times, take notes and write comments during the process. Evaluate the text section by section and consider whether each component performs its task efficiently. Think of a thesis that briefly summarizes your analysis, compose your review, and include specific examples that validate your claims.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Read a Text Actively
Step 1. Find out about the style of the publication
If you want to post your own review, first check the format and style guidelines to follow. This will give you a better idea of how to rate the article and structure your review.
- Learning about the format and stylistic guidelines is especially important if you've never published in that magazine before. For example, you may need to recommend the article for publication, stick to a certain word limit, or propose revisions that the author should put into practice.
- If you are writing a review by school, ask the teacher what guidelines to follow.
Step 2. Quickly scroll through the article to analyze the organization
First, try to find the logical thread. Read the title, abstract and subtitles to understand how it is structured. In this first quick read, find the central question or problem covered by the article.
Step 3. Quickly read the entire article
After going through the text, read it from start to finish to develop an overall impression. At this point, identify the main thesis, or argument of the article, and underline where it is expressed in the introduction and conclusion.
Step 4. Reread the article and take notes
Once you have read it in its entirety, analyze it section by section. You can print a copy, then write notes and comments in the margins. If you prefer to work digitally, write your notes in a Word document.
- As you read the article more carefully, consider whether it solves the core problem and does it effectively. Ask yourself "Is this survey important and does it contribute in an original way to your field?".
- At this stage, write down all lexical inconsistencies, organizational issues, spelling and formatting errors.
Part 2 of 3: Evaluate the Article
Step 1. Determine if the abstract and introduction present the article appropriately
Go through those sections in detail and ask yourself the following questions:
- Does the abstract summarize the article well, the problem to be addressed, the techniques, the results and the importance? For example, you may find that that section describes a pharmaceutical study and jumps to the results without discussing the methodology of the experiment in detail.
- Does the introduction present the structure of the article well? An effective introduction gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect in the following sections. State the problem and the hypothesis, briefly describe the methodology of the investigation, then consider whether the experiment proved or disproved the thesis.
Step 2. Evaluate the citations and bibliography of the article
Almost all academic articles include a review of the existing literature in the early chapters and cite other works throughout the text. Determine whether the sources used are authoritative, whether the review summarizes the sources well, and whether they are used to substantiate research in the article, or whether they are merely mentions of well-known personalities.
- If necessary, take some time to read the articles cited in the sources, in order to learn more about the existing literature on the subject.
- An example of a good review of the literature is: "Rossi and Bianchi, in their authoritative 2015 study, showed that adult men and women reacted well to treatment. However, no research has been done on the effects and safety of the techniques. on children and adolescents. This study aims to explore this topic."
Step 3. Review the methods
Ask yourself "Are these methods reasonable and suitable for solving the problem?". Imagine other possible methods of setting up an experiment or developing an investigation, then note the improvements the author may have made.
For example, you may notice that the clinical study subjects do not accurately represent a diverse population
Step 4. Evaluate how the article presents the data and results
Decide if tables, diagrams, legends, and other visual aids organize information effectively. Does the findings and discussions section clearly summarize and interpret the data? Are there any useful or redundant tables and figures?
For example, you may find that too much data is presented in the tables that is not adequately explained by the author in the text
Step 5. Evaluate the unscientific analyzes and evidence
For non-scientific articles, decide if the evidence supporting the thesis is presented well. Are they relevant? Does the article analyze and interpret them in a convincing way?
For example, if you are writing a review of an art history article, decide if the works are reasonably analyzed or if the author simply jumps to conclusions. Here is an example of a reasonable analysis: "The artist was a member of Rembrandt's workshop and his influences are evident from the dramatic lighting of the work and its sensual composition."
Step 6. Evaluate your writing style
Even if an academic article is meant for a specialized audience, it should still be clear, concise and correct. Evaluate the style by asking yourself the following questions:
- Is the language clear and unambiguous, or does the excessive use of technical terms interfere with the presentation of the thesis?
- Are there any sections that are too verbose? Could the ideas be expressed more simply?
- Are the grammar, punctuation and vocabulary correct?
Part 3 of 3: Writing Your Review
Step 1. Create the structure
Review the notes you took in your section-by-section analysis. Think of a thesis, then write how you plan to support it in the body of your review. Include specific examples that refer to the strengths and weaknesses you noticed in your assessment.
- The thesis and evidence must be constructive and useful. Emphasize strengths and weaknesses, then propose workarounds instead of just focusing on the negatives.
- Here is an example of a constructive and valid thesis: "The article demonstrates that the drug works better than a placebo in a specific demographic group, but more research is needed in the future that includes a more diverse sample of subjects."
Step 2. Write the first draft of the review
Once you have formulated a thesis and created a structure to follow, you are ready to compose the document. Contrary to what you did for the structure, which depends on the guidelines of your publication, follow these general guidelines:
- The introduction should summarize the article and present your thesis.
- The central part provides specific examples from the text that support your thesis.
- The conclusion summarizes the review, repeats the thesis, and offers suggestions for future research.
Step 3. Review the draft before submitting it
Once written, check for errors and make sure the grammar and punctuation are correct. Try reading your work as if you were another person. Is your criticism fair and balanced? Do the examples you cited support your thesis?
- Make sure the writing is clear, concise, and logical. If you argue that an article is too verbose, your text shouldn't be full of unnecessarily complex terms and phrases.
- If possible, have an expert read your draft on the subject and ask for their opinion.
