The most frequent mistake students make when asked to critique an article is to tell the instructor only what the article is about. A critique requires that you articulate your opinions about the article. If your instructor does not provide guidelines for writing a critique, follow these:

• Identify the author, his or her affiliation, and the context for the article or
presentation.

• In one to three paragraphs, summarize the article: Describe the focus and
identify the major points of the article. Do not insert your opinions in this part.

• If the work being critiqued is a research study, describe the type of research,
including purpose and methodology.

• Comment on the author’s assumptions, methods, and conclusions. What was the author trying to accomplish? Did the author acknowledge and respond to other points of view? How objective was he or she? What new ideas were presented? How do the author’s ideas compare with prevailing views on the topic? What strengths or weaknesses did you notice in the author’s methods and reporting?

• Comment on the author’s work in terms of your own knowledge and experiences
with the topic. If you came away with new insights, explain them. If you disagree
with the author, say why; but explain your views as they derive from knowledge
and objective experience, not from feelings or intuition.

• Describe how you can apply what you learned from the article. If you reject its
application, explain why. How could others in your profession apply this information?

• Provide a complete reference for the article in APA style.

NOTE: Special instructions from your instructor always take precedence over this
guideline