Qualitative Critique
Overview: When caring for patients it is essential that as a nurse you are using evidence-based practice. In order to identify what is best practice, you must be able to read research critically. Terminology used in research can be difficult to interpret and understand; therefore securing a solid foundation is essential to the success of identifying and implementing current best practice. What is a critique? It is a professional analysis of the weaknesses and strengths of a particular piece of research. A critique may be done for a variety of purposes: acting as an expert reviewer to assess whether this research paper should be published; providing helpful comments on a work before it is submitted for publication; or, as in the case here, as a learning experience for emerging scholars to practice their developing research skills.
Prompt: Choose one of the two provided articles located in the module Reading and Resources folder. Start by filling out the provided worksheet. Then, using the worksheet as your guide, write a critique to dig deeper into each section and identify the specific examples of each element (e.g., what is the research question? Does the author justify the importance of the research? In the case of a literature review, has the author examined the relevant literature?). Elaborate on each section and evaluate it for its strengths and limitations. Be sure to identify your chosen article and address the following critical elements:
USE HEADER FOR EACH SECTION (CRITIQUE, PURPOSE & RESEARCH QUESTION, VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY, FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS, EVALUATION)
1. Critique
A. Purpose and Research Question: What is the research question? Does the author justify the importance of the research?
B. Design and Methods: What design and methods were used? Are they rigorous and systematic?
C. Validity and Reliability: Is the study valid and reliable? (For qualitative research, this section of your critique should consider the study’s trustworthiness and rigor.)
D. Findings and Conclusions: Are the conclusions statistically significant or clinically significant given the findings?
2. Evaluation: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research article? Did the author succeed or fail in the purpose of the study? Recommend areas for improvement or suggest direction for future research.
