Please select any nursing research article from any one of the scientific journals found in the Nursing-Related Databases and Journals list. Select an article from an area that you are interested in or from the field you are working in. The article must be a peer-reviewed research report that was published in the last 5 years. Using the article selected, construct a critique of the article, 6 to 10 pages (including cover page and references).

It is strongly recommended that you send your article via e-mail to the instructor for approval before your begin your critique.

The critique should

• identify the problem statement or statement of purpose of the article
• comment the on article’s literature review (usually found in the introduction or background sections)
• describe the participants being studied, stating inclusion and exclusion criteria
• discuss the sampling issues, such as probability or nonprobability and number of subjects used
• identify the study setting—where data collection occurred
• discuss informed consent—whether the participants were fully informed, how their consent was obtained, and any other ethical considerations
• identify the hypothesis or research question
• identify the research design—for example, experimental or nonexperimental; descriptive, exploratory, explanatory, or predictive?
• identify research variables, both independent and dependent
• describe how the study data were analyzed (what statistical measures were used)
• describe the results of the study and appropriateness of the methods used; include study limitations
• accurately comment on level of evidence used, nursing theory addressed (including if no theory is described) and implications for nursing practice or research
• discuss how the research findings can be applied to the clinical area

You must submit a pdf copy of the article that you are critiquing along with the assignment.

The following resources, in the week 4 Learning Resources section of the LEO classroom, will provide helpful guidelines for constructing a critique of a nursing research article.

Video

• Framework for how to read and critique a research study: Research Article Critique.

Articles

• Vance, D. E., Talley, M., Azuero, A., Pearce, P. F., & Christian, B. J. (2013). Conducting an article critique for a quantitative research study: perspectives for doctoral students and other novice readers. Nursing: Research and Reviews, 3: 67–75.
• Cronin, P., Ryan, F., & Coughlan, M. (2008). Undertaking a literature review: a step-by-step approach. British Journal of Nursing, 17(1): 38-43.

The Learning Resources page lists resources that provide several guidelines for constructing a critique of a nursing research article you may find helpful. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your instructor.