Critical Evaluation Report

PICO(T)

Complete this table (Not for submission)

What is the problem/population?

What is the intervention?

What is the Comparator?

What is the primary outcome?

What are the secondary outcome/s?

What was the Length of Time of the intervention?

Introduction (200 words)

Model for critique

Identify other models that can be used for research critique and appraisal.

Journal

Present an overview of this journal e.g. Briefly determine if it is a highly regarded journal by impact factor, ranking or ERA ranking. In what country is the journal published? How will this information about the journal affect your decision when considering using this research in practice?

Authors

Are there any authors who are experts in the field? How can you tell? Identify the institution where the research was conducted. How will this information about the authors affect your decision when considering using this research in practice?

Title and Abstract (100 words)

a. Is the title of the research paper congruent with the text?

b. Were the aims and/or objectives stated? What are they?

c. Did the abstract contain information about the stages of the research process (e.g., aims, hypothesis, research design, sample, instruments and findings)? Explain these.

Structuring the study (300 words)

a. Is the motivation for the study demonstrated through the literature review? Provide a summary of the Background/literature review.

b. Is the literature cited current, relevant and comprehensive? Are the references recent?

c. What is the recognised gap in the reviewed literature?

d. How was the investigation carried out?

e. Is the hypothesis stated?

f. If so, which hypothesis is stated: the scientific hypothesis or the null hypothesis?

g. Does the hypothesis indicate that the researcher is interested in testing for differences between groups or in testing for relationships?

The sample (150 words)

a. Is the sample described?

b. How was the sample size determined?

Data collection (300 words)

a. How were the data collected (questionnaires or other data collection tools)?

b. Who collected the data?

c. Are the data adequately described?

d. What is the origin of the measurement instruments?

e. Are the instruments adequately described?

f. Were the data collection instruments valid or validated?

g. Was the reliability of the measurement instruments assessed or reported?

h. Were ethical issues discussed?

Data analysis (300 words)

(See chapter on Making Sense of Statistical Results in the eText)

a. Was the follow-up complete enough to make the results credible?

b. Was the assessment “blind” or masked to avoid performance bias?

c. Are the results statistically or clinically significant?

d. Were the statistics primarily descriptive, correlational or inferential?

e. Identify the outcome of each statistical analysis.

f. Explain the meaning of each outcome analysed.

Findings (300 words)

a. Were the findings expected?

b. Is there enough information present to judge the results?

c. Are the results clearly and completely stated?

d. Summarise the researcher’s report of the findings.

e. Identify any limitations in the study.

f. Were suggestions for further research made?

g. Did the researcher mention the implications of the study for healthcare?

h. Was there sufficient information in the report to permit replication of the study?

Conclusion (150 words)

a. What did the authors conclude was their most important finding and what is the relevance of that finding?

Relevance to nursing practice (500 words)

Critically evaluate, with reference to a range of recent, scholarly literature, how this research is relevant to the clinical nursing setting using the principles of evidence based practice.

These include:

• Patient values

• Clinical expertise

• Available evidence

References

Complete this table (Not for submission)

Population

Phenomena of Interest

Context

Introduction (200 words)

Model for critique

Discuss other models that can be used for research critique and appraisal.

This question is about the Journal

Present a short synopsis of this journal. Determine if it is a highly regarded journal by impact factor. In what country is the journal published? How will this information about the journal affect your decision when considering using this research in practice?

This question is about Authors of the article

Present a short, cumulative summary of the authors e.g., what are their professional backgrounds? Are there any experts in the field? How can you tell? Give some information about the institution where the research was conducted. How will this information about the authors affect your decision when considering using this research in practice?

Title and abstract (100 words)

a. Is the title of the research paper concise, clear and congruent with the text?

b. Were the aims and/or objectives stated? What are they?

c. Did the abstract contain sufficient information about the stages of the research process (e.g., aims, research approach, participants, data collection, data analysis, findings)?

Identifying the phenomenon/phenomena of interest (200 words)

a. Is the phenomenon focussed on human experience within a natural setting?

b. Is the phenomenon relevant to nursing, midwifery and/or health?

Structuring the Study (300 words)

a. Is it clear that the selected participants are living the phenomenon of interest?

b. How is published literature used in the study? (Provide a summary of the literature review).

c. Does the question identify the context (participant/groups/place) of the method to be followed?

d. Is the theoretical framework clearly stated?

e. Does the theoretical framework fit the research question?

f. Is the method of data collection and analysis clearly specified?

g. Does the qualitative method of data collection chosen fit the research question (e.g Grounded theory, Ethnography etc.)

h. Are the limitations to the study stated?

Research question and design (200 words)

a. Was the research question determined by the need for the study? How was this determination made?

b. Are the data collection strategies appropriate for the research question?

c. Do the data collection strategies reflect the purpose and theoretical framework of the study (e.g. in-depth interviewing, focus groups etc.)?

d. Can the data analysis strategy be identified and logically followed?

Participants (150 words)

a. How were the participants and setting selected (e.g. sampling strategies used)?

b. How was confidentiality of the participants assured?

c. How was the anonymity of participants assured?

d. What ethical issues were identified in the study?

e. How were ethical issues addressed?

Data Analyses (150 words)

a. How were the data analysed

b. Is the analysis technique congruent with the research question?

c. Is there evidence that the researcher’s interpretation captured the participant’s meaning?

d. Did the researcher say how the criteria for judging the scientific rigour of the study were maintained in terms of credibility, auditability, fittingness and confirmability?

Describing the findings (300 words)

a. Does the researcher demonstrate to the reader the method (e.g. audit trail) by which the data were analysed?

b. Does the researcher indicate how the findings are related to theory?

c. Is there a link between the findings to existing theory or literature, or is a new theory generated?

Researcher’s perspective (200 words)

a. Are the biases of the researcher reported (e.g. researcher/participant expectations, researcher bias and power imbalance)?

b. Are the limitations of the study acknowledged?

c. Are recommendations suggested for further research?

d. Are implications for healthcare mentioned?

Relevance to nursing practice (500 words)

Critically evaluate, with reference to a range of recent, scholarly literature, how this research is relevant to the clinical nursing setting using the principles of evidence based practice.

These include:

• Patient values

• Clinical expertise

• Available evidence

References