Article Review - Structure and Format Guidelines

(As adapted from NJIT College of Computer Science)

Notes:
1. Include each category in a separate section or susection. !nsure that you discuss
each category" (If a category does not apply# then actually $rite in that (su)
section that the category does not apply.)
%. &eference other articles you'(e read# if appropriate. Just as in the articles you'(e
read# include a reference mar)er $here you refer to each in your re(ie$# and
pro(ide full iliographic references in a iliography section at the end of your
report.
*. +our final report should e % full pages or more (Times Ne$ &oman 1,pt single
spaced). This does not include your iliography# citation analysis# diagrams or
large gaps et$een parts of your report. There is no ma-imum length.
.. /roof0read your re(ie$ for grammar and clarity as $ell as spelling. Spell chec)ers
do not fi- grammar. +ou should e sure that you ha(e caught all mista)es and
$ritten clearly. 1ost $ord processors ha(e a grammar chec)er 0 use it"
2. 3or the printed copy of your re(ie$# turn in 4ust a plain stapled lac) 5 $hite
copy of your re(ie$. 6o not put your re(ie$ in a folder. A(oid fancy co(ers#
colors or fonts.
7. /lease e a$are of TJ8SST9s policy on plagiarism.
Preparing for Your Review
The purpose of research articles is to present ne$ or refine conceptual ideas# or to present
ne$ e(idence for conceptual ideas. A research article re(ie$ results from critically
e-amining a research article. +ou $ill ha(e to read your article several times to
understand it fully enough to re(ie$ properly.
:ften# comparing your article to others $ill help you determine its ;uality.
Also# thin) aout the article and its research ideas in terms of each of the different $ee)'s
concepts and frame$or)s $e study in class. 6o the ideas in the article fit all the
categories of appropriate class concepts# models and frame$or)s< This often $ill help
you see things the authors missed# thin) aout things the authors $rite in a ne$ light# or
see that the authors indeed co(ered a topic thoroughly.
1. Full Bibliograpic Reference
State the full iliographic reference for the article you are re(ie$ing (authors# title#
4ournal name# (olume# issue# year# page numers# etc.) Important: this is not the
iliography listed at the end of the article# rather the citation of the article itself"
!. "ntroduction# $b%ectives& Article 'omain& Audience&
(ournal and )onceptual*+mprical )lassification
/aragraph 1: State the o4ecti(es (goals or purpose) of the article. =hat is the article's
domain (topic area)<
/aragraph %:
Audience: State the article's intended audience. At $hat le(el is it $ritten# and
$hat general ac)ground should the reader ha(e> $hat general ac)ground
materials should the reader e familiar $ith to understand the article<
Appropriate Journal<: =hy is the 4ournal appropriate (or inappropriate) for this
article< (Chec) the mission statement or purpose of the 4ournal itself from its
co(er or its =e site.)
/aragraph *: State $hether the article is ?conceptual? or ?empirical?# and $hy you
elie(e it is conceptual or empirical. !mpirical articles and conceptual articles ha(e a
similar o4ecti(e: to sustantiate an argument proposed y the author. =hile a conceptual
article supports such an argument ased on logical and persuasi(e reasoning# an empirical
article offers empirical e(idence to support the argument. !mpirical articles offer
sustantial# detailed e(idence $hich the authors analy@e using statistical methods.
!mpirical articles must include hypotheses (or propositions)# detailed research results#
and (statistical) analyses of this empirical e(idence. !mpirical research includes
e-periments# sur(eys# ;uestionnaires# field studies# etc# and to limited degree# case
studies. Conceptual articles may refer to such empirical e(idence# ut do not pro(ide the
detailed analysis of that e(idence. :f course# oth types of articles can use real life
e-amples to ac) up their points. Just ecause an article pro(ides e-amples# does not
necessarily mean that it is empirical. (The lesson to ta)e home is not to consider a
conceptual article to e an empirical one 4ust ecause it pro(ides some summari@ed or
some unanaly@ed data.)
,. -er. Brief Summar.
3or our article re(ie$s# $e do not $ant you to spend much space summari@ing the article.
Instead $e are more interested in your analysis of the article.
Thus# in this section# summari@e the article only (ery riefly (%0* paragraphs).
/aragraph 1: $hat is the prolem or opportunity eing addressed
/aragraph %: $hich solution is proposed (the solution could e a ne$ model or a
theory that e-plains the prolem)
/aragraph *: $hat e(idence is put forth that this solution is appropriate (If this is
an empirical article# e sure to riefly descrie $hat )ind of empirical study $as
done as part of the e(idence)
/. Results
Aery riefly summari@e the important points (oser(ations# conclusions# findings) and
?ta)e home messages? in the article.
/lease do not repeat lists of items in the articles 0 4ust summari@e the essence of these if
you feel they are necessary to include.
0. )ontributions
An article ma)es a ?contriution? y adding to the )no$ledge of researchers in a research
field. An article can ma)e a contriution to the research field in many $ays. 6oes it
pro(ide a ne$ $ay to loo) at a prolem< 6oes it ring together or ?synthesi@e? se(eral
concepts (or frame$or)s# models# etc.) together in an insightful $ay that has not een
done efore< 6oes it pro(ide ne$ solutions< 6oes it pro(ide ne$ results< 6oes it identify
ne$ issues< 6oes it pro(ide a comprehensi(e sur(ey or re(ie$ of a domain< 6oes it
pro(ide ne$ insights<
Also# is it salient (rele(ant and current) to a particular scientific issue or managerial
prolem< Are the issues addressed introduced in a $ay that their rele(ance to practice is
e(ident< =ould ans$ers to the ;uestions raised in the article li)ely to e useful to
researchers and managers<
Note: 6o not discuss the contriutions of the technologies the article descries# ut rather
the contriutions of the article itself"
The article's contriutions should e original. To the est of your )no$ledge# are they<
Are the article's ta)e0home messages ne$<
6escrie each contriution clearly in a separate paragraph or ullet point. 6iscuss $hy
the contriution is important.
Alternati(ely# if you elie(e the article ma)es no contriutions# e-plain $hy clearly.
1. Foundation
Bood research often is uilt upon theories and frame$or)s that other researchers ha(e
de(eloped. Sometimes articles $ill e sustantially ased upon this prior $or)# and refer
ac) to it in some detail. (Not all research articles $ill do this.)
=hich theoretical foundations does this article and research uild on# if any< In $hat
$ays< Include referencesCcitations of the foundation $or). (+ou can determine this in
part from the $or)s the article cites.)
Note# ho$e(er# that most $or)s cited are not core foundational $or)# ut rather 4ust
support certain aspects of the article. Similarly# do not confuse a general discussion of
related topics as foundational $or).
If the article does not uild upon )ey pieces of prior research# then $rite in your re(ie$
?This article does not uild upon any foundation research.? (If you do not state this
explicitly, you will not receive credit for this section.)
2. General )riti3ue
In this section you should state your opinions of ho$ $ell (or poorly) the authors did
their research and presented the research results in the article. +our criti;ue can contain
oth positi(e and negati(e comments.
Justify and e-plain in detail each of your criti;ue points in a separate paragraph of at least
.02 sentences.
The follo$ing are suggestions only:
6oes it uild upon the appropriate foundation (i.e.# upon appropriate prior
research)<
6id the authors choose the correct approach# and then e-ecute it properly<
8o$ confident are you in the article's results# and $hy<
Are its ideas really ne$# or do the authors simply repac)age old ideas and perhaps
gi(e them a ne$ name<
6o the authors discuss e(erything they promise in the article's introduction and
outline<
=hat are the article's shortcomings (faults) and limitations (oundaries)< 6id it
discuss all of the important aspects and issues in its domain (topic area)<
In $hat $ay should the article ha(e made a contriution# ut then did not<
6o the authors ma)e appropriate comparisons to similar e(ents# cases or
occurrences<
8o$ complete and thorough a 4o did the authors do< 6o the authors include an
ade;uate discussion# analysis and conclusions< 6id they 4ustify e(erything
ade;uately< 6id they pro(ide enough ac)ground information for the intended
audience to understand it< 3or you to understand it<
=ere there ade;uate and appropriate e-amples and illustrations<
4. "ssues 5listed b. te autor6
=hat open ;uestions or issues has the author stated remain unresol(ed< 6iscuss each in a
separate paragraph of 201, sentences. !ach issue's paragraph should ta)e the follo$ing
format:
$hat is the issue<
$hy do you elie(e this is an important issue<
in $hat $ay is it unresol(ed
suggestions for resol(ing it 0 if you gi(e your o$n suggestions (instead of or in
addition to the authors'# then precede each $ith ?I $ould propose ...? If it has een
resol(ed since the article $as $ritten# then state ho$ it $as resol(ed.
Note: If you ha(e any criti;ues in this section# they most li)ely elong in the Beneral
Criti;ue section instead.
7. "ssues 5in .our opinion6
Dist se(eral open ;uestions or issues $hich remain unresol(ed in your opinion< 3or
e-ample# $hat possile future research ;uestions could arise from this article< 6iscuss
each in a separate paragraph of 201, sentences. !ach issue's paragraph should ta)e the
follo$ing format:
$hat is the issue<
$hy do you elie(e this is an important issue<
in $hat $ay is it unresol(ed
suggestions for resol(ing it
Note: If you ha(e any criti;ues in this section# they most li)ely elong in the Beneral
Criti;ue section instead.
18. 9uestions
Dist three insightful ;uestions of your o$n# arising from this article. 6o not as)
definitions# ut rather ;uestions that really ma)e one thin).
11. Annotated Bibliograp.
3or e(ery item you ha(e cited in your report# you need a full reference and an annotation
e-plaining it. This includes references to any class materials# as $ell as the three
additional citations utili@ed in sections 701..
1. Dist the full iliographic references (authors# title# 4ournal name# (olume# issue#
year# page numers# etc.) for anything you ha(e cited in your re(ie$.
I1/:&TANT: This is NOT the iliography listed at the end of the article. It is
the iliographic references for any readings you yourself referred to inside your
re(ie$.
%. =rite %0. sentences descriing the article.
*. =rite %0* sentences descriing $hy you cited it.
Also# e sure that you ha(e included a iliographic mar)er to each (such as EFieer 5
Smith# %,,1G) in the te-t of your re(ie$.