Assignment: Article Critique
Purpose: The purpose of an article critique is to give you practice in evaluating the key characteristics of research articles. As epidemiologists we love to focus on concepts and methods to evaluate the soundness and rigor of scientific research.Critiquing an article is a fundamental and very useful skill in epidemiological literacy.A critique requires the basic understanding of epidemiological concepts and methods that you can then apply to evaluate the scientific quality of a journal article.
What is an analytical study?
In an analytical study you test a hypothesis by quantifying the association between an exposure and an outcome between two groups. Analytical studies may be observational (case-control, cohort) or experimental (RCT). Make sure to select a longitudinal study and NOT a cross-sectional study. Also make sure that you select a study that focuses on individuals as units of observation and NOT an ecologic study or a meta-analysis.
How do you read a journal article?
The following are some steps that will guide you in your article critique.
- You always read the article more than once to familiarize yourself with the contents.
- First, you read to understand the big picture and then you read to focus on the details. Taking notes on the major points made by the authors will help you develop a deeper understanding of the article. Try to answer in your own words the following questions:
a) Introduction: Why was this study done?
b) Method: How was it done?
c) Results: What was found?
d) Discussion: What does it mean?
e) References: Do the references support the research?
f) Tables/Figures: Do they stand on their own?
- You look at the references because they are critical in assessing the quality of the study being conducted (How recent are they? From what journals?).
- Last, you read the article to uncover irregularities, inconsistencies, and/or missing elements.
Article Critique Content: Overall you should describe the central concepts and methods by presenting a thorough summary and critique of the article.Note that the assignment is an article critique so focus on the thorough critique and specifically on the methods section. Please, use the same headings when writing your critique:
A. Background and literature review on the topic :
a. Summary: Brief summary of the current thinking on the topic
b. Public Health Importance: Author's statement of the public health importance of the health condition/event they are studying
c. Objectives: Study objectives (what is the purpose or goal of the study?)
d. Critique: Evaluation of this section including rationales in support of the article or highlights of the weaknesses in the study
B. Methods:
a. Study design: identify the following elements, describe or explain each element, and provide information from the article to support your statement.
i. Research design (type of study, dataset, study sample)
ii. Study population (inclusion/exclusion criteria, recruitment and data collection methods)
iii. Key variables (i.e., outcome, exposure, confounders)
iv. Bias and Confounding: How are bias and confounding addressed?
v. Analysis: Type of statistical analysis (e.g., linear regression, logistic regression)
b. Critique: Evaluation of this section including rationales in support of the article or highlights of the weaknesses in the study
C. Study results and findings:
a. Study Findings: Clear summary of MAIN study findings including numbers and significance levels
b. Interpretation: Interpretation of the results
c. Conclusions and Significance: Explanation of conclusions and significance
d. Critique: Evaluation of this section including rationales in support of the article or highlights of the weaknesses in the study
D. Strengths and limitations of the study (20 points):
a. Strengths: Explanation of the strengths
b. Limitations: Explanation of the limitations
c. Additional Strengths and imitations: Inclusion and thorough explanation of ONE strength or ONE limitation of the study not included by the authors
E. Relevance to the field of epidemiology:
a. Significance: Establish the significance of the study, the policy implications.
F. Causality criteria: identify the causality criteria illustrated in the article (use examples)
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length
Article: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Exposure to Diesel Exhaust in a Danish Cohort by Aisha S. Dickerson*, Johnni Hansen, Ole Gredal and Marc G.Weisskopf.