How do I discuss the strengths and limitations of a study?

For each study, you will only need to know a maximum of 4 strengths/limitations. Focus on evaluation points which are based on the methodology of the research and how this has impacted the findings and generalisability. For example, you may criticise the methodology of a lab study, such as Skinner's rat for operant conditioning by stating that the environment was artificial and the high control of extraneous variables may mean that the theory does not work as well in a real-life natural environment, as there are confounding variables. Discussing the strengths of a piece of research would involve commenting on the practical applications, supporting evidence and validity of the research. For example, a strength of a piece of cognitive research is that the practical applications of cognitive behavioral therapy have had high success rates.