Guidelines to a Research Article
Obtain approval from instructor of one research article to critique. Typically these articles are found in journals with the word "research" as part of the title such as Nursing Research and Nursing Research in Nursing and Health. But the article does not have to be from these journals nor authored only by nurses. Interdisciplinary journals such as Heart and Lung, American Journal of Medicine, etc.
Use the questions below to write a critique of your research article. Then you will type into the form to complete this assignment.
- Statement of the Problem –
- Is the problem identified early in the report?
- Is the problem clearly and concisely stated?
- Is the problem stated in terms, which are specific and narrow enough to study?
- How is the problem important or significant for nursing practice?
- Is the researcher qualified to study the problem?
- Review of Literature
- Has related literature been investigated?
- Are the findings of previous studies that are relevant to the research being
- considered?
- Does the review of the literature provide supporting evidence to show the need for carrying out the research?
- Are documentation and selection of sources appropriate?
- Is consultation with experts in the field made when needed?
- Theoretical Framework or Concepts
- Do the authors clearly establish a theoretical framework or concept?
- What concepts does the author define and utilize in development of the theoretical framework?
- Are documentation and selection of sources appropriate?
- Are the theories used in the study meaningful to the study?
- Do the concepts logically provide rationale for the question, hypothesis or purpose of the investigation?
- Are the assumptions based upon theories, laws, common sense, generally accepted facts, or findings from previous research?
- Research Design
- Is the research design experimental or non-experimental?
- Are hypotheses or questions stated clearly?
- Do they contain a dependent and independent variable? If so, identify them.
- Is the design appropriate to answer the questions indicated by the problem and/or hypotheses?
- Are the operational definitions developed?
- Is the target population identified?
- Data Collection and Statistics
- Is informed consent utilized?
- Could the data collection procedure be replicated? Can you determine the time sequence of events? Who collected the data and would this affect the study?
- Are the measurement instruments or tools clearly described?
- Is reliability (consistence) and validity (accuracy and precision of measurement instruments addressed?
- Interpretation, Discussion and Clinical Application
- State author’s conclusion and recommendations.
- Are there sources of bias?
- Describe future research needed.
- State if and when/where you would put the research findings into practice.
