A research critique demonstrates your ability to critically read an investigative study. For this assignment, choose a research article related to nursing or medicine to critique.

• Articles used for one assignment can’t be used for the other assignments (students should find new research articles for each assignment).
• The selected articles should be original research articles. Review articles, meta-analysis, meta-synthesis, and systemic review should not be used.
• Mixed-methods studies should not be used.

Your research critique should include the following:

Research Problem/Purpose

• State the problem clearly as it is presented in the report.
• Have the investigators placed the study problem within the context of existing knowledge?
• Will the study solve a problem relevant to nursing?
• State the purpose of the research.

Review of the Literature

• Identify the concepts explored in the literature review.
• Were the references current? If not, what do you think the reasons are?

Theoretical Framework

• Are the theoretical concepts defined and related to the research?
• Does the research draw solely on nursing theory or does it draw on theory from other disciplines?
• Is a theoretical framework stated in this research piece?
• If not, suggest one that might be suitable for the study.

Variables/Hypotheses/Questions/Assumptions

• What are the independent and dependent variables in this study?
• Are the operational definitions of the variables given? If so, are they concrete and measurable?
• Is the research question or the hypothesis stated? What is it?

Methodology

• What type of design (quantitative, qualitative, and type) was used in this study?
• Was inductive or deductive reasoning used in this study?
• State the sample size and study population, sampling method, and study setting.
• Did the investigator choose a probability or non-probability sample?
• State the type of reliability and the validity of the measurement tools.
• Were ethical considerations addressed?

Data Analysis

• What data analysis tool was used?
• How were the results presented in the study?
• Identify at least one (1) finding.

Summary/Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations

• What are the strengths and limitations of the study?
• In terms of the findings, can the researcher generalize to other populations? Explain.
• Evaluate the findings and conclusions as to their significance for nursing.

The body of your paper should be 4–6 double-spaced pages plus a cover page and a reference page. The critique must be attached to the article and follow APA guidelines.