Three questions to ask yourself when reading the research –
Here are some other things to think about when reading research articles:
Author
Does the author note any conflict of interest?
Does the author acknowledge their own limitations?
Does the author acknowledge biases they may have?
Introduction
Is the problem being studied clearly stated?
Is there a review of previous literature related to this study?
Did the author identify a gap in the literature?
Is there a hypothesis stated?
Is the purpose of the study stated?
Method
Are the subjects well described?
How was the sample selected?
How large was the sample?
Was a control group used?
Is the procedure laid out in detail?
Could someone replicate the study from this description?
Are the measures used valid & reliable?
Is the data analysis well described?
Results
Are the measured data summarized?
Discussion
Was the hypothesis accepted or rejected?
Were there weaknesses in the study discussed?
Are other articles or studies cited which address the findings?
Were any suggestions made for further study on this topic?
Are alternative interpretations addressed if appropriate?
Conclusion
Are the results briefly restated?
Do conclusions make sense based on the results and discussion?
References
Are references included?
Do they support the content of the article?