Summarize the article briefly. Begin with an overview of the theoretical perspective, method and findings. This portion should not be exhaustive. Give only the information that someone unfamiliar with the study needs to know to understand the rest of the analysis.
Analyze the article as a whole before breaking down its parts. How did the author(s) state the research problem or question? Could you determine the focus of the work early on? Does the article describe the original collection of data, or does it synthesize previous studies? Is the article logically organized and easy to follow? What could have been done to improve the organization or provide clarity?
Examine the literature review. Does the article include a section that outlines and reviews previous work related to the study? How is the previous literature relevant to the study? Does the theoretical perspective make sense to address the research problem? Offer an alternative if you would approach the study differently.
Analyze the methods. Does the author adequately outline the methods used for data collection? Are the procedures clear enough that someone could replicate the study? What additional information would you need to know to fully understand the methods? Does the author justify her methods as the best way to go about the study? Were there practical constraints that limited the study?
Evaluate the results. Do you agree with how the data were collected and analyzed? What would you do differently, as a researcher? Do you agree with the interpretation of the results?
Reflect over the entire article. What is most important for you? What was interesting about the study? What were its strengths and weaknesses? How does this article inform your work or contribute to the literature? Suggest possible further research related to the study.