Main Headings
What is the research question or issue in this study?
Was the problem clear?
Is the problem significant for nursing?
Hypothesis
Is the question and/or hypothesis explicitly stated?
If not hypothesis, what do you think is the research question or hypothesis?
Did the research clearly specific the study variables?
Literature review (p. 127)
What is the quality of the literature review?
Are the sources:
? Up-to-date and based mainly on primary sources?
? Solid basis for the study?
Conceptual/Theoretical framework (p. 143)
Is the theoretical or conceptual framework identified?
If so, is it a nursing framework or drawn from another discipline?
Methodology Protection of Human Research Participants (p. 93)
Was the study approved by IRB or ethics review board?
What steps were taken to protect study participants (describe if in the article or state what you can infer from the article?
Research Design (p. 170)
What was the research design?
Is the design appropriate for the study?
Did the design minimize bias and threats to internal construct and external validity?
If there was an intervention, describe it.
Did the researchers minimize bias?
Was the staff trained appropriately?
Sample and Setting (p.183)
Who are the participants?
Is the setting or group described
What type of sampling strategy was used?
How the sample size estimated (e.g. Power Analysis)
Was the sample size adequate?
Was bias minimized (might be addressed in the article)
Data Collection/Measurement (p. 209)
What methods were used to collect the data?
Were the key variables operationalized (defined – look at Tables)?
Were validated instruments (e.g. Beck’s Depression Scale) used and described?
Did the researchers provide the reliability and validity of the instruments used (e.g. Cronbach alpha #).
? If so, explain what the number means.
? Was there a rationale given for data collection tools used?
Results Data Analysis (p. 243)
What methods were used for data analysis?
Was the statistical method(s) described?
Was evidence provided to show that the analysis was accurate and replicable?
Were results significant?
What do the results tell you about the plausibility of the hypotheses?
Discussion Discussion of Findings (p. 261)
What were the major findings?
Did the researcher report limitations of the study?
What are the implications for nursing practice?
