HCMG 4901 – Applied Research

Instructions for Individual Journal Article Critique and Scenario

A. Report, Not PowerPoint



Cover Page:



HCMG 4901 Fall 2015

Individual Journal Article Critique and Scenario

Your Name

Date



Provide the APA CITATION for the article. Here are the elements of the citation.

But don’t present in a list. Use APA format:

1. Author(s)

2. Year published

3. Title of the article

4. Journal name

5. Volume

6. Issue

7. Page numbers for the article

8. Url if applicable and the date when accessed the article



PERSPECTIVE/ORIENTATION/BIAS:



1. What institutions do the authors represent? What do they bring to this research and what might they have wanted from the research?



2. Who are the funding organization(s)? Why did they fund this research and what might they want from it?



3. Intended CONTRIBUTION to the Field and STUDY OBJECTIVES:

Based on the Abstract and Background sections, what was the contribution to the field that this research was intended to make?

What are the stated research objectives of this study?



RESEARCH/STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:



1. What were the research questions, hypotheses, variables, and data to collect and use?

2. What study groups (intervention vs. control/comparison) were included in the study?

3. What eligibility criteria and exclusion criteria were used for participants’ inclusion in the study?

4. What sampling method(s) were used? Was randomization used? If so, how was it done? Either way, how were participants selected?

5. What was the sample size for each study group?

6. Did enough study participants complete the study to satisfy the sample size requirements?

7. Where the characteristics of the persons who completed the study comparable to the characteristics of the persons who dropped out?

8. If not, what bias might this have introduced?

9. How were data collected? Briefly describe each type of data collected and the methods used to obtain the data.

10. What was done to assure quality control of the data? For instance, data editing (range and logic edits; etc.); internal data validation; external validation of the data.

11. Was a statistician part of this research team?

12. What types of analyses and statistical tests were done?



RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

1. What was learned?

a. Major findings and conclusions supported by data

b. How conclusive were the findings according to the authors?

c. How conclusive do you think the findings were?

2. What are the three most important, practical things that this research contributed to the field?

3. What were the LIMITATIONS of this research stated by the authors? In your opinion?

4. What more needs to be learned (FUTURE RESEARCH):

a. According to the authors?

b. In your judgment?



B. Scenario



Application of What You Learned from this Journal Article to Your SCENARIO:

You will use what you learned from this journal article to support making a decision you are faced with in a fictionalized organization and scenario.



In light of the substance of the article reviewed, respond to each of the following questions:

1. Decide WHO YOU ARE. [5 points]

a. What organization do you work for?

b. What is your job title?

c. What is your span of your responsibility in this position for that organization? 

2. Specify the DECISION you are trying to make. [5 points]

a. Related to the journal article, state what the decision is that you are trying to make.

b. State why this decision is important to your organization’s clients, partners, and the organization itself as a for-profit or non-profit organization.

2. Use the information provided in the article to help you make your decision:

a. Explain THE OPTIONS (that is, alternative solutions) that are available to you in making this decision.

b. Based on the research article you read, explain the PROS and CONS of each option in a TABLE (see “Decision Options Table of Pros and Cons for Each Option” below).

c. Were you able to arrive at a choice between the decision options?

i. If “yes”

1. Which decision option did you select?

2. Why did you choose this option, and what evidence led you to make this decision?



ii. If “no”

1. What additional information do you need (information gaps) before you’re comfortable making a choice/decision?

2. How do you plan to fill these information gaps?

3. Can your organization afford to wait until you fill all of these

gaps?

4. What are the costs to your organization if the decision is delayed?

5. What are the benefits to your organization to make a decision now?

6. How risky would it be to make a decision now, and why?





Decision Options Table of Pros and Cons for Each Option



PROS CONS

Option 1





Option 2





Option 3