Reading and writing a journal article

We place a lot of trust in journal articles as valid sources of information and so it is essential that you can determine what is a trustworthy journal article and what is not. Below are a few helpful tips on how to both judge a piece of writing (but also to ensure these inclusions in your own writing.

Section	The section should	Ask yourself
Introduction	Provide the reader with a firm sense of what is done in the study. Introduce the problem/question. Give background on the study. State the purpose and rationale of the research.	Is the problem/question researchable? Is it important enough to justify the research? Is the research background relevant to the research question?
Literature review	Provide you with a clear overview of the available literature which surrounds the problem being researched.	Is the literature review broad, yet focused on the issue being discussed? Does it fairly represent both sides of the opposing views? How convincing is the evidence that support assertions? Did the literature review make use of a theoretical framework?
Research design	​Clearly state what was done and how it was done. Allow the reader to evaluate the used methods, the reliability and consistency of the study, as well as its validity and if it could be replicated. Indicate the sample or participants used in the study, including the amount, their characteristics and demographic information such as location, gender, and age. Indicate the process of obtaining ethics clearance. Indicate the use of apparatus if any were used. Indicate each step of the research procedure.	If there was a clear rationale for the chosen research approach? Was the data collection relevant to the research question? Is the method valid and reliable?
Data analysis	Summarise the data collected, including the main findings and results, so that it is easy to understand how the conclusions were drawn.	Did the manuscript explain the steps involved of the data analysis and were the strategies justified? Was all the data considered? If not, why? Does the data analysis substantiate the claims rigorously enough?
Discussion	Include the evaluation and interpretation of the research results in relation to the research question. Integrate the findings and theoretical framework. Not repeat points already made.	Are the results interpreted in relation to the aims and research question? Were the most important results highlighted by the researcher? Were the conclusions drawn correctly from the data analysis? Were the results discussed in relation to the hypothesis, theoretical/conceptual frameworks, and research question?
Conclusion	Summarise the main points Indicate the usefulness of the research.	Were the main points clearly stated and drawn out? Were there fresh new perspectives and insights provided? Were there any recommendations made based on the research? Are there suggestions for future research?
Reference list/Bibliography	Include all the sources used in the article or sources accessed in preparation of the article.	Were the sources clearly cited with all the bibliographic details provided? Was reference made to a wide range of works in the field? Are both seminal (classic) and contemporary literature listed?

Compiled by Daniel Schoonderwoerd (Foundation for Professional Development).