RMIT Classification: Trusted

RMIT VIETNAM

BUS4566
TOURISM PLANNING AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
INDIVIDUAL CRITICAL JOURNAL ANALYSIS ASSESSMENT (20%)

FORMAT FOR REVIEWING A JOURNAL ARTICLE

Reading and summarizing a research article in the social sciences can be overwhelming. Below is a
simple model to guide you through this process.

A critical review of a journal article evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of an article's ideas and
content. It provides description, analysis and interpretation that allow readers to assess the article's
value.

Reading the Article: Points to Consider

Read the article carefully. Record your impressions and note sections suitable for quoting.

• Who is the intended audience?

• What is the author's purpose? To survey and summarize research on a topic? To present an
argument that builds on past research? To refute another writer's argument?
1
• Does the author define important terms?
• Is the information in the article fact or opinion? (Facts can be verified, while opinions arise
from interpretations of facts.) Does the information seem well-researched or is it
unsupported?
• What are the author's central arguments or conclusions? Are they clearly stated? Are they
supported by evidence and analysis?
• If the article reports on an experiment or study, does the author clearly outline methodology
and the expected result?
• Is the article lacking information or argumentation that you expected to find?
• Is the article organized logically and easy to follow?
• Does the writer's style suit the intended audience? Is the style stilted or unnecessarily
complicated?
• Is the author's language objective or charged with emotion and bias?
• If illustrations or charts are used, are they effective in presenting information?

And start analysing the journal critically using the following format:

PAGE 1
Author(s). (year of publication). Article title. Journal name, volume, number, pages.

BUSM 4566_DAISY_ARTICLE REVIEW_ 2021 1

 RMIT Classification: Trusted

RMIT VIETNAM

PAGE 2: ABSTRACT SUMMARY

Authors’ last names (year) conducted a study about ________________________. The participants
were/the setting was ___________________________. (New paragraph) The findings were
_____________________________. Discussion. (Possibly a new paragraph) The authors suggested
_____________________. Discussion.

Students should review the article with their own words. To copy directly from the article fails to
show comprehension and may also be considered plagiarism.

PAGE 3: ARTICLE REVIEW

A student should read the journal article and pay specific attention to:

#1 The Problem & #2 Review of Literature

Authors’ last names (year) conducted a study about _________________.

• Read the Abstract; this will give an overview of the study’s (article’s) purpose.
• Read the entire article without trying to summarize it.
• Go back and read the Literature Review or Background section of the article. Toward the
end of the section, the authors should identify gaps in the existing literature and tell the
reader how the current study will fill that gap. The authors will also state their hypothesis
(purpose) at the end of this section.
• The Problem
2
o Is the problem clearly stated?
o Is the problem practically important?
o What is the purpose of the study?
o What is the hypothesis?
o Are the key terms defined?
• Review of the Literature
o Are the cited sources pertinent to the study?
o Is the review too broad or too narrow?
o Are the references recent?
o Is there any evidence of bias?

#3 Design and procedures

The participants were/the setting was ___________________________.

• Read the Methods section of the paper. In this section, the authors will describe how the
data was collected, who was included in the sample, and any instruments used.
• A reader might want to consider sample size, demographic characteristics, or any
interesting protocol.
• It is not necessary to report every fact (i.e., 35% of the participants were male, 71%
identified their race as Asian).
• What research methodology was used?
• Was it a replica study or an original study?
• What measurement tools were used?
• How were the procedures structured?

BUSM 4566_DAISY_ARTICLE REVIEW_ 2021 2

 RMIT Classification: Trusted

RMIT VIETNAM

• Was a pilot study conducted?

• What are the variables?
• How was sampling performed?

#4 Data Analysis and Presentation

The findings were _____________________________.

• Read the Findings section of the article.
• Some statistics may be confusing. Pay attention to key words such as “increased”,
“decreased”, “improved”, and “reduced”.
• “No change” may also be considered a significant finding.
• Next, read the Discussion section. The authors will present the findings in general terms.
• How was data analyzed?
• Was data qualitative or quantitative?
• Did findings support the hypothesis and purpose?
• Were weaknesses and problems discussed?

#5 Conclusion and Implications

The authors suggested _____________________.

• Read the Discussion section and look for comments that the authors made about the
intervention or program such as “Did it work?” or “Should it be continued?”.
• Look for the author’s critique of why the study did or did not produce results. Did anything
unexpected influence the findings? 3
• The author may suggest a future line of research or “next steps” to improve the body of
knowledge.
• Are the conclusions of the study related to the original purpose?
• Were the implications discussed?
• Whom the results and conclusions will affect?
• What recommendations were made at the conclusion?

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Offer your opinion on the value of the study. Present the strengths and weaknesses you have
found in the publication. Highlight the knowledge that the author has contributed to the field.
Also, write about any gaps and/or contradictions you have found in the article. Take a
standpoint of either supporting or not supporting the author's assertions, but back up your
arguments with facts and relevant theories that are pertinent to that area of knowledge.

Will this study further our knowledge base or the goals of THE, i.e., to describe, explain, predict
and influence? What does it add to our knowledge of the industry?

#6 Overall Assessment

• What is your overall assessment of the study? and the article?

BUSM 4566_DAISY_ARTICLE REVIEW_ 2021 3