Portfolio Unit 1: Article Critique

The writers continue, with a brief introduction, theoretical background and hypotheses with useful information as well as useful references in there work. The writers have used research to provide references to there work which is vastly positive and gives readers further information on the subject.

The article was written in the year 2006 and is about the consumers’ perceptions about online stores and shopping online. Over time consumers have become more and more accustomed to using the internet and shopping online and this article explains what general consumers once feared about using such a tool to make everyday transactions.

The articles gives readers examples of questions and also the results to them. This can help readers into a better understanding about the subject of user interfaces and consumer perceptions of online stores. The writers have chosen to use quantitative as well as qualitative methods to show there use of questionnaires and results.  The articles descriptions about certain information such as ‘user interface and telepresence’ are well described with references, examples and also diagrams which are clear and easy to follow.

2. Strengths and Weaknesses

2.1 Weaknesses

1. Although the article starts off well, introducing the reader into the subject, it does start to     become rather repetitive half way through.
2. Whereas the research seems to be done well, the ‘theoretical background and hypotheses’ have come up a little short on information.
3. With evidence to the questionnaires and data tables of results, the methodology for the overall article seemed to be based on both quantitative and qualitative methods. However, I found that the quantitative information given was not sufficient enough for the reader.
4. The literature used may not be as appealing to e.g a younger audience who may want to read shorter paragraphs and less overall.
5. The article may seem to be now a little outdated for readers even though it has useful information.

2.2 Strengths

1. The research has been done well and is also appropriately referenced, making it easy for readers to follow and research on there own if they wish to with the research information provided.
2. Towards the end of the article the writers have a heading ‘Future research directions’. With the information provided in this short ’to be continued’ styled paragraph will help encourage any readers that are enjoying the article to read further, and maybe to even research the subject further themselves.
3. Although the article is to some extent outdated at the time of my self reading it, I think that it still provides the reader with relevant and precise information.

3. Recommendations

1. By keeping the article short could mean appealing to a wider audience
2. I feel that if the aims where set out clearer at the start of the article, it would be even easier for the reader to get into it.
3. Producing better research methods as well as a better background on the subject will also have been better suited to this particular article.
4. Changing the literature to better suit a younger more open audience. I feel that the article should be better suited to the reader than the writer.
5. Although there is quantitative and qualitative data within the article itself, I feel that the writers could have made better use of the information by applying more time to the qualitative data rather than focusing more on quantitative data.