Hizkia Yosie Polimpung

READING & REVIEWING

Some types of reading

Thorough reading Skim-and-scan reading Critical reading A demanding reading (led by questions and

seek only to answer those questions)

Ex./ on demanding reading

Sabaratnam, Meera, IR in Dialogue but Can We Change the

Subjects? A Typology of Decolonising Strategies for the Study of World Politics, Millennium, 39, 3 (2011). What is the state of the dialogue in IR the author evokes? Why the author asks to change the subjects? Decolonising strategies? Does it mean that the author thinks that the study of WP is in the state of colonization? How come? What is the typology? Based on what? How to assess the strategies outlined? Why does it matter?

 Bremmer, Ian & Roubini, Nouriel, A G-Zero World; The

New Economic Club Will Produce Conflict, Not Cooperation Foreign Affairs, 90, 2 (2011). How come G-8 or G-20 be conjured down to G-Zero? Why the new economic club (the WEF) will produce conflict? Why their intended (at least rhetorical) cooperation will not work? Why does it matter?

On scientific journal
Scientific journal
>< newspaper column/opinion >< journalistic investigation >< holy book

What is scientific?
Method? Accuracy? Has theoretical implication(s)

A glimpse on theory
Minimum definition of theory:
A set of propositions explaining a phenomena Proposition -> claim, statement; de/inductive Explanation -> inference Phenomena -> everything that arouses question Set -> parts, ensemble

Logical vs true; Objectivity vs truth

Anatomy of scientific journal article

Background, context Problem statement; questions Preliminary claims; aims; objectives Urgency (the so what) Theoretical framework; assumptions Method; way of addressing the problem Argument Supporting data

Steps in reviewing
Problem statement & argument Background Method (aims, theoretical framework,

assumption, etc) Findings Reinforce argument

Criterion of a good review

It locates the problematic the article/book

arises It recapitulates the argument of the article/book, Shows how the author reaches that conclusion/argument Situates it within the broader literature Identifies parts of the argument that would benefit from further elaboration or with which the reviewer disagrees.

Tips
Read with a clear purpose in mind: leisure, basic knowledge, demanding, specific To make reading efficient, pose some questions from the title and abstract Evaluate each paragraph (if not each sentence), each data demonstration, each claim, etc. for its validity, reliability and accuracy. For critical appraisal: check the consistency between the stated aims and its findings; research question and argument; theoretical framework and the exposition; etc. Take note, write comment alongside the article

Hizkia Yosie Polimpung Center for Global Civil Society Studies (PACIVIS) Universitas Indonesia yosieprodigy@gmail.com