critiquing Use of Theory in Research Articles

Article B

Alexander, J. & Nank, R. (2009). Public–Nonprofit partnership:
Realizing the new public service. Administration & Society (41)3, 364–386.
Use the Political Science: A Sage Full Text Collection database and search using the article’s title.
To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review your assigned Article B, as described above.

• Review Chapter 6 in the course text, A Primer in Theory Construction and Chapter 3 in the course text, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches.

• Review the annotated journal article “Examining Contextual Factors in the Career Decision Status of African American Adolescents,” which is annotated to reveal how the theory is used.

• Consider characteristics of quantitative and qualitative studies as presented in Creswell.

• Determine if your assigned article is quantitative or qualitative. Remember the distinction for future work with the two articles. Analyze the characteristics of the article that make it quantitative or qualitative.
• Look to the Use of Theory Checklist that you downloaded as a guide for critiquing the theoretical framework of your assigned article.
• Identify and analyze the assumptions found in your assigned article.

With these thoughts in mind:
Post a 4-paragraph critique in which you: (1½ pages)

• Identify your assigned article as quantitative or qualitative and support your assertion with an analysis of three defining characteristics.

• Describe, and critique the theoretical framework using the “Use of Theory Checklist” as a guide.

• Analyze at least one assumption in your assigned article.