Structural Analysis of a Journal Article
Political Science 5335
Problems in
Patricia M. Shields
Second and Third Structural Analysis
Overall
Instructions
1. Double space.
2. 12 point font.
3. Use subheadings
4. Do Not
right justify
1. The instructor will provide an article that has
an explicit hypothesis.
2. Write an abstract of the article in 100 to
200 words. Make sure and include a discussion of the unique research
purpose/question, methods used to achieve the purpose (or address the question)
and key findings (relate the findings to the research question)
3. In a coherent essay, answer the following
questions about the theory in the article.
a.
Specify what the article is trying to accomplish.
b. Specify two hypotheses developed in the article
c. How do the hypotheses help the author(s) accomplish their objectives
?
d. Identify or name the most basic building blocks of the hypotheses [there should
be at least two] The basic building blocks of the
hypotheses are sometimes referred to as the concepts or elements of the
hypothesis.
e. How are the basic building blocks of the hypotheses related? (positive, negative or no direction specified).
4. In a coherent essay, answer the following
questions about the methods used in the article.
a. What research technique or methodology was used?
What is the unit of analysis? How does
use of this methodology contribute to addressing the research purpose?
b. What
is (are) the dependent variable(s)? In your discussion identify the
correspondence between the dependent variable and the relevant "basic
building block or element" of the hypothesis identified above. In other
words, for each dependent variable what basic concept in the Hypothesis does
the dependent variable measure? [repeat for each
hypothesis]
c. How was the dependent variable operationalized?
[repeat for each hypothesis].
d. What is the level of measurement used for the
dependent variable(s)? What is the potential range (highest and lowest value)
for the dependent variable? [repeat for each
hypothesis]
e. What
is (are) the independent variable(s)? In your discussion identify the
correspondence between the independent variable and the relevant "basic
building block or element" of the hypothesis identified above. In other
words, for each independent variable what basic concept in the hypothesis is
measured? [repeat for each hypothesis]
f. How was the independent variable
operationalized?
[repeat for each hypothesis].
g. What is the level of measurement used for the
independent variable(s)? What is the potential range for the independent
variable?
[repeat for each hypothesis]
h. If a sample was used, discuss the sample and the
sampling technique.
5. In a coherent essay, answer the following questions about the statistical
methods used in the article.
a. If available, specify the mean(s) and standard
deviations of the dependent variable(s).
Interpret. [repeat for each hypothesis]
b. If available, specify the mean(s) and standard
deviation of the independent variable(s).
Interpret. [repeat for each hypothesis]
c. Which statistical technique was used and what
statistical tests were performed to test the hypothesis? [repeat
for each hypothesis]
d. Which results
achieved statistical significance?
e. What evidence was used to test the hypothesis. Did the evidence
support the hypothesis? Justify. [repeat for each
hypothesis]
f. Describe the connection between the conceptual
framework and the empirical portion of the article.
g. Asses the conceptual framework as an organizing
device for the empirical portion of the article.
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