Critical Analysis & Appraisal, Part I

Record your responses in the space provided.  The boxes will expand as you type.

Note: This is your own critique. Your responses should be your own words and written in complete sentences. "Yes" or "no" answers without rationales will not be accepted and will result in point(s) deduction.  Except for section #1, your responses should include an explanation/rationale. N/A responses require justification of why that criteria/question does not pertain to your article. Provide supporting data from your article for your answers.  Please include page numbers when referring to the article. Make sure to use correct in text citations. If you use sources other than the article to support your answers (e.g., text or class lectures), please include a reference page. Again, DO NOT just answer yes or no. SUPPORT YOUR ANSWERS!

Please note:  Throughout the worksheet, your faculty has provided "Hints" based on our experience of reviewing previous students' works and assisting you in avoiding the same errors. 

https://purdue.brightspace.com/content/enforced/819630-nw.202410.NUR.39000.001/Mindfulness%20and%20nursing%20students.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=n2Cc8Mq6mhGcgQHbKdAgNCr2g&ou=819630 

This is the link for the article.
 

 

1. Selected Article (1 point)

 provide an APA formatted citation from your article.   

 

2. Credentials (2 points)

What are the credentials of the first author?  List the All of the credentials of the first author and explain what each credential means. Explain how the educational background of the author prepares them for the role of the researcher.

                                             

3.  Title (2 points)

3a. State the phenomenon of interest (main focus) for your selected study.

Discuss how the phenomenon of interest (Focus) is or is not apparent in the title.

 

3b:  Can you specifically identify that this is a research study from the title?   Explain your answer.

 

(Hint:  If you just read the title and nothing else, would you be able to identify that this is a research report or that the article is giving you information on a study?)

 

4.  Abstract (5 points)

Are the essential contents of the research in the abstract? (Hypothesis, research question, objectives, focus, methods, analysis, description of the research and the major findings). Do NOT copy your abstract. This section only refers to the abstract printed in your selected article. If your article does not have an abstract, then you should just state "Not Applicable".

(Hint: The abstract may not be labeled. Read pages 15-16 in your text; APA manual- pages 25-56).  Remember data from the abstract can only be used for question 4 and should not be used to answer other questions in this worksheet.)

 

 

5.  The Research Problem - Chapter 2 (10 points)

5a:  State the research problem.  What pages did you read in order to determine the research problem?

 

(Hint 1):  you may not find the term exact working "research problem".  Frequently found in the introduction but not always. You should be able to determine the "research problem" from reading the background/introduction section.

(Hint 2):  Answer what is the problem that the researchers are trying to solve?  This is not the same as the research question. 

 

5b:  Discuss how the research(s) author identified how/why they selected the problem, and its impact on the patient, public healthcare system and  nursing.

(Hint:  This is usually found in the introduction/background.  This usually tells the reader why the researcher(s) thought the study was needed.

Do you think that the problem is a significant problem for nursing? Why or why not?

 

6.  The Research Question - Chapter 2 (15 points)

6a:  Directly quote the study aim or purpose or objective(s) or question(s) as provided by the researcher(s).

• State what page you found them?
• If the researcher's included aims, purpose, objective(s) and question(s) for the study, be sure to include ALL.

(Hint:  The answer to this question is usually found in the paragraph before the "Methods" section but not always).

 

6b: Do the research questions, purpose, aim or objective logically flow from problem? Why or why not?

 

6c: Did the author explicitly state a hypothesis? If so, provide the direct quote of how the author states the hypothesis in the article.  Provide the page number of the quote.

 

6d:  What kind of hypothesis is presented (Directional or Non-directional)? Answer N/A if the author did not provide a hypothesis.

 

6e:  If no hypothesis was provided, would it have been appropriate to state one? If so, what hypothesis might you suggest? What type of hypothesis did you select (Directional or Non-directional)?

 

6f:  Identify the independent variable (IV) or major variable interest.

• Provide a detailed description of the IV.
• If the author(s) do not explicitly identify the IV and DV, what are the research variables from your understanding?
• Explain how you came to this decision.

(Hint:  be sure you understand the difference between the IV and DV.  Look on pages 32-33 of your text for further explanation of these terms 

 

 

6g:  Identify the dependent variable (DV)s or variables of association. 

• Provide a detailed description of ALL DVs

 

 

7.  Review of Literature (ROL)- Chapter 3. Remember ROL is what is known and not known about a phenomenon of interest. (15 points)

7a: What concepts (ideas/topics) are included in the literature review? Are they clearly linked to the purpose of the study?

 

7b:  Are primary sources used in the review of the literature?  Refer to page 47-48 in your text and the library has provided information on this important concept in your Library Course materials. 

 

• Discuss how you determined the sources in the review of the literature as primary sources.
• Give one example of a primary source from the reference list.  Provide a page number where the researcher(s) refer to this article in the review of the literature section.

 

 

7c:  Are secondary sources used in the review of the literature?  Identify1 secondary source from the reference list.   

• Discuss how you identified the source in the review of literature as a secondary source?
• If your selected article includes a secondary source, give one example of a secondary source.  Provide a page number where the researcher(s) refer to this article in the review of the literature section.

 

 

7d:  How recent are the sources in the review of literature?

• What is the range of years?

 

7e:  Is the literature review presented in an organized format that flows logically?

 

7f:  Does the literature review section conclude with a brief summary of the literature and its implications for the problem?

 

8.  Theoretical/Conceptual Framework - Chapter 4 NOTE: Numerous studies do not indicate a theoretical or conceptual framework. You will need to look  (5 points)

8a:  Is there a theoretical/conceptual framework identified and if so, what is the theoretical/conceptual framework?

• Is it a nursing framework-meaning does the framework theory originate from the nursing discipline?
• If not a nursing framework, what discipline is the origin of the framework/theory?
• State the page number where the specific theory is identified.

 

8b:  Is the framework, if identified, appropriate or a good fit for the research problem?

• Discuss how/why this framework is appropriate to the research problem?
• If no framework is identified, suggest a framework you would propose?
• Why did you select that particular framework/theory based on the variables present in your study?  What is the discipline your framework originates?

 

9:  Research Design/Method -Chapters 8-10 (15 points)

9a: 

• What type of quantitative design is used for the study?
• Where did you find this information?
• Include page number and quote from the article.

 

 

9b: Is the design of the study adequately described? (Was enough information provided for you to be able to repeat the study?).

 

 

9c:  Does the design compensate for threats to internal and external validity of the study?   If yes, which ones (box 8- 1 on page156-use as a guide).  Identify each threat as provided in your text and discuss in table format.  Use the table headings provided below.

 

List all threats	Applicable to your study?   Answer Yes or No	If no, why was it not applicable If yes, how did the researcher(s) compensate for the threat and what page did you find this information?