Research Article Critique
Chamberlain College of Nursing NR439: Evidence-Based Practice
Research Article Critique:
Guidelines and Grading Rubric – Week 6
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is for the student to learn to examine, analyze, critique, and summarize an original research article. Student is to select an article from a list located in Course Resources. There is a choice of articles from which you must choose ONE to complete this assignment.
Course Outcomes
Through this assignment, the student will demonstrate the ability to meet the following course outcomes:
CO1: Examine the sources of evidence that contribute to professional nursing practice. (PO #7)
CO2: Apply research principles to the interpretation of the content of published research studies. (POs #4 and 8)
CO4: Evaluate published nursing research for credibility and lab significance related to evidence-based practice. (POs #4 and 8)
CO5: Recognize the role of research findings in evidence-based practice. (POs #7 and 8)
Points
The assignment is worth a total of 175 points.
Due Date
You are to submit your paper to the Week 6 Dropbox by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 6.
Requirements
Through this assignment, the student will:
Critique a peer-reviewed study, and in your own words, describe the research question, sample, design of study, data collection method, findings, and limitations of each. (CO 1, CO2,)
Summarize the research article and evaluate the significance to nursing. Do not just quote the author’s words. Paraphrase the information. (CO 4, CO5).
Guidelines to writing the Paper
Course Resources lists articles from which you are to select ONE to analyze.
Retrieve the full-text version of the article from the library. Read it thoroughly.
Introduction (one paragraph): The introduction should be interesting and capture the reader’s attention.
Provide a brief description of the research article to be discussed.
Discuss the purpose of your paper. The purpose statement of the paper should relate to the research article reviewed and the implications that it has to evidence based nursing practice.
You will need to summarize and analyze the information from the article in your own words
Describe the research question for this study in a paragraph.
Describe the research in greater detail.
Include your observations about this question.
Discuss events or trends that could have affected this question.
You will need to summarize and analyze the information from the article in your own words
Describe the research design of this study, and in your own words discuss the design.
Discuss the research design of the study.
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the type of design and hypothesize why the author utilized the design as opposed to others.
You will need to summarize the information from the article in your own words
Describe the sample.
Briefly describe the sample size used for this study
Make a judgment as to whether the sample size was adequate and defend your answer.
Describe the number or participants and determine if the number of participants was adequate compared to the research question and the intent of the study.
Are these numbers adequate? Discuss gaps in that you identified.
You will need to summarize and analyze the information from the article in your own words
Describe the data collection method(s)’
Who collected the data?
What tools were used?
What were the ethical considerations addressed and discuss gaps you identified.
You will need to summarize and analyze the information from the article in your own words
Describe the limitations of the study.
Identify the limitations within the study
Describe how the limitations could be overcome in subsequent studies
Comment on why limitations are important to list and discuss within a study
You will need to summarize and analyze the information from the article in your own words
Describe the findings reported in the study.
Describe the findings reported in the study
Discuss whether the findings of the study answered the research question posed within the study
Discuss the credibility of the findings
If the findings do not support the research question posed within the study, what do you believe is the reason?
You will need to summarize and analyze the information from the article in your own words
Summary
Summarize important points from the body of your paper including the key components of the paper.
Include a statement about the research question and the findings.
Discuss the probability of implementation into practice. Based on these findings, is the evidence that you found on your topic strong enough to suggest a change in practice, or an idea for practice?
End with a concluding statement.
Citations and References must be included to support the information within each topic area. Refer to the APA manual, Chapter 7, for examples of proper reference format. In-text citations are to be noted for all information contained in your paper that is not your original idea or thought. Ask yourself, “How do I know this?” and then cite the source.
Reference Page: The Reference Page should start on a new page (insert a page break). All references should be cited within the body of the paper as (Author, year) and the full reference should be included in APA format on the reference page. A url link alone is not an adequate reference. See the APA Guidelines in Course Resources for examples of properly formatted references.
Grading Criteria
| Category | Points | % | Description |
| Research Question | 20 | 11% | Describe, analyze, and summarize the research question for this study your own words. |
| Design of Study | 20 | 11% | Describe, analyze, and summarize the research design of this study in your own words. |
| Sample/Population of the Study | 25 | 14% | Describe, analyze, and summarize the sample in your own words. |
| Data Collection Methods | 25 | 14% | Describe, analyze, and summarize the data collection method(s)’ in your own words. |
| Limitations | 20 | 12% | Describe, analyze, and summarize the limitations of the study in your own words. |
| Findings | 20 | 12% | Describe, analyze, and summarize the findings reported in the study in your own words. |
| Summary of Article (See rubric for categories and breakdown of points.) | 25 | 14% | Summarize important points from the body of your paper including the key components of the paper and discuss the probability of implementation into practice. |
| Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling/ APA Formatting | 20 | 12% | No more than 0–3 errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. APA formatting is correct with 0–3 errors. |
| Total | 175 | 100% | A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
Grading Rubric
| Assignment Criteria | A (100%) Exceptional Outstanding or highest level of performance | B (88%) Exceeds Very good or high level of performance | C (80%) Meets Competent or satisfactory level of performance | NI (38%) Needs Improvement Poor or failing level of performance | F (0%) Developing Unsatisfactory level of performance |
| Research question 20 points | Fully describes, analyzes, and summarizes the research question in detail 20 points ☐ | Generally, describes, and analyzes the research question 18 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes the research question, but omits some aspects of the question. 16 points ☐ | Incorrectly describes the research question. 8 points ☐ | Does not describe the research question. 0 points ☐ |
| Design of the study 20 points | Fully describes, analyzes, and summarizes the design of the study in detail. 20 points ☐ | Generally, describes, and analyzes the design of the study. 18 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes the design of the study, but omits some aspects of the design. 16 points ☐ | Incorrectly describes the design of the study. 8 points ☐ | Does not describe the design of the study 0 points ☐ |
| Sample/ population of the study 25 points | Fully describes, analyzes, and summarizes the sample used in the study in detail. 25 points ☐ | Generally, describes, and analyzes the sample used in the study. 22 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes the sample used in the study, but omits some details. 20 points ☐ | Incorrectly describes the sample in the study, or omits major details. 10 points ☐ | Does not describe the sample used in the study. 0 points ☐ |
| Data collection methods 25 points | Fully describes, analyzes, and summarizes all of the data collection methods used in the study. 25 points ☐ | Generally, describes, and analyzes the majority of data collection methods used in the study. 22 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes and describes parts of the data collection method used in the study. 20 points ☐ | Incorrectly describes the data collection method used in the study. 10 points ☐ | Does not describe the data collection method used in the study. 0 points ☐ |
| Limitations 20 points | Fully describes, analyzes, and summarizes the limitations found in the study in detail. 20 points ☐ | Generally, describes, and analyzes the limitations found in the study. 18 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes the limitations found in the study. 16 points ☐ | Incorrectly describes the limitations found in the study. 8 points ☐ | Does not describe the limitations found in the study. 0 points ☐ |
| Findings 20 points | Fully describes, analyzes, and summarizes the findings of the study in detail. 20 points ☐ | Generally, describes, and analyzes the findings of the study. 18 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes the findings of the study. 16 points ☐ | Incorrectly identifies the findings from the study. 8 points ☐ | Does not describe the findings of the study. 0 points ☐ |
| Summary 25 points | Summarizes study in detail and states specific rationale for whether a change in practice is warranted 25 points ☐ | Generally, summarizes study. Gives broad rationale for whether a change in practice is warranted. 22 points ☐ | Briefly summarizes study and states rationale for whether a change in practice is warranted. 20 points ☐ | Minimally summarizes study. Gives poor rationale for whether a change in practice is warranted. 10 points ☐ | Does not summarize study and does not give rationale for whether a change in practice is warranted. 0 points ☐ |
| Grammar, punctuation, and spelling/ APA formatting 20 points | No errors in grammar, punctuation, APA, and spelling. 20 points ☐ | One to four errors in grammar, spelling, 18 points ☐ | Five to eight errors in grammar, spelling, and syntax 16 points ☐ | Eight to twelve errors in grammar, spelling, and syntax. 8 points ☐ | Thirteen or more errors to the point where it is difficult to understand the meaning of the student’s writing. 0 points ☐ |
| Total Points Possible = 175 points | |||||
| NR439: Research Article Critique Guidelines Revised 2/7/17 jw |
