35 JARS – It’s not what you think

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How JARS Helps Readers Understand Research Articles

JARS can help readers, especially those who are new to reading research, such as students, understand research articles because they give authors a common set of guidelines to follow, making research articles more consistent. The use of these standards means that articles will be more consistent and predictable, no matter the specific study or the journal it is published in.

Familiarizing Readers with Research Components

JARS breaks down research articles into sections that readers will recognize, such as the Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion sections. This makes articles less intimidating by allowing readers to know what kind of information to expect in each section.

Understanding Different Research Designs

The sources provide specific guidelines for different research designs, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. The quantitative research reporting standards, or JARS-Quant, focus on the objective measurement and statistical analysis of data. JARS-Quant standards require detailed descriptions of the participants, procedures, statistical analyses, effect sizes, confidence intervals, and limitations. There are additional tables associated with JARS-Quant to guide reporting on experimental manipulations, clinical trials, longitudinal studies, and other specific analyses. The qualitative research reporting standards, or JARS-Qual, focus on providing an understanding of the participants’ experiences and perspectives. JARS-Qual guidelines emphasize the importance of including descriptions of the researchers’ backgrounds, the processes of recruiting and selecting participants, and the methods of data collection and analysis. JARS-Qual also emphasizes demonstrating methodological integrity. Finally, the standards for mixed methods research, or JARS-Mixed, focus on integrating quantitative and qualitative data to provide a thorough understanding of the research question. JARS-Mixed requires authors to clearly state why they chose to use mixed methods and the specific mixed methods design employed. Additionally, JARS-Mixed requires authors to clearly detail how they integrated the qualitative and quantitative parts of their study throughout.

Critically Evaluating Methodology

JARS requires detailed reporting of information about the study participants, sampling procedures, data collection methods, and analysis methods. This transparency allows readers to critically assess the design of the research, identify potential biases, and evaluate how reliable the findings are.

Interpreting Findings

JARS guides authors to present their findings clearly and thoroughly. Authors are encouraged to include effect sizes, confidence intervals, and limitations. This can help readers understand what the results mean in practice and how they might be applicable to real-world scenarios.

Contextualizing and Synthesizing Information

JARS guides authors to discuss their findings in relation to previous research. Authors are encouraged to point out similarities, differences, and discuss the contribution their study makes to the field. This can help readers understand where the findings of this research fit in the field as a whole.

Transparency and Open Science

JARS supports the principles of open science by encouraging data sharing and detailed reporting. This gives students the opportunity to see the raw data, which they may use for reanalysis or as inspiration for future research.

Focusing on Ethical Considerations

JARS emphasizes that ethical considerations are important in research. This includes reporting on things like getting informed consent, keeping participants safe, and handling sensitive information responsibly. This helps students understand how to conduct research ethically.

JARS acts like a guide for both writing and reading research articles. Because they provide a standardized framework and clear guidelines, students can learn to read, understand, and critically evaluate research. This can help students become informed consumers of scientific knowledge.

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References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000