ESSP6003 /GSDP 8403

ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT 1 30 MARKS
Date of Submission: WEEK 6
Objectives:

Access, read and comprehend research which is relevant to their workplace.

Demonstrate ability to discuss the reliability and validity of empirical research and reflect on the
conclusions drawn using technological tools.

You are required to select FIVE published research articles in your field of interest. What is important
is that the work is data-based-research report (not mere reviews or position papers). A critique is
framed around value-based judgments and you are encouraged to reflect on the articles for their
plausible and coherent arguments, adequacy of evidence and representation. You must attach the FIVE
articles used together with the assignment.

Critiquing and Reviewing a Research (Sample Guide)

I. Theory Formulation
1. Was a significant problem or research question examined?
2. To what extent were the aims or purpose of the study delineated?
3. How well was the literature reviewed? integrated?
4. Were the concepts defined well?
5. How well were the hypotheses / research questions specified? Did they follow from 2, 3, and 4
above?
6. Were boundaries and levels of analysis specified?
II. Method
1. Was the study designed to answer the problems or research questions?
2. Did the method follow from the theory/hypotheses / research questions?
3. Measurement
A. Were the measures quantifiable?
B. Were the measures qualitative?
4. Sample
A. Is the population and sample described? justified?
B. What sampling procedure was used?
C. To what extent was the population sampled appropriate for the
research questions / hypotheses?
D. To what extent was the sample adequate to answer the research
Questions/ hypotheses?
5. Data Collection
A. How were the data collected? at multiple/single level(s)?
B. Was the technique appropriate?
C. Were data coding explained adequately?
D. Were data sources specified? multiple or single source(s)?
I. Analyses and Interpretation
1. How were the data analyzed? Was the technique appropriate?
2. What were the empirical findings? Descriptive statistics?
II. Discussion
1. Interpretation
A. Did the results provide support for a hypothesis/theory / research questions relative to other
hypotheses/theories/ research questions which were tested?
B. Were the conclusions (verbal statements) consistent with the empirical findings?
C. To what extent can the findings be generalized from the sample to population? from sample to
theory?
D. To what extent can the findings be generalized to other populations, "treatments", time periods,
methods of measurement, or theory?
2. Conclusions and Practical Implications
A. Were the results integrated with a stream of scientific knowledge?
B. Were the implications for research and practice stated?
C. To what extent did the study contribute to scientific knowledge?
Was there a value-added contribution to the literature?
D. Was it well-organized, well-presented, well-written, etc.?
E. Does it reach the target audience?

A special note: Reading journal articles is hard. They are designed for an audience that knows
something about the topic or methods. So be sure to allow plenty of time to read and understand each
paper. Only when you understand the paper will you be able to summarize the paper. Don’t get
discouraged; every Postgraduate started precisely where you are now. The only way to get better at
reading empirical journal articles is to practice.
 A quality summary will be well formatted, comprehensive, free of spelling/grammar errors, and
accurate. The assignment MUST be submitted as a pdf document.

Submission due date:..........................................

Assessment Rubrics

Expert (26-30) Proficient (20-25) Apprentice (16-20) Novice (below 15)

Access, read and ● The answer ● The answer ●The answer ● The answer
comprehend demonstrates that demonstrates demonstrates does not
research which the student is able that the that the demonstrate
is relevant to to access student, for the student, to a that the student
their workplace- comprehends fully most part, certain extent, fully
Integration of and has applied understands understands understood and
Knowledge the concepts and has applied and has applied applied
learned to concepts concepts concepts
workplace. learned to learned to learned in the
● Concepts are workplace workplace. course.
integrated into
● Some of the
the writer’s own
conclusions,
insights.
however, are
● The writer
not supported
provides
in the body of
concluding
the paper.
remarks that
show analysis
and
synthesis of
ideas.

● The articles ●The articles ● The articles ● The

Article focus-
selected is selected is selected is too topic is
Demonstrates
focused enough focused but broad for the not
ability to discuss scope of this
the reliability for the scope of lacks clearly
this assignment. direction. assignment. defined
and validity of ● Only
empirical .
● Discussion on ●The article is reliability
research and reliability and about a section is
evaluate as well validity are specific topic, appropriate
as reflect on the complete. but the student .
conclusions has not
drawn using established a
technological position.
tools.
●Incomplete
discussion on
reliability and
validity
Depth of ● In-depth ● In-depth ● The writer has ● Superficial
discussion discussion & discussion& omitted discussion in all
elaboration in elaboration in pertinent the sections of
all sections of most sections of content or the answer or
the answer the answer. content runs- on brief discussion
excessively. in only a few
● Quotations sections.
from others
outweigh the
writer’s own
ideas
excessively.