Order Description

What to do first:

The first stage of this task is to select one journal article that interests you.

The journal articles must be related to tourism or hospitality topic.

Our librarian can assist you locate all the hospitality and tourism journals on our database.

It is important the article contains a section titled ‘methodology’. Once you have chosen the articles, read it a few times until you are familiar with the content.

When you are ready to start your Critical Analysis, you will need to follow the outlined structure ensuring you answer the questions as identified and explained on the

following page.

Title of the Critical Analysis:
The title of your Analysis will reflect the title of your chosen journal article.

First part: Introduction

Here you need to identify the author/s (researchers), the purpose of the article, the content of the article and the findings / recommendations.

The best way to write this is to consider how you would summarize the article in two or three paragraphs.

Second part: Principal Contribution

Identify the main arguments or ideas of the author/s (researcher).

What is the main research question/s is it inductive or deductive?

How has the author explained the context and importance of the research question?

Explain the purpose of the research approach.

Third part: Principal Contribution

What is the contribution to knowledge of the article?

In other words you need to explain how you believe the article contributes to the existing literature regarding the research topic.

Why is the topic important?

How does it better help us understand the phenomena being studied?

Are previous studies inconclusive? What journal was it published in? What is the discipline of enquiry? What theoretical concepts /frameworks were used to investigate

the issue.

By now you can identify the Research questions (State the conceptual framework, the aim and the objectives of the research)

Fourth part: Method

In this part you need to critique the methodological framework and analytical framework of the article.

How does the author ‘know what he/she knows’?

What are the different methods used to collect and analyse the data.

You should discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology.

Does it give the reader a sense of validity and truth?

Fifth Part: Analysis

Here you will need to identify and explain the specific technique used to analyse either quantitative or qualitative data.

You will also need to explain the findings as a result of the applied data analysis technique.

Sixth part – Overall Evaluation

A paragraph or two that provides your opinion regards the rigor and depth of the article.

Has the author considered all aspects? Does the article raise more questions than provide answers?

Was the article confusing? Why?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the article?

Further points of instruction –

1. The theme, purpose and content of the article (summary of the paper)

2. Contribution to knowledge (identify the main authors and the contribution to the topic)

3. The main arguments/ideas of the author/s (research questions)

4. A critique of the methodology and methods – limitations, strengths etc.

5. A critique on applied data analysis and findings

6. Your opinion on the rigour and depth of the paper (strengths & weaknesses)

So the paper will have 6 sub sections, they will be:

Introduction (Summary of the paper, main ideas, context etc)

Principal Contribution (How did this paper add to the knowledge base of the existing literature – as in, why would we call this paper a genuine piece of research)

Research questions (State the conceptual framework, the aim and the objectives of the research)

Critique of the methodology and methods (What methods were applied, why were they applied, were they the best choices, why were alternative methods less suitable, draw

from ontological and epistemological assumptions here)

Critique on applied data analysis and findings (What were the findings, what data analysis led to the findings, is there perfect or lack of alignments between the

findings and the analysis)

Evaluation (overall evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper)