Read the research paper and jot down notes. Notate anything that leaves questions in your mind, what is significant about the research, limitations of the research and the overall purpose of the research. Also notate anything that is confusingly worded or doesn't make sense.
Study the purpose of the paper for relevance. Check the sources in the literature review and evaluate their credibility. Evaluate the literature reviewed for comprehensiveness, providing multiple perspectives and theories addressing the paper's topic. Review the theories and make sure they support the content of the paper.
Evaluate the research question or hypothesis. Determine if the question can be tested. Identify the variables and the relationship between them. Analyze the hypothesis for clarity, anyone who reads it should draw the same interpretation. Check the hypothesis to make sure it is theoretically grounded in the literature review.
Assess the research design. Ensure that the methodology is appropriate for the study. Review the sample and and determine if the size, population and selection method are credible. Critique how the data was collected, how the data was protected and how the researcher controlled for bias and skewed data. If instruments were used to collect data, assess their appropriateness for the study and their reliability and validity.
Review the data analysis or results section. Determine if the research is significant. The research is significant if it supports or rejects the hypothesis. Identify any questions left unanswered or anything that does not make sense. Document anything you feel would improve the research and research paper.