Read the introduction section for a brief summary of the study. This section should include the main problem, question or subject of research. Ask yourself if this section gives you a clear understanding of the study's focus and whether or not the writing grabs your interest.
Read the literature review section to find out what's been written previously on the subject and how it informed this study. This section should be longer than the introduction and provide an in-depth review of other research. It should contain a subsection on the theoretical framework used as a model for this study with a review of pertinent literature on that particular theory. Can you understand how the researcher developed this study as a logical continuation of the previous research and theory?
Read the methods section to find out how the researcher gathered information. Some qualitative methods include in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant and non-participant observation and content analysis. The methods section should not contain any quantitative methods like surveys or experiments. Ask yourself if the method chosen is the best way to study this subject.
Read the discussion section and see what meanings and interpretations the researcher applied to the data gathered. Remember this is subjective, so there should be some mention of the researcher's thoughts and feelings. The discussion section of a qualitative study is often written in first person and should give you insight into how the researcher came to these conclusions.
Read the limitations section to find out what aspects of the study were problematic. It seems strange to announce the negative side of a study, but this is expected in academic research and actually gives the study more credibility. For example, if a researcher couldn't get an interview with a key player in your study, they should mention it here. Researchers should also be honest about any problems that affected the data or events that impacted the data gathering.
Write your review of the study by answering the following questions. Does the study contain all five required sections? Did you understand the research topic and follow the progression of the study easily? Do you think the researcher used the most appropriate theoretical framework and methodology for this particular subject? And finally, do you agree with the researcher's interpretation of the data?