ENGR 100W: ANALYSIS OF A PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL ARTICLE
FOR READABILITY AND PSEUDOSCIENCE VERSUS REAL SCIENCE
Assignment:
Imagine that the editor of a journal has asked you to analyze an article from the journal by
evaluating the following questions:
 Is the article a well-written technical document?
 Have the authors proven their thesis using scientific methodologies?
Note that you are analyzing the article for readability and scientific methodology. You are not
providing a summary of the content. Also, note that Sections 2 and 3 in the Guidelines below
will be the main sections of your report.
PEER REVIEW: MANDATORY: TBA.
Final draft due: Monday, Oct 7
Length: 4 pages, single spaced, 12-point font, blank line between paragraphs
Format: Informational report to the journal editors (specific names). For sample layouts of an
informational report, see Markel, chapter 17. Adhere to APA format.
Your Canvas submission MUST include: (1.) your informational report, (2.) a screenshot from
Ulrich’s Web, and (3.) a copy of the first page of the journal article.
Grade: 100 points or 10% of course grade
A. Find a Journal Article. This section will be completed during your visit to the MLK
Library.
Find a peer-reviewed, technical article from a high quality professional technical journal,
preferably related to your major. You are required to select an article from a professional journal
and not a magazine because this makes a difference in trusting the validity of the data. You must
check Ulrich’s Web to ensure you have a peer-reviewed article. Please take a screenshot. The
journal must be dated between 2015 and 2020.
When you have chosen your article, look at the journal and identify the editors of the journal.
Also find other details about the journal that might help in your introduction (see Part B
Guidelines Section 1 below.)
B. Guidelines:
1. Introduction
a. State the purpose of your memo and forecast your report’s content.
b. Give brief information about the journal. Discuss the following: Journal name?
Peer reviewed? Exclusively online? Available for subscription? Published
monthly, quarterly? Publisher’s name? Intended audience?
c. Provide information about the article. You could include some of the following:
Who are the authors? What universities are they from? What are their degrees?
Who is the intended audience for the article? What is the main purpose of the
article? What year was the article published?
d. Explain why you chose the article and how you found it.
ENGR 100W: ANALYSIS OF A PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL ARTICLE
FOR READABILITY AND PSEUDOSCIENCE VERSUS REAL SCIENCE
2. Readability and writing qualities
a. Establish your analysis of the article’s “readability” based on Markel’s
Characteristics of a Technical Document (pp. 7 and later chapters). Provide
several specific examples from the article to show how it follows the six
characteristics. Do not use words such as “good” or “great.” Explain “why.” How
have the authors used tables, graphs, and figures?
b. What is your conclusion concerning the writing quality of the article? Use
Markel’s Measures of Excellence in Technical Communication (pp. 7–9, and later
chapters). Provide several examples from the article.
3. Scientific methodologies
a. Briefly explain the scientific method or the design process used in the article.
Markel’s text will help with understanding scientific methods and real science.
See Markel’s Experiments showing the scientific method: p. 134. Cunningham’s
Principles of Environmental Science will also be helpful. See section 1.4
“Science helps us understand our world” and section 1.5 “Critical thinking.”
b. Briefly explain pseudoscience. Use critical thinking, and check for pseudoscience
versus real science (examples in lecture and text). Discuss why this article is not
pseudoscience. Provide examples in your report.
4. Conclusion
a. Summarize your analysis and explain whether the article contributed to your
understanding of ways to present your research. Why would this be a good journal
for you to submit to in the future?
b. What is your impression of the journal?
c. What key points did you learn for your future writing?
5. References
a. Provide references for any sources used including Markel and the journal article
reference. Use APA format. For proper documentation, please see the following:
i. Markel Technical Communication, Appendix Part B
ii. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
iii. APA compete in Course Documents
C. Objectives of this assignment:
 To explain, analyze, develop, and criticize ideas effectively (Area Z, SLO 2)
 To organize and develop documents (Area Z, SLO 3)
 To demonstrate an understanding of the methods and limits of scientific investigation
(Area R, SLO 1)
 To distinguish science from pseudoscience (Area R, SLO 2)
D. Policies from the Syllabus:
Late Assignments: No late work accepted. An emailed paper will not be accepted.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism will result in a grade of F in ENGR 100W. Papers with plagiarism
cannot be rewritten for credit.
ENGR 100W: ANALYSIS OF A PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL ARTICLE
FOR READABILITY AND PSEUDOSCIENCE VERSUS REAL SCIENCE
GRADING SHEET
Name:
Submitted all parts of the assignment on time
/2
Followed format directions: layout, page numbers, single line spacing,
headings
/3
Introduction: Contains the purpose of the memo, provides information about
the journal (for the journal title, uses italics), editors, and publisher; provides
information about the journal article (for the article title, uses quotation marks),
author, and date; explains why the article was chosen and how it was found
Analysis section: Criteria for a good report are described, including
characteristics and measures of excellence. Critique is based on specified
criteria, not a summary of the article. Relevant examples are chosen and
discussed persuasively
/5
/35
Discussion of pseudoscience and scientific method: Explains the scientific
method and how the authors applied scientific methodologies. Explains
pseudoscience and uses examples to show why the article is or is not
pseudoscience
/30
Conclusion: Summarizes your report, and gives your overall analysis of the
quality of the article; provides key lessons learned from the analysis
References: Uses correct APA format in the text and in the references and
includes all cited sources
/10
/5
Uses correct expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Includes varied
and interesting sentence construction, with a broad range of vocabulary.
Total
/10
/100