Critiquing Research Paper (Part 3)

You can go to Mriga Online Academic Support website to get practical feedback to help you develop your assignment.

Method of research

•Consider:-     

-       What research design was used-       

experimental, survey, ethnography, phenomenology, case study, action research etc.

-       Was this appropriate for the question being researched?

•Where was the study (an institution, a hospital, person’s home etc) conducted?

•Does the research describe in detail, the selection of participants?

•What are the criteria for accepting someone on the sample? What criteria are included in the exclusion of people?

•How were participants approached, informed and recruited?

•How is the sample size justified?

•Was sample mortality discussed in health related research?

Data Collection

•How were the data collected-observation, interview, questionnaire etc?

•What data collection tools were used and how appropriate are they?

•How valid and reliable are they?

•Have the tools been piloted?

Data Analysis

•How exactly were the data analysed?

•Was this appropriate method of analysis?

•Were appropriate tools for analysis used?

•If qualitative analysis, was the author’s analysis checked?

•If quantitative how were the statistics handled?

•Does the analysis provide answers for the research questions asked?

Critiquing Research Paper (Part 2)

You can go to Mriga Online Academic Support website to get practical feedback to help you develop your assignment.

The research question

•How clearly is the research question or the research problem stated?

•How clearly is the background to the question/problem described..

v  From the authors own experience

v  From the context of others’ experience - review of the literature.

v  What gaps in knowledge are there?

v  How broad is the literature search?

v  Is it up to date and relevant?

v  Are the studies critiqued by the researcher?

v  Is a summary of current knowledge provided?

•Is the importance of the question/problem to nursing or health care or the relevant subject explained?

•What contribution is this study expected to make to the knowledge base of the subject?

•What contribution is this study expected to make to the practice of the subject?

•How does it relate to other research studies in the same area?

•What terms and concepts need defining?

•Are these clear, and is the terminology consistent throughout the study?

•By the end of the introduction, are you clear on what is being studied and why?

Critiquing Research Paper (Part 1)

You can go to Mriga Online Academic Support website to get practical feedback to help you develop your assignment.

Title

•What does the title convey?

•Is the title concise and easy to understand?

•Does it include the key words of your search?

Abstract

•Does the abstract contain a précis of the research question?

•The methods used and tools of data gathering?

•The findings in brief?

•Does it provide information that allows you to evaluate whether the article is meets your needs.

Introduction

•Does the introduction give a clear understanding of the topic?

•Summarises the paper?

•Signposts what is in the paper?

•Is there reference to methodology?

•Indicates the findings of the research?

•Who were the authors?

•What are there job titles and qualifications?

•Are the authors recognised experts in their field?

How to search for information

You can go to Mriga Online Academic Support website to get practical feedback to help you develop your assignment.

Plan:

·         Start your search by planning your search strategy and brainstorm (mind map) your topic / essay title / question

·         What you need to find out?

·         How much information do you need?

·         Think of keywords (concepts)

·         Remember to think about synonyms, variant spellings, abbreviations e.g.  carers, care, caring, caregivers, informal care, anaesthesia/anesthesia, anaesthetics/anesthetics etc.

·         Define your limits – language, date, geography, gender, age etc.

·         Decide what type of information you need and where you are going to look.  For example - Do you need books?  Do you need journal articles?  Do you need guidelines, statistics, government policies, research?

Search:

·         Think about where you are going to search:

·         Start with your library website and login to search and where available access full text resources (e-books, e-journals – full text of journal articles etc.)

·         Books - use Quick Search on the library website to search for books and e-books. 

·         Journal articles - use databases e.g. British Nursing Index, CINAHL, Medline, ASSIA etc. via the Advanced Search on the library website

·         Websites - use subject gateways e.g. Intute: Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health, Intute Social Sciences, Intute: Medicine etc. via the Advanced Search on the library website

·         Guidelines and policy e.g. Department of Health, NICE, NHS Evidence, NMC via the Advanced Search on the library website

·         Statistics e.g. National Statistics, Department of Health, WHO via the Advanced Search – Health Statistics sub category on the library website

·         Use your keywords from you plan as search words.  Combine words and short phrases using AND, OR, NOT e.g. wound care and diabetes

·         Make use of other search tips for the database (truncation e.g.* or $, wildcards - ?, phrase searching etc.) and also online help and guides

·         Refine – be prepared to change your search words

Evaluate:

·         What you find - check for authority, quality, authorship, currency, reliability, quality and use of references, bias, research quality etc.

      (see reverse for more information)

Record:

·         Keep details of what and where you search as you go along.  

·         Keep details of the full references for future use.  For websites include the web address (URL) and date you accessed the information. 

·         Remember to use the Harvard Referencing style.

·         Save to My Digital Library within Advanced Search or use RefWorks

Evaluating information

Where?

·         Where has the information come from?

·         Is it from an academic publisher?

·         Have you used an academic database indexing journal articles, or library catalogue?

·         Is it from a peer reviewed journal?

·         Is it from an official source e.g. Government department, Royal College, Conference?

·         Have you used Google or similar? - academic credibility will need verification

Who?

·         Who wrote or published the information?

·         Can you establish the academic credibility of the author(s)? 

      Have they got the authority to write what they are writing about?

·         Has the information been peer reviewed?

·         Has the author published other works?

What?

·         Is the content and coverage suitable? 

·         What level is it?

·         Is the content primary research (new information), secondary research, an overview, literature review etc.?

·         Can you check for the accuracy and quality of the information?

·         What is the purpose of the source and what audience is it targeted at?

·         How does it compare with other sources?

·         Are there any obvious biases?  e.g. geographical focus, organisational viewpoint etc.

·         How good are the references – currency etc.?

·         Is it relevant to your work?

When?

·         How up to date is it?  What is the date of publication?

Further help with searching and evaluating information:

Online help via the library website (Help and Advice section)

• Information Skills Tutorial (PILOT) –   Online tutorial to help you with searching for and evaluating information

• Library Guides –includes Harvard Referencing, RefWorks, Subject Guides e.g. Nursing, Database guides e.g. CINAHL 
•  
• Harvard Guide to Referencing as well as other systems (go to the referencing systems blog)

• Internet for Nurse (Intute)

      A tutorial about how to find nursing information on the web 

• Internet Detective

      Online tutorial to learn more about evaluating websites

           

• Library website - Internet Searching – Search Tips section