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Running head: 1ST
ARTICLE ANALYSIS 1
Manuel Rivera
1st
Article AnalysisSOC341 Research in Social Sciences
Siena Heights University6/8/2013
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1ST ARTICLE ANALYSIS 2
Abstract
This paper will evaluate The Story of Work: A Narrative Analysis of Workplace
Emotion (2005) by Connie J. Boudens of The University of Michigan and its components
against the evaluation checklist written by Fred Pyrczak, California State University, in his book
Evaluating Research in Academic Journals: A Practical Guide to Realistic Evaluation. The
article, hereto identified as The Story, is attempting to analyze 452 narratives, from two
previously published works, to answer two questions on whether a narrative analysis is useful
and accessible means of examining the experience of emotion in organizations, (Boudens,
2005).
ANALYSIS Title and Subtitle
Reviewing the title Boudens proposes, The Story, suggests an analysis of emotions in
the workplace by using narration as an evaluative tool. Though at first glance, the title seems
efficient to tell the consumer what the article is about; the title offers a methodology of narrative
analysis used by Boudens. It also alludes to the article variables; workers. With this information,
some would say that the title and subtitle does a good job informing us as to the article content.
However, I disagree with this. Using Pyrczaks evaluative checklist (2008), the title falls very
short of sufficiently informing the reader of its content.
First, Pyrczak asks Does the title identify the types of individuals who participated,
(2008, pg 151)? The article does not make mention of actual participants for the study. One can
infer that it would concentrate on workers, but what kind? The following list are reasons why the
title and subtitle are inefficient in identifying participants:
Title neglects to mention any participants for study
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Inferring workers as participants because of the verbiage Workplace Emotion in thesubtitle is negligible; to infer this information does not give any clarification as to what
people are used as participants. Are the participants from a certain age group or racial
classification? What about the gender breakdown?
Title and subtitle does not tell consumer what type of workplace; the workplace is animportant part of this study as not all workplaces are similar. The article mentions in the
abstract (my next analysis in this paper) and that it will look at prototypical work
situations. However, not every workplace would handle prototypical situations in the
same manner. For example, an emotional response that anger displays of loud voice cues
and assertive body language typically would not be tolerated in an office workplace. This
type of behavior would more than likely land a person in the Human Resources office
with possible discipline actions. Most people would say that this behavior is not
allowable in any workplace. Whereas, if this behavior occurred by a corrections officer in
a prison, most people would agree that it is imperative to the safety and control of the
environment to exhibit this behavior.
Title and subtitle do not both provide important information about the report (Pyrczak,2008, pg 151). Though the subtitle does mention the methodology of the narrative
analysis and a very weak variable of workplace emotions of the inferred workers, the title
is of no real value to the article. It represents the authors attempt to make a clever title
that is wordplay on the subtitles narrative (Story) and work (Workplace).
CONCLUSION Title & Subtitle
Though the aforementioned reasons for an ineffective title and subtitle were presented,
using Pyrczaks checklist of evaluation questions, the title and subtitle scored better than the
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information than I presented. With this, some would say that it is effective. However, an
effective evaluation should not simply look at the quantitative results, but should also look at the
qualitative results. With the reasons I have listed above, I have determined that the title and
subtitle are not effective, nor sufficient for a consumer.
ANALYSIS Abstract
An abstract is a summary of research report that appears below its title. Like the title, it
helps consumers of research identify articles of interest. This function of abstracts is so important
that the major computerized databases in the social and behavioral sciences provide abstracts as
well as the titles of the articles they index (Pyrczak, 2008, pg 23).
The Storys abstract starts off with a very strong first sentence, This paper argues that
work-related emotion is best accessed using indirect means, including figures of speech and
narrative, (Boudens, 2005). With the first sentence, it tells us of the articles purpose and
suggests the possible methodology. This suggestion of the methodology is further strengthened
with the next sentence of the abstract by specifically telling us that the methodology is that of
narrative analysis, which we first informed about in the subtitle; An analysis of 452 narratives
drawn from previously published works The abstract also tells the consumer what the article
is trying to resolve or address; addressing two research questions: Where is the emotion in
work? and What is the emotion in work, (Boudens, 2005)? Boudens continues to explain the
methodology by letting the consumer know how each question will be answered; a series of
prototypical work situations are identified, all of which are heavily charged with
emotionsclusters of emotion associate with each prototypical situation are identified,
(Boudens, 2005).
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The abstract continues to prove sufficient with alluding to findings of the article; An
image of the vital dynamics of organizational life is presented on these results (Boudens,
2005).
CONCLUSION Abstract
Overall, the abstract does check off most of the evaluative questions in Pyrczaks guide.
However, reviewing the title, subtitle, and abstract as a whole, they do not give a sufficient
enough picture for the consumer to make a well-informed decision as to whether this article will
be beneficial to their own research. For example, the abstract does not mention, as part of its
methodology, how the narratives were recorded and interpreted. Though not mentioned as part of
Pyrczaks checklist, I have concerns whether a consumer would even review The Story with
such lackluster and inefficient opening information. For the aforementioned reasons, I have
concluded that the abstract does not do a valid job in supporting the content of the article.
ANALYSIS Introduction
The article starts with the introduction using a narrative about workplace emotions;
appropriately used considering this is the topic of the research within the article. Though this is a
nice beginning, it lacks specificity to the identification of the research problem. Boudens
opening narrative speaks about the marriage between the mechanical descriptions of a job with
the then presented emotional connection to said mechanical process of a job; interviewee
describes her job in two very different ways. Initially, she details the mechanical aspectsThis
contrasts sharply with the final paragraph, where the interviewee talks about how she responds to
her work(her) interaction with the task, makes her feel. While the first description might be
useful as a guide to writing a technical document about the mechanics of the job, the second
description provides an intimate insight into how the jobfeels, in both its task-related and social
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aspects. From this second type of account, wehave access to a unique view of the world of
work, (Boudens, 2005). This description is used by Boudens to try and identify the specific
problem of the research presented. However, even with this exhaustive explanation of the article,
we are not specifically informed of any problem, let alone any resolution that the author may
present. The introduction reads as though the authors intent as merely presenting information or
means of accessinga method for examining workplace narratives, (Boudens, 2005).
CONCLUSION Introduction
Though the authors introduction does a good job at presenting what the article will
potentially cover, i.e., figurative language and the expressions of emotion, methods for
examining workplace narratives, and an analysis of a large group of workplace narratives, the
lack of a specified problem, importance of the problem area, and any underlying theories that
could described of emotions in the workplace, leads me to conclude that Boudens introduction
is insufficient in informing the consumer about why or why not emotions in the workplace is
good or badif that is even what Boudens is trying to prove.
CONCLUSION Paper
Upon evaluation of the aforementioned sections of article, The Story of Work: A
Narrative Analysis of Workplace Emotion by Connie J. Boudens (2005), I have determined that
the article inefficiently explains in detail what the research variables, methodology, and problem
areas are and thus is not sufficient for use by consumers if viewed within a computerized
database at a glance.
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References
Boudens, C. (2005). The story of work: A narrative analysis of workplace emotion. (Doctoral
dissertation, University of Michigan).
Pyrczak, F. (2008).Evaluating research in academic journals: A practical guide to realistic
evaluation. (4th ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.