Step-by-step guide to critiquing research

Posted: September 17th, 2022

Rubric for Article Critique Reports
Week 4 Assignments 4a and 4b
Assignment 4 (indicate 4a or 4b)
Part
Question
Answer
Points
Title
1.Title of the article, journal name, your name
3
Purpose/Research problem
2a. What is the purpose of the study? Is it clearly identified? Is the research problem important?
5
2b. Identify the dependent variable(s)
3
2c. Identify the independent variable(s)
3
Literature review
3a. Are the cited sources relevant to the study?
3
3b. Does the literature review offer a balanced critical analysis of the literature?
3
3c. Are the cited studies recent?
3
Theoretical framework*
4a. Has a conceptual or theoretical framework been identified?
3
4b. If yes, is the framework adequately described?
3
Design and procedures
5a. Identify the study design used in this study? Make sure that you select the exact type of design used, i.e., one of the three discussed this week.
5
5b. Is the study design appropriate to answer the research question?
3
5c. What type of sampling design was used?
5
5d. Was the sample size justified on the basis of a power analysis or other rationale?
5
5e. Are the inclusion and exclusion criteria clearly identified? What are they?
5
5f. What measurement tools were used for the dependent variable(s)?
5
5g. What measurement tools were used for the independent variable(s)?
5
5h. Were validity and reliability issues discussed?
4
Ethical considerations
6a. Were the participants fully informed about the nature of the research?
3
6b. Were the participants protected from harm?
2
6c. Was ethical permission granted for the study?
3
Data analysis
7a. What type of data and statistical analysis was undertaken?
3
7b. Was the statistical analysis appropriate to address the research question?
2
Results
8. What are the results of the study? Did the results answer the research question(s)?
5
Discussion
9a. Were the findings linked back to the literature review?
3
9b. Did the authors identify study limitations? What were they?
5
9c. Do you think the limitations are serious enough to impact the internal and external validity** of the study?
3
Overall assessment
10. What is your overall assessment of the study?
5
Total
100
Source: Coughlan M, Cronin P, Ryan F. Step-by-step guide to critiquing research. Part 1: quantitative research. Br J Nurs. 2007;16(11):658-63.
* A conceptual or theoretical framework/model is a representation of a concept and the relationships between this concept and other variables that might impact it or be affected by it. It provides structure to a study and a rationale for the different relationships between the variables. Not every study has to have a conceptual or theoretical framework clearly outlined. The better research questions are usually the ones informed by theory and a corresponding framework. For an example, check the following article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3934012/
** The validity of a study, in contrast to the validity of measurements, is the degree to which study results are accurate and well-founded, when account is taken of study methods, representativeness of study sample, and nature of the population from which it is drawn.
Internal validity (results are attributed to hypothesized effect and not sample differences)
External validity (generalizability)