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Quantitative Research Evaluation

Listed below are criteria that you will use to critique your primary research article. Discuss how
the investigator satisfied each criterion. Cite relevant passages in the articles, with
reference to page number if appropriate. Don’t merely respond “yes” or “no’ to the
presence or absence of each criterion—you must provide examples and rationale for
your response.

Introduction – 6 points

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?

Problem statement – 6 points

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?

Literature review – 6 points

Does the 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?

Theoretical framework and hypotheses – 6 points

Is a rationale stated for the theoretical/conceptual framework?
Does the investigator clearly state the theoretical basis for hypothesis formulation?
Is the hypothesis stated precisely and in a form that permits it to be tested?

Methodology – 10 points

Are the relevant variables and concepts clearly and operationally defined?
Is the design appropriate for the research questions or hypotheses?
Are methods of data collection sufficiently described’?
What are the identified and potential threats to internal and external validity that were

present in the study?

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

Sample – 6 points

Are the subjects and sampling methods described?
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?

Instruments – 5 points

Are appropriate instruments for data collection used?
Are reliability and validity of the measurement instruments adequate?

Data analysis – 5 points

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?

Results – 6 points

Are the results for each hypothesis clearly and objectively presented?
Do the figures and tables illuminate the presentation of results’?
Are results described in light of the theoretical framework and supporting literature?

Conclusions/discussion –12points

Are conclusions based on the results and related to the hypotheses’?
Are study limitations identified?
Are generalizations made within the scope of the findings?
Are implications of findings discussed (i.e., for practice, education, and research)?
Are recommendations for further research stated?

Research utilization implications – 15 points

Is the study of sufficient quality to meet the criterion of scientific merit’?
Is the study of relevance to practice?
Is the study feasible for nurses to implement?
Do the benefits of the study outweigh the risks?

Use of proper format (APA), grammar, spelling, and punctuation – 17 points
Student Paper General Requirements and Guidelines

All papers must be typewritten or printed on standard 81/2 x 11 inch white bond

paper. The type-face should be times roman or courier. Do not use bold or other
styles of type. Limit the use of italicized words.

All papers must have a title page that includes a page header, running head, title

and author’s name and affiliation.

All papers must have margins of at least 1 inch at the top, bottom, left, and right of

every page. Do not justify the right margin and do not hyphenate words at the end of
a line.

The entire paper must be double-spaced including the reference list.
The first line of every paragraph in the paper must be indented 5 spaces.
There must be only 1 space after commas, colons, semi-colons, punctuation marks

at the end of sentences, and periods after initials.

Headings may be used to organize the paper into sections.
The reference list must include only those references cited in the text of the paper.
All ideas that are not your own must be cited within the text of the paper and

referenced in the reference list. Failure to do so is PLAGIARISM.

Limit the use of direct quotes by paraphrasing ideas taken from references. These

paraphrases do need to include citation of the author(s).

The citation after direct quotes must include the page number of the reference that is

being quoted.
TOTAL POINTS ________

Qualitative Research Evaluation

Listed below are criteria that you will use to critique your primary research article. Discuss how
the investigator satisfied each criterion. Cite relevant passages in the articles, with
reference to page number if appropriate. Don’t merely respond “yes” or “no’ to the
presence or absence of each criterion—you must provide examples and rationale for
your response.

Statement of the phenomenon of interest – 6 points

Is the phenomenon of interest clearly identified?
Has the researcher identified why the phenomenon requires a qualitative format?
Has the researcher described the philosophic underpinnings of the research?

Purpose – 5 points

Has the researcher made explicit the purpose of conducting the research?
Does the researcher describe the projected significance of the work to nursing?

Method – 6 points

Is the method used to collect data compatible with the purpose of the research?
Is the method adequate to address the phenomenon of interest?
If a particular approach is used to guide the inquiry, does the researcher complete

the study according to the processes described?
Sampling – 9 points

Does the researcher identify the target and accessible population?
What sampling method was used?
What are the characteristics or inclusion criteria for the sample?

Data collection – 15 points

Is data collection focused on human experience?
Does the researcher describe data collection strategies (i.e., interview, observation,

field notes)?

Is protection of human participants addressed and if so how?
Is saturation of the data described?
Has the researcher made explicit the procedures for collecting data?

Data analysis – 20 points

Does the researcher describe the strategies used to analyze the data?
Has the researcher remained true to the data?
Does the reader understand the procedures used to analyze the data? State the procedure
Does the researcher address the credibility, auditability, and fittingness of the data?

Credibility

Do the participants recognize the experience as their own?

Auditability

Can the reader follow the researcher’s thinking?
Does the researcher document the research process?

Fittingness

Can the findings be applicable outside the study situation? b. Are the results

meaningful to individuals not involved in the research?

Is the strategy used for analysis compatible with the purpose of the study?

Findings – 10 points

Are the findings presented within a context?
Is the reader able to grasp the essence of the experience from the report of the

findings?

Are the researcher’s conceptualizations true to the data?
Does the researcher place the report in the context of what already is known about

the phenomenon?

Conclusion, implications, and recommendations – 12 points

Do the conclusions, implications, and recommendations give the reader a context in

which to use the findings?

Do the conclusions reflect the study findings?
Does the researcher offer recommendations for future study?
Has the researcher made explicit the significance of the study to nursing?