Dr Frances Slack

Sheffield Hallam University

UK

October 2017

Why this is important

What critical evaluation is not

Check the evidence

Support your opinions

Further reading

Students must demonstrate systematic understanding and critical

awareness of current problems

comprehensive understanding of techniques

applicable to their own research

originality in the application of knowledge

practical understanding to interpret knowledge

critical evaluation of current research and

methodologies in the discipline

Students will be able to deal with complex issues systematically and

creatively

communicate clearly to specialists and non-

specialists

show self-direction, originality and

autonomous problem solving

planning and implementation at a professional

level

continue to develop new understanding and

skills

Students will develop

transferable skills for

employment initiative and personal responsibility

decision-making in complex and unpredictable

situations

independent learning and professional

development

[QAA, 2014)

A report or essay that just describes what has been done is not enough

it needs analysis and evaluation

Your work must be based on evidence from other people

it is essential to read academic sources

Your opinions and assumptions must be supported

by the evidence you have collected

You have to read in order to write

Identifying the line of reasoning in the text

Critically evaluating the line of reasoning

Questioning surface appearances and checking for hidden assumptions or agendas

Identifying evidence in the text

Evaluating the evidence according to valid criteria

Identifying the writer's conclusions

Deciding whether the evidence given supports the conclusions

Making assumptions it's always cold in Tallinn

Making unsupported generalisations it always rains in Manchester

Unquestioned information British people only eat chips

Giving misleading information, or with mistakes it snows in Scotland every Xmas

A straight description Estonia is a Baltic state in northern Europe

Quotes without a commentary ‘The writer says this/the writer says that’

Make sure that any evidence you present is:

valid

current

accurate

relevant

reliable

complete

sufficient

Be clear what your conclusions are

Show a clear line of reasoning an 'argument' leading to your conclusion

Present evidence to support your reasoning

Read your own writing critically as well as your sources

View your subject from multiple perspectives by reading contrasting views

Write in a critical, analytical style don’t use a descriptive, personal or journalistic

style

An opinion

is an idea with no evidence

A truth

is a common idea within a subject

area

Garbage in, garbage out

A claim

must be supported by evidence or

proof

To find out what has been done before

To find a focus for the topic

To discover other aspects of the topic

To give a theoretical and academic grounding

To compare the results

A periodical that publishes academic and professional research

Papers are subject to an anonymous peer review process

Names and affiliations of the Editorial Board are published in the journal

Accepted as ‘reputable’ by their academic or professional community

Look at the volume number - this indicates the number of years the journal has been published

Practitioners' periodical Classic Review Article Classic Research Article

Title or headline Title Title

Author Author Author(s)

Introduction to the issue Abstract Abstract

Background Introduction Introduction

Discussion Literature review Literature review

Conclusions Discussion Hypotheses

Pictures Conclusions Methods

800 – 1000 words References Results

10 - 20 pages Discussion

Conclusions

References

8 - 20(+) pages

Generalisation,

extrapolation

of results

Analysis

of results

Data

collection

instrument

Sampling

frame

Methodology

Research

question,

hypotheses

Literature

search

and review

In order to:

acknowledge the author(s) of the work

indicate the source of the material

provide a link for future reference

show the academic foundation of the assignment

Using the recommended method of referencing

Guidance is available through TTU library service

The name of the author or editor

The date the work was published

The title of the work

The publisher

The edition

The relevant page numbers

Assemble

your current body of knowledge

identify key concepts and authors

Read

literature review articles for relevant focus

Integrate

analyse the literature using categories

integrate the concepts from the literature

Re-read develop a framework basic definitions e.g. “What is E-voting?”

Write why the topic is of interest some unanswered questions the context for exploring the topic

Build bibliography gather additional articles

References write these as you go

(Rowley & Slack, 2004)

QAA (2014) UK Quality Code for Higher

Education: Part A setting and maintaining

academic standards, [online] www.qaa.ac.uk

Rowley, J. and Slack, F. Conducting a

literature review, Management research

news, 27(6), 2004, p.31-39.