Graduate Transformation/Writing/Research
1. Grad Transformation
(Critical Analysis) (4 pages) (APA citations) (In-text citations are a must)
Topic: Religious Violence/Religious Extremist Groups
Activity 2: Critical Analysis
Context
For context and additional resources, see “Writing a Critical Analysis” under Week-4.
Description
Read one peer-reviewed article in your field that is a research study. An ideal article will discuss research that provides you with information that you can later integrate into your literature review. Write a four-page (double-spaced) critical analysis of the article and its research. To construct a critical review, you should analyze and evaluate the research, its methods, and the way in which the research supports the article’s conclusion (or conclusions). The logical connections between the research offered and the conclusion the authors draw from their research constitute the argument made by the authors of the paper. You will need to reconstruct this argument on the basis of your interpretation of what you’ve read. A mere summary of the article will not do. Your critical analysis should tell the reader more than the surface content of the article. It should analyze, examine, interpret, and evaluate the article’s research, conclusion, and argument. The critique should answer questions such as:
How did the authors arrive at their results?
HOW DID THEY REACH THEIR CONCLUSION?
Why did the authors collect their research in this way?
WHY DID THEY EMPLOY THIS METHOD FOR THEIR RESEARCH?
How well do the authors support these results?
How well do they argue for their conclusion(s)?
Both positive and negative assessments of the article you critically analyze are welcome. What is important is that you support your assessment, as you might support your assessment of a book if you were writing a book review. In other words, you will not only be analyzing the authors’ arguments, but will be providing your own arguments as well. You will need to argue that their research was well or poorly done, and argue that the authors did a good job supporting their conclusions, or a poor job.
To make sure you are learning APA, please submit the APA checklist with your paper, marking each item as you complete it. The point is to show your instructor that you used the checklist to follow APA style. Be sure to closely examine the grading rubric in the Course Resources folder so that you understand the assignment requirements.
Delivery
Step 1: Analyze the article and the research.
You may want to take notes as you read the article. It may be helpful to answer the following questions as you read:
What is the author’s main point or research question?
What theoretical arguments does the author employ?
What is the author’s hypothesis?
What evidence does the author present to support his/her/their main claims?
What are the underlying assumptions?
Does the author provide a statement of the problem?
What research methodology did the author employ?
What was the outcome of the study? What were the findings and conclusions?
What were the limitations of the study?
What recommendations does the author make?
Step 2: Evaluate the text of the article.
After you have read the article and answered the questions above, evaluate the article with a critical lens. You may want to think about the following questions:
Is the author’s argument logical?
Is the article well-organized, clear, and easy to read?
Is the author employing up-to-date information?
Have important terms or concepts been clearly defined?
Does there appear to be sufficient evidence for the main points?
DO THE ARGUMENTS SUPPORT THE CONCLUSIONS?
Do the research methodology and the composition of the sample make sense for this type of study?
Does the text present, refute, or otherwise take into account opposing hypotheses or theoretical arguments?
Does the text help you understand the subject?
Was bias present in the research design?
Were the participants chosen ethically? Do they represent the population?
Does this article make a contribution to our understanding of the phenomenon under examination?
What are the implications of this article for theory or future research in this area?
Step 3: Plan and write the critique.
Format:
Write the critique in standard essay format. Begin with an introduction that describes (briefly and not at all exhaustively) the object of your critique (the article), and states your argument and overall perspective. Introduce the topic and include a thesis statement in your introduction.
Defend your point of view by raising specific issues regarding the content of the article you are discussing. Use the questions above to help you decide what you want to discuss. Support your ideas with concrete references (citations), employing examples of what impresses you and what concerns you within the article. Paraphrase and cite your sources. Use quotations sparingly.
Conclude the critique by summarizing your argument and re-emphasizing the thesis, which is now (now that you’ve presented the argument for it) also your conclusion.
Critique:
Do not provide a summary of the article. Explain what the article means to you, given your background knowledge and academic interests.
You may discuss why you approve or disapprove of the research method employed by the author, and/or explain the impact of the research within its field or discipline. Avoid discussing your personal opinions of the topic or the author’s main conclusion; do discuss and justify your opinions of the article’s content or methods while making direct reference to the article under discussion. For example, do not say simply that you did or did not like the article. You may, however, explain why you agree or disagree with the author’s thesis; in particular, try to explain why you approve or disapprove of the way that the author supported their thesis (the argument).
In the paper, you should typically avoid explicitly mentioning that you are stating your own opinion, belief, or viewpoint. For example, do not state, “I believe that both types of research are necessary.” Instead state, “Both types of research are necessary because . . .”
Make your writing as clean and concise as possible to accommodate the four-page limit. You should employ both in-text and end-of-text citation in your paper, though you do not need any sources beyond the article that you intend to analyze.
Step 4: Proofread and revise the paper.
Before submitting your paper, ask yourself the following questions. If you answer “no” to any of the following questions, (continue to) revise your paper. Once you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, print your paper (yes, print), read it aloud, and edit accordingly.
Does your introduction explain the topic of the paper?
Can you easily identify your thesis?
Does each paragraph have a clear thesis?
Does each sentence in a paragraph relate to the main point of that paragraph and the overall purpose of the paper?
Is your position clear in the way you have stated your thesis and throughout the paper?
Does the paper make sense when you read it (aloud may be best)?
Step 5: Submit this paper to your instructor via the “Assignments” tab. Submit the article you read and analyzed, as well as the paper you wrote (along with the APA checklist).
Need an example? Here is one (note: unlike your paper, it is not in APA format): https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/161/2014/09/critical-rhetorical-analysis.pdf
2. (Discussion Board Post) (5 paragraphs) (APA citations) (In-text citations are a must)
The attached article “Student Attitudes Concerning Abortion, Euthanasia, and the Death Penalty.” has the focus on examining gender differences of NFC students and studying their attitudes around abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty. Right off the bat, a weakness I see lies within the thesis itself. I feel like addressing all three of these issues in one research topic is biting off more than one can chew, as these are all very big topics with endless amounts of directions and prior research they could base their study on. This could be split into 3 entirely different research projects. Yet, there is strength in the context and background section, as past studies are addressed in which was vital information from them as well as what they were neglecting that will be addressed in this study. In terms of participants, there is weakness in the sample size of only 72 students, and while I do not know the university size, I feel that is not representative of the university on a large enough scale. Yet, there is strength in the demographic of the 72 participants, as 33 male and 39 female is a pretty even split and will avoid any gender bias consuming the results. Next, their questionnaires were strong, as the scale of 1-7 ranking gives room for more accurate results and reduces the feeling of being forced to choose either or, such as last week’s Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Their results were strong in supporting their thesis around the notion of abortion, as a significant sex difference was found around “abortion is acceptable only if it serves the function of saving the mother’s health” and “abortion for girls under the age of 18 is acceptable only with parental consent” with males agreeing more strongly than females. The death penalty results also supported their thesis, as males were found to be more in favor of it. However, the field of euthanasia did not support their thesis around gender, as there were no comments on euthanasia in the results section on page 6 at all. I am confused as to why it was still included if it did nothing to support the gender thesis.
Hence, it is important to be mindful of the audience in writing, as catering to a crowd makes one more convincing in getting their point across. To be convincing, one must think about the audience in terms of “what they know, what they believe, what they expect, what they are likely to find convincing. It also entails understanding what their purpose is in reading your work.” (Wallace & Wray, 2021, p.55). Hence, the audience for this paper is those who are both educated and passionate in the realms of death penalty, euthanasia, and abortion. First, they are old enough to have read other works on these topics, ranging college aged and above. Next, they are likely busy in terms of working or academic lifestyle, explaining the clear and concise nature of the writing format. Finally, they are a balance of skeptical and open minded in nature in that they could be convinced by the argument if well delivered but are ready to reject it if not executed properly. I know this is the audience, as in the closing remarks of the paper the author stated “it became evident, therefore, that mankind must accept one another’s attitudes even if the attitudes expressed are, in themselves, inconsistent” (Ima Student, 2024) This implies if the audience still disagrees with the author by the end of the paper, that the diversity of opinions need to learn to be accepted rather than being fought about. Looking into my personal audience, I would also expect the age range of old enough to have read other works on these topics, busy in the nature of professional life, and a balance of open minded and skeptical into what I have to say. Specifically expect them to have experience in the realm of criminal justice and criminology, whether it be students in the practice or professionals working in the field. I also feel like it targets those in the realm of science and biology, as I discuss notions of genetic and chemical makeup of brain structure. I also expect it to attract those in the field of psychology as well, as I discuss theories around human behavior and how the environment can shape one’s predispositions toward criminal behavior. They are likely interested to see if the notions of biological and environmental implications are two separate entities or enforce one another in order to create a violent offender. A concern they could hold is if I take the paper in the spin of genetics alone being the cause and saying “one is strictly born criminal”, which is controversial in the world of criminology as a claim. They will want me to address that this notion is not inherently true and a combination of other factors.
References:
Student, Ima. (2024). “Student Attitudes Concerning Abortion, Euthanasia, and the Death Penalty.” Worldclass. Accessed from: https://worldclass.regis.edu/content/enforced/144028-C_Maint_MAPC601_out_2_4_14/Week6_Discussion_Article.pdf?ou=330820
3. (Discussion Board Reply) (3 paragraphs) (APA citations) (In-text citations are a must)
Fatme Bzayh posted Jun 6, 2024 3:39 PM
Subscribe
The article “Student Attitudes Concerning Abortion, Euthanasia, and the Death Penalty” clearly outlines its thesis and purpose, aiming to evaluate undergraduates’ political attitudes towards these controversial issues and examine how gender and Need for Cognition (NFC) influence these attitudes. The study’s strengths lie in its thorough literature review, methodological rigor, and detailed statistical analysis, which provide a solid foundation for the research. However, the study has notable weaknesses. The small sample size of 72 students may not adequately represent the broader university population, and the voluntary nature of participation could introduce bias. Moreover, while the thesis is supported by a combination of past studies and empirical data, the inconsistencies in findings related to NFC and some overgeneralized conclusions weaken the argument. For instance, the study finds significant gender differences in attitudes towards abortion and the death penalty, but fails to address euthanasia adequately, leaving a gap in the research.
The intended audience for this paper is likely academic peers with a background in social psychology and political attitudes, who are interested in exploring cognitive and demographic influences on controversial issues. These readers would appreciate the comprehensive review and methodological approach but may be critical of the study’s limitations. The study’s limited diversity and potential overgeneralization further constrain the generalizability of its conclusions, making it less impactful. To enhance the study’s credibility, future research could benefit from a larger, more representative sample and a more focused approach on each issue individually. Additionally, addressing the inconsistencies in NFC-related findings would strengthen the overall argument, making the study more robust and its conclusions more reliable.
4. (Discussion Board Reply) (3 paragraphs) (APA citations) (In-text citations are a must)
Jody Roper Week 5
Contains unread posts
Jody Roper posted Jun 6, 2024 10:11 PM
Subscribe
As I read the paper, Student Attitudes Concerning Abortion, Euthanasia, and the Death Penalty, I was intrigued by the topic as it definitely contained some hot-button issues. I think because of this, and because these topics often come up in the election cycle, I expected a little more gusto from the paper. Instead, it really left me wanting more. While the author stated that their intention was to examine student attitudes around these issues, the only issue that really matched the hypothesis was the abortion issue. However, after reading through the paper again, it seems the data wasn’t in its purest form. Participants were allowed to change their answers after a discussion, and after looking at the questions, I noticed that some had bias embedded in them. I was also surprised to find a mistake in the Attitudes on Abortion paragraph where their follow-up questions were tied to the Right to Die section. When thinking about the intended audience for this paper, I was reminded of the five critical synopsis questions. According to Wallace & Wray (2011), “If you are to assess the value of authors’ findings or ideas for your own interests and priorities, you need to have a clear understanding of what the authors were trying to do” (p 50) Being able to assess the information and have a clear understanding is essential, and the five questions can be helpful, asking yourself, “Why am I reading this?”, “How convincing is what the authors are saying?” or “What are the authors saying that is relevant to what I want to find out?” (Wallace & Wray, 2011) As I complete my research, I believe that it will be beneficial to put myself into the role of the reader and ensure that my intended audience and message are being met.
Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers
Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.
Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS
Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?
Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.
We write plagiarism Free Content
Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.
Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.
