research article critique template

How to Write an Article Critique Step-by-Step

Table of contents

• 1 What is an Article Critique Writing?
• 2 How to Critique an Article: The Main Steps
• 3 Article Critique Outline
• 4 Article Critique Formatting
• 5 How to Write a Journal Article Critique
• 6 How to Write a Research Article Critique
• 7 Research Methods in Article Critique Writing
• 8 Tips for writing an Article Critique

Do you know how to critique an article? If not, don’t worry – this guide will walk you through the writing process step-by-step. First, we’ll discuss what a research article critique is and its importance. Then, we’ll outline the key points to consider when critiquing a scientific article. Finally, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to write an article critique including introduction, body and summary. Read more to get the main idea of crafting a critique paper.

What is an Article Critique Writing?

An article critique is a formal analysis and evaluation of a piece of writing. It is often written in response to a particular text but can also be a response to a book, a movie, or any other form of writing. There are many different types of review articles . Before writing an article critique, you should have an idea about each of them.

To start writing a good critique, you must first read the article thoroughly and examine and make sure you understand the article’s purpose. Then, you should outline the article’s key points and discuss how well they are presented. Next, you should offer your comments and opinions on the article, discussing whether you agree or disagree with the author’s points and subject. Finally, concluding your critique with a brief summary of your thoughts on the article would be best. Ensure that the general audience understands your perspective on the piece.

How to Critique an Article: The Main Steps

If you are wondering “what is included in an article critique,” the answer is:

An article critique typically includes the following:

• A brief summary of the article .
• A critical evaluation of the article’s strengths and weaknesses.
• A conclusion.

When critiquing an article, it is essential to critically read the piece and consider the author’s purpose and research strategies that the author chose. Next, provide a brief summary of the text, highlighting the author’s main points and ideas. Critique an article using formal language and relevant literature in the body paragraphs. Finally, describe the thesis statement, main idea, and author’s interpretations in your language using specific examples from the article. It is also vital to discuss the statistical methods used and whether they are appropriate for the research question. Make notes of the points you think need to be discussed, and also do a literature review from where the author ground their research. Offer your perspective on the article and whether it is well-written. Finally, provide background information on the topic if necessary.

When you are reading an article, it is vital to take notes and critique the text to understand it fully and to be able to use the information in it. Here are the main steps for critiquing an article:

• Read the piece thoroughly, taking notes as you go. Ensure you understand the main points and the author’s argument.
• Take a look at the author’s perspective. Is it powerful? Does it back up the author’s point of view?
• Carefully examine the article’s tone. Is it biased? Are you being persuaded by the author in any way?
• Look at the structure. Is it well organized? Does it make sense?
• Consider the writing style. Is it clear? Is it well-written?
• Evaluate the sources the author uses. Are they credible?
• Think about your own opinion. With what do you concur or disagree? Why?

Article Critique Outline

When assigned an article critique, your instructor asks you to read and analyze it and provide feedback. A specific format is typically followed when writing an article critique.

An article critique usually has three sections: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

• The introduction of your article critique should have a summary and key points.
• The critique’s main body should thoroughly evaluate the piece, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, and state your ideas and opinions with supporting evidence.
• The conclusion should restate your research and describe your opinion.

You should provide your analysis rather than simply agreeing or disagreeing with the author. When writing an article review , it is essential to be objective and critical. Describe your perspective on the subject and create an article review summary. Be sure to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, write it in the third person, and cite your sources.

Article Critique Formatting

When writing an article critique, you should follow a few formatting guidelines. The importance of using a proper format is to make your review clear and easy to read.

Make sure to use double spacing throughout your critique. It will make it easy to understand and read for your instructor.

Indent each new paragraph. It will help to separate your critique into different sections visually.

Use headings to organize your critique. Your introduction, body, and conclusion should stand out. It will make it easy for your instructor to follow your thoughts.

Use standard fonts, such as Times New Roman or Arial. It will make your critique easy to read.

Use 12-point font size. It will ensure that your critique is easy to read.

How to Write a Journal Article Critique

When critiquing a journal article, there are a few key points to keep in mind:

• Good critiques should be objective, meaning that the author’s ideas and arguments should be evaluated without personal bias.
• Critiques should be critical, meaning that all aspects of the article should be examined, including the author’s introduction, main ideas, and discussion.
• Critiques should be informative, providing the reader with a clear understanding of the article’s strengths and weaknesses.

When critiquing a research article, evaluating the author’s argument and the evidence they present is important. The author should state their thesis or the main point in the introductory paragraph. You should explain the article’s main ideas and evaluate the evidence critically. In the discussion section, the author should explain the implications of their findings and suggest future research.

It is also essential to keep a critical eye when reading scientific articles. In order to be credible, the scientific article must be based on evidence and previous literature. The author’s argument should be well-supported by data and logical reasoning.

How to Write a Research Article Critique

When you are assigned a research article, the first thing you need to do is read the piece carefully. Make sure you understand the subject matter and the author’s chosen approach. Next, you need to assess the importance of the author’s work. What are the key findings, and how do they contribute to the field of research?

Finally, you need to provide a critical point-by-point analysis of the article. This should include discussing the research questions, the main findings, and the overall impression of the scientific piece. In conclusion, you should state whether the text is good or bad. Read more to get an idea about curating a research article critique. But if you are not confident, you can ask “ write my papers ” and hire a professional to craft a critique paper for you. Explore your options online and get high-quality work quickly.

However, test yourself and use the following tips to write a research article critique that is clear, concise, and properly formatted.

• Take notes while you read the text in its entirety. Right down each point you agree and disagree with.
• Write a thesis statement that concisely and clearly outlines the main points.
• Write a paragraph that introduces the article and provides context for the critique.
• Write a paragraph for each of the following points, summarizing the main points and providing your own analysis:
• The purpose of the study
• The research question or questions
• The methods used
• The outcomes
• The conclusions were drawn by the author(s)
• Mention the strengths and weaknesses of the piece in a separate paragraph.
• Write a conclusion that summarizes your thoughts about the article.
• Free unlimited checks
• All common file formats
• Accurate results
• Intuitive interface

Research Methods in Article Critique Writing

When writing an article critique, it is important to use research methods to support your arguments. There are a variety of research methods that you can use, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. In this text, we will discuss four of the most common research methods used in article critique writing: quantitative research, qualitative research, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis.

Quantitative research is a research method that uses numbers and statistics to analyze data. This type of research is used to test hypotheses or measure a treatment’s effects. Quantitative research is normally considered more reliable than qualitative research because it considers a large amount of information. But, it might be difficult to find enough data to complete it properly.

Qualitative research is a research method that uses words and interviews to analyze data. This type of research is used to understand people’s thoughts and feelings. Qualitative research is usually more reliable than quantitative research because it is less likely to be biased. Though it is more expensive and tedious.

Systematic reviews are a type of research that uses a set of rules to search for and analyze studies on a particular topic. Some think that systematic reviews are more reliable than other research methods because they use a rigorous process to find and analyze studies. However, they can be pricy and long to carry out.

Meta-analysis is a type of research that combines several studies’ results to understand a treatment’s overall effect better. Meta-analysis is generally considered one of the most reliable type of research because it uses data from several approved studies. Conversely, it involves a long and costly process.

Are you still struggling to understand the critique of an article concept? You can contact an online review writing service to get help from skilled writers. You can get custom, and unique article reviews easily.

Tips for writing an Article Critique

It’s crucial to keep in mind that you’re not just sharing your opinion of the content when you write an article critique. Instead, you are providing a critical analysis, looking at its strengths and weaknesses. In order to write a compelling critique, you should follow these tips: Take note carefully of the essential elements as you read it.

• Make sure that you understand the thesis statement.
• Write down your thoughts, including strengths and weaknesses.
• Use evidence from to support your points.
• Create a clear and concise critique, making sure to avoid giving your opinion.

It is important to be clear and concise when creating an article critique. You should avoid giving your opinion and instead focus on providing a critical analysis. You should also use evidence from the article to support your points.

Readers also enjoyed

WHY WAIT? PLACE AN ORDER RIGHT NOW!

Just fill out the form, press the button, and have no worries!

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

Verify originality of an essay

Get ideas for your paper

Cite sources with ease

How to Critique an Article Right and Easy

Updated 03 Sep 2024

When an average person thinks about how to critique an article, they usually believe that the purpose is to find all the wrong points and be as critical as possible. Our guide helps to demystify the majority of questions related to the article critique. These basic rules, explanations, and an example can help you learn along. Even if you receive cryptic instructions from your college professor, our article critique guide will make things clearer as you continue!

What is an Article Critique?

In simple terms, an article critique is a type of essay writing where an author should provide sufficient, unbiased, critical evaluation of the article in question. Of course, it will involve at least a brief summary of the contents and information about the author's background (if it is necessary). Yet, it does not have to turn into a listing of the contents! Knowing how to summarize and critique an article means helping your audience see all the key points of the article along with the author's ideas, objectives, or major intentions. The main purpose of every article critique is to reveal the strengths and the weaknesses of the article by keeping the tone neutral in terms of personal considerations. Since it has to be written in formal language with a precise structure, one should follow the general academic pattern where analysis has the beginning or introduction, the body parts, and a strong conclusion that sums things up.

The trick is to read it more than once and describe how it makes you feel through the lens of academic objectives and the general academic value. Speaking of the purpose, composing an article critique, you have to describe the main ideas of the author. Provide a brief description of why it is important in your specific context. Next, remember to mention all the interesting aspects that help to reveal the value of the article. Finally, talk about the author's intention and vision regarding the subject. The final part of the article critique must offer a summary of the main purpose. Learning how to write a critique of an article, remember that your conclusion is the important part where you can let the audience know whether you agree or disagree with the author. It is the place to provide supporting thoughts and references either from the article or another academic source. Need a dissertation service? Try us.

How to Write an Article Critique Step-by-Step?

The writing process of the article critique is simpler than it seems. It is only necessary to know where to start and how to align your critique when you are dealing with complex academic writing. Therefore, follow these simple four steps as you learn how to do an article critique:

• Take Enough Time to Read The Article.  Such an approach is necessary to understand every idea described in your reading material. It may be challenging at times to understand it. Check it again or read it aloud to see if it makes more sense. When in doubt, you can consult similar sources or articles that further explain the subject. Consider the readability and clarity of the article as you criticize it.
• Take Notes.  When the article feels clear to you and you understand (more or less!) what it is about, it is high time to read it again in a bit different way and take notes to help yourself move along. For example, if you encounter something interesting or an argument that moves you, you should consider it as something that is worth being discussed. You can either quote the part or use it as argumentation to prove your point.
• Turn Your Notes Into Outline.  Your notes are there for a reason. You can implement them into your structure and use your points as the topic sentences as you discuss the important parts. As you let your article critique evolve, provide opinions or leave comments to help your audience understand things clearer.
• Your Opinion Comes Here.  This is where you should summarize your thoughts and explain whether you like the article or if it has too many weak and unclear parts. Of course, your ideas should be supported with a piece of clear evidence.

Remember that if you have used any other reference or consulted external information beyond the article in question, always mention it on your Bibliography / References page. Every part of your article critique should be written in a proper way and sometimes qualified dissertation help online is just what you need to keep all your worries aside.

Save your time! We can take care of your essay

• Proper editing and formatting
• Free revision, title page, and bibliography
• Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

Learn About Article Critique Format & Structure

Unless it is specified otherwise, your article critique should follow this template:

• Outline.  This is what your introduction should look like since you have to provide background information about the article and explain the author's main points without turning it into a summary. Approach things from the critical point of view.
• Thesis Statement.  Your thesis statement should explain the value of the article or methodology if you are dealing with a research article critique.
• Article's Purpose.  This part is your body paragraphs part where you have to brainstorm the author's ideas and crash-test them against the common knowledge. See what is good, what is insufficient, and what parts are the most important for achieving a certain purpose set by the author.
• Additional References.  If you are dealing with a research article, it may be necessary to consult relevant external research papers to prove the importance and methodology of the article before you explain your opinion.
• Conclusion/Summary With Your Opinion.  The conclusion part of the article critique is usually the most challenging. It is where you have to explain your opinion. The trick is just saying how the article has made you feel, how it has helped you, or what flaws you have found,  always providing relevant evidence.

Without a doubt, you may have to provide a different structure, yet following the structure above is the perfect balance where you express both your findings, opinion, and the general variables. Remember that your article critique must cover not only the negative points that you encounter but the positive discoveries as well.

How to Write an Article Critique: Journal vs Research Article

The major difference between writing a research article critique and dealing with the general journal article is the approach that you have to take. As a rule, research articles represent empirical or primary sources. It means your critique style must consider the introduction provided by the author, the methods that have been used, the samples and surveys, the results of the certain research, and the discussion of the outcomes that have been achieved.

Now dealing with the general review articles that mostly represent secondary sources with an already included synthesis of certain information, you should work with the topic and its importance for the general audience. In other words, the purpose is always different. You should provide more of a summary than the analytical research work. Coming back to the research article critique,try to study the problem and see if the author makes some statement. Then, focus on review of the relevant literature, and hypothesis or research questions set by the author.

Remember to review the Bibliographical information if it is provided and explain whether it poses importance for the review and if all the information mentioned in the article has been properly referenced. Remember you should also provide references for your quotes and references in your article critique in relevant writing style (APA, MLA, or Chicago) to avoid possible plagiarism issues.

The Article Critique Example

As an example of the article, let us take " Contribution of Psychoacoustics and Neuroaudiology in Revealing Correlation of Mental Disorders With Central Auditory Processing Disorders " that has been presented in 2003 by V. Iliadou and S. Lakovides. Below is the short passage, an article critique sample that will help you get an idea of how it’s done:

The article represents interesting and innovative research in the field of Psychoacoustics by focusing not only on the aspects of Neuroaudiology but also dealing with the electrical activity of the auditory pathways. The authors have dealt with the challenges of Central Auditory Processing Disorders, meaning that the article relates to the field of Psychiatry. This particular MEDLINE research has been conducted by turning to over 564 papers to establish the methodology and sufficient samples to maintain the importance of psychoacoustic elements through the lens of neurological or mental disorders. What makes this research special is the use of various tests and experiments that have been done with the help of auditory simulation methods. All the sources provided are properly referenced and offer sufficient background regarding the reasons why particular scientific aspects have been highlighted. The authors provide a unique balance between psychoacoustic and electrophysiologic tests based on the type of lesion chosen. It must be noted that the various types of mental disorders have been taken into consideration to provide well-weighted research. The article meets its purpose of providing varied research based on the works of skilled experts in Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuropsychology, and Pediatric Psychology among other sciences. The value of the article also lies in the importance of addressing numerous learning challenges like dyslexia, ADHD, and autism differently because the auditory aspect is explored at greater depth. Although the educational factor is mentioned briefly as the article is more evidence-based, it leaves enough space for relevant scientific research.

As you can see, the purpose is to explain and show why the article is important and what exactly makes it special. Try offering related evidence from the critique article either with the quotes or by paraphrasing. 

Affordable & Reliable Writing an Article Critique Help

If the concept of article critique still seems too confusing to you or you would like to get your critique assignment checked in terms of clarity, style, or plagiarism, the help is out there. Regardless if you need to learn how to write an article review or struggle with critique writing, we know how to make things easier. Turn to our writers who are ready to help you 24/7. Keep your challenges resolved, meet the deadlines and avoid plagiarism. Just place your order with EduBirdie and let our professionals deal with even the most complex article critique or any other college task.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback, related blog posts, how to write a movie review: tips for aspiring critics.

If you wish to know how to write a movie review, then you are on the right page. A movie review forms part of essays college students writes. While...

Learn how to write a personal statement correctly

Coming up with a great idea is difficult, especially when learning how to write a personal statement that will stand out and impress people. This a...

How to write a report: essential steps and formatting requirements

Completing a report paper is an essential skill students often need throughout their academic journey. Creating a clear and well-organized document...

Join our 150K of happy users

• Get original papers written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

Sample Papers

This page contains sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style. The sample papers show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment. You can download the Word files to use as templates and edit them as needed for the purposes of your own papers.

Most guidelines in the Publication Manual apply to both professional manuscripts and student papers. However, there are specific guidelines for professional papers versus student papers, including professional and student title page formats. All authors should check with the person or entity to whom they are submitting their paper (e.g., publisher or instructor) for guidelines that are different from or in addition to those specified by APA Style.

Sample papers from the Publication Manual

The following two sample papers were published in annotated form in the Publication Manual and are reproduced here as PDFs for your ease of use. The annotations draw attention to content and formatting and provide the relevant sections of the Publication Manual (7th ed.) to consult for more information.

• Student sample paper with annotations (PDF, 5MB)
• Professional sample paper with annotations (PDF, 2.7MB)

We also offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format with the annotations as comments to the text.

• Student sample paper with annotations as comments (DOCX, 42KB)
• Professional sample paper with annotations as comments (DOCX, 103KB)

Finally, we offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format without the annotations.

• Student sample paper without annotations (DOCX, 36KB)
• Professional sample paper without annotations (DOCX, 96KB)

Sample professional paper templates by paper type

These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different professional paper types. Professional papers can contain many different elements depending on the nature of the work. Authors seeking publication should refer to the journal’s instructions for authors or manuscript submission guidelines for specific requirements and/or sections to include.

• Literature review professional paper template (DOCX, 47KB)
• Mixed methods professional paper template (DOCX, 68KB)
• Qualitative professional paper template (DOCX, 72KB)
• Quantitative professional paper template (DOCX, 77KB)
• Review professional paper template (DOCX, 112KB)

Sample papers are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 2 and the Concise Guide Chapter 1

Related handouts

• Heading Levels Template: Student Paper (PDF, 257KB)
• Heading Levels Template: Professional Paper (PDF, 213KB)

Other instructional aids

• Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS)
• APA Style Tutorials and Webinars
• Handouts and Guides
• Paper Format

View all instructional aids

Sample student paper templates by paper type

These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, annotated bibliographies, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.

APA does not set formal requirements for the nature or contents of an APA Style student paper. Students should follow the guidelines and requirements of their instructor, department, and/or institution when writing papers. For instance, an abstract and keywords are not required for APA Style student papers, although an instructor may request them in student papers that are longer or more complex. Specific questions about a paper being written for a course assignment should be directed to the instructor or institution assigning the paper.

• Annotated bibliography student paper template (DOCX, 28KB)
• Discussion post student paper template (DOCX, 31KB)
• Literature review student paper template (DOCX, 37KB)
• Quantitative study student paper template (DOCX, 53KB)

Sample papers in real life

Although published articles differ in format from manuscripts submitted for publication or student papers (e.g., different line spacing, font, margins, and column format), articles published in APA journals provide excellent demonstrations of APA Style in action.

APA journals began publishing papers in seventh edition APA Style in 2020. Professional authors should check the author submission guidelines for the journal to which they want to submit their paper for any journal-specific style requirements.

Credits for sample professional paper templates

Quantitative professional paper template: Adapted from “Fake News, Fast and Slow: Deliberation Reduces Belief in False (but Not True) News Headlines,” by B. Bago, D. G. Rand, and G. Pennycook, 2020, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 149 (8), pp. 1608–1613 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000729 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.

Qualitative professional paper template: Adapted from “‘My Smartphone Is an Extension of Myself’: A Holistic Qualitative Exploration of the Impact of Using a Smartphone,” by L. J. Harkin and D. Kuss, 2020, Psychology of Popular Media , 10 (1), pp. 28–38 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000278 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.

Mixed methods professional paper template: Adapted from “‘I Am a Change Agent’: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Students’ Social Justice Value Orientation in an Undergraduate Community Psychology Course,” by D. X. Henderson, A. T. Majors, and M. Wright, 2019,  Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 7 (1), 68–80. ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000171 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.

Literature review professional paper template: Adapted from “Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Interest and Positive Emotions,” by S. I. Hammond and J. K. Drummond, 2019, Developmental Psychology , 55 (9), pp. 1882–1888 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000685 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.

Review professional paper template: Adapted from “Joining the Conversation: Teaching Students to Think and Communicate Like Scholars,” by E. L. Parks, 2022, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 8 (1), pp. 70–78 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000193 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.

Credits for sample student paper templates

These papers came from real students who gave their permission to have them edited and posted by APA.

Article Critique Maker: Create Your Perfect Paper + Guide & Examples

Writing a great article critique is an assignment requiring well-developed critical thinking skills and structured analysis. Our team has developed a proprietary research article critique generator to simplify this task. This tool can make your study life easier, as it will streamline the article evaluation and paper writing process.

Without further ado, let’s find out more about the tool and critique writing in general!

• 👨‍💻 Intro to Our AI Tool
• ✨ Benefits of Critique Maker

🧐 What Is an Article Critique?

• 📚 How to Write an Article Critique
• 📑 Format & Structure
• ⚡ 9 Helpful Tips

🔗 References

👨‍💻 intro to our free ai article critique tool.

Critique writing refers to the process of forming and expressing your opinion about something. You can indicate what is good, what can be improved and why, and what is a failure in a specific academic paper. This intellectual exercise is similar to sharing your review of a movie you’ve just watched but in a very detailed and structured manner. Article critique should go far beyond the superficial content summary to be successful.

Further, we’d like to share how you can use our article critique maker and explain its benefits. You’ll also learn the fundamentals of article critique composition and the structure of this academic assignment.

✨ Benefits of Article Critique Maker

The research article critique generator has a lot of benefits, and it can become an indispensable assistant. You can use AI-generated content for your paper critique paper. Here are some of the pros:

• Time Effectiveness. The tool can simplify and speed up the critique writing process, saving you hours of research and drafting.
• Structured Analysis. It adds structure to your critique and illustrates what a good paper should look like.
• Learning Aid. By reviewing the example of a high-quality article critique, you can learn to do this work on your own.
• Clarity in Assessment. The article critique generator gives clear and comprehensive evaluations without confusing and fuzzy statements.
• No Subscription Fees. The tool is free to use for any visitor to the website; no registration is required.

Research Article Critique Generator: How It Works

Using our AI-powered article critique generator is pretty straightforward, even for newbies. Check out a couple of steps you should take to get the sample article critique product.

• Add article title . Mention the name of the article you need to analyze and criticize.
• Indicate the article’s author . Inform the tool about who wrote the article; it will use this information in the critique.
• Paste the text you want to analyze . Copy the full text of your article and insert it in the corresponding tab on the website. Mind the character limit it has for one-time critique generation.
• Generate the critique . Press the button “Analyze” and evaluate the results.

In a nutshell, an article critique is an academic task requiring the student to produce an in-depth critical analysis of the assigned article’s quality. You need to study the article inside out and perform its structured assessment according to a predetermined checklist.

As a rule, you need to start with whether the author could set a research goal and achieve it. Determine whether the article is qualitative or quantitative . Pay attention to how well-developed the methodology is and whether the author supports their statements with reliable and authoritative literature sources.

What Are the Two Types of Critique?

Article critique may be assigned in two forms – reviews of published works and academic critique . The difference between them is as follows. Academic critique is a task given within a course, inviting students to comment on the course curriculum or a peer’s essay writing product. Reviews of published works relate to critiquing the published literature, such as academic articles.

📚 How to Write a Good Article Critique Step by Step

This section will help you get ready for the article critique task. Using these simple steps, you can approach any article’s evaluation comprehensively and competently.

• Read the article . Thorough studies of the critiqued content are a mandatory initial step of the critique process. You need to know the material you will eventually judge, so a quick study of the abstract won’t do. You should prepare for the task by reading the article several times to understand every section and capture its content entirely.
• Evaluate and take notes . It’s not enough to read the article for basic comprehension; you also need to evaluate the quality of its content, the author’s logic, and the degree of success in their academic objectives. That’s why, after the first reading, you should study the article more critically and take notes of all the essential content parts you want to critique.
• Create an outline . Now that you have a list of notes for critiquing the source, you can structure your discovered material. Make an outline of the main critique aspects you plan to review and check for coherence and logic. Once you have covered all the main points, it’s time to start writing the paper.
• Express your opinion . Saying that the article is good or bad is a superficial critique. Try to add an individual dimension to the analysis. State why you found the article’s arguments solid or weak. Consider what the work might be missing and what you would add to increase the article's value in the professional field.

📑 Critique Writing: Format & Structure

In this section, we’re sharing the rules of formatting an article critique project. The proper structure of this work will aid you in logical and coherent written expression. Any critique paper example should contain the following components:

• Introduction The introductory part should cover the article’s title, author, and broad background data about its content and professional area of specialization.
• Summary Next comes the summary of the critiqued source; you should lay out the basic content details to inform the readers what the article is about.
• Critique This part is the critique itself; it is your personal evaluation of the strong and weak sides, missing parts of the research product, and recommendations for content improvement.
• Conclusion The final section of your critique should sum up the main points of your critique and give a general verdict of whether you find this source to be a good or bad one.

What Are the 5 Steps in Writing a Critique?

If you’re looking for a template for the critique writing process, here are the main steps:

• Preparation . Read the article twice to find out its general content and make notes.
• Outlining . Make an outline of your critique to use in further writing.
• Writing . Draft the article critique by following your outline and adding transitions .
• Proofreading . Check the paper before submission.

⚡ 9 Helpful Tips for Article Critique Writing

To become a critique writing pro, try these expert tips:

• Make your critique objective . It’s not professional to say that the article is a failure because you didn’t like it or, even worse, didn’t understand it. You should offer grounded claims for every aspect of the critique you’re making.
• Add a critical dimension . Summarizing is not a critique; you should be evaluative in the analysis to produce a well-written paper.
• Keep the critique informative . Assessments without substantiation will sound like empty talk. You should support every claim and every judgment with the article’s content.
• Make an informed critique of methods . The methodology is usually the most vulnerable spot of a study. So, if you offer a comprehensive critique of the research design and approach, your critique will look much better.
• Mention the project’s significance . You can earn a couple of extra points by going beyond mere evaluations and assessing the broader significance and implications of the assigned reading.
• Point to the strong and weak sides . Even if the article is flawed, you should point to its positives; it will prove that you have read the material in detail and managed to assess it comprehensively.
• Consider the author’s credentials . It also makes sense to add details about the author’s competence and professionalism in their discussion area.
• Check the author’s sources . The materials used in your studied article also define its quality, so go to the reference list to see what evidence the author used.
• Assess research novelty . Any critique should evaluate the study’s original contribution to the academic area.

What Are Examples of Critique?

Learning by example is always easier than studying theoretical guidance. If you’re determined to learn to write excellent critique papers, here are a couple of helpful samples:

• “The Future of Women and Work”
• “Women Status and the Health of Women and Men”
• “Refugee Trauma”
• “The Evolving Strategy of Policing”

Now, you’re more informed about how to compose an article critique. If you know somebody for whom this material would be helpful, feel free to share this article. Also, you may try our free AI essay generator . It may come in handy with your college assignments.

Updated: Jan 26th, 2024

• A Guide for Critique of Research Articles. – California State Iniversity Long Beach
• Critique/Review of Research Article. – University of Calgary
• Writing an Article Critique. – UAGC
• Critiquing Literature. – Flinders University
• Writing an Article/Journal Critique? Comprehensive Analysis Guide. – Sable Mc’Oneal, Medium
• How to Write a Critique (with Types and an Example). – Jennifer Herrity, Indeed
• Writing Critiques. – The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Helpful Hints for Writing a Critique. – James Madison University
• How to Write Article Summaries, Reviews & Critiques. – Randolph Community College

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

• All eBooks & Audiobooks
• Academic eBook Collection
• Home Grown eBook Collection
• Off-Campus Access
• Literature Resource Center
• Opposing Viewpoints
• ProQuest Central
• Course Guides
• Citing Sources
• Library Research
• Websites by Topic
• Book-a-Librarian
• Research Tutorials
• Use the Catalog
• Use Databases
• Use Films on Demand
• Use Home Grown eBooks
• Use NC LIVE
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary vs. Secondary
• Scholarly vs. Popular
• Make an Appointment
• Writing Tools
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Summaries, Reviews & Critiques
• Writing Center

Service Alert

Article Summaries, Reviews & Critiques

• Writing an article SUMMARY
• Writing an article REVIEW

Writing an article CRITIQUE

• Citing Sources This link opens in a new window
• About RCC Library

Text: 336-308-8801

Email: [email protected]

Call: 336-633-0204

Schedule: Book-a-Librarian

Like us on Facebook

Links on this guide may go to external web sites not connected with Randolph Community College. Their inclusion is not an endorsement by Randolph Community College and the College is not responsible for the accuracy of their content or the security of their site.

A critique asks you to evaluate an article and the author’s argument. You will need to look critically at what the author is claiming, evaluate the research methods, and look for possible problems with, or applications of, the researcher’s claims.

Introduction

Give an overview of the author’s main points and how the author supports those points. Explain what the author found and describe the process they used to arrive at this conclusion.

Body Paragraphs

Interpret the information from the article:

• Does the author review previous studies? Is current and relevant research used?
• What type of research was used – empirical studies, anecdotal material, or personal observations?
• Was the sample too small to generalize from?
• Was the participant group lacking in diversity (race, gender, age, education, socioeconomic status, etc.)
• For instance, volunteers gathered at a health food store might have different attitudes about nutrition than the population at large.
• How useful does this work seem to you? How does the author suggest the findings could be applied and how do you believe they could be applied?
• How could the study have been improved in your opinion?
• Does the author appear to have any biases (related to gender, race, class, or politics)?
• Is the writing clear and easy to follow? Does the author’s tone add to or detract from the article?
• How useful are the visuals (such as tables, charts, maps, photographs) included, if any? How do they help to illustrate the argument? Are they confusing or hard to read?
• What further research might be conducted on this subject?

Try to synthesize the pieces of your critique to emphasize your own main points about the author’s work, relating the researcher’s work to your own knowledge or to topics being discussed in your course.

From the Center for Academic Excellence (opens in a new window), University of Saint Joseph Connecticut

Additional Resources

All links open in a new window.

Writing an Article Critique (from The University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center)

How to Critique an Article (from Essaypro.com)

How to Write an Article Critique (from EliteEditing.com.au)

• << Previous: Writing an article REVIEW
• Next: Citing Sources >>
• Last Updated: Mar 15, 2024 9:32 AM
• URL: https://libguides.randolph.edu/summaries

• Writing well

How to write a critique

• Starting well
• How to write an annotated bibliography
• How to write a case study response
• How to write an empirical article
• How to write an essay
• How to write a literature review
• How to write a reflective task
• How to write a report
• Finishing well

Before you start writing, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the work that will be critiqued.

• Study the work under discussion.
• Make notes on key parts of the work.
• Develop an understanding of the main argument or purpose being expressed in the work.
• Consider how the work relates to a broader issue or context.

Example template

There are a variety of ways to structure a critique. You should always check your unit materials or Canvas site for guidance from your lecturer. The following template, which showcases the main features of a critique, is provided as one example.

Introduction

Typically, the introduction is short (less than 10% of the word length) and you should:

• name the work being reviewed as well as the date it was created and the name of the author/creator
• describe the main argument or purpose of the work
• explain the context in which the work was created - this could include the social or political context, the place of the work in a creative or academic tradition, or the relationship between the work and the creator’s life experience
• have a concluding sentence that signposts what your evaluation of the work will be - for instance, it may indicate whether it is a positive, negative, or mixed evaluation.

Briefly summarise the main points and objectively describe how the creator portrays these by using techniques, styles, media, characters or symbols. This summary should not be the focus of the critique and is usually shorter than the critical evaluation.

Critical evaluation

This section should give a systematic and detailed assessment of the different elements of the work, evaluating how well the creator was able to achieve the purpose through these. For example: you would assess the plot structure, characterisation and setting of a novel; an assessment of a painting would look at composition, brush strokes, colour and light; a critique of a research project would look at subject selection, design of the experiment, analysis of data and conclusions.

A critical evaluation does not simply highlight negative impressions. It should deconstruct the work and identify both strengths and weaknesses. It should examine the work and evaluate its success, in light of its purpose.

Examples of key critical questions that could help your assessment include:

• Who is the creator? Is the work presented objectively or subjectively?
• What are the aims of the work? Were the aims achieved?
• What techniques, styles, media were used in the work? Are they effective in portraying the purpose?
• What assumptions underlie the work? Do they affect its validity?
• What types of evidence or persuasion are used? Has evidence been interpreted fairly?
• How is the work structured? Does it favour a particular interpretation or point of view? Is it effective?
• Does the work enhance understanding of key ideas or theories? Does the work engage (or fail to engage) with key concepts or other works in its discipline?

This evaluation is written in formal academic style and logically presented. Group and order your ideas into paragraphs. Start with the broad impressions first and then move into the details of the technical elements. For shorter critiques, you may discuss the strengths of the works, and then the weaknesses. In longer critiques, you may wish to discuss the positive and negative of each key critical question in individual paragraphs.

To support the evaluation, provide evidence from the work itself, such as a quote or example, and you should also cite evidence from related sources. Explain how this evidence supports your evaluation of the work.

This is usually a very brief paragraph, which includes:

• a statement indicating the overall evaluation of the work
• a summary of the key reasons, identified during the critical evaluation, why this evaluation was formed
• in some circumstances, recommendations for improvement on the work may be appropriate.

Reference list

Include all resources cited in your critique. Check with your lecturer/tutor for which referencing style to use.

• Mentioned the name of the work, the date of its creation and the name of the creator?
• Accurately summarised the work being critiqued?
• Mainly focused on the critical evaluation of the work?
• Systematically outlined an evaluation of each element of the work to achieve the overall purpose?
• Used evidence, from the work itself as well as other sources, to back and illustrate my assessment of elements of the work?
• Formed an overall evaluation of the work, based on critical reading?
• Used a well structured introduction, body and conclusion?
• Used correct grammar, spelling and punctuation; clear presentation; and appropriate referencing style?

Further information

• University of New South Wales: Writing a Critical Review
• University of Toronto: The Book Review or Article Critique

Global links and information

• Referencing and using sources
• Background and development
• Changes to QUT cite|write
• Need more help?
• Current students
• Current staff
• TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12079 (Australian University)
• CRICOS No. 00213J
• ABN 83 791 724 622
• Last modified: 28-May-2024
• Accessibility
• Right to Information
• Feedback and suggestions

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners

QUT acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands where QUT now stands.

Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates

Student resources.

Critical analysis template

Use the templates as a guide to help you hone your ability to critique texts perfectly.

Click on the following links, which will open in a new window.

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Write an Article Critique

Tips for Writing a Psychology Critique Paper

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

Cultura RM / Gu Cultura / Getty Images

• Steps for Writing a Critique

Evaluating the Article

• How to Write It
• Helpful Tips

An article critique involves critically analyzing a written work to assess its strengths and flaws. If you need to write an article critique, you will need to describe the article, analyze its contents, interpret its meaning, and make an overall assessment of the importance of the work.

Critique papers require students to conduct a critical analysis of another piece of writing, often a book, journal article, or essay . No matter your major, you will probably be expected to write a critique paper at some point.

For psychology students, critiquing a professional paper is a great way to learn more about psychology articles, writing, and the research process itself. Students will analyze how researchers conduct experiments, interpret results, and discuss the impact of the results.

At a Glance

An article critique involves making a critical assessment of a single work. This is often an article, but it might also be a book or other written source. It summarizes the contents of the article and then evaluates both the strengths and weaknesses of the piece. Knowing how to write an article critique can help you learn how to evaluate sources with a discerning eye.

Steps for Writing an Effective Article Critique

While these tips are designed to help students write a psychology critique paper, many of the same principles apply to writing article critiques in other subject areas.

Your first step should always be a thorough read-through of the material you will be analyzing and critiquing. It needs to be more than just a casual skim read. It should be in-depth with an eye toward key elements.

To write an article critique, you should:

• Read the article , noting your first impressions, questions, thoughts, and observations
• Describe the contents of the article in your own words, focusing on the main themes or ideas
• Interpret the meaning of the article and its overall importance
• Critically evaluate the contents of the article, including any strong points as well as potential weaknesses

The following guidelines can help you assess the article you are reading and make better sense of the material.

Read the Introduction Section of the Article

Start by reading the introduction . Think about how this part of the article sets up the main body and how it helps you get a background on the topic.

• Is the hypothesis clearly stated?
• Is the necessary background information and previous research described in the introduction?

In addition to answering these basic questions, note other information provided in the introduction and any questions you have.

Read the Methods Section of the Article

Is the study procedure clearly outlined in the methods section ? Can you determine which variables the researchers are measuring?

Remember to jot down questions and thoughts that come to mind as you are reading. Once you have finished reading the paper, you can then refer back to your initial questions and see which ones remain unanswered.

Read the Results Section of the Article

Are all tables and graphs clearly labeled in the results section ? Do researchers provide enough statistical information? Did the researchers collect all of the data needed to measure the variables in question?

Make a note of any questions or information that does not seem to make sense. You can refer back to these questions later as you are writing your final critique.

Read the Discussion Section of the Article

Experts suggest that it is helpful to take notes while reading through sections of the paper you are evaluating. Ask yourself key questions:

• How do the researchers interpret the results of the study?
• Did the results support their hypothesis?
• Do the conclusions drawn by the researchers seem reasonable?

The discussion section offers students an excellent opportunity to take a position. If you agree with the researcher's conclusions, explain why. If you feel the researchers are incorrect or off-base, point out problems with the conclusions and suggest alternative explanations.

Another alternative is to point out questions the researchers failed to answer in the discussion section.

Begin Writing Your Own Critique of the Paper

Once you have read the article, compile your notes and develop an outline that you can follow as you write your psychology critique paper. Here's a guide that will walk you through how to structure your critique paper.

Introduction

Begin your paper by describing the journal article and authors you are critiquing. Provide the main hypothesis (or thesis) of the paper. Explain why you think the information is relevant.

Thesis Statement

The final part of your introduction should include your thesis statement. Your thesis statement is the main idea of your critique. Your thesis should briefly sum up the main points of your critique.

Article Summary

Provide a brief summary of the article. Outline the main points, results, and discussion.

When describing the study or paper, experts suggest that you include a summary of the questions being addressed, study participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design.

Don't get bogged down by your summary. This section should highlight the main points of the article you are critiquing. Don't feel obligated to summarize each little detail of the main paper. Focus on giving the reader an overall idea of the article's content.

Your Analysis

In this section, you will provide your critique of the article. Describe any problems you had with the author's premise, methods, or conclusions. You might focus your critique on problems with the author's argument, presentation, information, and alternatives that have been overlooked.

When evaluating a study, summarize the main findings—including the strength of evidence for each main outcome—and consider their relevance to key demographic groups.  

Organize your paper carefully. Be careful not to jump around from one argument to the next. Arguing one point at a time ensures that your paper flows well and is easy to read.

Your critique paper should end with an overview of the article's argument, your conclusions, and your reactions.

More Tips When Writing an Article Critique

• As you are editing your paper, utilize a style guide published by the American Psychological Association, such as the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association .
• Reading scientific articles can be challenging at first. Remember that this is a skill that takes time to learn but that your skills will become stronger the more that you read.
• Take a rough draft of your paper to your school's writing lab for additional feedback and use your university library's resources.

What This Means For You

Being able to write a solid article critique is a useful academic skill. While it can be challenging, start by breaking down the sections of the paper, noting your initial thoughts and questions. Then structure your own critique so that you present a summary followed by your evaluation. In your critique, include the strengths and the weaknesses of the article.

Archibald D, Martimianakis MA. Writing, reading, and critiquing reviews .  Can Med Educ J . 2021;12(3):1-7. doi:10.36834/cmej.72945

Pautasso M. Ten simple rules for writing a literature review . PLoS Comput Biol . 2013;9(7):e1003149. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149

Gülpınar Ö, Güçlü AG. How to write a review article?   Turk J Urol . 2013;39(Suppl 1):44–48. doi:10.5152/tud.2013.054

Erol A. Basics of writing review articles .  Noro Psikiyatr Ars . 2022;59(1):1-2. doi:10.29399/npa.28093

American Psychological Association.  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Article Critique

Ai generator.

In the realm of academia and intellectual discourse, the art of critiquing articles holds significant importance. It not only refines one’s skills but also contributes to the growth of knowledge. A well-executed article critique showcases your ability to analyze, evaluate, and engage with scholarly work. This article delves into the concept of article critiques, offering insights into their purpose and benefits, along with a step-by-step guide on how to craft one effectively.

What is an Article Critique?

An article critique is a detailed evaluation and analysis of a scholarly article or research paper . It involves an objective assessment of the author’s arguments, evidence, methodology, and conclusions. An effective critique goes beyond summarizing the content; it delves into the strengths, weaknesses, and implications of the article. Developing this skill allows you to identify the characteristics that contribute to a compelling scholarly work, while also honing your ability to engage critically with academic literature.

Article Critique Format

1. introduction.

• Article Information : Mention the title of the article, the author’s name, the source ( journal , magazine , etc.), and the publication date.
• Thesis Statement : Summarize the main argument or purpose of the article.
• Scope of the Critique : Briefly outline the main points you will discuss in your critique.

2. Summary of the Article

• Main Points : Summarize the key points and arguments presented by the author.
• Purpose and Scope : Explain the purpose of the article and the main topics covered.
• Findings and Conclusions : Highlight the primary findings and conclusions drawn by the author.

3. Critical Analysis

A. structure and organization.

• Introduction : Evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction. Does it set the stage for the article?
• Body : Assess the organization of the main sections. Are the arguments and evidence presented logically?
• Conclusion : Examine the conclusion. Does it effectively summarize the article and provide closure?

b. Content and Arguments

• Clarity : Determine if the article is clear and easy to understand.
• Evidence : Analyze the evidence used to support the arguments. Is it relevant and convincing?
• Consistency : Check for logical consistency in the arguments.

c. Research Methodology

• Approach : Evaluate the research methods used in the article. Are they appropriate for the research question ?
• Data Collection : Assess the reliability and validity of the data collection methods.
• Analysis : Examine the thoroughness and accuracy of the data analysis .

d. Writing Style

• Tone : Assess the appropriateness of the tone for the target audience.
• Language : Evaluate the use of language. Is it precise and concise?
• Grammar and Syntax : Check for grammatical correctness and syntactical clarity.

e. Contribution to the Field

• Originality : Determine the originality of the article. Does it offer new insights?
• Impact : Assess the potential impact of the article on the field. Does it advance knowledge or understanding?

4. Personal Response

• Strengths : Identify the strengths of the article. What did the author do well?
• Weaknesses : Point out the weaknesses or areas for improvement.
• Overall Impression : Provide your overall impression of the article.

5. Conclusion

• Summary : Summarize your main points of critique.
• Recommendation : Offer any recommendations for future research or improvements to the article.

6. References

• Citation : Provide a full citation of the article in the appropriate format (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
• Additional Sources : Include citations for any additional sources referenced in your critique.

Examples of Article Critique For Students

Psychology article critique.

Reference: Smith, J. A., & Brown, R. L. (2022). The impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance. Journal of Psychological Research , 34(2), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1001/jpsychres.2022.01.001 Introduction In their article “The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance,” Smith and Brown (2022) examine the effects of sleep deprivation on various cognitive functions. The authors aim to highlight the importance of adequate sleep for maintaining cognitive health and performance. Summary Smith and Brown (2022) conducted a series of cognitive tests on participants who were sleep-deprived for 24 hours. The results indicated significant declines in memory retention, attention span, and problem-solving skills among the sleep-deprived group. The article also discusses potential long-term consequences of chronic sleep deprivation on brain health. Critique Smith and Brown (2022) provide compelling evidence linking sleep deprivation to cognitive decline. Their methodology is robust, featuring a well-defined participant group and controlled variables. However, the study’s sample size is relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the article does not sufficiently explore potential confounding factors, such as stress and caffeine intake, which could influence cognitive performance. Conclusion Overall, Smith and Brown (2022) effectively underscore the critical role of sleep in cognitive health. Despite some methodological limitations, their findings contribute valuable insights to the field of sleep research. Future studies should aim to address the identified limitations to strengthen the generalizability and applicability of the results.

Education Article Critique

Reference: Johnson, L. M., & White, P. D. (2023). The impact of technology integration on student learning outcomes. Journal of Educational Technology , 29(1), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeduc.2023.01.002 Introduction In the article “The Impact of Technology Integration on Student Learning Outcomes,” Johnson and White (2023) explore how incorporating digital tools and resources in the classroom affects students’ academic performance. The authors aim to identify both the benefits and challenges of technology integration in education. Summary Johnson and White (2023) evaluate various forms of technology integration, including interactive whiteboards, educational software, and online resources. They analyze the effects of these tools on student engagement, motivation, and achievement across different subjects and grade levels. The study presents data from several schools that have implemented these technologies, showing improvements in test scores and classroom participation. Critique The article by Johnson and White (2023) provides a comprehensive analysis of the positive impacts of technology on student learning. The use of multiple case studies strengthens the validity of their conclusions. However, the study’s focus on urban schools may not reflect the experiences of students in rural or underfunded schools, limiting the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the reliance on short-term data does not capture the long-term effects of technology integration on student learning. Conclusion Johnson and White (2023) make a compelling case for the positive impact of technology on student learning outcomes. While the article effectively demonstrates the benefits of digital tools, addressing the identified limitations would provide a more comprehensive understanding of technology integration in education. Future research should focus on long-term effects, diverse educational settings, and the challenges of teacher training and equitable access to technology.

Business Article Critique

Reference: Davis, K. L., & Roberts, J. H. (2021). Corporate social responsibility and business success: A review of recent research. Journal of Business Ethics , 38(4), 220-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbuseth.2021.02.003 Introduction In their article “Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Success: A Review of Recent Research,” Davis and Roberts (2021) explore how corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives impact business performance. The authors aim to demonstrate the benefits of CSR in enhancing corporate reputation and customer loyalty. Summary Davis and Roberts (2021) review several studies that analyze the outcomes of CSR initiatives across different industries. The article highlights positive correlations between CSR activities and financial performance, as well as improvements in brand reputation and customer satisfaction. The authors also discuss the potential challenges businesses face when implementing CSR programs. Critique Davis and Roberts (2021) provide a thorough review of the literature on CSR and its impact on business success. The article effectively synthesizes findings from various studies, supporting their argument that CSR can be beneficial for companies. However, the article could be improved by including more critical perspectives on CSR, such as potential drawbacks or instances where CSR initiatives have failed. Additionally, the authors do not provide detailed guidelines on how companies can measure the effectiveness of their CSR efforts. Conclusion Overall, Davis and Roberts (2021) make a strong case for the positive impact of CSR on business success. Their review underscores the importance of socially responsible practices in building a positive corporate image and achieving long-term profitability. Future research should address the limitations noted, particularly by exploring the challenges and failures of CSR initiatives and providing actionable metrics for evaluating their success.

Health Sciences Article Critique

Reference: Nguyen, M. T., & Kim, H. S. (2020). The effects of a plant-based diet on cardiovascular health: A systematic review. Journal of Nutritional Science , 17(3), 95-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutrsci.2020.03.005 Introduction In the article “The Effects of a Plant-Based Diet on Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review,” Nguyen and Kim (2020) investigate the impact of plant-based diets on heart disease prevention and management. The authors aim to provide evidence supporting dietary recommendations for cardiovascular health. Summary Nguyen and Kim (2020) review multiple studies comparing the cardiovascular outcomes of individuals on plant-based diets versus those on omnivorous diets. Their findings suggest that plant-based diets are associated with lower cholesterol levels, reduced blood pressure, and decreased incidence of heart disease. The authors discuss potential mechanisms, such as reduced intake of saturated fats and increased consumption of fiber and antioxidants. Critique Nguyen and Kim (2020) present a comprehensive review of the cardiovascular benefits of plant-based diets. The inclusion of various studies strengthens the validity of their conclusions. However, the review would benefit from a more balanced discussion of potential challenges, such as the risk of nutrient deficiencies and the social and cultural barriers to adopting a plant-based diet. Additionally, the article focuses primarily on short-term studies, and more research on the long-term sustainability of these diets is needed. Conclusion Overall, Nguyen and Kim (2020) provide strong evidence supporting the cardiovascular benefits of plant-based diets. Their systematic review contributes valuable insights to the field of nutritional science. Future research should address the limitations identified, particularly regarding long-term sustainability and potential challenges in adhering to plant-based diets.

Social Sciences Article Critique

Reference: Lopez, G. R., & Thompson, S. L. (2021). Urban poverty and social policy: Examining the effectiveness of welfare programs. Journal of Social Policy , 43(2), 180-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2021.04.007 Introduction In the article “Urban Poverty and Social Policy: Examining the Effectiveness of Welfare Programs,” Lopez and Thompson (2021) analyze the impact of various welfare programs on reducing urban poverty. The authors aim to assess the effectiveness of these programs in improving the socioeconomic conditions of urban populations. Summary Lopez and Thompson (2021) evaluate several welfare programs, including food assistance, housing subsidies, and employment training initiatives. Their analysis reveals mixed outcomes, with some programs showing significant positive effects on poverty reduction, while others have minimal impact. The authors discuss factors contributing to these varied results, such as program design, implementation quality, and participant engagement. Critique Lopez and Thompson (2021) provide a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of welfare programs in addressing urban poverty. The article’s strength lies in its comprehensive evaluation of multiple programs and consideration of various influencing factors. However, the study relies on data from a limited number of cities, which may not be representative of broader urban contexts. Additionally, the authors could have included more qualitative data to provide deeper insights into the lived experiences of program participants. Conclusion Overall, Lopez and Thompson (2021) offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of welfare programs in reducing urban poverty. Their findings highlight the need for well-designed and effectively implemented programs to achieve meaningful poverty reduction. Future research should aim to include a more diverse range of urban settings and incorporate qualitative data to enrich the understanding of program impacts.

Examples of Thesis Statements for Article Critiques

Psychology article critique thesis statements.

• “The article successfully links mindfulness practices to reduced anxiety levels, yet it overlooks the potential variability in individual responses, which could affect the generalizability of the results.”
• “While the study provides significant insights into the effects of social media on adolescent self-esteem, its cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality.”

Literature Article Critique Thesis Statements

• “The article provides a nuanced analysis of the themes of isolation in ‘Frankenstein,’ but its limited engagement with contemporary critical perspectives reduces its impact.”
• “Although the article offers a compelling interpretation of symbolism in ‘Moby Dick,’ its narrow focus on literary devices neglects the broader socio-political context of the novel.”

Business Article Critique Thesis Statements

• “The article effectively highlights the benefits of agile project management in tech startups, but it fails to consider the potential downsides, such as the risk of scope creep and resource strain.”
• “Despite presenting a well-researched argument for the advantages of remote work, the article’s lack of empirical data on long-term productivity effects weakens its conclusions.”

Health Sciences Article Critique Thesis Statements

• “The article convincingly argues for the role of gut microbiota in mental health, though it would benefit from a more thorough exploration of the mechanisms underlying this relationship.”
• “While the study provides strong evidence for the benefits of intermittent fasting on metabolic health, its reliance on short-term studies limits the understanding of long-term effects.”

Education Article Critique Thesis Statements

• “The article makes a strong case for the use of gamification in education to enhance student motivation, yet it neglects to address potential challenges related to accessibility and equity.”
• “Despite effectively demonstrating the positive impacts of project-based learning on student engagement, the article lacks consideration of the additional resources and training required for successful implementation.”

Environmental Science Article Critique Thesis Statements

• “The article offers a comprehensive review of the impacts of deforestation on climate change, but it would be strengthened by incorporating more case studies from diverse geographic regions.”
• “While the article effectively discusses the potential of urban green spaces to mitigate air pollution, it underestimates the complexities of urban planning and maintenance costs.”

Social Sciences Article Critique Thesis Statements

• “The article provides valuable insights into the influence of cultural norms on gender roles, but its limited geographic focus restricts the applicability of its findings to a global context.”
• “Although the study sheds light on the relationship between economic inequality and crime rates, its reliance on correlational data makes it difficult to draw definitive causal conclusions.”

Example of Article Critique About Education

Article Title : The Impact of Technology Integration on Student Learning Outcomes Introduction The article “The Impact of Technology Integration on Student Learning Outcomes” investigates how the use of digital tools and resources in the classroom influences students’ academic performance. The research aims to identify the benefits and potential drawbacks of incorporating technology into educational settings. Summary The study evaluates various forms of technology integration, including interactive whiteboards, educational software, and online resources. It examines their effects on student engagement, motivation, and achievement across different subjects and grade levels. The article presents data from several schools that have implemented these technologies, showcasing improvements in test scores and classroom participation. Critique The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the positive impacts of technology on student learning. The use of multiple case studies strengthens the validity of its conclusions. However, the article could improve by addressing some critical aspects: Sample Size and Diversity : The study primarily focuses on schools in urban areas, which may not reflect the experiences of students in rural or underfunded schools. Expanding the sample size to include a more diverse range of schools would enhance the generalizability of the findings. Longitudinal Data : The research relies heavily on short-term data, which may not capture the long-term effects of technology integration on student learning. Longitudinal studies are necessary to understand the sustained impact of these tools. Teacher Training and Support : While the article highlights the benefits of technology, it overlooks the challenges teachers face in integrating these tools effectively. Providing adequate training and ongoing support is crucial for the successful implementation of technology in the classroom. Equity and Access : The article briefly mentions the digital divide but does not delve into how disparities in access to technology can affect educational outcomes. A more thorough examination of equity issues would provide a balanced perspective on the advantages and limitations of technology integration. Conclusion Overall, the article makes a compelling case for the positive impact of technology on student learning outcomes. It effectively demonstrates how digital tools can enhance engagement and academic performance. However, to provide a more comprehensive understanding, future research should address the limitations identified, particularly regarding sample diversity, long-term effects, teacher support, and equity issues. By doing so, the research could offer more actionable insights for policymakers and educators striving to harness the full potential of technology in education.

More Examples & Samples Article Critique in PDF

1. quantitative article critique.

2. Article Critique Guidelines

4. Critiquing Research Articles

4. Article Review & Critiques

5. Instructions for Article Critiques

6. Critique of an Academic Article

7. Critique and Review of Research Articles

8. Article Critique Assignment

9. Book Review or Article Critique

10. Press Article Critique

Purpose of Article Critique

An article critique serves multiple essential purposes in both academic and professional contexts. Below, we delve into the primary objectives of conducting an article critique, which are vital for developing critical thinking, analytical skills, and subject-specific knowledge.

1. Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Critical Evaluation:

• Encourages students and professionals to go beyond surface-level reading.
• Promotes a deeper understanding of the material by questioning the validity and reliability of the arguments presented.

Analytical Reasoning:

• Helps in identifying logical fallacies, biases, and unsupported claims.
• Facilitates the assessment of evidence and methodologies used in the article.

2. Enhancing Understanding of Subject Matter

In-Depth Analysis:

• Requires a thorough examination of the article’s content, including the main arguments, evidence, and conclusions.
• Enhances comprehension of complex concepts and theories within a specific field.

Contextual Awareness:

• Places the article within the broader context of existing literature.
• Identifies gaps in the research and suggests areas for further investigation.

3. Improving Academic Writing Skills

Structured Writing:

• Teaches students how to organize their thoughts coherently.
• Develops skills in writing clear, concise, and structured critiques.

Evidence-Based Arguments:

• Encourages the use of evidence to support evaluations and opinions.
• Helps in the practice of citing sources correctly and ethically.

4. Facilitating Peer Review and Feedback

Constructive Criticism:

• Provides a framework for giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Enhances collaborative learning by engaging in discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of an article.

Quality Assurance:

• Plays a crucial role in academic publishing and professional fields by ensuring the quality and credibility of published work.
• Helps maintain high standards in research and scholarship.

5. Encouraging Lifelong Learning

Continual Improvement:

• Fosters a habit of continuous learning and improvement.
• Keeps individuals updated with the latest research, trends, and advancements in their field.

Adaptability:

• Prepares students and professionals to adapt to new information and changing paradigms.
• Cultivates a mindset that is open to questioning and re-evaluating established knowledge.

Components of an Article Critique

An effective article critique includes several key components to ensure a thorough evaluation and analysis. Below are the main components:

• Provide an overview of the article.
• Introduce the main thesis and key points.

Components:

• Title and Author: State the article’s title and author.
• Publication Details: Include publication name, date, etc.
• Thesis Statement: Summarize the article’s main argument.
• Purpose of the Critique: Explain your objective.
• Summarize the article’s content.
• Main Points: Highlight key arguments.
• Methodology: Describe research methods briefly.
• Findings and Conclusions: Outline main findings and conclusions.

3. Analysis

• Critically examine the article’s structure, content, and logic.
• Structure and Organization: Evaluate clarity and coherence.
• Content Evaluation: Assess relevance and depth.
• Argumentation: Analyze logical flow and evidence strength.
• Methodology: Critique research methods and identify biases.
• Sources and References: Evaluate quality and relevance of cited sources.

4. Evaluation

• Assess the article’s overall contribution.
• Strengths: Highlight strengths such as originality and depth.
• Weaknesses: Identify weaknesses like gaps and biases.
• Contribution to the Field: Discuss the article’s impact.
• Summarize the critique and provide final thoughts.
• Summary of Evaluation: Recap key points.
• Overall Assessment: Provide a final judgment.
• Recommendations: Suggest future research or improvements.
• List sources cited in your critique.
• Citations: Format according to the appropriate style (e.g., APA, MLA).

How to Write an Article Critique

Mastering the art of crafting an effective article critique requires a systematic approach. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate this process with finesse.

Step 1: Reading and Observation

Before diving into the critique, thoroughly read the article. Take notes on the main points, observation ,  objectives , and tone of the article. Identify the author’s goals and the case study , if applicable. This step is crucial for grasping the nuances of the work.

Step 2: Analyzing Structure and Content

Evaluate the structure of the article. Identify the introduction, main arguments, supporting evidence, and conclusion. Examine the use of verbs and analogies , as well as the cause-and-effect relationships presented. Analyze how effectively the author communicates their ideas.

Step 3: Assessing Methodology and Evidence

Scrutinize the methodology used by the author. Is it appropriate for the objectives of the article? Evaluate the quality and relevance of the evidence presented. Consider whether the evidence supports the author’s claims adequately.

Step 4: Critical Evaluation

Engage in a critical evaluation of the article. Identify its strengths and weaknesses. Does the author effectively address counterarguments? Are there any gaps in the logic? Assess the overall coherence and effectiveness of the article’s presentation.

Why is article critique important?

It develops critical thinking, enhances understanding of the subject, improves academic writing skills, and provides constructive feedback.

What are the main components of an article critique?

Introduction, Summary, Analysis, Evaluation, Conclusion, and References.

How do I start an article critique?

Begin with an introduction that provides the article’s title, author, publication details, and a brief summary of its thesis and purpose.

What should be included in the summary?

Key points, research methods, findings, and conclusions of the article.

How do I analyze an article?

Examine the structure, content, logic, argumentation, methodology, and sources for clarity, relevance, and evidence strength.

What makes a good evaluation?

Balanced assessment of the article’s strengths and weaknesses, and its contribution to the field.

How should I conclude an article critique?

Summarize your findings, provide an overall assessment, and offer suggestions for improvement or future research.

How do I cite sources in an article critique?

Follow the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) and ensure all references are correctly formatted.

What are common pitfalls to avoid in an article critique?

Avoid biased or overly negative reviews, lack of evidence for claims, and failure to provide a balanced perspective.

How can I ensure my critique is objective?

Use evidence to support your points, acknowledge both strengths and weaknesses, and avoid personal biases.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

How to Review a Journal Article

For many kinds of assignments, like a  literature review , you may be asked to offer a critique or review of a journal article. This is an opportunity for you as a scholar to offer your  qualified opinion  and  evaluation  of how another scholar has composed their article, argument, and research. That means you will be expected to go beyond a simple  summary  of the article and evaluate it on a deeper level. As a college student, this might sound intimidating. However, as you engage with the research process, you are becoming immersed in a particular topic, and your insights about the way that topic is presented are valuable and can contribute to the overall conversation surrounding your topic.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!

Some disciplines, like Criminal Justice, may only want you to summarize the article without including your opinion or evaluation. If your assignment is to summarize the article only, please see our literature review handout.

Before getting started on the critique, it is important to review the article thoroughly and critically. To do this, we recommend take notes,  annotating , and reading the article several times before critiquing. As you read, be sure to note important items like the thesis, purpose, research questions, hypotheses, methods, evidence, key findings, major conclusions, tone, and publication information. Depending on your writing context, some of these items may not be applicable.

Questions to Consider

To evaluate a source, consider some of the following questions. They are broken down into different categories, but answering these questions will help you consider what areas to examine. With each category, we recommend identifying the strengths and weaknesses in each since that is a critical part of evaluation.

Evaluating Purpose and Argument

• How well is the purpose made clear in the introduction through background/context and thesis?
• How well does the abstract represent and summarize the article’s major points and argument?
• How well does the objective of the experiment or of the observation fill a need for the field?
• How well is the argument/purpose articulated and discussed throughout the body of the text?
• How well does the discussion maintain cohesion?

Evaluating the Presentation/Organization of Information

• How appropriate and clear is the title of the article?
• Where could the author have benefited from expanding, condensing, or omitting ideas?
• How clear are the author’s statements? Challenge ambiguous statements.
• What underlying assumptions does the author have, and how does this affect the credibility or clarity of their article?
• How objective is the author in his or her discussion of the topic?
• How well does the organization fit the article’s purpose and articulate key goals?

Evaluating Methods

• How appropriate are the study design and methods for the purposes of the study?
• How detailed are the methods being described? Is the author leaving out important steps or considerations?
• Have the procedures been presented in enough detail to enable the reader to duplicate them?

Evaluating Data

• Scan and spot-check calculations. Are the statistical methods appropriate?
• Do you find any content repeated or duplicated?
• How many errors of fact and interpretation does the author include? (You can check on this by looking up the references the author cites).
• What pertinent literature has the author cited, and have they used this literature appropriately?

Following, we have an example of a summary and an evaluation of a research article. Note that in most literature review contexts, the summary and evaluation would be much shorter. This extended example shows the different ways a student can critique and write about an article.

Chik, A. (2012). Digital gameplay for autonomous foreign language learning: Gamers’ and language teachers’ perspectives. In H. Reinders (ed.),  Digital games in language learning and teaching  (pp. 95-114). Eastbourne, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Be sure to include the full citation either in a reference page or near your evaluation if writing an  annotated bibliography .

In Chik’s article “Digital Gameplay for Autonomous Foreign Language Learning: Gamers’ and Teachers’ Perspectives”, she explores the ways in which “digital gamers manage gaming and gaming-related activities to assume autonomy in their foreign language learning,” (96) which is presented in contrast to how teachers view the “pedagogical potential” of gaming. The research was described as an “umbrella project” consisting of two parts. The first part examined 34 language teachers’ perspectives who had limited experience with gaming (only five stated they played games regularly) (99). Their data was recorded through a survey, class discussion, and a seven-day gaming trial done by six teachers who recorded their reflections through personal blog posts. The second part explored undergraduate gaming habits of ten Hong Kong students who were regular gamers. Their habits were recorded through language learning histories, videotaped gaming sessions, blog entries of gaming practices, group discussion sessions, stimulated recall sessions on gaming videos, interviews with other gamers, and posts from online discussion forums. The research shows that while students recognize the educational potential of games and have seen benefits of it in their lives, the instructors overall do not see the positive impacts of gaming on foreign language learning.

The summary includes the article’s purpose, methods, results, discussion, and citations when necessary.

This article did a good job representing the undergraduate gamers’ voices through extended quotes and stories. Particularly for the data collection of the undergraduate gamers, there were many opportunities for an in-depth examination of their gaming practices and histories. However, the representation of the teachers in this study was very uneven when compared to the students. Not only were teachers labeled as numbers while the students picked out their own pseudonyms, but also when viewing the data collection, the undergraduate students were more closely examined in comparison to the teachers in the study. While the students have fifteen extended quotes describing their experiences in their research section, the teachers only have two of these instances in their section, which shows just how imbalanced the study is when presenting instructor voices.

Some research methods, like the recorded gaming sessions, were only used with students whereas teachers were only asked to blog about their gaming experiences. This creates a richer narrative for the students while also failing to give instructors the chance to have more nuanced perspectives. This lack of nuance also stems from the emphasis of the non-gamer teachers over the gamer teachers. The non-gamer teachers’ perspectives provide a stark contrast to the undergraduate gamer experiences and fits neatly with the narrative of teachers not valuing gaming as an educational tool. However, the study mentioned five teachers that were regular gamers whose perspectives are left to a short section at the end of the presentation of the teachers’ results. This was an opportunity to give the teacher group a more complex story, and the opportunity was entirely missed.

Additionally, the context of this study was not entirely clear. The instructors were recruited through a master’s level course, but the content of the course and the institution’s background is not discussed. Understanding this context helps us understand the course’s purpose(s) and how those purposes may have influenced the ways in which these teachers interpreted and saw games. It was also unclear how Chik was connected to this masters’ class and to the students. Why these particular teachers and students were recruited was not explicitly defined and also has the potential to skew results in a particular direction.

Overall, I was inclined to agree with the idea that students can benefit from language acquisition through gaming while instructors may not see the instructional value, but I believe the way the research was conducted and portrayed in this article made it very difficult to support Chik’s specific findings.

Some professors like you to begin an evaluation with something positive but isn’t always necessary.

The evaluation is clearly organized and uses transitional phrases when moving to a new topic.

This evaluation includes a summative statement that gives the overall impression of the article at the end, but this can also be placed at the beginning of the evaluation.

This evaluation mainly discusses the representation of data and methods. However, other areas, like organization, are open to critique.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, what is a theoretical framework | guide to organizing, what is a research methodology | steps & tips, how to write a research proposal | examples & templates, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

The Tech Edvocate

• Advertisement
• Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
• Home Page Four
• Home Page Three
• Home Page Two
• Icons [No Sidebar]
• Left Sidbear Page
• Lynch Educational Consulting
• My Speaking Page
• Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
• Newsletter Unsubscription
• Page Example
• Privacy Policy
• Protected Content
• Request a Product Review
• Shortcodes Examples
• Terms and Conditions
• The Edvocate
• The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
• Write For Us
• Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
• The Edvocate Podcast
• Assistive Technology
• Child Development Tech
• Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
• EdTech Futures
• EdTech News
• EdTech Policy & Reform
• EdTech Startups & Businesses
• Higher Education EdTech
• Online Learning & eLearning
• Parent & Family Tech
• Personalized Learning
• Product Reviews
• Tech Edvocate Awards
• School Ratings

Best Career Paths For Sports Lovers

California’s economic growth is slipping behind texas as the lone star state draws corporate hqs and people, brazilian authorities have arrested a hacker, known as usdod, who they allege is linked to breaches of national public data, the fbi’s infragard, and others (lawrence abrams/bleepingcomputer), former las vegas-area politician gets 28 years in prison for killing journalist, the real housewives of salt lake city recap: where there’s salt, there’s fire, time100 impact dinner london: ai leaders discuss responsibility, regulation, and text as a ‘relic of the past’, tom brady can’t have it both ways, harris vows to be different from biden in fiery fox interview, how to watch pakistan vs. england 2nd test online for free, possible futures for the ethereum protocol, part 2: the surge, how to write an article review (with sample reviews)  .

An article review is a critical evaluation of a scholarly or scientific piece, which aims to summarize its main ideas, assess its contributions, and provide constructive feedback. A well-written review not only benefits the author of the article under scrutiny but also serves as a valuable resource for fellow researchers and scholars. Follow these steps to create an effective and informative article review:

1. Understand the purpose: Before diving into the article, it is important to understand the intent of writing a review. This helps in focusing your thoughts, directing your analysis, and ensuring your review adds value to the academic community.

2. Read the article thoroughly: Carefully read the article multiple times to get a complete understanding of its content, arguments, and conclusions. As you read, take notes on key points, supporting evidence, and any areas that require further exploration or clarification.

3. Summarize the main ideas: In your review’s introduction, briefly outline the primary themes and arguments presented by the author(s). Keep it concise but sufficiently informative so that readers can quickly grasp the essence of the article.

4. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses: In subsequent paragraphs, assess the strengths and limitations of the article based on factors such as methodology, quality of evidence presented, coherence of arguments, and alignment with existing literature in the field. Be fair and objective while providing your critique.

5. Discuss any implications: Deliberate on how this particular piece contributes to or challenges existing knowledge in its discipline. You may also discuss potential improvements for future research or explore real-world applications stemming from this study.

6. Provide recommendations: Finally, offer suggestions for both the author(s) and readers regarding how they can further build on this work or apply its findings in practice.

7. Proofread and revise: Once your initial draft is complete, go through it carefully for clarity, accuracy, and coherence. Revise as necessary, ensuring your review is both informative and engaging for readers.

Sample Review:

A Critical Review of “The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health”

Introduction:

“The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health” is a timely article which investigates the relationship between social media usage and psychological well-being. The authors present compelling evidence to support their argument that excessive use of social media can result in decreased self-esteem, increased anxiety, and a negative impact on interpersonal relationships.

Strengths and weaknesses:

One of the strengths of this article lies in its well-structured methodology utilizing a variety of sources, including quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. This approach provides a comprehensive view of the topic, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the effects of social media on mental health. However, it would have been beneficial if the authors included a larger sample size to increase the reliability of their conclusions. Additionally, exploring how different platforms may influence mental health differently could have added depth to the analysis.

Implications:

The findings in this article contribute significantly to ongoing debates surrounding the psychological implications of social media use. It highlights the potential dangers that excessive engagement with online platforms may pose to one’s mental well-being and encourages further research into interventions that could mitigate these risks. The study also offers an opportunity for educators and policy-makers to take note and develop strategies to foster healthier online behavior.

Recommendations:

Future researchers should consider investigating how specific social media platforms impact mental health outcomes, as this could lead to more targeted interventions. For practitioners, implementing educational programs aimed at promoting healthy online habits may be beneficial in mitigating the potential negative consequences associated with excessive social media use.

Conclusion:

Overall, “The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health” is an important and informative piece that raises awareness about a pressing issue in today’s digital age. Given its minor limitations, it provides valuable

3 Ways to Make a Mini Greenhouse ...

3 ways to teach yourself to play ....

Matthew Lynch

Related articles more from author, how to kill nematodes: 9 steps, 4 ways to identify a french bulldog, 4 ways to open a window screen, 4 ways to draw a puppy, how to build a solar panel, how to get rid of dust: 15 steps.

How to Write an Article Review: Template & Examples

An article review is an academic assignment that invites you to study a piece of academic research closely. Then, you should present its summary and critically evaluate it using the knowledge you’ve gained in class and during your independent study. If you get such a task at college or university, you shouldn’t confuse it with a response paper, which is a distinct assignment with other purposes (we’ll talk about it in detail below).

In this article, prepared by Custom-Writing experts, you’ll find:

• the intricacies of article review writing;
• the difference between an article review and similar assignments;
• a step-by-step algorithm for review composition;
• a couple of samples to guide you throughout the writing process.

So, if you wish to study our article review example and discover helpful writing tips, keep reading.

❓ What Is an Article Review?

• ✍️ Writing Steps

📑 Article Review Format

🔗 references.

An article review is an academic paper that summarizes and critically evaluates the information presented in your selected article.

The first thing you should note when approaching the task of an article review is that not every article is suitable for this assignment. Let’s have a look at the variety of articles to understand what you can choose from.

Popular Vs. Scholarly Articles

In most cases, you’ll be required to review a scholarly, peer-reviewed article – one composed in compliance with rigorous academic standards. Yet, the Web is also full of popular articles that don’t present original scientific value and shouldn’t be selected for a review.

Not sure how to distinguish these two types? Here is a comparative table to help you out.

Article Review vs. Response Paper

Now, let’s consider the difference between an article review and a response paper:

• If you’re assigned to critique a scholarly article , you will need to compose an article review .
• If your subject of analysis is a popular article , you can respond to it with a well-crafted response paper .

The reason for such distinctions is the quality and structure of these two article types. Peer-reviewed, scholarly articles have clear-cut quality criteria, allowing you to conduct and present a structured assessment of the assigned material. Popular magazines have loose or non-existent quality criteria and don’t offer an opportunity for structured evaluation. So, they are only fit for a subjective response, in which you can summarize your reactions and emotions related to the reading material.

All in all, you can structure your response assignments as outlined in the tips below.

✍️ How to Write an Article Review: Step by Step

Here is a tried and tested algorithm for article review writing from our experts. We’ll consider only the critical review variety of this academic assignment. So, let’s get down to the stages you need to cover to get a stellar review.

Read the Article

As with any reviews, reports, and critiques, you must first familiarize yourself with the assigned material. It’s impossible to review something you haven’t read, so set some time for close, careful reading of the article to identify:

• The author’s main points and message.
• The arguments they use to prove their points.
• The methodology they use to approach the subject.

In terms of research type, your article will usually belong to one of three types explained below.

Summarize the Article

Now that you’ve read the text and have a general impression of the content, it’s time to summarize it for your readers. Look into the article’s text closely to determine:

• The thesis statement, or general message of the author.
• Research question, purpose, and context of research.
• Supporting points for the author’s assumptions and claims.
• Major findings and supporting evidence.

As you study the article thoroughly, make notes on the margins or write these elements out on a sheet of paper. You can also apply a different technique: read the text section by section and formulate its gist in one phrase or sentence. Once you’re done, you’ll have a summary skeleton in front of you.

Evaluate the Article

The next step of review is content evaluation. Keep in mind that various research types will require a different set of review questions. Here is a complete list of evaluation points you can include.

Write the Text

After completing the critical review stage, it’s time to compose your article review.

The format of this assignment is standard – you will have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should present your article and summarize its content. The body will contain a structured review according to all four dimensions covered in the previous section. The concluding part will typically recap all the main points you’ve identified during your assessment.

It is essential to note that an article review is, first of all, an academic assignment. Therefore, it should follow all rules and conventions of academic composition, such as:

• No contractions . Don’t use short forms, such as “don’t,” “can’t,” “I’ll,” etc. in academic writing. You need to spell out all those words.
• Formal language and style . Avoid conversational phrasing and words that you would naturally use in blog posts or informal communication. For example, don’t use words like “pretty,” “kind of,” and “like.”
• Third-person narrative . Academic reviews should be written from the third-person point of view, avoiding statements like “I think,” “in my opinion,” and so on.
• No conversational forms . You shouldn’t turn to your readers directly in the text by addressing them with the pronoun “you.” It’s vital to keep the narrative neutral and impersonal.
• Proper abbreviation use . Consult the list of correct abbreviations, like “e.g.” or “i.e.,” for use in your academic writing. If you use informal abbreviations like “FYA” or “f.i.,” your professor will reduce the grade.
• Complete sentences . Make sure your sentences contain the subject and the predicate; avoid shortened or sketch-form phrases suitable for a draft only.
• No conjunctions at the beginning of a sentence . Remember the FANBOYS rule – don’t start a sentence with words like “and” or “but.” They often seem the right way to build a coherent narrative, but academic writing rules disfavor such usage.
• No abbreviations or figures at the beginning of a sentence . Never start a sentence with a number — spell it out if you need to use it anyway. Besides, sentences should never begin with abbreviations like “e.g.”

Finally, a vital rule for an article review is properly formatting the citations. We’ll discuss the correct use of citation styles in the following section.

When composing an article review, keep these points in mind:

• Start with a full reference to the reviewed article so the reader can locate it quickly.
• Ensure correct formatting of in-text references.
• Provide a complete list of used external sources on the last page of the review – your bibliographical entries.

You’ll need to understand the rules of your chosen citation style to meet all these requirements. Below, we’ll discuss the two most common referencing styles – APA and MLA.

Article Review in APA

When you need to compose an article review in the APA format , here is the general bibliographical entry format you should use for journal articles on your reference page:

• Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year of Publication). Name of the article. Name of the Journal, volume (number), pp. #-#. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy

Horigian, V. E., Schmidt, R. D., & Feaster, D. J. (2021). Loneliness, mental health, and substance use among US young adults during COVID-19. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 53 (1), pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2020.1836435

Your in-text citations should follow the author-date format like this:

• If you paraphrase the source and mention the author in the text: According to Horigian et al. (2021), young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic.
• If you paraphrase the source and don’t mention the author in the text: Young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic (Horigian et al., 2021).
• If you quote the source: As Horigian et al. (2021) point out, there were “elevated levels of loneliness, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and drug use among young adults during COVID-19” (p. 6).

Note that your in-text citations should include “et al.,” as in the examples above, if your article has 3 or more authors. If you have one or two authors, your in-text citations would look like this:

• One author: “According to Smith (2020), depression is…” or “Depression is … (Smith, 2020).”
• Two authors: “According to Smith and Brown (2020), anxiety means…” or “Anxiety means (Smith & Brown, 2020).”

Finally, in case you have to review a book or a website article, here are the general formats for citing these source types on your APA reference list.

Article Review in MLA

If your assignment requires MLA-format referencing, here’s the general format you should use for citing journal articles on your Works Cited page:

• Author’s last name, First name. “Title of an Article.” Title of the Journal , vol. #, no. #, year, pp. #-#.

Horigian, Viviana E., et al. “Loneliness, Mental Health, and Substance Use Among US Young Adults During COVID-19.” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs , vol. 53, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-9.

In-text citations in the MLA format follow the author-page citation format and look like this:

• According to Horigian et al., young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic (6).
• Young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic (Horigian et al. 6).

Like in APA, the abbreviation “et al.” is only needed in MLA if your article has 3 or more authors.

If you need to cite a book or a website page, here are the general MLA formats for these types of sources.

✅ Article Review Template

Here is a handy, universal article review template to help you move on with any review assignment. We’ve tried to make it as generic as possible to guide you in the academic process.

📝 Article Review Examples

The theory is good, but practice is even better. Thus, we’ve created three brief examples to show you how to write an article review. You can study the full-text samples by following the links.

📃 Men, Women, & Money

This article review examines a famous piece, “Men, Women & Money – How the Sexes Differ with Their Finances,” published by Amy Livingston in 2020. The author of this article claims that men generally spend more money than women. She makes this conclusion from a close analysis of gender-specific expenditures across five main categories: food, clothing, cars, entertainment, and general spending patterns. Livingston also looks at men’s approach to saving to argue that counter to the common perception of women’s light-hearted attitude to money, men are those who spend more on average.

📃 When and Why Nationalism Beats Globalism

This is a review of Jonathan Heidt’s 2016 article titled “When and Why Nationalism Beats Globalism,” written as an advocacy of right-wing populism rising in many Western states. The author illustrates the case with the election of Donald Trump as the US President and the rise of right-wing rhetoric in many Western countries. These examples show how nationalist sentiment represents a reaction to global immigration and a failure of globalization.

📃 Sleep Deprivation

This is a review of the American Heart Association’s article titled “The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation.” It discusses how the national organization concerned with the American population’s cardiovascular health links the lack of high-quality sleep to far-reaching health consequences. The organization’s experts reveal how a consistent lack of sleep leads to Alzheimer’s disease development, obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc.

• Scientific Article Review: Duke University
• Book and Article Reviews: William & Mary, Writing Resources Center
• Sample Format for Reviewing a Journal Article: Boonshoft School of Medicine
• Research Paper Review – Structure and Format Guidelines: New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Article Review: University of Waterloo
• Writing Help: The Article Review: Central Michigan University Libraries
• Share to Facebook
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Short essays answer a specific question on the subject. They usually are anywhere between 250 words and 750 words long. A paper with less than 250 words isn’t considered a finished text, so it doesn’t fall under the category of a short essay. Essays of such format are required for...

High school and college students often face challenges when crafting a compare-and-contrast essay. A well-written paper of this kind needs to be structured appropriately to earn you good grades. Knowing how to organize your ideas allows you to present your ideas in a coherent and logical manner This article by...

If you’re a student, you’ve heard about a formal essay: a factual, research-based paper written in 3rd person. Most students have to produce dozens of them during their educational career.  Writing a formal essay may not be the easiest task. But fear not: our custom-writing team is here to guide...

Narrative essays are unlike anything you wrote throughout your academic career. Instead of writing a formal paper, you need to tell a story. Familiar elements such as evidence and arguments are replaced with exposition and character development. The importance of writing an outline for an essay like this is hard...

A précis is a brief synopsis of a written piece. It is used to summarize and analyze a text’s main points. If you need to write a précis for a research paper or the AP Lang exam, you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide by Custom-Writing.org, you’ll...

A synthesis essay requires you to work with multiple sources. You combine the information gathered from them to present a well-rounded argument on a topic. Are you looking for the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing? You’ve come to the right place! In this guide by our custom writing team,...

Do you know how to make your essay stand out? One of the easiest ways is to start your introduction with a catchy hook. A hook is a phrase or a sentence that helps to grab the reader’s attention. After reading this article by Custom-Writing.org, you will be able to...

A critical analysis essay is an academic paper that requires a thorough examination of theoretical concepts and ideas. It includes a comparison of facts, differentiation between evidence and argument, and identification of biases. Crafting a good paper can be a daunting experience, but it will be much easier if you...

Critical thinking is the process of evaluating and analyzing information. People who use it in everyday life are open to different opinions. They rely on reason and logic when making conclusions about certain issues. A critical thinking essay shows how your thoughts change as you research your topic. This type...

Process analysis is an explanation of how something works or happens. Want to know more? Read the following article prepared by our custom writing specialists and learn about: So, let’s start digging deeper into this topic! ♻️ What Is Process Analysis? A process analysis describes and explains the succession of...

A visual analysis essay is an academic paper type that history and art students often deal with. It consists of a detailed description of an image or object. It can also include an interpretation or an argument that is supported by visual evidence. In this article, our custom writing experts...

Want to know how to write a reflection paper for college or school? To do that, you need to connect your personal experiences with theoretical knowledge. Usually, students are asked to reflect on a documentary, a text, or their experience. Sometimes one needs to write a paper about a lesson...

Journal Article Critique Guide and Example in 2025.

Journal article critiques are essential tools in academic and professional fields, providing a structured method to analyze and evaluate scholarly work. As we move into 2025, the importance of critical analysis in an age of information overload has only increased. This guide will walk you through the process of crafting a comprehensive journal article critique, highlighting key components and offering practical tips for success.

A journal article critique goes beyond mere summarization, delving into the strengths and weaknesses of the research presented. It requires a careful examination of the article’s methodology, findings, and conclusions, all while considering its relevance and contribution to the field. By mastering the art of critique, you’ll develop crucial skills in critical thinking, analytical writing, and scholarly discourse.

In this Journal Article Critique Guide. we’ll explore the step-by-step process of creating a journal article critique, from initial reading strategies to final presentation. We’ll also provide a detailed example to illustrate these concepts in action, ensuring you have a clear understanding of how to apply these principles to your own work.

What You'll Learn

Understanding the Purpose and Structure of a Journal Article Critique

The primary purpose of a journal article critique is to provide a balanced and objective evaluation of a scholarly work. This evaluation serves multiple functions in the academic community:

• Quality control: Critiques help maintain high standards in research by identifying strengths and weaknesses in published work.
• Knowledge advancement: By analyzing existing research, critiques contribute to the ongoing dialogue within a field and can inspire new avenues of inquiry.
• Skill development: Writing critiques hones critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills essential for academics and professionals.

A well-structured journal article critique typically includes the following components:

• Introduction: Provides an overview of the article and your main assessment.
• Summary: Concisely presents the key points of the original article.
• Critique: Offers a detailed analysis of the article’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Conclusion: Summarizes your overall evaluation and the article’s significance.

Understanding this structure is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting a coherent critique. Each section builds upon the previous one, guiding the reader through your analysis and supporting your final assessment.

As we move into 2025, the ability to critically evaluate research has become increasingly important. With the rapid dissemination of information and the growing interdisciplinary nature of many fields, a well-crafted critique can serve as a valuable resource for researchers, students, and professionals alike.

Preparing to Write: Initial Reading and Note-Taking Strategies

Before diving into the critique itself, it’s essential to approach the journal article with a strategic reading and note-taking process. This preparation phase sets the foundation for a thorough and insightful critique.

First Reading: Begin with a quick, overall read of the article to grasp its main ideas and structure. Pay attention to the abstract, introduction, headings, and conclusion. This initial pass helps you understand the article’s general argument and methodology without getting bogged down in details.

Second Reading: During your second, more careful reading, focus on the following elements:

• Research question or hypothesis
• Methodology and data collection
• Results and analysis
• Conclusions and implications
• References and citations

As you read, take detailed notes on each of these aspects. Use a system that works for you, whether it’s digital note-taking tools, handwritten notes, or a combination of both. Consider using a template or table to organize your observations systematically.

Critical Questions: While reading, ask yourself critical questions such as:

• Is the research question clearly stated and relevant?
• Does the methodology appropriately address the research question?
• Are the results presented clearly and interpreted accurately?
• Do the conclusions logically follow from the results?
• Is the article well-organized and clearly written?

By 2025, advanced AI-powered tools may be available to assist in this process, potentially offering automated summaries or highlighting key points. However, developing your own critical reading skills remains crucial for producing insightful critiques.

Analyzing the Article’s Content and Methodology

Once you’ve thoroughly read and taken notes on the article, it’s time to delve deeper into your analysis. This section of your critique should focus on evaluating the content and methodology of the research.

Content Analysis: Examine the article’s arguments, evidence, and theoretical framework. Consider the following:

• Clarity and coherence of the main argument
• Quality and relevance of evidence presented
• Logical flow of ideas and reasoning
• Appropriate use of relevant literature and theories
• Identification and addressing of potential counterarguments

Methodology Evaluation: Assess the research design and methods used in the study:

• Appropriateness of the chosen methodology for the research question
• Sample size and selection process (if applicable)
• Data collection techniques and their potential limitations
• Validity and reliability of measurements or instruments used
• Ethical considerations in the research process

Data Analysis and Interpretation: Scrutinize how the authors analyzed their data and interpreted the results:

• Suitability of statistical tests or qualitative analysis methods
• Clarity and accuracy of data presentation (tables, graphs, etc.)
• Thoroughness of the analysis in addressing all aspects of the research question
• Consideration of alternative explanations for the findings
• Acknowledgment of limitations in the study design or results

As you analyze these elements, remember to balance criticism with recognition of the article’s strengths. A fair and balanced critique acknowledges both the positive aspects and areas for improvement in the research.

Evaluating the Article’s Contribution to the Field

An essential aspect of your critique is assessing the article’s overall contribution to its field of study. This evaluation helps contextualize the research within the broader academic landscape and highlights its significance.

Relevance and Originality: Consider how the article advances knowledge in its area:

• Does it address a gap in existing literature?
• Does it challenge or confirm previous findings?
• Does it introduce new concepts, methodologies, or theoretical frameworks?
• How does it build upon or diverge from established research in the field?

Practical and Theoretical Implications: Examine the potential impact of the research:

• What are the practical applications of the findings?
• How might the results influence future research directions?
• Does the study have implications for policy or practice in its field?
• Are there potential interdisciplinary connections or applications?

Comparison with Similar Research: Place the article in context with related studies:

• How does this research compare to similar studies in terms of methodology and findings?
• Does it offer any unique perspectives or insights?
• Are there any contradictions with established research that need to be addressed?

Long-term Significance: Consider the lasting impact of the research:

• Is the topic likely to remain relevant in the coming years?
• Does the article lay groundwork for future studies?
• How might technological advancements or societal changes affect the relevance of this research?

By thoroughly evaluating these aspects, you can provide a comprehensive assessment of the article’s contribution and significance within its field. This analysis not only adds depth to your critique but also demonstrates your understanding of the broader academic context.

Crafting Your Critique: Writing Tips and Best Practices

Now that you’ve thoroughly analyzed the article, it’s time to translate your insights into a well-structured critique. Follow these writing tips and best practices to ensure your critique is clear, comprehensive, and professional.

Organization:

• Follow the standard structure: introduction, summary, critique, and conclusion.
• Use clear headings and subheadings to guide your reader through each section.
• Ensure a logical flow of ideas within and between paragraphs.

Tone and Style:

• Maintain an objective and scholarly tone throughout your critique.
• Use precise language and avoid unnecessary jargon.
• Strike a balance between formal academic writing and accessibility.

Supporting Your Arguments:

• Provide specific examples from the article to support your points.
• Use direct quotes sparingly and always cite them properly.
• Reference relevant literature to contextualize your critique.

Balancing Criticism and Praise:

• Acknowledge the article’s strengths as well as its weaknesses.
• Offer constructive criticism rather than merely pointing out flaws.
• Provide suggestions for improvement or future research directions.

Clarity and Concision:

• Be clear and direct in your assessments.
• Avoid repetition and unnecessary elaboration.
• Use transition sentences to connect different points and sections.

Proofreading and Editing:

• Review your critique for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
• Ensure consistency in formatting and citation style.
• Consider having a peer review your critique for additional feedback.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create a polished and professional critique that effectively communicates your analysis. Remember, the goal is to provide a fair and insightful evaluation that contributes to the academic discourse surrounding the article’s topic.

Example: A Sample Journal Article Critique

To illustrate the principles discussed in this guide, let’s examine a sample critique of a hypothetical journal article titled “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Workplace Dynamics in 2025” by J. Smith and A. Lee, published in the Journal of Future Work Studies.

Introduction: This critique evaluates Smith and Lee’s (2025) article on the influence of AI in contemporary workplaces. The study provides valuable insights into the changing nature of work but has some methodological limitations that warrant discussion.

Summary: Smith and Lee conducted a mixed-methods study involving surveys of 500 employees across various industries and in-depth interviews with 50 managers. They argue that AI integration in workplaces has led to significant shifts in job roles, skill requirements, and organizational structures. Key findings include:

• 60% of surveyed employees reported changes in their job responsibilities due to AI implementation.
• Managers identified critical thinking and AI literacy as essential skills for future workforce.
• Organizations are increasingly adopting flatter structures to facilitate human-AI collaboration.

Critique: Strengths:

• Timely and relevant topic addressing a critical aspect of modern work environments.
• Comprehensive mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data with qualitative insights.
• Clear presentation of findings with well-designed graphs and tables.

Weaknesses:

• Limited sample size for the qualitative component may not capture the full range of managerial perspectives.
• Potential selection bias in the survey sample, with a skew towards tech-savvy respondents.
• Lack of longitudinal data to support claims about long-term trends.

The authors provide a compelling argument for the transformative impact of AI on workplace dynamics. However, their conclusions could be strengthened by addressing the limitations in their methodology and considering alternative explanations for their findings.

Conclusion: Despite its limitations, this study offers valuable insights into the evolving relationship between AI and human workers. It lays a foundation for future research and has important implications for workforce development and organizational planning in the AI era.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Journal Article Critiques

When writing a journal article critique, be aware of these common pitfalls that can diminish the quality and effectiveness of your analysis:

• Summarizing without critiquing: While a summary is important, the bulk of your critique should focus on analysis and evaluation. Avoid simply restating the article’s content without offering your own insights.
• Personal bias: Maintain objectivity in your critique. Don’t let your personal opinions or preconceptions about the topic unduly influence your evaluation of the research.
• Nitpicking: Focus on significant aspects of the article rather than minor issues. Critiquing every small detail can detract from your main arguments.
• Lack of balance: Avoid focusing solely on either strengths or weaknesses. A good critique acknowledges both positive aspects and areas for improvement.
• Unsupported claims: Always provide evidence or reasoning to support your critiques. Avoid making broad statements without backing them up.
• Misunderstanding the article: Ensure you fully understand the article’s content and methodology before critiquing it. Misinterpretations can lead to irrelevant or inaccurate criticisms.
• Ignoring context: Consider the article within its broader academic and historical context. Don’t critique it based on current knowledge if it was groundbreaking at the time of publication.
• Overreliance on direct quotes: While quotes can be useful, overusing them can make your critique seem unoriginal. Paraphrase and synthesize information where appropriate.
• Lack of structure: Organize your critique logically. A disorganized critique can be confusing and less impactful.
• Offering vague suggestions: When proposing improvements or future research directions, be as specific as possible. Vague suggestions add little value to your critique.

By avoiding these pitfalls, you can ensure that your critique is focused, balanced, and contributes meaningfully to the academic discourse surrounding the article’s topic.

The Future of Journal Article Critiques: Trends and Technologies

As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, several trends and technologies are shaping the landscape of journal article critiques:

• AI-assisted analysis: Advanced AI tools are emerging to help researchers identify patterns, inconsistencies, and potential biases in academic articles. These tools can complement human analysis, offering additional insights and saving time.
• Interactive critiques: Digital platforms are enabling more dynamic and interactive forms of critique. Readers can engage with critiques through comments, annotations, and real-time discussions, fostering a more collaborative approach to academic discourse.
• Data visualization: As research becomes increasingly data-driven, critiques are incorporating more sophisticated data visualization techniques to illustrate key points and analyses.
• Open peer review: There’s a growing trend towards transparency in the peer review process. This may influence how critiques are written and shared, with a focus on constructive feedback and open dialogue.
• Interdisciplinary approaches: As research becomes more interdisciplinary, critiques are increasingly drawing on diverse fields of knowledge to provide comprehensive evaluations.
• Emphasis on reproducibility: With the replication crisis in various fields, critiques are placing greater emphasis on evaluating the reproducibility of research findings.
• Real-time updates: In fast-moving fields, critiques may need to be updated as new information emerges. Dynamic publishing platforms could allow for ongoing refinement of critiques.
• Accessibility and inclusivity: There’s a growing focus on making academic discourse more accessible to diverse audiences, which may influence the language and format of critiques.
• Ethical considerations: As research tackles more complex and sensitive topics, critiques are paying increased attention to the ethical implications of studies.
• Integration with systematic reviews: Critiques may become more closely linked with systematic review processes, contributing to broader syntheses of research in particular fields.

Related Article: Literature Topics and Research

FAQs on Journal Article Critique Guide

How do you write a journal critique?

To write a journal critique, start by thoroughly reading the article and taking notes. Then, structure your critique with an introduction, summary, detailed analysis of strengths and weaknesses, and a conclusion. Focus on evaluating the research question, methodology, results, and conclusions. Provide evidence for your assessments and maintain an objective tone throughout.

What are some examples of critiques?

Examples of critiques include book reviews, film critiques, art criticism, and academic peer reviews. In an academic context, journal article critiques, literature reviews, and research proposal evaluations are common forms of critique.

How to write a critique example?

To write a critique example, choose a specific article or work to analyze. Follow the structure outlined in this guide: introduce the work, summarize its main points, provide a detailed analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, and conclude with your overall assessment. Use specific examples from the work to support your points.

Start by filling this short order form order.studyinghq.com

And then follow the progressive flow. 

Having an issue, chat with us here

Cathy, CS. 

New Concept ? Let a subject expert write your paper for You​

Post navigation

Previous post.

📕 Studying HQ

Typically replies within minutes

Hey! 👋 Need help with an assignment?

🟢 Online | Privacy policy

WhatsApp us

How to Critique a Journal Article

Most scholars and practitioners are passionate about learning how to critique a journal article. Journal article critique is a formal evaluation of a journal article or any type of literary or scientific content. As a careful, complete examination of a study, journal article critique judges the strengths, weaknesses, logical links, meanings and significance of the content presented in an article. The core aim of performing a journal article critique is to show whether or not the arguments and facts that the author provided are reasonable to support their main points. A writer of a journal article critique is expected to identify a scientific article and subject it to a critical discussion based on their point of view, but following a set of conventional guidelines.

Features of a Good Article Critique

When doing a journal article, you are expected to do the following for each section of a research article :

• Explain what was done right with evidence from the journal article being critiqued.
• Explain what was not done right, possible reasons, and what ought to have been done.
• Explain what you think could have been done or what you could do to make it better.
• Given a brief recommendation for future researchers.

What this means is that you must first of all know exactly the nature of structure and content that you expect from a journal article. Without this knowledge, it will be difficult to critique a journal article and write a quality piece of writing from it. Having done these, your journal article critique will reflect the following characteristics.

i). It should have a unique opinion discussion

Article critique does not represent a simple summary of an article. Most students make a mistake of writing a mere summary of the research article after they read it. It is worth noting that journal articles already have summaries and that is not what readers actually want, but a unique opinion and discussion is what counts as a quality journal article critique.  

ii). Evidence

As a writer, you are not expected to provide just your impressions of the article, but also evidence that sets expressions as well. Of course you are not asked to write a new content, but as you write your viewpoint of it, it is critical to support them with evidence.

iii). Identification of the Main Idea

Ensure that you identify the main idea of the article. Each journal article is published to transmit a specific idea that gives it a purpose. Furthermore, remember to clarify the background and significance.

iv). Dual Direction

Do not focus only on the issues that a given article has raised, but also give attention to the important issues that it has left out. There could some content or explanations that you could expect a journal article to present, but that was left out. Explain it and tell the difference it could have caused.

Areas of Journal Article Critique

Article critique fundamentally focuses on evaluating all the sections of a an article to determine its consistency with the scientific research and writing standards. Thus, each section of an article is subjected to critique as follows:

Introduction

• Check the extent to which the title of the article interest and allow you to have an immediate idea of the content of the research.
• Identify the authors of the research article and/or parties that conducted the research is published.
• Identify and apprise the journal in which the article the article is published.
• Evaluate the introduction in terms of how it describes the purpose and background of the study.
• Explain if the research question is consistent with the purpose of the study.
• Recognize the potential effect of the research article to your current practice.

Literature Review

• Find out if the sources of literature review in the article are current (i.e published within the last 5-10 years).
• Evaluate the theories used in relation to relevance to the independent and dependent variables. Ask yourself if the theories explain the phenomenon under investigation.
• Check whether if the literature reviewed is relevant to the research (some content of the literature may be pulled randomly and may not reflect the variables of the study.  

Methodology

• Identify and explain the research design that enabled the creation of a journal article being critiqued.
• Check the research method that was adopted and evaluate its appropriateness to the research question and context. For example, questionnaires may not be appropriate among illiterate populations.
• Evaluate the method of sampling and explain if it is appropriate to the topic and population characteristics.
• Check the possibility of biases in the sample. If biased, explain the reason and what could be done to prevent biases from occurring.
• Appraise the size of the sample in relation to the population and desired significance levels.
• Identify and critique the tools that were used to collect data, procedures through which data was collected, and their validity, reliability and accuracy.
• Find out if the researchers got ethical approval to conduct the study and if not, why.
• Overall, explain if the methods of research have been explained adequately.

Results and Findings

• Check how data was analyzed.
• Briefly explain the main findings of the research.
• Evaluate the way in which results are displayed (Is it done in a clear and understandable manner?)
• Check if the authors have discussed the results in relation to the original problem they identified in the introduction section.
• Find out if the findings have been related to the literature review and consistencies/inconsistencies identified and explained. (Have the authors cited only the pertinent literature?)
• Check if the conclusion captures all aspects of the study from introduction to the end.
• Analyze the nature of conclusions presented and if they answer the research question.
• Analyze and explain the main strengths and weaknesses of the study.
• Identify what you think is the main limitations of the study and if they were identified by the authors.
• Check if the author(s) provided suggestions for future research.
• Go through the references and check if they consistently adhere to a given referencing style.

From the above discussion, it is evident that journal article critique is an involving activity that require active reading, developing an outline, questioning authors’ main points, identifying contradictions, writing down the content of the critique, and revising it to make it perfect. You can now practice by downloading a few articles and trying to critique them.  This will give you a good opportunity to learn from experience and perfect your article critique skills.

stratford-blog

Journal article publishing: typology of mixed methods types of legitimation, research paper publication in the information era, 10 comments.

Cancel reply

Your comment ...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Author Desk

• Author Guidelines
• Publication Charges
• Modes of Payment
• Review Process
• Ethics and Malpractice
• Online Submissions
• Procedure of Publication Process
• Copyright Agreement

DOI NO. 10.53819

Journal Indexing

Download Files

• Manuscript Template
• Journals Articles

Author’s Copyright

The author retains the copyright of the published manuscript.

2023 – 2024 IMPACT FACTOR

Availability of the published manuscript.

The published manuscript is available in both Online and in Print. Authors requiring hard-copy print of the issue in which their paper appears can make orders and this will be processed on demand.

• Peer review guide
• Submission guide
• Online Submission
• Journal Publication process
• Book Publication Process
• Business & Management
• Journal of Procurement & Supply Chain
• Journal of Finance and Accounting
• Journal of Strategic Management
• Journal of Entrepreneurship & Project Management
• Journal of Marketing and Communication
• Journal of Economics
• Social Sciences
• Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
• Journal of Human Resource & Leadership
• Journal of Sociology, Psychology & Religious Studies
• Journal of Public Policy & Governance
• Journal of Education
• Information Technology
• Journal of Information and Technology
• Agriculture
• Journal of Agriculture
• Medicine & Healthcare
• Journal of Medicine, Nursing & Public Health
• Journal of pharmacy & Biochemistry
• Life Sciences
• Journal of Biological Sciences
• Editorial board
• Journal System
• Journals Store
• Books store
• Submission: [email protected]

You cannot copy or paste content on this page.

• Open access
• Published: 11 October 2024

Current policy and practice for the identification, management, and treatment of postpartum anxiety in the United Kingdom: a focus group study

• Elizabeth J. Harris   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1506-060X 1 ,
• Semra Worrall   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6587-9306 1 ,
• Victoria Fallon   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7350-2568 1   na1 &
• Sergio A. Silverio   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7177-3471 1 , 2   na1  

BMC Psychiatry volume  24 , Article number:  680 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

279 Accesses

1 Altmetric

Metrics details

Postpartum Anxiety [PPA] is a prevalent problem in society, posing a significant burden to women, infant health, and the National Health Service [NHS]. Despite this, it is poorly detected by current maternal mental health practices. Due to the current lack of appropriate psychometric measures, insufficiency in training of healthcare professionals, fragmentation of maternal mental healthcare policy and practice, and the magnitude of the effects of PPA on women and their infants, PPA is a critical research priority. This research aims to develop a clear understanding from key stakeholders, of the current landscape of maternal mental health and gain consensus of the needs associated with clinically identifying, measuring, and targeting intervention for women with PPA, in the NHS.

Four focus groups were conducted with a total of 21 participants, via Zoom. Data were analysed using Template Analysis.

Analysis rendered four main themes: (1) Defining Postpartum Anxiety; (2) Postpartum Anxiety in Relation to other Mental Health Disorders; (3) Challenges to Measurement and Identification of Maternal Mental Health; and (4) An Ideal Measure of Postpartum Anxiety.

Conclusions

Findings can begin to inform maternal mental healthcare policy as to how to better identify and measure PPA, through the implementation of a postpartum-specific measure within practice, better training and resources for staff, and improved interprofessional communication.

Peer Review reports

The postpartum period is generally expected to be a positive experience for a mother and her newborn. However, this lifecourse transition may encompass mental ill health [ 1 , 2 ], with the prevalence of perinatal mental health problems in the UK estimated at 20% [ 3 ]. Postpartum Anxiety [PPA] is estimated to affect 8% of all mothers in the UK [ 4 ] and, as a result, poses a significant burden to women and the National Health Service [NHS], highlighting a major public health concern [ 5 ]. Despite this, PPA is under-recognised [ 6 ], emphasising the importance of identifying women who require intervention [ 1 ].

Whilst some levels of anxiety in the postpartum can be considered adaptive from an evolutionary perspective, a ‘tipping point’ of anxiety can be surpassed, where symptoms significantly impact on women’s functioning and precipitate negative maternal and infant outcomes. Some levels of anxiety may be adaptive and so promote caregiving [ 7 ], but negative levels that surpass a tipping point and/or levels of persistent anxiety in the postnatal period can pose risks to both mother and baby [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. For healthcare professionals [HCPs], distinguishing adaptive from pathological anxiety can be challenging [ 11 , 12 ]. Literature has documented how PPA has the potential to disrupt fundamentals in mothering, including: mother-infant bonding; [ 13 , 14 , 15 ] breastfeeding; [ 16 , 17 ] as well as maternal perception of infant temperament [ 18 , 19 , 20 ] infant sleep [ 21 ] and infant cognitive outcomes [ 22 ]. Additionally, it has been found [ 5 ] the lifetime cost per woman experiencing PPA was high to both the healthcare system and for loss of quality-of-life. The multitude of complexity surrounding PPA and the negative outcomes reinforce this disorder as a public health priority [ 23 , 24 ], however, identification and management of PPA has faced several challenges [ 25 ].

The overshadowing of Postpartum Depression [PPD] in research and practice has left women’s experiences of PPA largely misunderstood. In 2010, several recommendations were made with regard to the classification of mental disorders during the perinatal period in the ICD-11, [ 26 ] including broadening the onset specifier to include a larger range of illnesses [ 27 ]. However, the ICD-11 does not currently offer a separate specifier for PPA, and the disorder cannot be diagnosed unless it can be classified elsewhere. Instead, the focus remains on PPD, despite suggestions that favouring PPD over PPA may underestimate the incidence of PPA [ 28 ]. Similarly, although the DSM-5 offers a “with peripartum onset” specifier to a range of mood disorders this does not apply to anxiety during the postpartum period [ 29 ], which presents a problem for both diagnosis and treatment of PPA. It has been found [ 30 ] that almost all postnatal women who met criteria for anxiety disorder not otherwise specified [ADNOS] also met criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, further highlighting how anxiety disorders are not well defined for women. This has further implications for the diagnosis and treatment of PPA. This overshadowing effect has garnered more recent attention in the field [ 31 ], but still exists as a clinical diagnostic phenomenon, despite existing independently [ 11 , 18 ], and at a higher prevalence rate [ 18 ]. PPA is often incorrectly diagnosed as PPD [ 32 ] or as comorbid PPA-PPD [ 33 ]. Regarding this comorbidity, research and clinical practice consistently refer to anxiety as a product of depression, rather than anxiety accompanied by depression [ 14 ]. Evidently, the overshadowing effect presents significant challenges for the specific and targeted identification and management of PPA symptomatology and aetiology ( 1 , 34 – 35 ). As such, further research is required to understand the current landscape of maternal mental healthcare in the NHS, including current measurement of PPA in clinical practice.

This overshadowing has led to the pre-eminence of psychometric tools designed to assess PPD rather than PPA, specifically. These include the: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] [ 36 ]; Perinatal Depression Inventory [PDI] [ 37 ]; and Whooley Questions [ 38 ]. These measures can include anxiety sub-scales, but holistic and specific measurement of anxiety remains rare. In practice, this may mean that PPA may be mis-diagnosed as PPD due to lack of appropriate measurement tools for anxiety. Additionally, measures of anxiety which were developed and validated in general populations are frequently utilised in postpartum research and practice, including the State Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI] [ 39 ]; and Generalised Anxiety Disorder [GAD] 7-item [GAD-7] [ 40 ] and 2-item [GAD-2] [ 41 ]. Consequently, maternal- and infant-focused anxieties, specific to the postpartum, including feeding, bonding, and sleeping, may fail to be captured accurately. General measures also tend to inflate scores by items which would generally be expected during the postpartum [ 31 , 42 ], for example, “I tire quickly” and “I feel rested” as found within the STAI [ 39 ]. Moreover, work conducted with the sub-scales of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] [ 31 ] demonstrated the prediction of unique variance above general measures in infant feeding [ 17 ] and maternal bonding [ 13 ], suggesting childbearing-specific tools are superior in their ability to predict maternal and infant outcomes over general measures. However, as yet, the PSAS has only been used as a research tool.

Evidently, general measures limit clinical measurement and identification in current practice. The EPDS has not performed well as a measure of PPA [ 42 ] and its anxiety-based sub-scale, the EPDS-A, has not been found to have significantly higher correlations than the EPDS, with other anxiety measures [ 43 ]. The GAD-2 offered superior psychometric properties to the EPDS in measuring PPA [ 32 , 44 ], and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] recommends use of the GAD-2 (and the GAD-7 for follow-up) at all universal health visits [ 6 ]. However, both GAD measures have failed to achieve sensitivity and specificity thresholds in perinatal samples [ 45 ]. It has been found [ 46 ] that the prevalence of anxiety symptoms to be 15.0% with the GAD-2, 28.8% with the EPDS-A, and 17.1% with a direct question asking whether women had experienced anxiety in the postpartum period. Kappa coefficients suggested a ‘weak level of agreement’ between measures highlighting demand for improved psychometric scales validated for PPA [ 42 ]. Importantly, postpartum women of minority ethnic backgrounds are less likely to report self-identified anxiety [ 47 ], highlighting the need to develop culturally appropriate measures [ 46 ].

Practice to date has therefore often meant, that in the absence of effective measures, extrapolation from general measures to perinatal contexts is undertaken, despite insufficient psychometric evidence. This is exacerbated by the gap between evidence, policy, and practice surrounding PPA [ 48 ], which must be acknowledged in order to enhance the wellbeing of postpartum women, as well as improve perceptions of care. In 2017, the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists [RCOG] further highlighted the regional disparity of care for perinatal women across England [ 49 ], with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance [MMHA] further corroborating the so-called ‘postcode lottery’ when accessing support [ 50 ]. Despite commitment by the English government to increase spending on perinatal mental health services [ 51 ], and NICE guidance highlighting and prioritising the need for multi-agency services [ 6 ], there remains stark disparity across all four nations of the UK in terms of access to perinatal mental healthcare, with only 16% of teams in England, 14% of teams in Scotland and no teams in Wales or Northern Ireland meeting standards for community perinatal mental health services [ 50 ]. Poor interdisciplinary communications and variations in service organisations across the NHS, has created confusion from Health Visitors about the ever-changing clinical landscape of referral pathways, frustrated at the availability of specialist services, and waiting lists for psychological support [ 12 , 52 ]. Clearer policies are vital to identify needs and improve access to support, yet maternity practice and policy initiatives are often unsupported by the evidence previously discussed [ 53 ]. Additionally, 10% of postnatal women reported they had not been questioned about their mental wellbeing by their healthcare providers [ 54 ]. This may be the result of HCPs feeling unequipped to support women with PPA, due to lack of training [ 12 , 33 ]. This raises the issue of parity of esteem, with mental healthcare significantly neglected in comparison to physical health. Since women with PPA typically utilise healthcare services more frequently, an effective measure would directly reduce strain on resources [ 32 , 34 ].

Considering the literature surrounding inadequate measures, poor training, fragmentation of maternal mental health [MMH] policy and practice, and the magnitude of the effects of PPA, there is a need for further research. This multifactorial rationale demands understanding of the current landscape of PPA in the UK, including current identification and measurement, to enable improved measurement, screening, and targeted intervention.

Present study and setting

The study aimed to better understand the current landscape of MMH within the NHS, and gain consensus from stakeholders, of the needs associated with clinically identifying, measuring, and targeting intervention for PPA. Focus groups with key stakeholders located across the UK, explored views of PPA policy and practice, and data were analysed through Template Analysis [ 55 , 56 ]. Template Analysis can be adapted to different contexts [ 57 ] and its pragmatic and utilitarian outlook allows for multiple worldviews. Subsequently, this work can be considered from a dimensional position rather than dichotomous positivist or constructivist perspectives [ 57 ].

This study was approved by the University of Liverpool Institute of Population Health Research Ethics Committee on 09 March 2022 (ref:-11083).

Participants and recruitment

Potential participants who identified as being employed in maternal mental healthcare, research, or advocacy were recruited between March and April 2022, via e-mails (for stakeholders with whom the research team had an existing relationship), posting of recruitment adverts on social media, and word-of-mouth snowballing. Inclusion criteria included participants who were aged ≥ 18years, the ability to understand and converse in English, availability to participate in a focus group, and employed within the following categories in the UK: Frontline HCPs, Third Sector Organisations (e.g., community groups, charities, voluntary sector), Regulatory Organisations, and Policy Makers. It was essential for participants to work within the broadly defined field of MMH.

Participants received an information sheet outlining the aims and procedures of the study before providing written informed consent via a form, as well as additional verbal consent from all participants to record prior to recording at the beginning of each focus group. Consent forms were stored on a secure drive only accessible by the research team. The researcher’s emphasised confidentiality of personal data and asked all participants to respect the confidentiality of fellow participants. Each participant was reimbursed £25, in-line with NIHR guidelines [ 58 ].

Twenty-three participants were recruited to four focus groups, which included six, eight, four, and three participants, respectively. Two participants were deemed to have provided too little input to their respective focus groups to have made meaningful contributions (i.e. provided their name and role, and perhaps only adding a word of agreement to other participants’ points), and so their data were removed, rendering analysis based on twenty-one participants, including: HCPs ( n  = 11; 52.38%), Policy Makers ( n  = 5; 23.80%), Academic Researchers ( n  = 12; 57.14%), individuals from Third Sector Organisations ( n  = 5; 23.80%), and individuals involved in Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE; n  = 2; 9.52%). Participants were geographically located across the UK, allowing for a broad understanding of current MMH policy. See Table  1 for demographic information.

Data collection

Focus groups conducted via the on-line platform Zoom [ 59 ], ensured a national participant pool could participate, and were led by an experienced qualitative researcher [SAS], with another member of the research team also in attendance [EJH, SW]. The four focus groups ranged from 62 to 102 mins ( M Time = 80.75 mins). A topic guide facilitated consistent questioning across focus groups, but allowed for individual stakeholders’ views and experiences to be heard (see Appendix 1 ). Focus groups investigated current national policy of MMH, whether regional policies were perceived to support national policy, how PPA is currently defined in clinical practice, the relationship between PPA and PPD, whether stakeholders perceive identification and measurement of PPA to be a problem, and what a measure of PPA should involve. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed by an approved transcription service, pseudo-anonymised, and accuracy checked against the original audio-recording, allowing also for data familiarisation. Transcripts were stored on a secure drive only accessible by the research team. Transcripts were uploaded, managed, and analysed in NVivo12.

Data analysis

Template analysis can obtain meaningful results using smaller samples, and therefore was appropriate for the focus group study we conducted. A coding template was developed and refined according to the topic guide [ 56 ] and included themes: (i) Defining Postpartum Anxiety; (ii) Identification and Measurement of Maternal Mental Health; (iii) Postpartum Anxiety in Relation to other Mental Health.

The Template Analysis Methodology

We adopted a methodical, yet reflexive approach to analysis, including: (1) Reading transcripts for data familiarisation; (2) Preliminary coding using initial template; (3) Organisation of themes in a hierarchical structure; (4) Defining the template, permitting the addition and removal of themes; (5) Application of the template to the full dataset; (6) Providing accurate definitions for each theme in the template [ 56 ]; see also Fig.  1 . The analysis was conducted by one researcher [EJH], under the supervision of a qualitative methods expert [SAS]. Findings were checked for coherence, accuracy, and logical progression from raw data to descriptive and then interpretive analysis with the wider study team [VF, SW]. This team approach allowed for rigorous interrogation of our analysis and eventual findings. Accuracy checking throughout the final two stages confirmed thematic saturation, whereby final themes were supported by sufficient data. An iterative and consultative approach was employed, repeatedly reviewing quotations, ensuring full representation of the dataset, and in the early part of the analysis, the template was adapted to include a fourth theme titled: ‘An Ideal Measure of Postpartum Anxiety’.

The final Template Analysis comprised four themes (see Fig.  2 for visual presentation of themes), which are detailed below, with the most illustrative quotations presented and participant identifier for reference.

Template Analysis themes and sub-themes

Theme 1: Defining postpartum anxiety

This section of the template dealt with participants’ definitions of PPA. Sub-themes included: Adaptive Anxiety and the ‘Tipping Point’; and Misunderstanding and Pathologizing Anxiety.

Adaptive anxiety and the ‘tipping point’

Stakeholders stated the importance of understanding adaptive anxiety, expected of the postpartum period.

“We really need to get a handle on the distinction between a normative perinatal mental health so that that functional aspect that motivates appropriate caregiving and relate , is reciprocal to the infant attachment system.” (Participant-D) . “I think it’s validating people’s anxiety to say: ‘It’s completely normal to have those feelings.’” (Participant-P) .

Moreover, stakeholders suggested anxiety was only negative when perceived as a problem by the mother.

“It is less easy to define perhaps than other mental health issues in the sense that there’s some element of it which is adaptive , so it’s probably what the woman says it is really… if it’s causing her an issue then it’s an issue.” (Participant-G) .

The impact on functioning was the ‘tipping point’ which stakeholders used to distinguish between adaptive anxiety and something more pathological.

“At some point that can translate into something that is really adversely affecting quality of life and function.” (Participant-A) . “ It’s about recognition of when that is affecting relationships or functioning.” (Participant-P) . “I’ve always thought it’s an evolutionary adaptation if you have a very vulnerable newborn. But obviously , at some point that can translate into something that is really adversely affecting quality of life and function” (Participant-K) .

Misunderstanding and pathologizing postpartum anxiety

Many stakeholders acknowledged the misunderstandings surrounding the recognition, prevalence, and impact of PPA; and how commonly these misconceptions occur amongst HCPs.

“I think anxiety is under-recognised both in terms of its prevalence but also its impact and how disabling it is.” (Participant-T) .

“I think a lot of practitioners don’t fully understand.” (Participant-E) .

Stakeholders expressed efforts to categorise PPA as its own distinct disorder, rather than a feature of depression.

“It’s about trying to hold the space for anxiety being its own disorder… I think it’s not helped by the NICE guidelines.” (Participant-U) .

Additionally, this misunderstanding can increase the risk of pathologizing PPA, which may worsen health.

“It’s always been hard to know how anxious is too anxious.” (Participant-U)

“They are functional , and we are pathologizing… normative mood which runs the risk… of… messing people up in terms of their normative caregiving.” (Participant-D) .

As a result, fears were expressed surrounding labelling women.

“… ‘labelling’ – to what extent it is enabling and to what extent it’s stigmatising or puts people into boxes that are unhelpful.” (Participant-O) .

In contrast, diagnoses were seen as being potentially helpful and an encouraging experience, particularly for those mothers in distress about their symptoms.

“I personally found it quite liberating to have it suggested that what I was experiencing was anxiety because it gave something firm to hang onto in a very confusing situation.” (Participant-O) .

Theme 2: Postpartum anxiety in relation to other mental health disorders

The second part of the template discussed PPA in Relation to other Mental Health Disorders. Sub-themes included: Differences in Disclosure of Maternal Mental Health; and Language Surrounding PPA.

Differences in disclosure of maternal mental health

Stakeholders felt a clear difference in patient disclosure surrounding depression and anxiety. Many believed symptoms of anxiety were easier to disclose.

“Depression has a negative connotation , whereas anxiety is something that they can just easily tell clinicians without fearing any issues to do with Social Services.” (Participant-N) .

Moreover, disclosing anxiety may be easier due to its advantageous caregiving connotations in comparison to that of PPD.

“They’re more comfortable to say: ‘I’m feeling anxious’ , because that almost allows them to feel that they’re being a good parent. You should be anxious , you should be worried about your child , you should be concerned about your child.” (Participant-R) . “I think it does feel , in a sense , less stigmatising than depression , and there’s always that difficult thing that although people are encouraged to talk about their feelings and their mental health… it’s not easy actually to talk to people about feeling low… and in a way it’s easier to talk about anxiety than depression.” (Participant-O) .

Stakeholders thought this difference was linked to misunderstandings surrounding anxiety as its own disorder.

“I think that makes it hard for people to… err… kind of think about anxiety in the way that you think about depression. People have a really clear idea of what being depressed means , but being anxious , has a lot bigger range of symptoms or impacts possibly.” (Participant-U) .

Moreover, stakeholders suggested that both disorders are often disclosed as one entity.

“I think there’s a tendency in general that anxiety and depression are almost shared in the same breath… you ask them if they have a history of mental health conditions and they say: ‘Oh , I’ve got anxiety and depression’ , it comes as a pair.” (Participant-L) .

Language surrounding postpartum anxiety

Stakeholders believed language surrounding anxiety to be different to that of depression, which may cause differences in rates and ease of disclosure. They suggested the term anxiety – as a clinical disorder – is often used to describe short-lived emotion.

“I suppose the word anxiety has entered the general language that people use to talk about their mood… I think parents use ‘anxiety’ to mean a whole host of things on a huge continuum , some of which are causing them immense distress… and others of which are causing them a mild level of worry.” (Participant-G) .

As previously mentioned, stakeholders believed anxiety does not have the same negative connotations as depression, however, this may cause underestimation of severity.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s so gloomy and so dark , though it’s really , really important for people to recognise that people are desperately challenged by anxiety , and it is a very serious condition…” (Participant-O) .

Despite stakeholders believing anxiety to be easier to disclose, stigma still surrounds this mental illness.

“I think there’s too much focus on treatments for PND whereas I think we almost do a bit of , not cheerleading for postnatal anxiety , but get the word out that it’s there and is a condition in its own right. Maybe stigma breaking around that.” (Participant-T) .

Theme 3: Challenges to measurement and identification of maternal mental health

The penultimate part of the template covered Challenges to Measurement and Identification of Maternal Mental Health, more generally. Sub-themes included: Difficulties with Revealing Mental Health to Healthcare Professionals; and Fragmentation in Policy and the Reality of Current Practice.

Difficulties with revealing mental health to healthcare professionals

The relationship between HCPs and women and especially the one-to-one mother-HCP relationship which developed over pregnancy, was discussed as being crucial to disclosure of mental health and providing a source of stability.

“The relationship with that practitioner for the benefit of the woman is so critical and that practitioner from a continuity point of view being able to act as a transitional attachment figure themselves… whoever is involved needs to stay involved.” (Participant-D) . “If you don’t know someone and they come into your house and just ask you some questions from a list , I’m really unlikely to tell them anything that’s bothering me.” (Participant-Q) .

The lack of use of sensitive language also emerged as a barrier to disclosure, with many participants highlighting the importance of the different elements of the relationship between HCPs and mothers.

“The language that you use , the communication that you use , are really crucial for them opening up about stuff in future.” (Participant-E).

Safeguarding was reported as a barrier to disclosure as women may fear losing their child.

“I’ve worked with families before who were quite worried because their family members said , ‘If you say this , they are going to take your children away’.” (Participant-E).

Furthermore, stakeholders reported confusion about available support.

“In terms of perinatal anxiety , I think we don’t really know what is available to women , what’s acceptable to women and what women are being offered.” (Participant-Q) .

Staff training, or a lack thereof, was believed to be the fundamental issue causing difficulty in identification of PPA and offering an obstacle to disclosure by those who were struggling with mental ill health to HCPs.

“The critical thing that’s lacking… is actually any expertise in the broad multidisciplinary perspective.” (Participant-D) .

Stakeholders believed this lack of training explained why emotional wellbeing was being disregarded.

“…you’re supposed to ask about maternal wellbeing , and that’s the first thing that Midwives will skip because… they don’t feel that they have the required training to signpost women further.” (Participant-M) .

It was also revealed that there is a lack of training on using measures in practice and some reported sourcing external training to provide skills for delivering postnatal care.

“Staff do need training on how to use measures , how to ask women to complete them…and how to interpret what the meanings of that are in terms of the outcome of your clinical assessments.” (Participant-T) . “We have no pre-reg training… I have sourced training which is completely outside of the NHS to enable me to do that client-facing work with greater efficacy.” (Participant- D) .

Fragmentation in policy and the reality of current practice

Stakeholders believed the level of fragmentation in both policy and practice was inhibiting the quality of postnatal care delivered.

“Overall , the problems that women experience with postnatal care is fragmentation of services compared to the rest of their maternity journey.” (Participant-S) .

Poor communication between services was often cited as causing fragmentation.

“There needs to become some kind of flexibility , finding a better way for services to work alongside each other because the communication between GP , like primary care and secondary care and then mental health services is really poor.” (Participant-E).

Stakeholders also expressed that the guidance on care they receive, is not based upon perinatal research evidence.

“If you look at how the guidance is developed , it isn’t actually drawn from any perinatal studies.” (Participant-A) .

Within the focus groups, stakeholders also discussed general measures used within clinical practice:

“We use the GAD-2 questions and if they get a score of three or above then we would proceed to use the GAD-7… there hadn’t been very much research with perinatal populations , a lot of that is based on the GAD-2 in general population.” (Participant-P) .

They often expressed negative views surrounding the measures available.

“I honestly don’t think there is a good option for anxiety at the moment.” (Participant-G) .

Many stakeholders admitted to drawing on their own expertise to adapt guidance to individual needs.

“There isn’t specific perinatal mental health guidance for those sorts of services , so I’m constantly having to adapt and use what is quite often clinical guidance and use in a more socially oriented and community setting.” (Participant-L) .

Stakeholders discussed the reality of trying to access desired support whilst suffering from mental ill health.

“ It’s a very complex process and incredibly difficult to navigate if you are already experiencing poor mental health.” (Participant-F) . “There is a mass of often conflicting information about just getting help and I believe that contributes to anxiety and for women who then need help with their anxiety , it’s hard to find and you almost need to be absolutely sane and on top of your game to be able to find the help you need.” (Participant-S) .

Flexibility was noted as a requirement to tailor national guidelines to local levels but may cause inconsistencies with care.

“Although NHS England makes recommendations , they’re often left to local implementation and whereas one organisation within my service might agree that something is the right thing to do , the other organisations may not.” (Participant-T) .

Theme 4: An ideal measure of postpartum anxiety

The final section of the template was dedicated to perceptions of An Ideal Measure of Postpartum Anxiety, which covered what stakeholders believed to be essential criteria for an effective clinical measure. Sub-themes included: An Informal, Maternally-Centred, Supportive Conversation; and Utility of a Measure Focused on Function.

An informal, maternally-centred, supportive conversation

Stakeholders expressed fears surrounding the risk of stigmatising PPA whilst using a clinical measure and that it should be based solely around support.

“As long as it’s put in the context of giving support… not stigmatising… to detect people who could do with extra support.” (Participant-B) . “What’s the point in assessing mental health , why would we do that , and it’s to ensure that families get the right support that they need” (Participant-C) .

Giving supportive information alongside the items of the measure, may increase disclosure and decrease fear.

“I guess having examples… like 'Some anxiety is normal… are you feeling a lot more anxious than you expected or than your peers are?' and then that leading to hopefully a useful conversation.” (Participant-I) .

Stakeholders preferred a measure in the form of a conversation to a tick box type measure.

“I’ve always felt the measurements interrupt and disrupt the conversation and make it more tick-boxy and difficult rather than actually opening up the conversation.” (Participant-G) . “I think I’d prefer to be able to have a measure that I could use in a more informal , conversational chatty type of a way.” (Participant-G) .

It was also established that a useful measure should take a maternal focus.

“Permitting women to focus on themselves rather than the baby.” (Participant-S) .

With this in mind, some stakeholders preferred the idea of a single open-ended question to instigate a meaningful conversation.

“So , we’ll ask the Whooley questions and parents might well say no , and then ask , 'So have you ever suffered with…depression but never spoken to anyone about it?' And the majority would say yes.” (Participant-D) . “A kind of general help for women to disclose , was to say ‘How are you finding being a mum? Is it better than you expected or not to so good as you expected?’… if she suspects there are things the woman is not really disclosing but still looks worried.” (Participant-S) .

The importance of the safety of the measure, if utilised for self-diagnosis, was stressed amongst stakeholders.

“I think it’s also really important to be aware that lots of women will use this as a self- diagnosis test… how we can make that a safe thing as well.” (Participant-F) .

To overcome issues with disclosure and facilitate conversation, a motivational style of interviewing may be a useful method.

“So , it’s about being able to have that discussion with people , ‘Is this something that’s affecting your life?… What can I do for you?’ Getting them to verbalise it , so using that kind of motivational interviewing style with people.” (Participant-P) .

Utility of a measure focused on function

Stakeholders reported that a useful measure for PPA must be clinically actionable.

“So , there’s something about it being clinically actionable; what does it change about your treatment plan or your care pathway or what you offer a family that meant that that tool was useful to you as a practitioner?” (Participant-J) . “It’s not that we label someone with ‘You have postnatal anxiety’ , it’s ‘you have these particular symptoms which are making your life really difficult and therefore that informs what support we need to put in place for you’.” (Participant-U) .

Many stakeholders commented on the length of what they deemed to be an ideal measure.

“When I’m thinking about my kind of ideal tool for measuring postnatal anxiety , realistically it needs to be something which is short , initially , that has an initial screening and then a longer version.” (Participant-U) .

When discussing current measures in practice, shorter measures were favoured due to heavy workloads.

“The GAD-2 perhaps , but definitely not the GAD-7 , there are too many questions for Midwives to go through that one , even though that would be preferred , it’s just too much I think for them on top of all the other things that they have to check in a postnatal visit.” (Participant-M) .

However, benefits to longer tools were discussed.

“The other thing that has come out is that some of these tools are so long… going into really such detail that it becomes a psychological intervention.” (Participant-T) .

Stakeholders expressed the difficulty in producing an ideal short measure which encompasses sufficient breadth and depth.

“ I think one of the things which is always going to be difficult is that kind of conflict between getting the breadth you want to cover all anxiety disorders and having it as brief as it needs to be to be realistically used in clinical practice , in a routine way. And that is a really difficult balance.” (Participant-U) .

Regardless of a tool’s length, stakeholders highlighted the importance of a focus on maternal functioning.

“If you wanted to make it truly a postnatal anxiety tool , that functionality also has to include functioning as a new mother and not just day-to-day functioning.” (Participant- M) .

Frequency and intensity of symptoms also emerged as a priority for an effective measure of PPA.

“Because if the person’s showing symptoms , finding it difficult to function and experiencing these symptoms on a frequent basis , then they will need a lot more support than someone who may not be experiencing it frequently.” (Participant-H) .

The study aimed to acquire understanding from key stakeholders, including Frontline HCPs, Third Sector Organisations, Policy Makers, and Academic Researchers, of the landscape of current MMH policy and practice, in the NHS. A secondary aim was to gain consensus of the needs associated with clinically identifying, measuring, and targeting intervention for women with PPA.

Defining postpartum anxiety

Stakeholders addressed the under-recognised prevalence and severity of PPA. It has been reported [ 11 ] that the concept of perinatal anxiety was ill-defined, presenting as a barrier to its identification and management, and the potential for poorer health outcomes. Consequently, the absence of clear definitions prevents stakeholders from distinguishing between adaptive and pathological anxiety. The ‘tipping point’ identified by stakeholders also coincides with findings of others [ 60 ], suggesting anxiety to only be problematic upon the impairment of everyday functioning. The study’s findings, reinforced by literature, highlights PPA as under-researched causing challenges to deliver effective support.

Stakeholders expressed mixed views on labelling women with a disorder, with some suggesting it to be unhelpful and others suggesting its benefits for validating experiences. In support of this, previous research has reported [ 61 ] that General Practitioners were reluctant to diagnose and medicalise women’s experiences. However, more recent research [ 47 ] suggests specialist care and support for perinatal mental health may positively affect women who find healthcare hard to access, to engage with wider health services. Further research is required regarding safe methods to identify MMH.

Postpartum anxiety in relation to other maternal mental health

The current study suggested anxiety was easier to disclose than depression, due to fewer negative connotations. Furthermore, previous reports suggest [ 11 ] perinatal anxiety was not understood well in comparison to depression. Similarly, stakeholders also acknowledged that depression may be readily disclosed due clarity in its definition, as it has remained at the focus of research and practice, overshadowing PPA and its recognition as a disorder [ 62 ]. This may inhibit effective articulation of anxiety symptoms and reinforces within women that PPD is the disorder of importance. Subsequently, feelings of marginalisation may emerge when unable to resonate with PPD symptoms with no alternative explanation [ 63 , 64 ]. This domination of depression and the under-recognition of PPA combined, present as a major issue for identification. The ICD-11 only provides a diagnosis for PPA when not otherwise specified; definitions for disorders with and without presentation of psychosis largely relate to PPD and PPA is not specifically mentioned. Although PPA is often comorbid with PPD [ 65 ], increasingly evidence suggests that both prevalence [ 18 ] and severity of PPA means it requires attention in its own right. Further evidence needs considering in PPA. Stakeholders discussed that anxiety and depression can be shared within the same breath. Symptoms of anxiety can be subsumed within depression, and therefore dismissed when depression is absent [ 66 ]. This inter-relationship is challenging to disentangle which can further inhibit effective identification [ 62 ]. This highlights the importance of recognising both anxiety and depression separately, to avoid women and the severity of their mental health being overlooked and undervalued [ 63 ]. It also further emphasises the need for an appropriate measure of anxiety to be used in the NHS in order to effectively distinguish, identify, and treat the disorders.

Challenges to measurement and identification of maternal mental health

Stakeholders discussed the issue of staff training especially in regard to effective utilisation and interpretation of psychometric measures. Research has also documented HCPs’ confusion approaching the use of measures in practice [ 34 ], and that HCPs lack the necessary competencies to effectively identify and manage disorders [ 67 ]. This highlights training as a significant factor in the quality of postpartum care delivered. As such, any new measure that needs to be developed must also offer clear instructions on how the measure needs to be completed, emphasising which scores may indicate the need for further intervention. Stakeholders also expressed dissatisfaction with current measures and acknowledged that general measures had not been evidenced within perinatal populations, causing women to be overlooked for referral to support [ 31 ]. These findings emphasise the poor reality of postpartum care in the identification, management, and treatment of mental health disorders, especially in relation to PPA [ 68 ]. Furthermore, the societal silencing of negative experiences of motherhood, reveals stigma as source of anxiety and barrier to support [ 69 ] with women feeling stigmatised when disclosing mental health to HCPs [ 70 ]. This emphasises the significance of addressing safeguarding fears to encourage disclosure.

Moreover, relational care was presented as a poignant aspect of effective postpartum practice. It has been previously reported [ 71 ] that women required a trusting relationship with HCPs, regardless of the screening measure used, to disclose information. However, others have found [ 72 ] that no individual HCP would take responsibility for the emotional care of women and due to heavy workloads. The lack of follow up from a consistent HCP, further inhibited disclosure [ 66 , 73 ]. This fragmentation of postpartum care highlights the accountability that stakeholders must take to address these issues within policy and practice [ 52 ].

An ideal measure of postpartum anxiety

With the dissatisfaction stakeholders displayed towards current practice, important components of an ideal measure of PPA were suggested. A supportive maternally focused approach was deemed essential with a measure in the form of a conversation, preferred over a tick box type measure. Importantly, HCPs may have the opportunity to reinvent society’s concept of a ‘good mum’ as a mother who discloses, accesses help and recovers, to increase self-worth and foster a new identity [ 69 ]. Stakeholders also required the measure to be clinically actionable, similar to others [ 74 ], who emphasised that measure outcomes should indicate a clear referral pathway. Stakeholders’ negative views of the GAD and the Whooley questions are reinforced by evaluations of current measures [ 42 , 43 , 46 ] concluding that there is no effective measure of PPA [ 74 ].

Stakeholders’ demands regarding what an effective measure needs to encompass, highlights potential modifications that can be actioned to measures. The flaws of general measures have motivated the creation of perinatal-specific tools, such as the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale [PASS] [ 75 ] and the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] [ 31 ]. The PASS has been validated in perinatal women. However, by measuring both the prepartum and postpartum, it suggests that symptoms are comparable, despite both encompassing unique experiences [ 31 ]. In contrast, the PSAS has been validated and utilised within research around the world. Its successful implementation within research, opens doors for modifications for use in clinical practice. Despite its research success, the PSAS does not cover maternal functioning aspects, an essential component of the current study’s results, and key for the diagnosis of PPA (e.g., anxiety may be experienced often but is not debilitating, or may be experienced infrequently but severely which may require intervention). This suggests that any tool used to measure PPA in clinical settings also needs to consider functioning. These tools provide the foundations of an effective measure of PPA, to be modified and adapted for use within the NHS.

Strengths, limitations, and future directions

To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the perspectives of a range of stakeholders on the current landscape of MMH policies and the effective measurement of PPA. Despite the sample’s ethnic diversity, the variety of professions proved to be an overarching strength, allowing a holistic exploration of PPA in current policy and practice. However, the use of remote focus groups is argued to build weaker rapport compared to a face-to-face discussion [ 76 ]. The profile of PPA needs significant elevation to increase awareness and improve identification and management. HCPs in direct contact with women, require improved training and resources on PPA as a disorder, the ever-changing referral pathways, and the appropriate measures to use. Work must be done to have specific tools embedded into clinical practice and use of general measures should be avoided.

This research has obtained clearer understanding of the complex national landscape of MMH through insight from Frontline HCPs, Third Sector Organisations, Policy Makers, and Academic Researchers. A thorough argument for the implementation of postpartum-specific measures into healthcare, specifically warranted for anxiety, has been developed which allows for conversation surrounding anxieties specific to motherhood in order to inform appropriate intervention. This study addressed a multi-factorial rationale, drawing research attention to the under-recognition, under-detection, misunderstandings, and the significant burden PPA poses to women, infants, and the NHS. Overall, this study has contributed important findings to literature around the identification, management, and current policy and practice of PPA.

Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due the potential for identifiability amongst participants. The topic guide is available in the supplementary materials associated with this article.

Abbreviations

Anxiety Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (2-item)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (7-item)

Healthcare Professionals

International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision

Maternal Mental Health Alliance

Maternal Mental Health

National Health Services

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale

Perinatal Depression Inventory

Postpartum Anxiety

Postpartum Depression

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement

Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale

Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists

State Trait Anxiety Inventory

Ali E. Women’s experiences with postpartum anxiety disorders: a narrative literature review. Int J women’s health 2018 May 29:237–49. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S158621

Saxbe D, Rossin-Slater M, Goldenberg D. The transition to parenthood as a critical window for adult health. Am Psychol. 2018;73(9):1190. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000376 .

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

The economic case for. increasing access to treatment for women with common mental health problems during the perinatal period [Internet]. [cited 2023 Nov 20]. https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/economic-case-increasing-access-treatment-women-common-maternal-mental-health-problems-report-lse-2022-mmha.pdf

Bauer A, Parsonage M, Knapp M, Iemmi V, Adelaja B, [Internet]., Centre for Mental Health. LSE & ; 2014 [cited 2023 Nov 20]. https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/59885/

Bauer A, Knapp M, Parsonage M. Lifetime costs of perinatal anxiety and depression. J Affect Disord. 2016;192:83–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.12.005 .

NICE. 2014 [cited 2023 Nov 20]. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg192/resources/antenatal-and-postnatal-mental-health-clinical-management-and-service-guidance-pdf-35109869806789

Yatziv T, Vancor EA, Bunderson M, Rutherford HJ. Maternal perinatal anxiety and neural responding to infant affective signals: insights, challenges, and a road map for neuroimaging research. Neurosci Biobehavioral Reviews. 2021;131:387–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.043 .

Article   Google Scholar  

Landoni M, Silverio SA, Ionio C, Ciuffo G, Toscano C, Lega L, Gelabert E, Kalcey G, Roca-Lecumberri A, Plaza Estrade A, Brenna V, Bramante A. Mothers who kill their children: a systematic review of perinatal risk factors. Mothers who kill their children: a systematic review of perinatal risk factors. Maltrattamento E Abuso all’Infanzia: Rivista Interdisciplinare. 2022;33–61. https://doi.org/10.3280/MAL2022-002004 .

Wenzel A, Matthey S. Anxiety and stress during pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. The Oxford Handbook of Perinatal psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2014. pp. 132–49.

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Silverio SA, Wilkinson C, Fallon V, Bramante A, Staneva AA. When a mother’s love is not enough: a cross-cultural critical review of anxiety, attachment, maternal ambivalence, abandonment, and infanticide. International handbook of love: Transcultural and transdisciplinary perspectives. 2021 May 5:291–315.

Folliard KJ, Crozier K, Wadnerkar Kamble MM. Crippling and unfamiliar: analysing the concept of perinatal anxiety; definition, recognition and implications for psychological care provision for women during pregnancy and early motherhood. J Clin Nurs. 2020;29(23–24):4454–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15497 .

Silverwood V, Nash A, Chew-Graham CA, Walsh-House J, Sumathipala A, Bartlam B, Kingstone T. Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on identifying and managing perinatal anxiety: a qualitative study. Br J Gen Pract. 2019;69(688):e768–76. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp19X706025 .

Article   PubMed Central   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Fallon V, Silverio SA, Halford JC, Bennett KM, Harrold JA. Postpartum-specific anxiety and maternal bonding: further evidence to support the use of childbearing specific mood tools. J Reproductive Infant Psychol. 2021;39(2):114–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2019.1680960 .

Matthies LM, Müller M, Doster A, Sohn C, Wallwiener M, Reck C, Wallwiener S. Maternal–fetal attachment protects against postpartum anxiety: the mediating role of postpartum bonding and partnership satisfaction. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2020;301:107–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-019-05402-7 .

Paul IM, Downs DS, Schaefer EW, Beiler JS, Weisman CS. Postpartum anxiety and maternal-infant health outcomes. Pediatrics. 2013;131(4):e1218–24. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-2147 .

Fallon V, Groves R, Halford JC, Bennett KM, Harrold JA. Postpartum anxiety and infant-feeding outcomes: a systematic review. J Hum Lactation. 2016;32(4):740–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334416662241 .

Fallon V, Halford JC, Bennett KM, Harrold JA. Postpartum-specific anxiety as a predictor of infant-feeding outcomes and perceptions of infant-feeding behaviours: new evidence for childbearing specific measures of mood. Arch Women Ment Health. 2018;21:181–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-017-0775-0 .

Field T. Postnatal anxiety prevalence, predictors and effects on development: a narrative review. Infant Behav Dev. 2018;51:24–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2018.02.005 .

Nieto L, Lara MA, Navarrete L, Manzo G. Infant temperament and perinatal depressive and anxiety symptoms in Mexican women. Sex Reproductive Healthc. 2019;21:39–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2019.05.005 .

Davies SM, Silverio SA, Christiansen P, Fallon V. Maternal-infant bonding and perceptions of infant temperament: the mediating role of maternal mental health. J Affect Disord. 2021;282:1323–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.023 .

Davies SM, Todd-Leonida BF, Fallon VM, Silverio SA. Exclusive breastfeeding duration and perceptions of infant sleep: the mediating role of postpartum anxiety. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(8):4494. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084494 .

Ross KM, Letourneau N, Climie E, Giesbrecht G, Dewey D. Perinatal maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms and child executive function and attention at two-years of age. Dev Neuropsychol. 2020;45(6):380–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/87565641.2020.1838525 .

Alderdice F. What’s so special about perinatal mental health? J Reproductive Infant Psychol. 2020;38(2):111–2. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2020.1734167 .

Tripathy P. A public health approach to perinatal mental health: improving health and wellbeing of mothers and babies. J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod. 2020;49(6):101747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogoh.2020.101747 .

Weis JR, Renshon D. Steps towards a comprehensive approach to maternal and child mental health. Lancet Public Health. 2019;4(6):e268–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30087-8 .

International Classification of Diseases. Eleventh Revision (ICD-11) [Internet]. World Health Organization; [cited 2023 Nov 21]. https://icd.who.int/browse11

Austin MP, ICD-11. Classification of mental health disorders in the perinatal period: future directions for DSM-V and. Archives of women’s mental health. 2010;13:41 – 4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0110-5

Matthey S, Barnett B, Howie P, Kavanagh DJ. Diagnosing postpartum depression in mothers and fathers: whatever happened to anxiety? J Affect Disord. 2003;74(2):139–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00012-5 .

Russell EJ, Fawcett JM, Mazmanian D. Risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder in pregnant and postpartum women: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(4):18438. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.12r07917 .

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Phillips J, Sharpe L, Matthey S, Charles M. Maternally focused worry. Arch Women Ment Health. 2009;12:409–18.

Fallon V, Halford JC, Bennett KM, Harrold JA. The postpartum specific anxiety scale: development and preliminary validation. Arch Women Ment Health. 2016;19:1079–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0658-9 .

Toler S, Stapleton S, Kertsburg K, Callahan TJ, Hastings-Tolsma M. Screening for postpartum anxiety: a quality improvement project to promote the screening of women suffering in silence. Midwifery. 2018;62:161–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2018.03.016 .

Alkhader YK. Generalized anxiety disorder: a review. Int J Med Developing Ctries. 2018;2(2):65–9. https://doi.org/10.24911/IJMDC.51-1518966687 .

Ashford MT, Ayers S, Olander EK. Supporting women with postpartum anxiety: exploring views and experiences of specialist community public health nurses in the UK. Health Soc Care Commun. 2017;25(3):1257–64. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12428 .

Bener A, Gerber LM, Sheikh J. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders and associated risk factors in women during their postpartum period: a major public health problem and global comparison. Int J women’s health 2012 May 10:191–200. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S29380

Cox JL, Holden JM, Sagovsky R. Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. Br J Psychiatry. 1987;150(6):782–6. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.150.6.782 .

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Brodey BB, Goodman SH, Baldasaro RE, Brooks-DeWeese A, Wilson ME, Brodey IS, Doyle NM. Development of the Perinatal Depression Inventory (PDI)-14 using item response theory: a comparison of the BDI-II, EPDS, PDI, and PHQ-9. Arch Women Ment Health. 2016;19:307–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-015-0553-9 .

Whooley MA, Avins AL, Miranda J, Browner WS. Case-finding instruments for depression: two questions are as good as many. J Gen Intern Med. 1997;12(7):439–45. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.00076.x .

Article   PubMed Central   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Spielberger CD. State-trait anxiety inventory for adults.

Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092–7. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092 .

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB, Monahan PO, Löwe B. Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146(5):317–25. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004 .

Simpson W, Glazer M, Michalski N, Steiner M, Frey BN. Comparative efficacy of the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale and the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale as screening tools for generalized anxiety disorder in pregnancy and the postpartum period. Can J Psychiatry. 2014;59(8):434–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405900806 .

Brouwers EP, van Baar AL, Pop VJ. Does the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale measure anxiety? J Psychosom Res. 2001;51(5):659–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00245-8 .

Zappas MP, Becker K, Walton-Moss B. Postpartum anxiety. J Nurse Practitioners. 2021;17(1):60–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.08.017 .

Austin MP, Mule V, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Reilly N. Screening for anxiety disorders in third trimester pregnancy: a comparison of four brief measures. Archives Women’s Mental Health 2022 Apr 1:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-021-01166-9

Fellmeth G, Harrison S, Quigley MA, Alderdice F. A comparison of three measures to identify postnatal anxiety: analysis of the 2020 National Maternity Survey in England. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(11):6578. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116578 .

Pilav S, De Backer K, Easter A, Silverio SA, Sundaresh S, Roberts S, Howard LM. A qualitative study of minority ethnic women’s experiences of access to and engagement with perinatal mental health care. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22(1):1–3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04698-9 .

Antenatal and Postnatal. mental health: clinical management and service guidance (updated edition) [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 Nov 21]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK305023/pdf/Bookshelf_NBK305023.pdf

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. 2017 [cited 2024 Apr 22]. https://www.rcog.org.uk/media/3ijbpfvi/maternal-mental-health-womens-voices.pdf

Specialist perinatal mental health care in the UK 2023 [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2024 Apr 22]. https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/media/filer_public/9a/51/9a513115-1d26-408a-9c85-f3442cc3cb2b/mmha-specialist-perinatal-mental-health-services-uk-maps-2023.pdf

England NHS. NHS England investment in mental health 2015/16 A note to accompany the 2015/16 National Tariff Payment System – a consultation notice. 2014. www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/payment-systs-mh-note.pdf

Smith MS, Lawrence V, Sadler E, Easter A. Barriers to accessing mental health services for women with perinatal mental illness: systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies in the UK. BMJ open. 2019;9(1):e024803. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024803 .

Rowan C, Bick D, Bastos MH. Postnatal debriefing interventions to prevent maternal mental health problems after birth: exploring the gap between the evidence and UK policy and practice. Worldviews Evidence-Based Nurs. 2007;4(2):97–105. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6787.2007.00088.x .

Redshaw M, Henderson J. Who is actually asked about their mental health in pregnancy and the postnatal period? Findings from a national survey. BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-1029-9 .

King N. Doing template analysis In: Symon G, Cassell C, editors Qualitative organizational research: Core methods and current challenges.

Brooks J, McCluskey S, Turley E, King N. The utility of template analysis in qualitative psychology research. Qualitative Res Psychol. 2015;12(2):202–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2014.955224 .

Brooks J, King N. Doing template analysis: evaluating an end of life care service. Sage Research methods cases; 2014.

Payment guidance for researchers and professionals [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 21]. https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/payment-guidance-for-researchers-and-professionals/27392

Archibald MM, Ambagtsheer RC, Casey MG, Lawless M. Using zoom videoconferencing for qualitative data collection: perceptions and experiences of researchers and participants. Int J Qualitative Methods. 2019;18. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069198745 .

Wenzel A. Anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1037/12302-001

Ford E, Lee S, Shakespeare J, Ayers S. Diagnosis and management of perinatal depression and anxiety in general practice: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Br J Gen Pract. 2017;67(661):e538–46. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp17X691889 .

Postnatal anxiety. Under-recognised, over-shadowed, and misrepresented [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2023 Nov 21]. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/guest_posts/2924476-Postnatal-anxiety-Under-recognised-over-shadowed-and-misrepresented

Wardrop AA, Popadiuk NE. Women’s experiences with Postpartum anxiety: expectations, relationships, and Sociocultural influences. Qualitative Rep. 2013;18:6. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1564 .

Coates R, de Visser R, Ayers S. Not identifying with postnatal depression: a qualitative study of women’s postnatal symptoms of distress and need for support. J Psychosom Obstet Gynecol. 2015;36(3):114–21. https://doi.org/10.3109/0167482X.2015.1059418 .

Pawluski JL, Lonstein JS, Fleming AS. The neurobiology of postpartum anxiety and depression. Trends Neurosci. 2017;40(2):106–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2016.11.009 .

Miller RL, Pallant JF, Negri LM. Anxiety and stress in the postpartum: is there more to postnatal distress than depression? BMC Psychiatry. 2006;6(1):1–1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-6-12.x .

Rothera I, Oates M. Managing perinatal mental health: a survey of practitioners’ views. Br J Midwifery. 2011;19(5):304–13. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2011.19.5.304 .

Fairbrother N, Corbyn B, Thordarson DS, Ma A, Surm D. Screening for perinatal anxiety disorders: room to grow. J Affect Disord. 2019;250:363–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.052 .

Law S, Ormel I, Babinski S, Plett D, Dionne E, Schwartz H, Rozmovits L. Dread and solace: talking about perinatal mental health. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2021;30:1376–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12884 .

Oh S, Chew-Graham CA, Silverwood V, Shaheen SA, Walsh-House J, Sumathipala A, Kingstone T. Exploring women’s experiences of identifying, negotiating and managing perinatal anxiety: a qualitative study. BMJ open. 2020;10(12):e040731. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040731 .

G3ruhn MA, Dunbar JP, Watson KH, Reising MM, McKee L, Forehand R, Cole DA, Compas BE. Testing specificity among parents’ depressive symptoms, parenting, and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms. J Fam Psychol. 2016;30(3):309. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000183 .

Chew-Graham C, Chamberlain E, Turner K, Folkes L, Caulfield L, Sharp D. GPs’ and health visitors’ views on the diagnosis and management of postnatal depression: a qualitative study. Br J Gen Pract. 2008;58(548):169–76. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp08X277212 .

Prevatt BS, Desmarais SL. Facilitators and barriers to disclosure of postpartum mood disorder symptoms to a healthcare provider. Matern Child Health J. 2018;22:120–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-017-2361-5 .

Evans K, Morrell CJ, Spiby H. Women’s views on anxiety in pregnancy and the use of anxiety instruments: a qualitative study. J Reproductive Infant Psychol. 2017;35(1):77–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2016.1245413 .

Somerville S, Dedman K, Hagan R, Oxnam E, Wettinger M, Byrne S, Coo S, Doherty D, Page AC. The perinatal anxiety screening scale: development and preliminary validation. Arch Women Ment Health. 2014;17:443–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0425-8 .

Weller S. Using internet video calls in qualitative (longitudinal) interviews: some implications for rapport. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2017;20(6):613–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2016.1269505 .

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend thanks to all participants who gave their time to participate in this study.

This project was funded by the University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Policy Support Fund – a Research England-funded initiative (ref:- JXG13076), successfully awarded to V. Fallon & S.A. Silverio.

Author information

Sergio A. Silverio and Victoria Fallon share joint senior authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

Elizabeth J. Harris, Semra Worrall, Victoria Fallon & Sergio A. Silverio

Department of Women & Children’s Health, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, 6th Floor, Addison House, Great Maze Pond, Southwark, London, SE1 1UL, UK

Sergio A. Silverio

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceptualisation: [VF, SAS]; Methodology: [VF, SAS, EJH]; Software: [EJH]; Validation: [SAS, VF]; Formal Analysis: [EJH, SAS]; Investigation: [SAS, VF, SW]; Resources: [SAS, VF]; Data Curation: [EJH]; Writing – Original Draft: [EJH]; Writing – Review & Editing: [VF, SAS, SW]; Visualization: [EJH]; Supervision: [SAS, VF]; Project Administration: [SW, EJH]; Funding: [VF, SAS].

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio A. Silverio .

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval and consent to participate.

This study was approved by the University of Liverpool Institute of Population Health Research Ethics Committee on 09 March 2022 (ref:-11083). All participants provided consent to participate. All participants provided informed consent to participate.

Consent for publication

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary Material 1

Rights and permissions.

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Harris, E.J., Worrall, S., Fallon, V. et al. Current policy and practice for the identification, management, and treatment of postpartum anxiety in the United Kingdom: a focus group study. BMC Psychiatry 24 , 680 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06058-7

Download citation

Received : 06 February 2024

Accepted : 03 September 2024

Published : 11 October 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06058-7

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Focus groups
• Healthcare policy
• Postpartum anxiety
• Perinatal psychology
• Maternal mental health
• Multi-disciplinary team
• Template analysis
• Qualitative research

BMC Psychiatry

ISSN: 1471-244X

• General enquiries: [email protected]