...Writing a Critical Review Printable version (PDF format) What is a Critical Review? The purpose of the critical review is to review or critically evaluate an article or book. What is meant by 'critical'? To be critical means that you are required to: • • • ask questions about the ideas and information presented in the text and; to comment thoughtfully by engaging in a process of evaluating or; making judgements about the validity or relevance of the text to your research or field of study. Part of the process of being critical is to use the information gathered from questioning to understand the topic from different perspectives and in relation to relevant theoretical frameworks in the field. Furthermore, asking the right questions will help you to make links with previous information, develop a position and arguments to support it. What is meant by evaluation? Evaluation is the process that encourages you to show an understanding of the text content by analysing the purpose and the structure of the text, assessing and making judgements about its appropriateness according to various academic criteria. What is meant by analysis? To approach a topic analytically is to examine carefully the content, issues and structure, by separating them into component parts and explaining how they interrelate. The ability to summarise is another skill that is essential to writing a critical review. To summarise means to express the main points of an idea or topic in fewer words and...
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...Critical Thinking Assessment Template Prerequisites: Complete and post your individual team contribution, which is your drafted plan into your team’s discussion topic. NOTE: Do not send your drafted plan with this assignment. Further, you do not need to peer review the drafts before doing this assignment because that is done for Unit 9. |Your name, your role for the team activity, your team name: | | Introduction Capella’s critical thinking process is a tool to sharpen your critical thinking and problem solving skills so you can accomplish the four critical thinking objectives. As mentioned throughout the course, you can use our six-step process whenever you are approaching a problem to find a solution. Specifically, your Capella assignments are excellent problems to solve using the six steps. You have practiced this for assignments in units 3–7. Now for this assignment, reflect on the Critical Thinking Six Steps that you used while completing your drafted plan, which was your individual team contribution posted in your team’s Unit 8 discussion topic. Further, you will see that each step is one criteria on the scoring guide. Refer to the Critical Thinking Process study in Unit 3 as needed. Use this template by completing the items requested on it, which will guide the composition needed for your assignment. Have fun and be sure to submit by Sunday of week 8 to assure you can be successful...
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...Helpsheet CRITICAL REVIEWS Use this sheet to help you: • conduct a critical review of an article • structure and write a critical review 5 minute self test Circle either ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ in the points below: In a critical review, you: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. should / shouldn’t assume the reader is familiar with the text should / shouldn’t provide a summary of the text should / shouldn’t provide many quotes should / shouldn’t be ‘hyper-critical’ should / shouldn’t write an introduction, a body and a conclusion Check your answers on Page 10 This publication can be cited as: Davies, W. M. and Beaumont, T. J. (2007), Critical Reviews, Teaching and Learning Unit, Faculty of Business and Economics, the University of Melbourne. http://tlu.fbe.unimelb.edu.au/ Further credits: Pesina, J. (design and layout). FACULTY OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Helpsheet CRITICAL REVIEWS Introduction The process of critically reviewing an article can seem intimidating. How, you may worry, can you think of things to say about an article written by an expert? What if you can’t find anything to “criticise”? How will you avoid just producing a summary of the article? And, how should you structure the review? There are no simple techniques that can make writing a critical review easy. A critical review is something that takes time, care and thought. Perhaps, for hours and hours, you may feel you are getting, nowhere, but then suddenly, maybe while in the bath, you have an idea…...
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...Literature Review Handout Liberty University Online Writing Center Handout Description A review of literature is a critical analysis of a portion of the published body of knowledge available through the use of summary, classification, and comparison of previous research studies, reviews of literature, and journal articles (“How to Write a Literature Review”, 2012). This handout discusses the reasons for writing a literature review and presents its various requirements. It examines what a literature review is, as well as what it is not; it distinguishes between the literature review and the annotated bibliography. Like many academic writing assignments, there is not one universal standard for writing a literature review. Its format can differ from discipline to discipline and from assignment to assignment. There is, however, an overall structure that is commonly used across various disciplines, and this format is examined in more detail. The handout concludes with some helpful “tips and tricks” for preparing a literature review. Disclaimer: The content of a literature review may vary from discipline to discipline and from assignment to assignment. The literature review content recommended in this handout is that which is most commonly included. If in doubt about what you should include in your literature review, please consult your professor. Literature Review Handout Defining a Literature Review What...
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...Research Paper Goal: To present a critical analysis on a topic of interest in sensation and perception research. This will be an overview paper reporting the major components of some topic of current (from 2005 to the present) research in the field of sensation or perception. Ideas for topics might include, but are by no means limited to the following: • Neuroscience and brain imaging (e.g., CT, fMRI, PET, EEG) • Vision and visual acuity • Agnosia • Functions of the thalamus in S & P • Function of the lateral geniculate nucleus • Function of the medial geniculate nucleus • Object Perception • Signal detection theory • Audition and auditory problems • Autism and S and P • Language perception • Color vision • Gender differences in sensation & perception • Neuroscience and cognition • Prosopagnosia • Hemispheric neglect • Drug abuse and perception • Motion perception • Parkinson’s Disease and perception • Alzheimer’s Disease and S & P • Testing perception in infants • Flavor Perception • Capgras’ delusion Certainly, the topics are by no means limited to those suggested above. If you have an interesting idea or want to explore another area under the general umbrella of research in Sensation and Perception, you are encouraged to do so. Browse your textbook if you simply cannot think of something to write about. Paper Requirements: All papers must be written using an APA format. Papers must be double-spaced, using 10- or 12-point, Times New Roman...
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... Book Reviews Like 17 people like this. What this handout is about This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews. What is a review? A review is a critical evaluation of a text, event, object, or phenomenon. Reviews can consider books, articles, entire genres or fields of literature, architecture, art, fashion, restaurants, policies, exhibitions, performances, and many other forms. This handout will focus on book reviews. Above all, a review makes an argument. The most important element of a review is that it is a commentary, not merely a summary. It allows you to enter into dialogue and discussion with the work’s creator and with other audiences. You can offer agreement or disagreement and identify where you find the work exemplary or deficient in its knowledge, judgments, or organization. You should clearly state your opinion of the work in question, and that statement will probably resemble other types of academic writing, with a thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Typically, reviews are brief. In newspapers and academic journals, they rarely exceed 1000 words, although you may encounter lengthier assignments and extended commentaries. In either case, reviews need to be succinct. While they vary in tone, subject, and style, they share some common features: First, a review gives the...
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...SYLLABUS BCOM/275 Business Communications and Critical Thinking Copyright ©2014 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course introduces students to the foundations of communication in a business setting. Students will develop skills in critical thinking and decision making through the forms of written communication, including memos, emails, business letters, and reports. Other topics include communication ethics and cross-cultural communications, personal communication styles, solving organizational problems, and the evaluation of an organizations strategic direction. Course Dates Jul 29, 2014 - Sep 01, 2014 Faculty Information Name : Email Address : Alternate Email Address Phone Number : SHARLA WALKER (PRIMARY) sharmarie@email.phoenix.edu (510) 481-8992 Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents (both located on your student website): • Academic Policies • Instructor Policies University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Get Ready for Class • Familiarize yourself with the textbooks used in this course. Course Materials All electronic materials are available on your student...
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...What is a literature review? A literature review provides an overview of published sources on a topic. Your review needs to be a critical analysis of these published sources (literature). This is done through summary, classification and comparison of the ways different information is presented by the different sources. The number of sources that you will be required to review will depend on what the literature review is for, and how advanced you are in your studies. It could be from five sources at undergraduate level to more than fifty for a doctoral thesis. Your lecturer will advise you on this. Why do we write literature reviews? At university you may be asked to write a literature review either as a separate assignment (undergraduate level), or as an introduction to a research report or thesis (postgraduate level). A literature review: gives an overview and provides comprehensive knowledge of what has been written on a particular topic conveys to your reader what ideas and knowledge have been published on a topic — what has been said, who the key writers are, what the prevailing theories and hypotheses are, and what questions are being asked summarises and synthesises the arguments and ideas of others and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of these ideas and arguments provides a solid background for a research paper’s investigation. A literature review is not: an annotated bibliography a list of available sources a list describing or summarising one piece...
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...endeavour. I have found that after so long out of the education system it has been a difficult transition juggling study and work. The first units that were chosen for me in study period 2, I thought were difficult to understand having never written an essay before and without the knowledge or know how, I was not able to complete these units. SSK12 has given me a good understanding of what it takes at becoming a university student and in particular the skills on writing essays. As I have mentioned previously up until study period 2, I had never written an essay and did not fully comprehend how important the set out of a university essay was. Choosing an Essay Question was an important part of my learning in week 6 because this has now given me the beginning step in writing a university essay using the correct format. I am feeling a lot more confident when approaching the subject of essays as I now understand and have the knowledge on the procedure in completing an academic essay and what is required. I now know that by firstly choosing a question will then help you to with your thesis and this in turn will give you your main idea and sets the way in which to write your essay. During the time that I was employed by the government it was necessary for me to constantly refer to certain policies and procedures on a daily basis. I was able to use the marking text system to allow me easy reference by indicated the pages with tabs and then within the contents I would...
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... • What are the elements of the assignment? • How will the assignment be graded? • What are other considerations for completing the assignment well? The purpose of this worksheet is to guide you in “decoding” any GCU assignment. Assignment Instructions: Review the sample syllabus and sample rubric under the questions below. Then, provide answers underneath the following questions: 1. How do the objectives assist a student in completing the assignment? Objectives assist students by explaining a clear expectation of what knowledge will be gained at the completion of a specific topic. You then understand the point of completing certain tasks outlined in a topic because the purpose is geared towards completing the objectives. 2. Describe what needs to be done for the assignment found in the sample syllabus? To complete the assignment outlined in the sample syllabus, you need to first read the required chapters (1, 2, 3 &6) in the specified textbook and review the lecture notes for the specified topic. After that, 3 components that you feel help form a worldview need to be identified. These are subjective, and are derived on what you have taken out of the required reading and lectures. Then using the 3 components, you are to write a 500-750 word essay providing an explanation of why you feel these 3 pieces fit together to make up one’s worldview. In addition, you are to address how you feel one’s faith plays a role in developing ones worldview...
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...(UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 2 Discussion Question 1 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 2 Discussion Question 2 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 2 Individual Assignments Critical Information Systems Paper (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 3 Discussion Question 1 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 3 Individual Assignment Service Request SR-kf-013 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 4 Discussion Question 1 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 4 Discussion Question 2 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 4 Individual Assignment McBride Marketing Paper (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 5 Discussion Question 1 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 5 Discussion Question 2 (UOP Course) BSA 310 Week 5 Team Assignment Service Request SR-rm-012 Paper and Presentation (UOP Course) ____________________________________________________ BSA 310 Week 2 Individual Assignments Critical Information Systems Paper (UOP Course) For more course tutorials visit www.tutorialrank.com Individual Assignment: Critical Information Systems Paper • Write a 3-5 page paper based on one of the following Virtual Organizations: o Smith Systems Consulting. Huffman Trucking. Kudler Fine Foods. • For the selected Virtual Organization, describe an information system critical to the business processes of the organization. Include in your description how this information system has an effect on the organizational structure. ____________________________________________________ BSA 310 Week 3 Individual...
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...1 Overview of How to Write an Essay Writing essays is a major element of your education at the university level. Effective writing gives you the ability to express your ideas, theories, arguments, and projects clearly. The skills you acquire at the university level through writing essays will be aimed at practical business applications that you will be able to use in the workplace. The following information provides a succinct overview of the elements you need to know to begin writing an essay. It will help you on your writing journey. Types of Essays Narrative A narrative essay is a story told by a narrator. Generally, a narrative discusses the personal experience of the author (the first person point of view), but it can also be written about things that happen to others (third person point of view). A narrative typically involves characters, a setting, specific and vivid details, and a series of events that can include current incidents, flashbacks, or dialogue. Cause and Effect A cause and effect essay explores why events, actions, or conditions occur (cause) and examines the results of those events, actions, or conditions (effect). For example, a cause could be purchasing a new expensive home. The effect might be fewer family vacations, more time spent on upkeep, or less time with family because of extra work hours to pay for the home. Comparison and Contrast A comparison and contrast essay shows the relationship between two or more elements. The items can be compared...
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...Literature Research Literature reviews are completed by students to learn the proper format for setting up their own research projects. The following is information gleaned on what a literature review is, why it is conducted, and how to understand completing one . Additional information on how to write a review is covered as well. A literature review surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, providing a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you have explored while researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits into the larger field of study. A literature review may consist of simple a summary of key sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual categories. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that informs how you are planning to investigate a research problem. The analytical features of a literature review might: * Give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations, * Trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates, * Depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the...
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...when they moved from high school to university. There is more reading, more lab time, and more writing. The ideas, discussions, and questions are at a higher level. There’s a reason that not everyone does this! Entering your studies with a clear purpose and sense of direction, informed by a thorough understanding of new responsibilities and expectations, can help you to adapt better to the new demands of Masters and Ph.D. level research, organization, presentation, and writing. Perfectionism. Many academics would characterize themselves as perfectionists. To a certain extent, this is a healthy trait that promotes self-awareness and hard work. However, perfectionism can also be crippling as it can make you feel as if you can’t write a paper or make a comment unless it is absolutely brilliant. Remember, you are a student, not an expert. You are discovering new terms, concepts, and areas of study. Your first draft or class presentation will never be perfect, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The Counselling Centre offers excellent support for perfectionism. For more information, visit the Centre’s web site at: http://www.trentu.ca/counselling/ Your Key Responsibilities Common Challenges in Graduate Studies Finding Balance. It is easy to be pulled in one direction only to leave other responsibilities neglected. You may have research commitments in the lab, but you also need to complete course work, outline your proposal, and have a life! Or you...
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...THE LITERATURE REVIEW: A FEW TIPS ON CONDUCTING IT What is a review of the literature? A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. Occasionally you will be asked to write one as a separate assignment (sometimes in the form of an annotated bibliography—see the bottom of the next page), but more often it is part of the introduction to an essay, research report, or thesis. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries. Besides enlarging your knowledge about the topic, writing a literature review lets you gain and demonstrate skills in two areas: 1. information seeking: the ability to scan the literature efficiently, using manual or computerized methods, to identify a set of useful articles and books critical appraisal: the ability to apply principles of analysis to identify unbiased and valid studies. 2. A literature review must do these things: a) be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing b) synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known c)...
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