How do I write a Critique Paper

A critique, by definition, is an act of criticizing: It is a critical discussion/review. Critiques should examine and evaluate the way in which a scientist sets out to solve a problem and integrate his or her findings into the body of research that preceded the work. A literature critique should not be exceedingly long (a few pages will suffice). The student should evaluate and recognize the processes involved in the study, the research analysis, and the research publication. Remember, the purpose is one of evaluation, not merely description. Evaluation is the act of deciding what is good, bad, or mediocre. It requires taking a debatable position on the work you read. Read and reread the paper carefully with increasing attention to detail each time.

As you read the paper, consider the following points:

• What problem is the investigator examining?
  
• What previous work led up to this study?
  
• What hypotheses did the author devise prior to performing the study?
  
• What experimental methods did the investigator choose to employ?
  
• Were alternative methods ruled out as inappropriate?
  
• What controls did the investigator use?
  
• What results did the investigator obtain? How did he/she present the results (graphs/tables)?
  
• Did the investigator accept, reject, or modify his/her initial hypothesis(es) based on his/her results?
  
• Are the investigator's conclusions valid given the results?
  
• In the discussion, how did the author relate his/her finding to previous work?
  
• What future studies are suggested by these findings (either by the author or by you)?
  
• Avoid commenting on whether or not you enjoyed the paper, or found it to be well-written; stick to the science unless there is some specific problem with the writing style.
  
• Do comment on the value of the work. The work should be valuable (if it is published in a peer-reviewed journal). Discuss the value both to the specific research area and how the work may be of generalized importance.
  

The critique should be written in paragraph form. The length of the critique does not reflect the quality. The critique should be typed and include a title page. Students may be required to include a complete copy of the original article.

Although it is important to summarize aspects of the paper, the most important part of the critique is your analysis of the scientific merit of the work (methods, results, and conclusions) and the generality or scientific importance of the findings.

Many thanks!

no problem. you're welcome, good luck on your paper.