This document provides an overview of the purpose and process of empirical research, the standard format of research articles, and how to evaluate and critique research. It discusses the role of empirical research in answering questions about behavior through the scientific method. The standard sections of a research article are introduced as the abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and references. Guidelines are provided for evaluating each of these sections, including assessing the literature review, research questions/hypotheses, methodology, results, and discussion/conclusions. The goal is to be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses in a research study.

1. Topics - Reading a Research
Article
• Brief Overview: Purpose and Process of
Empirical Research
• Standard Format of Research Articles
• Evaluating/Critiquing Research

2. Role and Purpose of Empirical
Research
• To provide answers to questions about
behavior by using the scientific method.
• Descriptive (to “describe’)
• Correlational (to “predict”)
• Causal-(to “control, explain causation”)
– Experimental
– Comparative

3. Process of Empirical Research
• Identify and define research problem and
questions.
• Formulate hypotheses on basis of theory, prior
research and/or hunches.
• Design research study to collect data bearing on
questions.
• Conduct the research.
• Analyze the data (through statistical methods).
• Interpret the data in light of the research questions.

4. Standard Format of Research
Articles
• Abstract
• Introduction: Context, Research Problem,
Review of Literature
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• References

5. Introduction
• Background - the reasons the author(s)
conducted the study; theoretical framework
• Statement of Purpose - the goal of the
research (the destination); the problem
statement
• Hypotheses - “educated guesses” about
relationships or differences

6. Methodology
• Participants (sample) - who the subjects are,
how obtained/selected
• Materials (equipment, apparatus, measuring
instruments) - what was used, quality of
measuring instruments
• Procedures - how study was conducted;
what subjects did or what was done to them

7. Results
• Technical summary of the statistical
analyses used:
• In text
• In tables
• In figures

8. Discussion/Conclusions
• Non-technical interpretation of results
• Linking results to original purposes and
hypotheses
• Why the results turned out the way they did
• Identifying the study’s limitations
• Suggesting steps for further research

9. Evaluating Research
• Goal: to be able to critique a research
article by identifying the strengths and
weaknesses of each component of the
research
• “Tools for Evaluating Research Reports”

10. Evaluating Introductions:
Literature Review
• Literature review: to place current study in
context of what is known/not known
– Nature of literature cited
– Researcher bias
– Rationale/need for study
– Theoretical framework
– Link of framework to research questions
– Sufficiency of information
– Usefulness of review

11. Evaluating Introductions:
Research Questions/Hypotheses
• Research questions and hypotheses drive
the study
– Clarity of problem
– Sufficient rationale
– Contribution to existing knowledge
– Link to theoretical framework and lit review
– Assumptions explicit/implicit
– Operational definition of terms
– Statement of hypotheses

12. Evaluating Methodology
• Sufficient detail of procedures (treatment),
design and instruments
• Full description of population
• Full description of sampling method
• Quality of measures used
• Obvious weaknesses in design

13. Evaluating Results
• Appropriateness of statistical techniques
used
• Clarity of presentation of results
• Adequacy of presentation of results

14. Evaluating Discussion/Conclusions
• Consistency of conclusions with findings
• Appropriateness of generalizations
• Discussion of implications of findings
• Discussion of limitations of study
• Alternative explanation for findings
• Linkage of conclusions with theoretical
framework, research questions

15. Practice Exercise -
Evaluating the Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research problem/questions