Evaluating Research Articles from Start to Finish

From Book News, Inc.
Written for both potential researchers as well as potential consumers of research, this text is intended to supplement more intensive textbooks rather than to teach design and statistics; a familiarity with elementary research design and intermediate-level statistics is assumed. Using examples of both good and flawed studies, it shows how to critically read qualitative and quantitative research articles and to judge whether the conclusions reported in an article are justified based on the design and analysis of the experiment. No index. Paper edition (unseen), $24.95. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.


Review
"The strategy of providing a research article, and then a set of questions without answers, and then the answers afterward, is a nice touch. . . I kept turning the page to see what Ellen wrote. I actually looked forward to Ellen getting into some good sleuthing. . . and inviting me, the reader, to follow the clues with her!" 


Review
"The strategy of providing a research article, and then a set of questions without answers, and then the answers afterward, is a nice touch. . . I kept turning the page to see what Ellen wrote. I actually looked forward to Ellen getting into some good sleuthing. . . and inviting me, the reader, to follow the clues with her!" 


Book Description
This book will help you reach a decision about any conclusion reported in a research article. You will walk through articles with the author, noting the rationale for a study, its purpose, the soundness of the design, the appropriateness of the analysis of data and interpretations of the results, the conclusion reached, and whether it is justified. Types of studies range from descriptive (e.g., case studies, surveys, correlation) to analytical (e.g., experiments involving two or more matched or randomly formed groups). Types of analyses range from simple t tests to multivariate (e.g., analyses of variance, factor analysis, multiple regression). This new edition also includes things to look for in the article, in the form of readily accessible lists of factors in the design and statistical analyses that are critical for determining appropriateness of conclusions. There is greater coverage of designs and analyses of data, more up-to date articles, more articles to critique without help (but answers provided), and a glossary of all technical, relevant terms. Features and Benefits: This edition, like the first, includes flawed and well-designed studies, most of which were published in 1999 or 2000. All chapters but one include two articles: one is critiqued by the author, while the other is critiqued by the reader. The answers are provided in a separate section. Each chapter starts with a detailed description of the rationale for the design, the most appropriate statistical analysis for the design along with assumptions underlying the analysis, and a boxed list of critical design and analysis factors to guide any critique. A list of supplementary readings is at the end of the chapter, and a comprehensive glossary is at the end of the book.


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Girden, who taught psychology at Nova University in Florida until her retirement, has created this text to train students to read research articles critically and in their entirety. Case studies, narrative analysis, surveys, and correlation, regression analysis, factor- analytic, discriminant, two-condition experimental, single classification, factorial, and quasi-experimental studies are featured; the design of each type of study and the statistical analysis it uses are discussed in detail. A series of directed questions follows each article. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)


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