article analysis special education law assignment

EDSP 522 Special Education and Disability Law

• Course Description

This course examines the historical, ethical, and legal foundations for the evaluation, identification, and education of students with disabilities, including an overview of federal and state regulations. Included in this course is an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V, 2018), and the Workforce Innovation Act (2014).

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the  Academic Course Catalog .

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*The information contained in our Course Guides is provided as a sample. Specific course curriculum and requirements for each course are provided by individual instructors each semester. Students should not use Course Guides to find and complete assignments, class prerequisites, or order books.

Knowledge of the current regulations and procedures governing special education is essential for special educators. Special educators must know and advocate for the rights and responsibilities of parents, students, teachers, and schools as they relate to individuals with disabilities and disability issues.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes.

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations , the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

MAT Core Advising Guide Quiz

The candidate will review the School of Education Advising Guide and complete a brief, multiple-choice quiz.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be at least 300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the candidate is required to reply to 2 classmate’s threads. The reply must be at least 150 words. (CLO: A – E)

IEP and Section 504 Team Meetings Book Summary

After reading the Freedman IEP and Section 504 text, the candidate will complete one book summary. The book summary assignment will include an introduction, conclusion, and a summary on the Christian Perspective (each section should be 150 words in length). The summaries must be formatted according to current APA style and include a title page and reference page. (CLO: A, B)

Article Analysis: Special Education Law Assignment

After reading and reflecting on an article centered on special education and the law, the candidate will discuss the most foundational elements of special education law that professionals in the field need to have knowledge of and the ramifications of ignorance.  (CLO: C, D)

Principles of Special Education Essay Assignment

The candidate will develop a 5–8-page paper discussing the perspectives, theories, principles, philosophies, and/or trends that provide the basis for contemporary education practice. The paper must follow current APA format, include at least 5 references (1 must be the course textbook), and follow the instructions and guidelines provided in the Assignment Instructions folder. The page requirement excludes the title, abstract, and reference pages. (CLO: A)

Presentation: Laws Addressing Individuals with Disabilities and Special Populations Assignment

The candidate will create a comprehensive presentation that

• Compares and contrasts legislative and judicial mandates related to education and special education, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and federal education legislation (i.e., reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965), and The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V, 2018), and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (2014).
• Details the rights and responsibilities of parents, students, teachers, and schools as they relate to individuals with special needs and disability issues.

The presentation must address the points above but may be tailored to an audience of the candidate’s choosing (i.e., a secondary student transitioning into post-secondary education or employment, a parent of a child with a disability, or a professional development session for teachers). The candidate will prepare a 20 – 25 slide PowerPoint presentation, include at least 5 sources, and follow current APA format.  (CLO: B, D)

Quizzes (6)

Throughout the course, the candidate will complete quizzes that correspond with the Learn material. All quizzes are open-book/open-notes and contain 10 short-answer questions. The candidate will have 2 hours to complete each quiz.

Quiz: Introduction to Special Education Law, Least Restrictive Environment & Response to Intervention (Chapters 1 – 2)

Quiz: Free Appropriate Public Education and Response to Intervention (Chapters 3 – 4)

Quiz: IDEA for Transition-Age Youth and Disciplining Students with Disabilities (Chapters 5 – 6)

Quiz: The Individualized Education Program, The Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Accountability (Chapters 7 – 8)

Quiz: Early Childhood Education and Bullying Prevention (Chapters 9 – 10)

Quiz: School Mental Health and Preparing General Education Teachers  (Chapters 11 – 12) (CLO: A – D)

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Special Education Law Articles, Analyses, Publications

The Special Education Law Library includes:

• IDEA 97 Statute and Regulations
• Articles, Publications, Reports

Analysis of L.H. v. Hamilton County Department of Education . The Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a wide-ranging decision about FAPE, LRE, inclusion, parental rights, school culture, resistance to change, and tuition reimbursement. (August 18, 2018)

Endrew F. v. Douglas County : IDEA Demands More: Inclusion & Progress in Regular Curriculum; IEP 'Tailored to Unique Needs' . It's a great day! On March 22, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court issued another unanimous ruling in favor of children with special needs and their parents.

Educational Benefit: "Merely More Than De Minimis" or "Meaningful?" Supreme Court to Revisit Requirements in Endrew F. v. Douglas C. Sch. Dist. RE-1 . On January 11, 2017, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Endrew F. . On March 22, 2017, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected the 'de minimus' standard of educational progress. Chief Justice Roberts held that "a student offered an educational program providing merely more than 'de minimis' progress from year to year can hardly be said to have been offered an education at all."

Fry v. Napoleon Comm. Sch. District began as a damages case under Section 504 / ADA on behalf of a child with cerebral palsy who needed her service dog as a reasonable accommodation, then shifted into a case about exhaustion of administrative remedies under IDEA. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court vacated the 6th Circuit decision in Fry and framed new standards and limits to the "exhaustion doctrine." (February 2, 2017)

School District’s Persistent Failures Cause “Severe and Lasting Harm” to Vulnerable Children with Disabilities in D.L. v. District of Columbia . This is the latest in a series of federal court decisions that found serious deficiencies in the District of Columbia’s special education programs. Judge Lamberth held that DC Public Schools failed to identify, locate and evaluate hundreds of preschool children with disabilities, and failed to provide them with FAPE , as required by IDEA and Section 504.

Remedies When School Officials Violate a Child's Constitutional Rights: Safford v. Redding , HH v. Moffett , NN v. Tunkhannock - The Constitution provides remedies when a student’s rights are violated. In Safford v. Redding , a violation of a Constitutional right was the primary vehicle to gain access to the courthouse. In HH v. Moffett, a decision from the 4th Circuit in which a child was illegally restrained in wheelchair, abused, and cursed, we saw the same strategy. More recently, this strategy was used in a case about the illegal search of a student's cell phone.

J. B. D. v. North Carolina - In Custody or Free to Leave? Supreme Court Clarifies Miranda Rights - Supreme Court decision about custody, interrogations, key differences between children and adults and Miranda warnings for kids. (2011)

Legal Considerations When Advocating for Children with Special Education Needs by William B. Reichhardt, Esq. Explains the principles of eligibility determination, due process rights, and provision of services or placements and focuses on common problems and issues for special needs children in family law, personal injury and criminal law cases.

Demystifying Settlement Agreements by Marcy Tiffany and Steven Wyner. Settling a case avoids the delay, expense, uncertainty, and emotional strain associated with litigation. A settlement agreement offers more flexibility in crafting a remedy, but a poorly-crafted agreement can create new problems, and lead to even more litigation. The authors explain how settlement agreements should be structured and common pitfalls to avoid. The article includes a Sample Settlement Agreement that explains the basis and importance of each clause.

In a 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court Rules that Protection & Advocacy Can Sue State to Protect Individuals with Disabilities , and pursue other necessary legal remedies to fulfill their duty to advocate for people with disabilities. (April 19, 2011)

Supreme Court Issues Pro-Child Decision in Forest Grove School District v. T.A. by Peter Wright, Esq. and Pamela Wright, MA, MSW. On June 22, 2009, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Forest Grove School District v. T.A ., a case about tuition reimbursement for a child who was never found eligible and never received special education services from the public school.

Supreme Court Issues Unanimous Decision in Fitzgerald v. Barnstable : Parents  Can Sue School Officials Under Discrimination Laws by Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW & Peter W. D. Wright, Esq. On January 21, 2009, the Court held that Title IX does not preclude a §1983 action alleging unconstitutional gender discrimination in schools.

Did Strip Search Violate Student's Privacy Rights? Safford United School District v. Redding (08-479) . In a 6-5 en banc decision , the full Court reversed the earlier panel and found that the school officials violated Savana’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

Appeals Court Upholds Award of Four Years of Compensatory Ed - On March 6, 2008, the Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the decision of the District Court in Jarron Draper v. Atlanta Independent School System (11th Cir. 2008) ; ordered Atlanta Independent School System to to pay student's tuition at a private school for four years or until he graduates from high school as prospective compensatory education for their failure to educate him.

Appeals Court Affirms Prospective Compensatory Education in Draper v. Atlanta - Steven Wyner, Esq., attorney for Draper, discusses the significance of the decision and how the case can be used to help other parents get prospective compensatory education as a "Poor Man's Burlington Remedy."

Anatomy of a Special Education Case . What happens in a special education case?  Read about the case of a young child with autism, from the original due process hearing through decisions from federal court and the U.S. Court of Appeals; this article includes links to pleadings and decisions.

Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument in Board of Education of City of New York v. Tom F. The question before the Court was whether parents of a child who has never received special education and related services from the public school district can obtain reimbursement for a unilateral private placement.

Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument in NYC Board of Education v. Tom F., on Behalf of Gilbert F., a Minor Child on Monday, October 1, 2007 . Article includes background of case, issues to be decided, significance, links to briefs filed on behalf of Tom and Gilbert F. and NYC Bd of Ed.

A Short History of New York Bd of Education v. Tom F., on Behalf of Gilbert F . describes key events in the case, from Gilbert's entry into Kindergarten in 1996 to the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to grant cert in February 2007 and the scheduling of oral argument for Monday, October 1, 2007.

Judge Orders Sanctions Against School District, Remedies for Kids . On September 11, 2007, the U.S. District Court (Eastern District of Wisconsin) rendered its decision in Jamie S. v. Milwaukee Public Schools (01-C-928). Judge Goodstein found that between 2000 and 2005, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) violated the Child Find provisions in IDEA by failing to evaluate students who had suspected disabilities, failing to review all relevant data to determine the child's needs, and routinely suspending students instead of determining if they needed special education services. Citing the 2005 Supreme Court decision in Schaeffer v. Weast , Judge Goodstein found that the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) violated the IDEA by failing to discharge its oversight and supervisory obligations and failing to ensure that Milwaukee Public Schools was in compliance with the IDEA.

Analysis of Winkelman v. Parma . Supreme Court Rules: Parents Have Separate Enforceable Rights - Learn how the Winkelman decision goes beyond the question presented about whether parents can represent their children in court.

In Supreme Court Rules , learn why Pete and Pam view the decision in Winkelman as a stunner - and as the best decision from the Court since 1993. You'll also find out why Pete thinks the pendulum is beginning to swing. The decision in Winkelman v. Parma City School District is available in html and in pdf .

Analysis of Zachary Deal v. Hamilton County Department of Education by Gary Mayerson, Esq. Using excoriating language such as "appalling," "evasive," "closed mind," "combative," and "untruthful," Administrative Law Judge A. James Andrews has held in a 45-page decision that the Hamilton County (Tennessee) Department of Education (HCDE) repeatedly violated federal law in failing to provide an appropriate education to Zachary Deal, a seven-year-old Chattanooga boy with autism.

Disability Harassment in the Public Schools (PDF) by Mark C. Weber, published in the William and Mary Law Review (Volume 43, Issue 3, February 2002). Mark Weber, author of the Special Education Law and Education Treatise, has written an excellent publication that will help you understand the legal issues of disability harassment.

Attorney Manual: Representing the Special Ed Child by Pete Wright - Written for attorneys, advocates, and parents who are preparing for a due process hearing.

Compensatory Education: An Appropriate Remedy for School's Failure to Provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) - After twelve years of special education, Kevin T's reading, math and writing skills were at the 3rd to 5th grade levels. His IQ dropped nearly 20 points. Despite this, the district graduated Kevin with a regular high school diploma.

In Kevin T. v. Elmhurst Comm. School District No. 205 , a federal District Court found that compensatory education was an appropriate remedy for the district's failure to provide FAPE and ordered the district to pay for Kevin's education at a private school until age 22.

Fales v. Garst: Analysis by Pete Wright, Esq. - In Fales v. Garst , three Arkansas special education teachers brought suit against the principal of their school. After the teachers received a favorable decision from the U. S. District Court, the principal appealed. The Court of Appeals attempted to balance the teachers' interest in freedom of speech v. their "employer's interest in promoting efficiency."

Functional Behavioral Assessments: What? Why? When? Where? Who? by Dr. Stephen Starin will help if you are dealing with discipline issues.

The Choreography of Trial Preparation by Barbara Ebenstein, Esq. Trial preparation is like a choreography in that it is a deliberate arrangement of elements to convey a concept and tell a story from a particular point of view. Trial practice relies on the skill of a litigator to effectively communicate with a hearing officer.

Handling Your First Special Ed Case - Parent attorney Sonja Kerr provides advice about tactics and strategy to the lawyer who is handling his or her first special education case.

Henrico County School Board v. R.T. - Analysis by Pete Wright, Esq. - Pete Wright discusses Burden of Proof and Burden of Persuasion after the U. S. Supreme Court ruling in Schaffer v. Weast , the analysis of ABA and TEACCH, and the deference, if any, that should be provided to school board programs, methodology, and to testimony by school board witnesses.

How to Prepare for a Due Process Hearing . Vermont advocate Brice Palmer offers advice about how to prepare for a hearing or review. This article focuses on importance of planning and organizing. " If you do not plan and organize the pursuit, you are likely to wind up as road kill ."

Jamie S. v. Milwaukee Public Schools : Judge Orders Sanctions Against School District, Remedies for Kids - Pete and Pam Wright walk you through the case from the beginning in 2002, how the class was certified, two trials, and the decision holding that the school district violated the child find mandate and the Wisconsin Department of Instruction violated the IDEA by failing to exercise supervisory responsibilities. Describes need for sanctions against Milwaukee Public Schools and remedies for children who were damaged.

Murphy v. Arlington: Analysis by Pete Wright, Esq. - After the Supreme Court issued a 6-3, pro-school decision in this case, Pete Wright summarizes the majority and dissenting opinions, provides an overview and background of the case, describes the different roles that lay advocates and expert witnesses play in resolving special education disputes, and the possible practical implications of this decision.

Next Wave of Special Education Litigation by Pete Wright . As more states require students to pass high-stakes tests before they receive high school diplomas, we are seeing a new kind of case. We are being asked to represent children who cannot pass high-stakes tests because their schools did not teach them the information and skills they need to pass these tests.

No Child Left Behind for Attorneys and Advocates: Reading Instruction, Research & Assessments provides guidance about how to use NCLB to open doors for children with disabilities. Learn about reading, the essential components of reading programs, scientifically based reading research, and reading assessments.

Reexamining Rowley : A New Focus in Special Education Law . Attorney Scott Johnson argues that the "some educational benefit" standard in Rowley no longer reflects the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. State standards and educational adequacy requirements provide requirements of FAPE, these standards exceed the "some educational benefit" benchmark. This requires a fundamental change in how courts, school districts, and parents view special education services.

Schaffer v. Weast : How Will the Decision Affect YOU ? Pete Wright says, "It depends. The implications of this decision will vary around the country. In many jurisdictions, states are already operating under the rule that the moving party has the burden of proof. In these states, the decision should have no significant impact ..."

Seven Steps to Effective Mediation (originally published in Trial magazine) In mediation, decision-making authority rests with the parties. The role of the mediator is to assist them in identifying issues, fostering joint problem solving, and exploring settlement options. Since each party wants to mold any settlement to its own benefit, the actual process can combine elements of show-and-tell and poker . . .

Court Issues Strong Decision on Behalf of Child with Autism in Philadelphia Case - In Tereance D. v School District of Philadelphia,  the district performed inadequate evaluations, misdiagnosed the child as mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed, and intentionally misled the parent about her son's rights to autism services and extended school year services. Negotiations are underway about compensatory education.

Tests and Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate and Attorney   - To successfully negotiate or litigate for appropriate services that provide educational benefit, you need to know how to interpret test scores. Assume a child has received three years of special education for reading problems. Has the child made progress? Has the child fallen further behind? In special education cases, your evidence includes standard scores, percentile ranks, subtest scores, and age and grade equivalent scores.

Witte v. Clark County School District : Key Points in Abuse Case - Pete Wright notes that when the Ninth Circuit reversed the U. S. District Court's decision, they found that parents are not necessarily required to go through a due process hearing before bringing the school district into court for punitive damages.

Jury Awards $600,000 Damages to Parents - In Whitehead v. Hillsborough , a Florida jury took less than 2 hours before deciding that the school system retaliated against the parents of a child with Downs Syndrome.

Your Child's IEP: Practical & Legal Guidance for Parents, Attorneys & Advocates   - This will provide you with a basic overview of the IEP process. It should be read in conjunction with the Tests and Measurements article above. You will learn how to write IEP's that have meaningful goals and objectives, rather than subjective, vague, meaningless terms of "80% success on teacher made tests."

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Special education and the law.

Section 1: SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE LAW

IN THIS SECTION YOU WILL FIND:

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

A DEFINITION OF FAPE AND IDEA

WHY SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWS ARE COMPLEX

SPECIAL EDUCATION, TRUST, AND GOOD AGREEMENTS

Back to Table of Contents

Since it’s beginning in 1975 as Public Law 94-142, special education law has emerged as one of the main protectors of the rights of children with disabilities in America.

This law was created in response to complaints that children with disabilities were receiving an inferior education, often in isolation from nondisabled children.

FAPE AND IDEA

In 1997, the special education law was updated and is now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-97). As before, the purpose of the law is to protect the rights of children with disabilities, and make sure that they receive a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Free means that there can be no cost to the parents, and appropriate means that the children get what they need to learn in spite of their disabilities.

WHY SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW IS COMPLEX

Special Education is, and always has been, a complex, law-driven process. It is a world with its own language full of required forms, required meetings and required participants at those meetings. It has timelines which must be met, categories of disability that students must be ‘fit into’, and precise definitions of key words and phrases.

One may well wonder why it is that so much regulation and legislation would be required for students with special needs. After all, children naturally want to learn, and parents want their children to learn as much as they can and get along well with others. This is exactly what schools were created to do.

Teachers are individuals who care deeply about children and about society in general, and who have chosen a career dedicated to helping young ones learn all they can and grow up successfully. Therefore, it seems obvious that parents and teachers have the same ultimate goal: the success of their students. If there are disagreements, why can’t parents and teachers just sit down and figure out what’s best for the child?

One answer is that it’s not always so easy to just sit down and figure out what’s "best". Teachers and parents can have honest disagreements about how to educate a child. A school may have the overall goal of serving all students equally with their available resources. Parents may have the goal of getting the best education possible for their children even if it is more expensive than normal. Educating special needs children is a multi-faceted, often complicated process which is rife with possibilities for disagreements. Parents and teachers can both become very emotional about a child’s education. After all, it is true for all of us that our children are our future. Educating children is a high stakes enterprise.

A second answer has to do with the issues of trust and communication. The more we trust someone, the less formal and detailed our agreements need to be. We simply trust that the plan will be carried out, and we trust that our ability to communicate with the other party will resolve any differences.

However, the special education laws could not be written relying on trust. They were written to cover every detail and imagine every contingency. We may regularly complain about the detail, complexity and paperwork the law requires, but in fact the law is very carefully designed to respond to important concerns and issues.

The law does not have to be intimidating or overwhelming. If we can communicate well and trust each other, we can create agreements for educating our children in spite of the complexity of the law. What’s best for the child can always drive our decisions, rather than a simple adherence to ‘what the law says we should do’. We will find that when we make decisions in this manner, we will be able to fit our educational recommendations into the framework of special education law. Our ability to be successful in building this kind of trust will stem largely from our skill as dispute resolvers, problem solvers and communicators, as well as from our commitment to responsibly carry out what we agree to do.

Table of Contents

The CADRE Continuum

The CADRE Continuum offers a searchable database of dispute resolution practices in special education.

View the Continuum

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

• Annotated Bibliography
• Analyzing a Scholarly Journal Article
• Group Presentations
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• Types of Structured Group Activities
• Group Project Survival Skills
• Leading a Class Discussion
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Works
• Writing a Case Analysis Paper
• Writing a Case Study
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Reflective Paper
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Generative AI and Writing
• Acknowledgments

Definition and Introduction

Journal article analysis assignments require you to summarize and critically assess the quality of an empirical research study published in a scholarly [a.k.a., academic, peer-reviewed] journal. The article may be assigned by the professor, chosen from course readings listed in the syllabus, or you must locate an article on your own, usually with the requirement that you search using a reputable library database, such as, JSTOR or ProQuest . The article chosen is expected to relate to the overall discipline of the course, specific course content, or key concepts discussed in class. In some cases, the purpose of the assignment is to analyze an article that is part of the literature review for a future research project.

Analysis of an article can be assigned to students individually or as part of a small group project. The final product is usually in the form of a short paper [typically 1- 6 double-spaced pages] that addresses key questions the professor uses to guide your analysis or that assesses specific parts of a scholarly research study [e.g., the research problem, methodology, discussion, conclusions or findings]. The analysis paper may be shared on a digital course management platform and/or presented to the class for the purpose of promoting a wider discussion about the topic of the study. Although assigned in any level of undergraduate and graduate coursework in the social and behavioral sciences, professors frequently include this assignment in upper division courses to help students learn how to effectively identify, read, and analyze empirical research within their major.

Franco, Josue. “Introducing the Analysis of Journal Articles.” Prepared for presentation at the American Political Science Association’s 2020 Teaching and Learning Conference, February 7-9, 2020, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Sego, Sandra A. and Anne E. Stuart. "Learning to Read Empirical Articles in General Psychology." Teaching of Psychology 43 (2016): 38-42; Kershaw, Trina C., Jordan P. Lippman, and Jennifer Fugate. "Practice Makes Proficient: Teaching Undergraduate Students to Understand Published Research." Instructional Science 46 (2018): 921-946; Woodward-Kron, Robyn. "Critical Analysis and the Journal Article Review Assignment." Prospect 18 (August 2003): 20-36; MacMillan, Margy and Allison MacKenzie. "Strategies for Integrating Information Literacy and Academic Literacy: Helping Undergraduate Students make the most of Scholarly Articles." Library Management 33 (2012): 525-535.

Benefits of Journal Article Analysis Assignments

Analyzing and synthesizing a scholarly journal article is intended to help students obtain the reading and critical thinking skills needed to develop and write their own research papers. This assignment also supports workplace skills where you could be asked to summarize a report or other type of document and report it, for example, during a staff meeting or for a presentation.

There are two broadly defined ways that analyzing a scholarly journal article supports student learning:

Improve Reading Skills

Conducting research requires an ability to review, evaluate, and synthesize prior research studies. Reading prior research requires an understanding of the academic writing style , the type of epistemological beliefs or practices underpinning the research design, and the specific vocabulary and technical terminology [i.e., jargon] used within a discipline. Reading scholarly articles is important because academic writing is unfamiliar to most students; they have had limited exposure to using peer-reviewed journal articles prior to entering college or students have yet to gain exposure to the specific academic writing style of their disciplinary major. Learning how to read scholarly articles also requires careful and deliberate concentration on how authors use specific language and phrasing to convey their research, the problem it addresses, its relationship to prior research, its significance, its limitations, and how authors connect methods of data gathering to the results so as to develop recommended solutions derived from the overall research process.

Improve Comprehension Skills

In addition to knowing how to read scholarly journals articles, students must learn how to effectively interpret what the scholar(s) are trying to convey. Academic writing can be dense, multi-layered, and non-linear in how information is presented. In addition, scholarly articles contain footnotes or endnotes, references to sources, multiple appendices, and, in some cases, non-textual elements [e.g., graphs, charts] that can break-up the reader’s experience with the narrative flow of the study. Analyzing articles helps students practice comprehending these elements of writing, critiquing the arguments being made, reflecting upon the significance of the research, and how it relates to building new knowledge and understanding or applying new approaches to practice. Comprehending scholarly writing also involves thinking critically about where you fit within the overall dialogue among scholars concerning the research problem, finding possible gaps in the research that require further analysis, or identifying where the author(s) has failed to examine fully any specific elements of the study.

In addition, journal article analysis assignments are used by professors to strengthen discipline-specific information literacy skills, either alone or in relation to other tasks, such as, giving a class presentation or participating in a group project. These benefits can include the ability to:

• Effectively paraphrase text, which leads to a more thorough understanding of the overall study;
• Identify and describe strengths and weaknesses of the study and their implications;
• Relate the article to other course readings and in relation to particular research concepts or ideas discussed during class;
• Think critically about the research and summarize complex ideas contained within;
• Plan, organize, and write an effective inquiry-based paper that investigates a research study, evaluates evidence, expounds on the author’s main ideas, and presents an argument concerning the significance and impact of the research in a clear and concise manner;
• Model the type of source summary and critique you should do for any college-level research paper; and,
• Increase interest and engagement with the research problem of the study as well as with the discipline.

Kershaw, Trina C., Jennifer Fugate, and Aminda J. O'Hare. "Teaching Undergraduates to Understand Published Research through Structured Practice in Identifying Key Research Concepts." Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology . Advance online publication, 2020; Franco, Josue. “Introducing the Analysis of Journal Articles.” Prepared for presentation at the American Political Science Association’s 2020 Teaching and Learning Conference, February 7-9, 2020, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Sego, Sandra A. and Anne E. Stuart. "Learning to Read Empirical Articles in General Psychology." Teaching of Psychology 43 (2016): 38-42; Woodward-Kron, Robyn. "Critical Analysis and the Journal Article Review Assignment." Prospect 18 (August 2003): 20-36; MacMillan, Margy and Allison MacKenzie. "Strategies for Integrating Information Literacy and Academic Literacy: Helping Undergraduate Students make the most of Scholarly Articles." Library Management 33 (2012): 525-535; Kershaw, Trina C., Jordan P. Lippman, and Jennifer Fugate. "Practice Makes Proficient: Teaching Undergraduate Students to Understand Published Research." Instructional Science 46 (2018): 921-946.

Structure and Organization

A journal article analysis paper should be written in paragraph format and include an instruction to the study, your analysis of the research, and a conclusion that provides an overall assessment of the author's work, along with an explanation of what you believe is the study's overall impact and significance. Unless the purpose of the assignment is to examine foundational studies published many years ago, you should select articles that have been published relatively recently [e.g., within the past few years].

Since the research has been completed, reference to the study in your paper should be written in the past tense, with your analysis stated in the present tense [e.g., “The author portrayed access to health care services in rural areas as primarily a problem of having reliable transportation. However, I believe the author is overgeneralizing this issue because...”].

Introduction Section

The first section of a journal analysis paper should describe the topic of the article and highlight the author’s main points. This includes describing the research problem and theoretical framework, the rationale for the research, the methods of data gathering and analysis, the key findings, and the author’s final conclusions and recommendations. The narrative should focus on the act of describing rather than analyzing. Think of the introduction as a more comprehensive and detailed descriptive abstract of the study.

Possible questions to help guide your writing of the introduction section may include:

• Who are the authors and what credentials do they hold that contributes to the validity of the study?
• What was the research problem being investigated?
• What type of research design was used to investigate the research problem?
• What theoretical idea(s) and/or research questions were used to address the problem?
• What was the source of the data or information used as evidence for analysis?
• What methods were applied to investigate this evidence?
• What were the author's overall conclusions and key findings?

Critical Analysis Section

The second section of a journal analysis paper should describe the strengths and weaknesses of the study and analyze its significance and impact. This section is where you shift the narrative from describing to analyzing. Think critically about the research in relation to other course readings, what has been discussed in class, or based on your own life experiences. If you are struggling to identify any weaknesses, explain why you believe this to be true. However, no study is perfect, regardless of how laudable its design may be. Given this, think about the repercussions of the choices made by the author(s) and how you might have conducted the study differently. Examples can include contemplating the choice of what sources were included or excluded in support of examining the research problem, the choice of the method used to analyze the data, or the choice to highlight specific recommended courses of action and/or implications for practice over others. Another strategy is to place yourself within the research study itself by thinking reflectively about what may be missing if you had been a participant in the study or if the recommended courses of action specifically targeted you or your community.

Possible questions to help guide your writing of the analysis section may include:

Introduction

• Did the author clearly state the problem being investigated?
• What was your reaction to and perspective on the research problem?
• Was the study’s objective clearly stated? Did the author clearly explain why the study was necessary?
• How well did the introduction frame the scope of the study?
• Did the introduction conclude with a clear purpose statement?

Literature Review

• Did the literature review lay a foundation for understanding the significance of the research problem?
• Did the literature review provide enough background information to understand the problem in relation to relevant contexts [e.g., historical, economic, social, cultural, etc.].
• Did literature review effectively place the study within the domain of prior research? Is anything missing?
• Was the literature review organized by conceptual categories or did the author simply list and describe sources?
• Did the author accurately explain how the data or information were collected?
• Was the data used sufficient in supporting the study of the research problem?
• Was there another methodological approach that could have been more illuminating?
• Give your overall evaluation of the methods used in this article. How much trust would you put in generating relevant findings?

Results and Discussion

• Were the results clearly presented?
• Did you feel that the results support the theoretical and interpretive claims of the author? Why?
• What did the author(s) do especially well in describing or analyzing their results?
• Was the author's evaluation of the findings clearly stated?
• How well did the discussion of the results relate to what is already known about the research problem?
• Was the discussion of the results free of repetition and redundancies?
• What interpretations did the authors make that you think are in incomplete, unwarranted, or overstated?
• Did the conclusion effectively capture the main points of study?
• Did the conclusion address the research questions posed? Do they seem reasonable?
• Were the author’s conclusions consistent with the evidence and arguments presented?
• Has the author explained how the research added new knowledge or understanding?

Overall Writing Style

• If the article included tables, figures, or other non-textual elements, did they contribute to understanding the study?
• Were ideas developed and related in a logical sequence?
• Were transitions between sections of the article smooth and easy to follow?

Overall Evaluation Section

The final section of a journal analysis paper should bring your thoughts together into a coherent assessment of the value of the research study . This section is where the narrative flow transitions from analyzing specific elements of the article to critically evaluating the overall study. Explain what you view as the significance of the research in relation to the overall course content and any relevant discussions that occurred during class. Think about how the article contributes to understanding the overall research problem, how it fits within existing literature on the topic, how it relates to the course, and what it means to you as a student researcher. In some cases, your professor will also ask you to describe your experiences writing the journal article analysis paper as part of a reflective learning exercise.

Possible questions to help guide your writing of the conclusion and evaluation section may include:

• Was the structure of the article clear and well organized?
• Was the topic of current or enduring interest to you?
• What were the main weaknesses of the article? [this does not refer to limitations stated by the author, but what you believe are potential flaws]
• Was any of the information in the article unclear or ambiguous?
• What did you learn from the research? If nothing stood out to you, explain why.
• Assess the originality of the research. Did you believe it contributed new understanding of the research problem?
• Were you persuaded by the author’s arguments?
• If the author made any final recommendations, will they be impactful if applied to practice?
• In what ways could future research build off of this study?
• What implications does the study have for daily life?
• Was the use of non-textual elements, footnotes or endnotes, and/or appendices helpful in understanding the research?
• What lingering questions do you have after analyzing the article?

NOTE: Avoid using quotes. One of the main purposes of writing an article analysis paper is to learn how to effectively paraphrase and use your own words to summarize a scholarly research study and to explain what the research means to you. Using and citing a direct quote from the article should only be done to help emphasize a key point or to underscore an important concept or idea.

Business: The Article Analysis . Fred Meijer Center for Writing, Grand Valley State University; Bachiochi, Peter et al. "Using Empirical Article Analysis to Assess Research Methods Courses." Teaching of Psychology 38 (2011): 5-9; Brosowsky, Nicholaus P. et al. “Teaching Undergraduate Students to Read Empirical Articles: An Evaluation and Revision of the QALMRI Method.” PsyArXi Preprints , 2020; Holster, Kristin. “Article Evaluation Assignment”. TRAILS: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology . Washington DC: American Sociological Association, 2016; Kershaw, Trina C., Jennifer Fugate, and Aminda J. O'Hare. "Teaching Undergraduates to Understand Published Research through Structured Practice in Identifying Key Research Concepts." Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology . Advance online publication, 2020; Franco, Josue. “Introducing the Analysis of Journal Articles.” Prepared for presentation at the American Political Science Association’s 2020 Teaching and Learning Conference, February 7-9, 2020, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Reviewer's Guide . SAGE Reviewer Gateway, SAGE Journals; Sego, Sandra A. and Anne E. Stuart. "Learning to Read Empirical Articles in General Psychology." Teaching of Psychology 43 (2016): 38-42; Kershaw, Trina C., Jordan P. Lippman, and Jennifer Fugate. "Practice Makes Proficient: Teaching Undergraduate Students to Understand Published Research." Instructional Science 46 (2018): 921-946; Gyuris, Emma, and Laura Castell. "To Tell Them or Show Them? How to Improve Science Students’ Skills of Critical Reading." International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education 21 (2013): 70-80; Woodward-Kron, Robyn. "Critical Analysis and the Journal Article Review Assignment." Prospect 18 (August 2003): 20-36; MacMillan, Margy and Allison MacKenzie. "Strategies for Integrating Information Literacy and Academic Literacy: Helping Undergraduate Students Make the Most of Scholarly Articles." Library Management 33 (2012): 525-535.

Writing Tip

Not All Scholarly Journal Articles Can Be Critically Analyzed

There are a variety of articles published in scholarly journals that do not fit within the guidelines of an article analysis assignment. This is because the work cannot be empirically examined or it does not generate new knowledge in a way which can be critically analyzed.

If you are required to locate a research study on your own, avoid selecting these types of journal articles:

• Theoretical essays which discuss concepts, assumptions, and propositions, but report no empirical research;
• Statistical or methodological papers that may analyze data, but the bulk of the work is devoted to refining a new measurement, statistical technique, or modeling procedure;
• Articles that review, analyze, critique, and synthesize prior research, but do not report any original research;
• Brief essays devoted to research methods and findings;
• Articles written by scholars in popular magazines or industry trade journals;
• Pre-print articles that have been posted online, but may undergo further editing and revision by the journal's editorial staff before final publication; and
• Academic commentary that discusses research trends or emerging concepts and ideas, but does not contain citations to sources.

Journal Analysis Assignment - Myers . Writing@CSU, Colorado State University; Franco, Josue. “Introducing the Analysis of Journal Articles.” Prepared for presentation at the American Political Science Association’s 2020 Teaching and Learning Conference, February 7-9, 2020, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Woodward-Kron, Robyn. "Critical Analysis and the Journal Article Review Assignment." Prospect 18 (August 2003): 20-36.

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ARTICLE ANALYSIS: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS: After reading and reflecting on an article centered on special education and the law, the candidate will discuss the most foundational

ARTICLE ANALYSIS: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW ASSIGNMENT

INSTRUCTIONS:After reading and reflecting on an article centered on special education and the law, the candidate will discuss the most foundational elements of special education law that professionals in the field need to have knowledge of and the ramifications of ignorance.

Couvillon, M. A., Yell, M., & Katsiyannis, A. (2018). Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017) and special education law: What teachers and administrators need to know. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 62(4),289-299.

This assignment must be 800–1,000 words and requires citations from 3–4 sources in current APA formatting. Your analysis must thoroughly interpret and examine the article for perspective, validity, and significance of the findings. You should support your discussion with relevant facts, arguments, examples, and details from your review of the articles; your analysis should be well-reasoned, indicating substantial breadth and depth of thinking. There must be a clearly identified Discussion section in which you describe the practical application to the broader industry of special education law at large. You must identify relevant scriptural principles and perspectives from a biblical worldview, including at least 1 relevant Bible verse.

Your report must be written at or above a Master's level quality and must adhere to the most current APA style. 

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