Research Analysis Paper: How to Analyze a Research Article [2022]

While completing this type of assignment, your key aim is to critically analyze a research article.
An article from a serious scientific journal would be a good choice. You can analyze and
interpret either quantitative or qualitative research.
Below, you’ll find a how-to guide on research analysis paper writing prepared by our experts. It
contains outlining and formatting tips, topics, and examples of research articles analysis.
How to Analyze a Research Article
This analysis will be beneficial for you since it develops your critical thinking and research
skills. So, let us present the main steps that should be undertaken to read and evaluate the paper
correctly.
Now, let’s figure out what an analysis paper should include. There are several essential elements
the reader should identify:
 logical reasons for conducting the study;
 the description of the methodology applied in the research;
 concise and clear report of the findings;
 a logical conclusion based on the results.
Step 1: Scan the Paper
First, briefly look through the found paper and evaluate whether it’s appropriate for your
research. Scanning helps you to start the content analysis and get the general idea of the study.
To scan the paper effectively, follow these simple steps:
1. Get familiar with the title, abstract, and introduction. Carefully read these parts and
make sure you got the author’s point.
2. Read the headings of each section and sub-section. But don’t spend time to get
familiar with the content.
3. Look through the conclusions. Check the overall one and the last sentence of each
section.
4. Scan the references. Have you read any of these sources before? Highlight them and
decide whether they are appropriate for your research or not.
Have you completed these steps of your research paper’s critical analysis? Now, you should be
able to answer these questions:
1. What kind of a paper is it (qualitative research, quantitative research, a case study, etc.)?
2. What is the research paper topic? How is it connected to your subject of study?
 3. Do you feel like the findings and the conclusions are valid?
4. How can the source contribute to your study?
5. Is the paper clear and well-written?
After completing this step, you should have a clear image of the text’s general idea. Also, here
you can decide whether the given paper is worth further examination.
Step 2: Examine the Content
The next step leads to a deeper understanding of the topic. Here, again, you can try the following
course of action to take the maximum benefit from the evaluation of the source.
1. Find the author’s thesis. A thesis statement is usually the last sentence of the
introduction (or several sentences). It is an essential part of the paper since it reflects the
author’s main point. Make sure you determined the thesis statement and understood it.
2. Consider the author’s arguments. How does the author support his position? What are
the key arguments they present in their research paper? Are they logical? Evaluate
whether the points are clear and concise enough for any reader to get. Do they support the
author’s thesis?
3. Check the evidence. Try to find all the proof provided by the writer. A successful
research paper should have valid evidence for every argument. These can be statistics,
diagrams, facts taken from documentaries or books, experiments hold by researchers, etc.
4. Determine the limits of the study. An author is supposed to set limits to avoid making
their research too broad. Find out what are the variables the writer relied on while
determining the exact field of study. Keep them in mind when you decide whether the
paper accomplished its goals within limits.
5. Establish the author’s perspective. What position does the author take? What methods
are applied to prove the correctness of the writer’s point? Does it match with your
opinion? Why/ why not?
Sometimes, even after the second step of evaluation, the writer’s perspective is not evident. What
to do in this case? There are three scenarios:
1. Stop investigating the paper and hope that you will not need it for your research.
2. Read some background information on the given topic. Then, reread the paper. This
might help you to comprehend the general idea.
3. Don’t give up and move on to the next step of the evaluation.
Step 3: Check the Format and Presentation
At this stage, analyze the research paper format and the general presentation of the arguments
and facts. Start with the evaluation of the sentence levels. In the research paper, there should be a
hierarchy of sentences. To trace the research paper structure, take a look at the tips:
1. First-level sentences. They include only general statements and present the ideas that
will be explored further in the paper.
2. Middle-level sentences. These sentences summarize, give a narrower idea, and present
specific arguments.
3. Deep-level sentences. They contain specific facts and evidence that correspond to the
arguments stated in middle-level sentences.
Your research paper analysis should also include format evaluation. This task might be
challenging unless you have the formatting style manual open in front of your eyes.
Figure out what citation style the author applied and check whether all the requirements are met.
Here is a mini checklist you have to follow:
 in-text citations
 reference list
 quotations
 title page
 font style and size, spacing
 abstract (if needed)
 appendix (if needed)
Step 4: Critique & Evaluate
This step requires attention to every detail in the paper. Identify each of the author’s assumptions
and question them. Do you agree with the author’s evidence? How would you support the
arguments? What are your opinions regarding the author’s ideas?
For starters:
Try to re-implement the entire paper from your perspective and see how your version differs
from the initial work. This trick will help you to determine the strong and weak sides of the
work.
Then, move on to criticism. An effective way to evaluate a research paper consists of asking the
right questions and assessing the crucial aspects, like:
1. The author’s objective and whether it was reached. Did you get the author’s main
idea? Did the writer reach their aim and explain the arguments in great detail? Remember
that even if the reader is not majoring in the study field, they should understand the
 objective. Is there something that remained unclear for you? In your opinion, what is the
cause of your inability to comprehend the material?
2. The role in the broader context. Make sure the author’s arguments and evidence sound
adequately in the larger context. Do the writer’s ideas contradict social norms. If so,
why? Also, check the sources the author uses for their research. Make sure they are
reliable and not outdated.
3. Grammar and organization. A professional research paper should not contain any
mistakes. Make sure the text is flawless regarding grammar and structure. The ideas have
to follow the logical flow; the tone should be academic; the paper should include
transitions, summaries should be on point (which is easier to achieve with the help of
a paper summarizer) and so on.
4. What the reader learns. The primary aim of an author is to deliver useful information to
the reader. Did you, as a reader, find some new insights? Were they relevant and
valuable? Consider whether you’ve read something similar before and how the data fit
within limits set by the author.

Research Analysis Paper: Key Questions

As you can see, the task requires a lot of time and effort. That is why we’ve prepared a list of
questions you should ask while analyzing a research paper. Use them as a ground for critical
reading and evaluation.

Research Paper Questions to Ask

Section

Abstract  Does the abstract clearly describe the paper’s

objectives?
 Does the abstract correspond to the info presented in
the research paper?
 Does the abstract contain any information that is not
investigated in the paper?

Introduction  Does the author present the reasons for conducting the
study?
 Does the into include background information?
 Is there a clear thesis statement in the introduction?

Methods  Are the methods presented clearly enough?

Research Paper Questions to Ask
Section

 Were the standard or modified methods used?

 If modified, were the changes explained effectively?
 Did the author indicate the limitations and the
problems that arose while using the chosen methods?
 Are the selected methods appropriate for the given
research paper?

Results  Are the findings adequate and logical?

 Is the data presented precisely?
 If there are any tables or diagrams, are they easily-
understandable?
 Are the results helpful for the understanding of the
topic?

Discussion  Did the author meet the objectives?

 If the author did not meet the objectives, do they
provide any explanation for that?
 Do the findings interpreted adequately?
 Is the author biased?
 Does the author discuss the percent of errors that might
occur while conducting the research?

References  Are all of the outside sources cited?

 Does the author cite their own work in the research
paper?
 Do the reference list and in-text citations correspond to
the chosen formatting style?

Congrats! Now you know how to write a research paper analysis. You are welcome to check out
our writing tips available on the website and save a ton of time on your academic papers. Share
the link with your peers who may need our advice as well.

References
 1. An Introduction to Critical Analysis of Publications in Experimental Biomedical Science,
the Research Paper in Basic Medical Sciences: K. Rangachari, modified by D.J.
Crankshaw, McMaster University Honours Biology & Pharmacology Program
2. Critical Analysis Template: Keiran Rankin and Sara Wolfe, the Writing Centre,
Thompson Rivers University
3. How to Read a Paper: S. Keshav, David R. Cheriton, School of Computer Science, the
University of Waterloo
4. How to Read a Research Paper: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard
University
5. Reading Research Effectively, Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper:
Research Guides at the University of Southern California
6. Structure of a Research Paper: Office of Undergraduate Research, New York State
University
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