Research critique

Muthuvenkatachalam Srinivasan, Ph.D Scholar, Mental Health Nursing.

It is a critical evaluation/appraisal of a research report

“A critical estimate of a piece of research which has been carefully and systematically studied by a critic who has used specific criteria to appraise the favorable, less favorable and other general features of the research study”

Leininger

Requires critical thinking, appraisal & intellectual skill

Involves a careful examination of all aspects of a study to judge the merits, limitations, meaning and significance & knowledge of the topic

To assess students` methodological and analytical skills (identify limitations & strengths)

Seasoned researcher to help journal editions

Written critique is a guide to researcher

To advance nursing knowledge & profession

Two principles to remember when critiquing a research are

(a) be objective (b) make your comments

specific to the work you are reviewingCritique should be an advisory and

constructive nature

Read & Critique the entire studyBe objective & RealisticComment on strengths and

weaknessGive specific examplesUse the positive terms whenever

possible and say the positive points first

Avoid vague generalizations of praise and fault findings

Be sensitive in handling negative comments

Evaluate substantive, ethical, methodologic, interpretative presentational dimensions

Suggest alternatives

What type of study was conducted ?What was the setting ?Were the steps clearly identified ?Was there a logical flow ?

Substantive & theoretical dimensionsMethodologic dimensionsEthical dimensions Interpretative dimensionsPresentation/stylistic dimensions

Readers of a research report need to determine whether a study was worthy in terms of the significance of the problem, the soundness of the conceptualization & appropriateness of the conceptual framework.

Normally communicated in the report’s introduction

The heart of a research critique lies in the analysis of the methodologic decisions adopted.

In a quantitative study, the four major decision points to focus critical attention are

Decision 1, Design : What design will yield the most unambiguous and meaningful results about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables?

What extraneous variables are to be controlled and how best can this be accomplished?

DECISION 2, SAMPLE : who should participate in the study?

DECISION 3, DATA COLLECTION : What method should be used to collect the data?

DECISION 4, DATA ANALYSIS : What statistical analysis will provide the most appropriate tests of the research hypotheses?

Need to consider whether the right of human subjects were violated during the investigation.

If there is potential Ethical concerns, we need to consider its impact both on the scientific merit and on well being of the participants.

Research reports conclude with a Discussion, Conclusions or Implications section.

Here researcher attempt to make sense of the analysis, to consider whether the findings support or fail to support hypotheses or theory.

Writing a research report should be clear, grammatical, concise and well organized.

Unnecessary jargon should be minimized.

Quantitative research reports are written in a more formal, impersonal fashion, using either the third person or passive voice to connote objectivity

Qualitative studies are written in a more literary style, using first or second person & active voice to connote proximity & intimacy with the data & phenomenon under study.

Clear / conciseToo big / too smallGives precise informationResearch questions empirically

tested?Definitions of terms clearly

described?

Is the purpose of the study presented ?

Is the significance (importance) of the problem discussed ?

Does the investigator provide a sense of what he or she is doing and why ?

Is the problem statement clear ?Does the investigator identify key

research questions and variables to be examined ?

Does the study have the potential to help solve a problem that is currently faced in clinical practice ?

Does the report tie the problem to various related research?

Is there overdependence on secondary source?

Recent literature included? Overdependence on anecdotes/

opinion articles over empirical studies? Paraphrased adequately? Analyzed

critically?

Does literature review follow a logical sequence leading to a critical review of supporting and conflicting prior work ?

Is the relationship of the study to previous research clear ?

Does the investigator describe gaps in the literature and support the necessity of the present study.

Is a rationale stated for the theoretical/ conceptual framework ?

Does the investigator clearly state the theoretical basis for hypothesis formulation ?

Does it link the problem to a theoretical / conceptual framework in a natural way?

Is the hypothesis stated precisely, logically and in a form that permits it to be tested ?

Does it express a predictable relationship?

Do they flow logically?Do they include general population

of interest?

Are the relevant variables and concepts clearly and operationally defined ?

Is the design appropriate for the research questions or hypotheses ?

Is experimental/ non experimental approaches best?

Appropriate procedures and methods of data collection described sufficiently and clearly?

Procedure for preventing contamination between treatment and control group described?

If there was more than one data collector, was the inter-rater reliability adequate ?

Are the subjects and sampling methods described ?Sample size justified?

Is the sample of sufficient size for the study, given the number of variables and design ?

Is there adequate assurance that the rights of human subjects were protected ?Response rate reported?

Are the subjects representative of the sample? Are key characteristics described?

Instruments clearly identified and described?

Method of development of tools appropriate with regard to structure?

Are the instruments developed specifically for the study? Are the processes for its development described?

Are appropriate instruments for data collection used ?

Are reliability and validity of the instruments adequate ?

If instrument new/ adapted, if sufficient testing done?

Evidence for validity and reliability presented?

Is analysis consistent with objectives of study?

Type of analysis appropriate for type of data?

Is information unnecessarily converted?

Are the statistical tests used identified and the values reported ?

Are appropriate statistics used, according to level of measurement, sample size, sampling method, and hypotheses/ research questions?

Are the results for each hypothesis clearly and objectively presented ?

Are the figures and tables used efficiently to highlight and streamline the presentation of results?

Are results described in light of the theoretical framework and supporting literature ?

All important results discussed? Interpretation organized in

meaningful fashion?Does interpretation distinguish

practical and statistical significance?

Is it appropriate?

Are implications of findings discussed (i.e., for practice, education and research) ?

Does it include nursing implication?

Are recommendations for further research stated ?

Is the study of sufficient quality to meet the criterion of sufficient merit ?

Does the study meet the criterion of replicability ?

Is the study of relevance to practice ? Is the study feasible for nurses to

implement ?Does the benefits of the study

outweigh the risks ?

Are conclusions based on the results and related to the hypothesis ?

Are study limitations identified ?Are generalizations made within the

scope of the findings ?

Title- of reasonable length Summary- abstract includedBibliography- style & citation pleasant to read Grammatically correctNo complex sentences

Research is the best possible means of answering many questions, no single study can provide conclusive evidence

Evidence is accumulated through the conduct and evaluation of several studies

Reader who can do reflective and thorough critiques of research of reports play a role advancing nursing knowledge

Burns N, Grove SK. The Practice of Nursing Research conduct, critique & utilization. 5 edi. W.B. Saunders Company: Philadelphia; 2005.

Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing Research Principles and Methods. 7 edi. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins company: Philadelphia; 2004.

Rose Marie Nieswiadomy. Foundations of Nursing Research. 5 edi. Dorling Kindersley Pvt. Ltd. Pearson Education: India; 2009.