Determination of Inorganic Components in Brazilian Medicinal Plants by

Neutron Activation Analysis

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A Critique Paper Presented to

Prof. Romel B. Armecin
College of Agriculture
Visayas State University
Visca, Baybay City, Leyte

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In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirement for the Subject
Soil 117 - Mineral Nutrition of Plants

LADYLYN M. CANDELA

JUNE 2021
(S.Y. 2020-2021)
 Introduction about the Research Article

The research article entitled “Determination of Inorganic Components in Brazilian

Medicinal Plants by Neutron Activation Analysis” was created in the year of 1989 by M. Saiki,

M. B. A. Vasconcellos, and J. A. A. Sertie. The purpose of this work was to apply the method of

instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to determine inorganic components in herb

extracts for further contribution to studies of their toxicity, medicinal action, or active

component. The methodology, on the other hand, focuses on neutron activation analysis and

analysis of plant extracts from medicinal herbs, such as Cordia verbenacea, Folidago

microglossa; Petiveria alliacea. The results obtained in these analyses have shown a good

accuracy and reproducibility of the method. The relative errors and the relative standard

deviations were less than 10% for most of the elements analyzed.

Critical Evaluation

The article correctly stated the subject of the paper and the title is incorporated with

important keywords that made it concise and informative. The title can be considered as an

effective title for an academic research paper or article because it accurately indicated the subject

and the scope of the study. However, the abstract of the study only contains the methodology and

the results or the summary of the findings. It lacks information on the research statement or the

focus area, purpose of the study, and the implication of the results obtained or the conclusion.
 Moreover, the sequence of the statements in the introduction lead coherently to the

purpose of the study. The introduction of the paper served its purpose which is being the

background information of the study that orients the readers to the problems. By where, it has

included the rationale of the study that justifies its needs and it clearly defined the aims of the

study. However, it does not have any in-text citation that would give proof to the credibility of

the paper. As for the methodology of the study, the materials and methods clearly stated how all

the data in the results section were obtained. There were no any obvious biases during the

conduct of the experiment and that all activities conducted are all relevant and help justify the

objectives.

Furthermore, the results obtained are statistically analyzed and clearly presented in tables.

However, in terms on the discussion, the authors didn`t adequately compare their findings on the

other studies and they didn`t include any citation that could strengthen the credibility of the

findings. Another questionable part of the article is the conclusion. The research article contains

objectives but lacks a conclusion. But having a thorough reading of the article, it is found that the

research article lacks some other needed pages at the last part including the conclusion,

recommendations and other references.

 Strengths

 Have a very good title.

 The introduction included rationale of the study that justifies its needs and it clearly

defined the aims of the study

 There were no any obvious biases during the conduct of the experiment and that all

activities conducted are all relevant and help justify the objectives

Weaknesses

 The abstract lacks information on the research statement or the focus area, purpose of the

study, and the implication of the results obtained or the conclusion.

 The introduction does not have any in-text citation that would give proof to the credibility

of the paper.

 In terms on the discussion, the authors didn`t adequately compare their findings on the

other studies and they didn`t include any citation that could strengthen the credibility of

the findings.

 The article lacks some other needed pages at the last part including the conclusion,

recommendations and other references.