research article

IHP 340 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric Overview The final project for this course is the creation of an introductory -level analysis of published research findings. Statistics play an integral role in the healthcare industry. For those entering the health field, understanding statistics is a must. Evidence -based healt hcare is the current theme and is leading us into the future. For professionals in this field, seeking answers to hea lth -related questions in scientific literature is common practice. While deciphering the information found in these publications can be challenging, it all starts with learning basic statistical concepts. This course will help you deve lop a baseline unders tanding of statistics. You will explore the areas of descriptive statistics and basic inferential statistics , along with variability and statistical significance. However, the ultimate goal is to provide an introductory -level analysis of published research findings. You will select an article from a list provided by your instructor. The articles in the list are all peer reviewed, published with in the last three years, and relat ed in some way to the health professional programs at SNHU. Your analysis will b e based on the statistical concepts you learn over the term and will include identifying and interpreting statistical findings. You will discuss the hypothesis of the study, the methodology used to cond uct the study, and the statistical analysis used , incl uding software . You will also discuss the study’s results, limitations, conclusions, and next steps. This assessment will showcase your ability to read, comprehend , and interpret research done in the many fields of healthcare. Additionally, this assessment will demonstrate your ability to articulate research findings to individuals who may not have the background necessary to understand basic healthcare research. The project is divided into two milestones , which will be submitted prior to the final project submission to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestone will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The final project will be submitted in Module Seven. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:  Interpret data results from peer -reviewed healthcare research for determining the statistical significance of the findings  Analyze common research methods used in the collection of healthcare data for determining their advantages and di sadvantages in data -collection situations  Analyze healthcare research for its contributions to scientific literature and future investigations  Assess the impact of limitations within various healthcare studies on research conclusions Prompt Write an analysis of a peer -reviewed article published within the last three years that is related in some way to the health professional programs at SNH U. You will select this article from a list provided by your instructor. These articles have been vetted to ensure that they contain the information necessar y to complete the critical elements below. Remember to read the article carefully as you will not only be analyzing the use of sta tistics in the research, but discussing possible further research as well. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. Purpose: In this section of your analysis, you need to introduce the study you analyzed, describing its purpose, research question, and hypothesis. A. Describe the purpose of the study , including the research question and hypothesis . II. Research Methods: In this section of your analysis you will take a deep dive into the research methods used by the authors of the study y ou analyzed. It is important that you are able to identify, describe , and discuss the data collection and data analysis methodology used by the researchers. A. Identify whether the study design is experimental or observational . Support your identification wit h examples from the study. B. Identify the methods used to collect the data and explain why the methods are appropriate based on the research question. C. Identify the data collected as quantitative or categorical . Support your identification with examples from the study. D. Discuss the potential weaknesses of the data collection methods used. Support your discussion with examples from the study. E. Identify the data analysis methods used and explain why the methods are appropriate based on the research question. F. Discu ss the potential weaknesses of the data analysis methods used. Support your discussion with examples from the study. G. Describe the key demographics of the population sampled and identify the inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants. III. Key Findings: Now that you have discussed the research methods used by the researchers, you will need to state and discuss their findings, differentiating between the results of the experimental and control groups. A. State the results of the research , describing how the r esearchers determined whether or not the results are statistically significant. B. Describe the differences in the results between the groups in the study and support your description with examples from the study. IV. Limitations of the study: Unfortunately, eve ry data collection method and data analysis method has limitations. In this section, you need to explain the limitations presented by the study population and the advantages and disadvantages of the statistical analysis used. A. Explain the limitations presented by the study population and sample size used. Support your explanation with examples from the study. B. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the type of statistical analysis used. Support your discussion with examples from the study. C. Identif y the limitations of the study design used and explain why those limitations exist. V. Major conclusions from the study: In this section , you will need to analyze the conclusions reached by the researchers and compare them to the conclusions of another study from the reference section of your selected study. You will also need explain how the study you have analyzed contributes to scientific literature and speculate about further investigations that might take place because of this research. A. Discuss how the results from this study compare with those of a study listed in the references or your main article. Support your discussion with examples from both studies. B. Explain how this study contributes to scientific literature . Support your explanation with specific examples. C. Describe further investigations that could take place because of this study. Milestones Milestone One : Research Methods In Module Three , you will complete a table of the Research Methods section of your final project. In the Milestone One works heet, you will analyze and discuss the research methods used in the study described in the article you selected for your final project. You will need to include a revised version of this table in your final project submission in Module Seven. This mileston e will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric. Milestone Two : Key Findings and Limitations In Module Five , you will submit a draft of the Key Findings and Limitations sections of your final project. In this draft, you will analyze and discuss the key findings and limitations of the study described in the article you selected for your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Final Submission : Article Analysis In Module Seven , you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final pro ject . It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. Copy the table from the Milestone One Worksheet document into your final project paper. You will need to include sections of the final project that have not been included in an y milestone assignments. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric. Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your article analysis must be 3 to 4 pages in length. Use double -spacing, 12 -point Times New Roman font , and one -inch ma rgins. Follow the most recent (sixth edition) APA formatting and citation style guidelines . Instructor Feedback : This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review these instructions . Critical Elements Exemplary (100% ) Proficient (85% ) Needs Improvement (55% ) Not Evident (0% ) Value Purpose: Purpose of The Study Meets “Proficient” criteria and makes cogent connections between the research question, the hypothesis , and the purpose of the study Describes the purpose of the study, including the research question and hypothesis Describes the purpose of the study, including the research question and hypothesis, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies Does not describe the purpose of the study 5 Research Methods:

Experimental or Observational Meets “Proficient” cri teria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of the difference between study designs Accurately identifies the study design as experimental or observational and supports identification with examples from the study Accurately identifies the stu dy design as experimental or observational and supports identification, but supporting examples are illogical or not from the study Does not accurately identify the study design as experimental or observational 3.75 Research Methods: Methods Meets “Proficient” criteria and the explanation makes cogent connections between the data collection methods and the research question Identifies the methods used to collect the data, explaining why the methods are appropriate based on the research questio n Identifies the methods used to collect the data , explaining why the methods are appropriate, but identification contains inaccuracies, or explanation is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or is not based on the research question Does not identify the method s used to the collect the data 3.75 Research Methods:

Quantitative or Categorical Meets “Proficient” criteria and examples demonstrate a complex grasp of the differences between quantitative and categorical data Identifies the data collected as quantitative or categorical, supporting the identification with examples from the study Identifies the data collected as quantitative or categorical, supporting the identification with examples, but identification contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples contain inaccuracies or are not from the study Does not identify the data collected as quantitative or categorical 7.5 Research Methods:

Potential Weaknesses of the Data Collection Methods Meets “Proficien t” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of the weaknesses of particular data collection methods Discusses the potential weaknesses of the data collection methods used and supports discussion with examples from the study Discusses t he potential weaknesses of the data collection methods used, but discussion is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples are not from the study or are nonexistent Does not discuss the potential weaknesses of the data collection methods used 3.75 Research Methods:

Analysis Method s Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how the research methods used address the research question Identifies the data analysis methods used and explains why they are appropriate based on the research question Identifies the data analysis methods used and explains why they are appropriate, but explanation contains inaccuracies or is not based on the research question Does not identify the data analysis methods used 3.75 Research Methods:

Potential Weaknesses of the Data Analysis Method s Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of the potential weaknesses of the data analysis methods used Discusses the potenti al weaknesses of the data analysis methods used and supports discussion with examples from the study Discusses the potential weaknesses of the data analysis methods used, but discussion is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples are not fr om the study or are nonexistent Does not discuss the potential weaknesses of the data analysis methods used 3.75 Research Methods:

Key Demographics Meets “Proficient” criteria and response shows a keen awareness of who the study population is Describes the key demographics of the population sampled, identifying the inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants Describes the key demographics of the population sampled, identifying the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the participants, bu t response is cursory or contains inaccuracies Does not describe the key demographics of the population sampled 3.75 Key Findings: Results of the Research Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a complex grasp of underlying statistical concepts States the results of the research, describing how the researchers determined whether or not the results are statistically significant States the results of the research, describing how the researchers determined whether or not the res ults are statistically significant, but stated results are incomplete, or description of how researchers determined whether or not the results are statistically significant is cursory or contains inaccuracies Does not state the results of the research 7.5 Key Findings:

Difference in the Results Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples show keen insight into why those differences might exist Describes the difference in the results between the groups in the study and support s descrip tion with examples from the study Describes the difference in the results between the groups in the study, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples contain inaccuracies or are nonexistent Does not describe the difference in the results between the groups in the study 7.5 Limitations of the Study: Limitations Presented by Study Population Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a nuanced understanding of why those limitations exist Explains the limitations presented by the study population and sample size used and supports explanation with examples from the study Explains the limitations presented by the study population and sample size used, but explanation is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples contain inaccuracies, are not from the study, or are nonexistent Does not explain the limitations presented by the study population and sample size used 7.5 Limitations of the Study: Advantages and Disadvantages Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a nuanced understanding of why th ese advantages and disadvantages exist Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the type of statistical analysis used and support s discussion with examples from the study Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the type of statistical analysis used, but discussion is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples are not from the study or are nonexistent Does not discuss the advantage s and disadvantages of the type of statistical analysis used 7.5 Limitations of the Study: Limitations of the Study Design Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates a nuanced understanding of why these limitations exist for the study design Identifies the limitations of the study design used, explaining why th ese limitations exist Identifies the limitations of the study design used, explaining why th ese limitations exist, but identification contains inaccuracies , or explanation is cursory or contains inaccuracies Does not identify the limitations of the study design used 7.5 Major Conclusions of the Study: Results from the Study Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a nuanced understanding of why similarities might exist Discusses how the results from the study compare with those of a similar study listed in the references section, supporting discussion with examples from both studies Discusses how the results from the study compare with those of a similar study, supporting discussion with examples, but discussion is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or is not from the references section, or supporting examples are not appropriate or not from both studies Does not discuss how the results from the study compare with those of a similar study 7.5 Major Conclusions of the Study: Scientific Literature Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of the study’s impact on scientific literature Explains how the study contributes to scientific literature, supporting explanation with specific examples Explains how the study contributes to scientific literature, supporting explanation with examples, but explanation is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or examples are not appropriate Does not explain how the study contributes to scientific literature 7.5 Major Conclusions of the Study: Further Investigations Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a complex grasp of the potential for further scientific investigations that could take place Describes further investigations that could take place because of the study Describes further investigations that could take pla ce because of the study, but description is cursory, or further investigations are illogical or not linked to the study Does not describe further investigations that could take place because of the study 7.5 Articulation of Response Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy to read format Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding o f ideas 5 Total 100%