Evaluating Research in Academic Journals

A Practical Guide to Realistic Evaluation

Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo, Fred Pyrczak

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781032424088
• eBook ISBN: 9781003848158
• Edition: 8
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Social Science Research & Methodology
• Index: Psychology

Evaluating Research in Academic Journals is a guide for students learning how to evaluate reports of empirical research published in academic journals. It breaks down the process of evaluating a journal article into easy-to-understand steps and emphasizes the practical aspects of evaluating research.

The book describes the nuances that may make an article publishable, even when it has serious methodological flaws. Students learn when and why certain types of flaws may be tolerated, and why evaluation should not be performed mechanically. Each chapter is organized around evaluation questions, and the book includes numerous examples from journals in the social and behavioral sciences to illustrate the application of evaluation questions and provide actual instances of strong and weak features of published reports.

Common-sense models for evaluation, combined with a lack of jargon make it possible for students to start evaluating research articles in the first week of class, making this the ideal textbook for instructors and students across a range of disciplines.

New to this edition:

• A new chapter on Types of Research
• Coverage of the new realities of online survey methods and research using big data
• A new appendix on Emerging Issues in Survey Research
• More emphasis and information on qualitative, case studies, and action research
• Expanded discussion of research ethics, including additional research-ethics-oriented guidelines, and new appendices devoted to noteworthy cases of research ethics breaches.

The accompanying Instructor and Student Resources provide free digital materials designed to test student knowledge and save time when preparing lessons, including over 150 multiple-choice questions, articles, videos, and weblinks for students to test their knowledge of the material and further their understanding of concepts; and downloadable lecture slides and test banks for instructors.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Endorsements
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction to the Eighth Edition
• 1. Types of Research
• 2. Background for Evaluating Research
• 3. Evaluating Titles
• 4. Evaluating Abstracts
• 5. Evaluating Introductions and Literature Reviews
• 6. Evaluating Samples When Researchers Generalize
• 7. Understanding and Evaluating Context-Specific Research
• 8. Evaluating Measures
• 9. Evaluating Experimental Procedures
• 10. Evaluating Analysis and Results Sections: Quantitative Research
• 11. Evaluating Methods and Analysis Sections: Qualitative Research
• 12. Evaluating Analysis and Results Sections: Mixed Methods Research
• 13. Evaluating Discussion Sections
• 14. Evaluating Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: Towards Evidence-Based Practice
• 15. Putting It All Together
• Concluding Comment
• Appendix A1: Research Ethics: Two of the Most (In)famous Studies
• Appendix A2: Research Ethics: An Egregious Case that Led to Children’s Deaths
• Appendix B: Program/Policy Evaluation
• Appendix C: Limitations of Significance Testing
• Appendix D: Emerging Issues in Survey Research
• Appendix E: Checklist of Evaluation Questions
• Index